Reflections on a White Elephant

Reflections on the White Elephant is a unique new novel by Mulk Raj Anand, which shows militant Hinutva on the offensive against exalted faith of Sri Aurobindo. Mahant Kalidas Cambridge educated descendant of the Head of Mahakali Temple, turns away from worship of Goddess Kali by murder of a goat every morning in the inherited Mahakali Temple. Local Hindutva roughs tried to take possession of Shrine, beating up Mahant Kalidas’s followers, inspite of police protection. While devout followers like widow Rani Pritam Kaur, are for Mahant Kalidas’s reformist new way of worship, away from murder of goat every day, Hindutva youths plot to make rare white elephant of the Mahant drunk, so that it runs amuck and kills innocent peasants. Disgrace of accusation that he has caused murder of villager makes liberal Mahant take his own life. A new pure Hindu Shrine comes up in Baradari in which worship of Goddess Saraswati is inaugurated, to exalt memory of the forward Mahant. Author suggests reaffirmation of Hinduism other than idolatory as way towards self-realisation.