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Confessions of a Thug is an English novel written by Philip Meadows Taylor in 1839 based on the Thuggee cult in British India. Ameer Ali, the anti-hero protagonist of Confessions of a Thug, was said to be based on a real Thug called Syeed Ameer Ali (or Feringhea), whom the author was acquainted with.

Confessions of a Thug went on to become a best seller in 19th century Britain. The book also became one of Queen Victoria's favourite novels. The story of the Thuggee cult was popularized by Confessions of a Thug, leading to the Hindi word "thug" (meaning a deceiver, from the Hindi verb Thugna, to deceive) entering the English language.

Subject Matter
This book is a tale of crime and retribution. Set in 1832 in India, the story lays bare the practices of the Thugs, or deceivers as they were called, who murdered travellers for money and valuables. This classic was originally published in 1839, and reprinted in 1873.

Synopsis of the Plot
The life and careers of Thugs were dramatized in the novel.

"A strange page in the book of human life is this! Thought I, as he left the room. That man, the perpetrator of so many hundred murders, thinks on the past with satisfaction and pleasure; nay he takes a pride in recalling the events of his life, almost every one of which is a murder, and glories in describing the minutest particulars of his victims, and the share he had in their destruction, with scarcely a symptom of remorse! Once or twice only has he winced while telling his fearful story, and what agitated him most at the commencement of his tale I have yet to hear."

Introduction
The author introduces his text by providing the reader with a history of the sociopolitical climate of the novel and his association with the thug Ameer Ali. During this period, India was ruled by the East India Company and administrative control was held by the British crown. Due to the vastness of the continent and the difficulty with which governance was extended, security for travelers from robbers and freebooters between the various territories was low, and the disposal of a murdered party was made easy in the desert. Colonel William Henry Sleeman is credited with having led the discovery and suppression of the practice of Thuggee in India, and it is through Sleeman's indirect capture of Ameer Ali in Sagar in 1832 that the confession upon which the novel is based was extracted. Through Ali's confession and those of other captured thugs was the ritual strangulation and disposal in mass graves of thousands of travelers uncovered. Ali himself confesses to over 700 murders.

Chapter I
The Thug's introduction to the reader, and an event in his history which determines his future career

The chapter opens in a conversation between the author and Ameer Ali. Ali agrees to recount the tale of his life with pride, understanding that he is bound to the service of Britain in exchange for avoiding the death penalty. His lack of remorse for his crimes is made evident in his verbal celebration of his many daring feats.

Ali begins his tale as a young child traveling with his wealthy parents. After several days of traveling, the party stops to rest at an empty shop. Ali is admonished by his mother to stay indoors, but defies her orders and ventures out to play with other children. A man named Ismail takes notice of the quality of Ali's garments and adornments and strikes up a conversation with him about his family and travels, offering to buy him sweetmeats. After accepting the sweetmeats, Ali is accosted by street urchins only to be rescued and returned home by the same mysterious man. Ali's family, grateful for his service to their son, converse with Ismail, who tells them that he is a soldier and offers to travel with them. Ismail and his band of purported soldiers accompany Ali's family into the desert and strangle and rob all of the party save for the young Ali, who Ismail rescues as brings home as his adopted son.

Chapter II
In which it will appear that Ameer Ali's curiosity is violently excited

Ali has happily become a part of Ismail's family and is fond of his adoptive mother, Miriam. Ismail purports himself to be a cloth merchant in his village and though he is absent for days at a time, his wife is unaware of his secret identity as a Thug. After Miriam's death, the raising of Ali is left solely to Ismail who becomes suspicious of Ismail after hearing him converse with guests in Ramasee, a secret Thug language. Ismail's consorts urge him to initiate Ali into Thuggee and though Ismail is reluctant, Ali's curiosity prompts him to beg his father to explain his secret profession and allow him to become initiated. Ismail recounts a description of his profession as a Thug, indicating that his is a glorious profession in which Muslim and Hindu are united in the service of Divine authority.

