The Trunk of Ganesha

 The Trunk of Ganesha - Short Story by Jayanta Mahapatra 

Welcome readers! As a Part of my Bachelor's studies at shamaldas Arts college, affiliated with MK Bhavnagar university. In this Particular blog, I will discuss the short story 'The Trunk of Ganesha' by Jayanta Mahapatra, offering a comprehensive analysis enriched with additional insights. 

The trunk of Ganesha is a short story by an Indian writer Jayant Mahapatra. It is a story of an idol maker who finds himself in trouble in completing idol of Ganesha. Because strangely trunk was breaking every time. In the end mystery is solved. The story is of one skilled idol maker named Govinda. He makes idol of all gods and goddesses. He is a married man and his wife’s name is Sulochana. He has three sons but only the youngest one Ranju was interested in making idols and he was learning this art. 

About Jayanta Mahapatra :-  

Jayanta Mahapatra ( 22 october 1928 - 27 August 2023) was an Indian Poet. He is the first Indian poet to win a sahitya Akademi award for English poetry. He was the author of poems such as 'Indian summer' and 'Hunger' which are regarded as classics in modern Indian English literature. He was awarded a padma shri, the fourth highest civilian honour In India in 2009, but he returned the award in 2015 to protest against rising tolerance in India. 

Mahapatra began his writing career in the late sixties. His short stories and poems were initially rejected by several publishers, until his poems were published in International literary Journals. He was invited to participate in the International writing programme at lowa, which brought him international exposure. 

Mahapatra was part of a trio of poets who laid the foundations of Indian English Poetry, which included A.K.Ramanujan and R. Parthasarathy. He differed from the others in not being a product of Bombay school of poets. Over time, he managed to carve a quiet, tranquil poetic voice of his own, different from those of his contemporaries. Mahapatra also translated from Odia into English, and some of his translations were published in the bi-monthly literary magazine Indian Literature. Some anthologies of his translations have also been published. 

In short, Jayanta Mahapatra is one of the best known Indian English Poets. He also writes in Oriya language. He was one of the most Popular Indian poets of his generation. Mahapatra is also different in not being a product of the Bombay school of poets. His wordy lyricism combined with authentic Indian themes put him in a league of his own. In that way, Jayanta Mahapatra is not just an Indian English poet. He is a school of poetry that has inspired many younger generation poets. 

Summary of the story :- 

 In the serene valleys of Bengal, resided Govinda Maharana, a skilled idol maker learned in the art passed down from his father. His hands were deft in shaping clay into exquisite idols. Govinda, along with his wife Sulochana and their three sons, led a modest yet contented life. While his elder sons showed little interest in the craft, his youngest, Ranju, eagerly followed his father's footsteps, displaying a natural talent.

Renowned as the valley's premier idol maker, Govinda encountered an unusual challenge one day. Crafting an idol of Lord Ganesha, the revered Hindu deity with an elephant head, proved perplexing as the trunk of the idol inexplicably broke every night, despite Govinda's careful craftsmanship during the day. Baffled by this mystery, Govinda pondered various reasons for the strange phenomenon.

His contemplation ranged from the quality of the clay to the weight distribution of the idol. Yet, Govinda's thoughts drifted into the realm of superstition, wondering if the gods were displeased or angry with him. Had he inadvertently offended them with overly ornate figures or exorbitant prices? Troubled by these notions, he resolved to uncover the truth.

Together, Govinda and Ranju devised a plan. After completing the idol one evening, they concealed themselves in a corner of the room, patiently awaiting the night's revelations. As they observed in silence, Ranju, overcome by drowsiness, drifted into slumber. Just when the room seemed shrouded in stillness, Govinda spotted a dark shadow near the window. To his surprise, it was a mischievous cat, leaping onto the trunk of the Ganesha idol and causing it to break.

Relief flooded Govinda as he unraveled the mystery. The divine conundrum that seemed to plague his craftsmanship was nothing more than the playful antics of a feline intruder. With a wry smile, Govinda realized the irony of his superstitious musings, bringing a humorous conclusion to the tale of "The Trunk of Ganesha."

 

• Title :- The Trunk of Ganesha
• Author :-  Jayanta Mahapatra
• Published Year :- 1971
• Setting :- The Story is set in a valley in India where Govinda and his family live. The story primarily takes place in Govinda's workspace, where he creates his idols. 
• Theme :- Importance of Perseverance  and determination 
• Tone :- Curious and Reflective 
• Symbolism :- The idol of Lord Ganesha represents a connection to the divine and serves as a symbol of the importance of spirituality in the characters' lives. 

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