A diabolical plan has just been set into motion by the anonymous powers that be, to rid Delhi's mighty South Block of the terrible Gutka the Gross and his Horde of One Hundred. They are to be translocated to the Shikhargunj National Park where they are to be put to better - and more sinister - use. At Shikhargunj, a leadership crisis has arisen; Sher Bahadur, its sole tiger has taken sanyas and a bitter struggle for succession has broken out. Top contender, Dhoomdham, the clumsy, drooling leopar...d must bring the head of the chief forest officer's little daughter, Aranya, to the Waterhole of the Truce to stake his claim. But then the Horde arrives and all hell breaks loose as a dangerous 'hostage crisis' develops. Shockingly none of the other animals wish to get involved, but the Yumyum piglets have no choice in the matter. Cleverly they inveigle the drooling Dhoomdham to help them, along with Bholu, the mighty elephant with suspect brakes and steering. An audacious plot is hatched to free the hostages, even as Aranya watches in amazement, and Gucci the posh croc smacks his huge jaws in anticipation. About The Author: Ranjit Lal was born in Kolkata in 1955, and educated in Mumbai, graduating in Economics and Sociology. As a freelance writer and columnist, he has over a thousand articles, short stories, features and photo-features published in over fifty newspapers and magazines in India and abroad. He has special interest in areas like natural history, photography, humour, satire and automobiles, on which he writes for both adults and children. He is one of the few Indian journalists to write satire and humour on a sustained basis. He has authored several books including The Crow Chronicles, The Life and Times of Altu Faltu, That Summer at Kalagarh, The Bossman Adventures, Enjoying Birds, Birds of Delhi, Birds from My Window, The Caterpillar Who Went on a Diet and Other Stories, When Banshee Kissed Bimbo and The Battle for No.19