Once Upon an Elephant

by Ashok Mathur

"Once Upon an Elephant" is a contemporary tale of Hindu deity Ganesh and what happens when worlds, cultures, and stories collide. A whimsical, contemporary retelling of the creation story of Ganesh?the elephant-headed Hindu deity?"Once Upon an Elephant" is rife with humour and political satire. When the police find unusual boy parts?a young man's head and an elephant's body?they assume a murder has been committed, and the case goes to trial. But the appearance of Vighnesvara, a manifestation of Ganesh with the body of a young man and the head of an elephant, in the courtroom of ultra-conservative Judge McEchern throws things into chaos. Around the world statues of Ganesh are drinking offered milk, and poor Judge McEchern has troubles enough with his carnival witnesses who testify in languages other than English, testimony from an accused who grows extra arms at will, and a murder victim, with the head of an elephant, who refuses to stay dead. Ganesh is known as the lord of obstacles, and "Once Upon an Elephant" is strewn with them, twisting, turning, and thwarting expectations about race, class, and sexuality, all within a page-turning murder mystery. This was Ashok Mathur's first novel; his second novel, "The Short, Happy Life of Harry Kumar," is also available from Arsenal Pulp Press.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Hinduism, India, Gay

216 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1999

About the author

Ashok Mathur is an Indo-Canadian writer, visual artist and an associate professor of English and Modern Languages at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC, Canada. He holds a Canada Research Chair in Cultural and Artistic Inquiry and is the director of the Centre for Innovation in Culture and the Arts in Canada. He was born in Bhopal, India. In 1962, he emigrated with his family to Canada and was raised in the Maritimes. He has lived and worked in Calgary and Vancouver. He completed his studies at the University of Calgary, earning a Bachelor's degree, Master of Arts and Ph.D.. Prior to joining Thompson Rivers University in 2005, he taught at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.

Reviews

[Rand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really great.
Uses a mock-trial to tell varying legends of Ganesh & other Hindu deities. If you're relatively unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Hindu faith like me, than this book will surprise you. The conflict between the rigidity of the judge and the supernatural actuality of the other characters serves as a good allegory for faith and the philosophical implications of professing a creed.

Very humorous.

I read it right before reading the more serious novel The Death of Vishnu.

[Wigglygirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly - there was so much potential and it was squandered with vague stylized blurbs rather than actual story. If you want to actually read a story about Ganesh based upon the myths - spare yourself the time and read something else.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books ever: rich, elegant, and finished too quickly. I've read it over and over again, and the last page always makes me happy-cry.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

After learning about Ganesh, I really got into this book. It was witty and humorous and unique. It's actually one of the few books I didn't mind reading for a college class.