Chapter III
In which Ameer Ali displays his bravery at a tiger hunt

A day or two after Ali becomes aware of his father's secret identity, a tigress with a cub moves into the tract of jungle near Ali's village and kills three people. A band of men from the village, including Ali and his father, form to dispatch the tiger. Among the group is a boastful but cowardly man named Dildar Khan, who hides behind a bush while the others of the band fire upon the tiger. After being wounded, the tiger runs straight for the bush behind which Khan is hiding and attacks him. Ali spontaneously rushes at the tiger, sword drawn, and stabs her in the neck, killing her instantly. Although Khan has already been killed, the village celebrates Ali's bravery and skill and Ismail announces that his is confident that Ali will be accepted into and revered by the council of Thugs.

Chapter IV
Recounts the initiation of Ameer Ali in Thuggee, and the commencement of the old Thug's Tale

The day after Ali's encounter with the tiger, he and Ismail travel to Sheopoor. A Thug expedition is planned to begin from this village, and it is here that Ali is to be initiated into the group. Ali learns that Ismail is respected as the leader of the council, and after the group learns of Ali's bravery he is looked upon highly by them. Ali's inauguration is set for the day of the Hindu festival of the Dusera. Ali, being a Muslim, is unfamiliar with Dusera, but his father explains to him that the unity between Muslims and Hindus is based on their shared belief in and service to the goddess of destruction, Kali.

Ismail recounts to Ali the origins of the practice of Thuggee. In the beginning, the creating and destroying powers were at enmity. The creating power outpaced the destroyer, peopling the earth too quickly for the destroyer to maintain balance. Kali was allowed to create a single life, and called together a band of her followers to instruct them in Thuggee. To demonstrate her wishes, she strangled the life which she had created, and gifted her Thugs with superior intellect and cunning with which to achieve their purpose of dispensing destruction to mankind. To reward her Thugs for their efforts, Kali grants that they may keep all plunder obtained from their victims.

On the day of Ali's initiation, he is bathed and dressed in new clothing and the ritual is performed. The favorable omen of the twittering of a tree-owl is granted and Ali's oath to the goddess Kali is consecrated by the consumption of goor, a coarse sugar.

Within a few days, the band begins their expedition after the consultation of omens and the performance of ritual ceremonies. Sothaees or inveiglers, who are tasked with enticing travelers into the clutches of the band, are sent into a nearby town while Ali and his father wait in a mango grove with the rest of the band. The inveiglers return, having convinced an old man of seeming wealth to join them in order to travel to a neighboring village. The victim and his son join the band at sunset and set up camp. Conversation is made amongst the group, giving the victims no indication of foul play until Ismail issues the signal (the phrase "Tumbako lao", or "bring tobacco") and the group sets upon and strangles the man and his son. After the rest of the victim's party is strangled and looted, the band disposes of the bodies, eight in total, in a shallow grave.

Mahomed, an old Thug in the band, having recognized the victim as one with whom he held a grudge, is entreated to tell his tale. The old thug begins his story, recounting that the victim was a man named Brij Lall who had imprisoned him and tortured Mahomed's father as a boy.

Chapter V
Wherein the old Thug ends his tale

Mahomed continues his tale, explaining how Brij Lall had been harassing his father, Mahomedjee Patel, for many years after he had foiled Brij Lall's attempt to rob the widow of the principle banker of his village. A deep enmity was formed, resulting in his father's imprisonment by Brij Lall, who had some political favor. A sympathetic guard delivers a pea from Mahomedjee Patel to the court and after a trial he is released. Brij Lall, however, continues to pursue Mahomedjee Patel, and after they return to their home, both Mahomed and his father are shot by men in the service of Brij Lall. Mahomed's father dies instantly, and though only wounded, Mahomed is mistaken for dead and left behind.

