My Mowgli Experience

When my friends read my earlier tickles, they immediately asked as to why I had not written about that much-talked about, unusual and very memorable incident involving an elephant. I decided to oblige so get ready to enjoy a first hand account of an elephant experience.

It was a quiet Sunday morning and I was fast asleep, hoping to get up very late. Suddenly I felt my wife shaking me awake, gushing excitedly about something that sounded like “elephant” to my sleepy brain. Contrary to what some people think, India does not have an elephant or a snake charmer around every corner. In fact in most cities, children would not even know a snake charmer if they met one!

So, the word elephant was enough to pique my curiosity and wake me up. I then realized that she was telling me that an elephant was standing in our street, having just got down from a truck. I guess mere mortals have to do with a bus, however a truck can be the only means of transport for this giant, majestic creature. I got up, intending to take a quick look at the elephant and then return to sleep after a few minutes.

True enough there was this elephant munching away on odd fruits that the children in the neighborhood were offering her with delight. The caretaker (who subsequently turned out not to be one) was shooing away everyone saying it was dangerous to come too close. After offering some fruits, I left telling them that they could call upon me if anything was required as we lived at the end of the street.

By that time, sleep was long gone so I proceeded to go through my morning routine. While so engaged I heard my spouse banging on the bathroom door and telling me that I had some visitors. Now, we live on the ground floor of an apartment building and when I walked out of the room, I almost fainted at the sight of this elephant blocking the balcony doors with its massive bulk. For a few seconds I thought that she might actually break down some walls to enter the apartment. The actual mahout and caretaker was waiting to meet me and requested some water to bathe the elephant. And so started that unforgettable Sunday. Obviously the “little water” was not not a small amount by any stretch of imagination.

For the next couple of hours the elephant luxuriated in having a leisurely, well scrubbed bath and a pedicure! Then which she was made up as carefully as any beauty queen; we watched in fascination as her forehead and face were painted with unusual decorations.

In the meantime we had organized for a few kilos of vegetables which were promptly gobbled down by her.

I became 5 years old again and spent the entire time scrubbing the elephant, running around her, taking pictures and finally sitting atop her after she had finished her bath. She was sweet enough to indulge me and lived up to the label of a gentle giant.

We learnt that the elephant was Ms. Shyamala Devi who hailed from Swamimalai, a small town in southern Tamil Nadu. She had come to Chennai to grace a wedding with her distinguished presence and ending up gracing up our home for an entire morning.

Oh what an unforgettable experience, being Mowgli for a few hours!