Ripley's Believe It Or Not – "100 Crippled Daughters"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio
Episode Date: December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This brief "Ripley's Believe It or Not" segment, from the golden age of radio, highlights two unusual historical anecdotes under the banner, "Truth is stranger than fiction." The centerpiece story is of King Kusinava of India, who fathered 100 hunchbacked daughters and founded a city in their honor. Delivered in the signature concise and dramatic "Believe It or Not" style, the episode offers listeners a glimpse into the unusual and memorable.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Death by Poisoned Robe

[00:40]

• Anecdote: Bak Singh, ruler of Marwar, India, was killed by his vanity; he could not resist trying on a robe sent by an enemy, which had been dipped in poison.

• Message: Highlights the dangers of vanity and the ingenuity (or cruelty) of historical power struggles.

  “Bak Singh, ruler of Marwar, India, was killed by his vanity. He couldn't resist trying on a robe sent to him by an enemy. The robe had been dipped in poison and Bakht died. Believe it or not.”
  — Narrator [00:40]

2. The Father of 100 Crippled Daughters

[01:00]

• Anecdote: King Kusinava, ruling a great Hindu kingdom, fathered 100 daughters, all afflicted as hunchbacks.

• Commemoration: To honor or memorialize his tragic family, Kusinava founded a city named "Kanyu Kajba," which means "City of the Deformed Maidens."

• Legacy: The city survives today as Kanuage, now the principal city in the district of Farrukhabad, India.

  “King Kusinava, who ruled over a great Hindu kingdom, was the father of 100 daughters, all of them hunchbacks. To commemorate his great family tragedy, the king founded a city and named it Kanyu Kajba, the City of the deformed maidens.”
  — Narrator [01:00]

  “The capital founded by the tragic king has survived to the present day. It's now the principal city of the district of Farrukhabad, India, its name having been reduced to the modern Kanuage.”
  — Narrator [01:16]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Signature Line Introducing the Segment:

  “Truth is stranger than fiction. Now is the proof. This is Ripley's Believe it or not.”
  — Narrator [00:28]

• Concise Storytelling:
  The narration is iconic for its brevity and drama, with each segment concluded by, “Believe it or not.”

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:28 — Introduction to Ripley’s "Believe it or Not"
• 00:40 — Story of Bak Singh and the poisoned robe
• 01:00 — Main story: King Kusinava and his 100 hunchbacked daughters, the founding of Kanyu Kajba
• 01:16 — Modern legacy of the city, now called Kanuage (Farrukhabad, India)

Tone & Style

This episode maintains the original Ripley’s tone: dramatic, slightly mysterious, and focused on the curious and strange, aiming to intrigue listeners with historical oddities told in a punchy, memorable fashion.

Summary prepared for those interested in classic radio, historical oddities, and the enduring allure of “Believe it or not.”