Mahomed and his father's body are soon discovered by some laborers of his village who carry them back to Mahomedjee Patel's home. Mahomed's mother wails with grief at the loss of her husband and his sister tends to his wounds until the village barber arrives to remove the shrapnel. Mahomed tells the village leaders that Brij Lall is responsible, however, it is decided that Brij Lall's power is too great for justice to be had. It is viewed by the band of Thugs as a sign of diving power that Brij Lall was effectively delivered into Mahomed's hands so many years later. Ameer Ali is inspired to seek tutelage from Roop Singh, the old teacher, and receives instruction on the proper way to strangle a victim using a handkerchief.

Chapter VI
In which the reader will be informed how Ameer Ali killed his first man

Ameer Ali and the band of Thugs continue their travels, and in the town of Nagpoor, a sahoukar, or banker, is convinced to join the band in traveling to Hyderabad. The Thugs present themselves as a group of soldiers traveling to Hyderabad to seek employment in the service of the reigning prince. The sahoukar intends to transport a great amount of treasure and valuable goods and the band is pleased at the opportunity for such a rich booty. Ali proposes that the sahoukar become his first victim, a pleasing proposition to Ismail.

Roop Singh, the guru, performs a final ceremony upon the completion of which a favorable omen is received, and presents Ali with a piece of silver tied into the knot of his handkerchief. A portion of the band has traveled ahead to prepare the graves. Once the remainder of the group reaches the proper position, Ismail gives the signal and Ali follows his instructions perfectly, strangling the sahoukar with little struggle.

Chapter VII
A new adventure, which proves an unusual prelude to an evening's entertainment

The sahoukar's considerable valuables are difficult to distribute among the Thugs, so Ismail is tasked with selling the merchandise and jewels upon arrival at Hyderabad. In the meantime, the ready money is divided among the band.

The chapter then establishes a rapport between the reader and the character Bhudrinath, one of the more skillful of the band. Though most of the Thugs are frugal, eating sparse meals and conserving their funds, Bhudrinath consumes enormous amounts of food.

The party continues their journey via a less-traveled road to avoid detection. The road leads them to a town called Oomerkér, where the band represents themselves as merchants from Hindostan. Bhudrinath and Ali dress in their finest clothes and enter the town, Ali acting as jemadar (officer) for his father with Bhudrinath as a man in his service. Ali and Bhudrinath enter the chowree, or public hall, and establish a relationship with the kotwal (police officer). A disgruntled traveling merchant enters the hall, complaining of poor treatment. Ali and Bhudrinath recognize an opportunity to ensnare the man and invite him to their encampment. The traveler and his servants arrive in the Thug's camp that evening.

Chapter VIII
Wherein the reader will be informed how Ameer Ali passed the evening

Planning for the dispatch of the merchant begins, and Ali is assigned the role of bhuttote, or strangler, of the merchant. Upon seeing the merchant's servant, a stout man of a noble and brave race, Ali petitions to be assigned to the servant as a way of proving himself. Ismail cautions Ali of the servant's dagger, but Ali remains convinced that he is a match for the man. When the signal is given, Ali attacks the servant and a struggle ensues. During the struggle, the servant lightly wounds Ali and kill another Thug with his dagger. The bodies are buried and Ali and Bhudrinath bathe themselves and dress in clean clothing to enter the city in order to attend the evening durbar, or assembly.

At the assembly, Ali presents the hakim, or governor, with the gift of a sword with a hilt inlaid with gold and wins his approval. For the entertainment of the durbar, the hakim has posted dancing girls, one of which is of dazzling beauty called Zora. Ali is struck with the girl. As Ali departs the hall, an old woman gives him the hurried message that he should meet her secretly to learn of an opportunity involving Zora.

Chapter IX
In which Ameer Ali proves himself an excellent hand at making a bargain, and that his amour has a chance of success

Chapter X
Continuation of Ameer Ali's adventure

Chapter XI
In which the victim falls into the trap

Chapter XII
Showing how justice is often summarily dispensed

Chapter XIII
How Kumal Khan's head was cut off, and stuck up near the gate of the town