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Shamdeo, ein Wolfsjunge von Sultanpur

Shamdeo found with wolves

Shamdeo was originally rescued from the forest of Musafirkhana, about 32km from Sultanpur, by Narsing Bahadur Singh, the headman of the village of Narangpur. He had discovered the boy playing with four or five wolf-cubs in May of 1972.

Feral characteristics

On discovery, Shamdeo (called Shamdev by Chatwin, and later re-named Pascal and also Baloo), had very dark skin, fingernails grown into claws, a tangle of matted hair and callouses on his palms, elbows and knees. Although he ran quickly on all fours, he couldn't escape Singh who captured him and took him home.

Shamdeo hated the sun and sought out dark corners: he became restless after dark. Like Kamala and others, he caught chickens alive and ate the whole bird, including the entrails; he was also strongly attracted to the smell of blood.

Shamdeo's escape

He lived with Singh for some five months, but presumably escaped, as he was subsequently sighted roaming around scavenging for scraps.

The sisters of Mother Teresa's Mission of Charity found him at a house whose owner said a laundrywoman (presumably, his mother) had come to claim him but declined to take him back, so he was taken by the sisters into their orphanage. During his first week there, Shamdeo would rip off his clothes and throw his food away, plate and all, and only gradually settled into orphanage life.

Visited by Bruce Chatwin

Shamdeo was visited at the Mission by Bruce Chatwin who tells the story in What Am I Doing Here?; Chatwin then went on to meet Singh, who took Chatwin with him to reclaim "his" boy from the Mission. By this time, Shamdeo had taken to using one or two simple signs to communicate, and the callouses had gone.

Shamdeo recognised Singh immediately and jumped to greet him. However, chastened by the Sisters' firmness, Singh forgot his plans to reclaim the child but instead asked if he might visit again.

True or hoax?

Chatwin remained convinced that Singh had spoken the truth about having found the boy in the company of wolf-cubs, after having witnessed Singh's grilling at the hands of a former barrister.