The Elephant Book: Myths, Folklore and True Stories – By Sowmya Rajendran (Published by Rupa Publications India)

Explore the majestic, deeply complex, and historically fraught relationship between humans and one of the world's most intelligent gentle giants. Published by Rupa Publications India, The Elephant Book: Myths, Folklore and True Stories by acclaimed children's author and journalist Sowmya Rajendran is an engaging, beautifully written anthology that spans across centuries of culture, biology, and news headlines to investigate what the elephant truly means to India and the world.Adored as deities, worshipped in grand temple festivals, yet simultaneously exploited for labor and killed for ivory—the human connection to the elephant is tangled in a web of contradictory emotions. With its long, funny trunk, magnificent tusks, portly body, and surprisingly playful nature, the elephant remains an absolute marvel of evolution. But are they truly our partners? Pop culture has long romanticized this bond, painting them as fiercely loyal companions in classic Indian films like Haathi Mere Saathi (1971). But has this historic "friendship" come at a tragic, irreversible cost to the animals themselves? What does modern conservation science—and Oscar-winning documentaries like The Elephant Whisperers (2022)—reveal about their intricate emotional lives, their capacity for grief, and their struggle to survive human encroachment?In this lively, highly scannable volume, Rajendran pulls back the canopy to introduce readers to elephants from ancient mythology, royal military history, folklore, and recent global news events. The book systematically breaks down the animal’s profound impact across various spheres