With the inauguration of world’s maiden White Tiger Safari, the rare breed of the big cat has returned to its place of origin in Madhya Pradesh’s Vindhya region where the feline was first discovered over a century ago.

So emotionally attached the locals felt about the feline’s return to its place of origin that notwithstanding the severe heatwave more than a lakh people turned up to witness the inaugural event here yesterday.

It was an important political issue until the last Assembly election in the state which forced leaders across parties to resolve for the white tigers’ return to the native Vindhya region.

“Our Vindhya region first introduced the white tigers to the world and people are emotionally attached to the feline. The state, however, lost its last white tiger in 1976 after the death of Virat and since then, we were waiting for its return here. The CM has fulfilled his promise and the state has got its due after 40 years,” said Gulshan Mishra, a local farmer.

In 1915, the then ruler of Rewa Princely state Maharaj Gulab Singh spotted the world’s first white tiger and brought it to his palace in Rewa. The tiger died in 1920.

In 1951, Gulab’s son Martand Singh spotted a white tiger cub and named it Mohan. He arranged for its breeding so that the world could be introduced to the rare species of the big cat.

All the known white tigers in the world now are descendants of Mohan.

“If there is any white tiger in the world, it is certainly related to its forefather Mohan,” a zoo safari official said.

MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, paying heed to the demands of locals, said the world’s first White Tiger Safari in Mukundpur would be named after Maharaja Martand Singh, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd.

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