#490 - That Summer at Kalagarh

by Ranjit Lal

“That Summer at Kalagarh” by Ranjit Lal. Published by Tulika. An engrossing story of an unusual adventure involving elephant encounters of a strange and spine tingling nature.

Gitanjali is a twelve year old girl who loves elephants. She gets furious when her cousins Ajay, Ajit and Aveek start calling her Hathni which means a female elephant to tease her. She was a bit on the heavier side prompting them to call her that. Curiously she doesn’t detest the name as such as she seems to have an unusual bonding with the gentle and big creatures. The nickname sticks and she doesn’t seem to mind after a while.  After her exams, she chooses to visit the jungle of Kalagarh in Corbett National Park along with her parents and cousins. She herself doesn’t know why she has chosen the place instead of the much popular Dhikala.

The trip proves to be an extremely interesting and memorable one. The cousins try to become friends and their holiday ends up with them having unusual experiences. There is a dangerous encounter with a bull elephant who is believed to charge at any one who comes in his way. There are cries of distress of elephants which can be heard at night in their rest house. There is a weird elephant ride through the jungle. Somehow Gitanjali seems to have an unusual connection with the place and the elephants. This is something that even the forest guards and officers find remarkable. Read the spine tingling tale laced with mystery and humour to know what the connection between Gitanjali and Kalagarh is.

The story is an incredibly gripping one. The plot being spooky and mysterious kept us at the edge of our seats wanting to know what was coming up. At the same time there is humour too which kept us chuckling every now and then. The vivid description of the setting created a picture of the lush jungle in the hills of Kumaon in our minds. The author’s love for nature comes through wonderfully through this fabulous narrative. The emotions that Gitanjali experiences throughout the story have been portrayed very well. My nine year old was curious to race through the pages to solve the mystery. The beautifully done cover picture made so much sense once we finished reading. Thank you Vidya Mani of Funky Rainbow for recommending this amazing book.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 10 and above.

Where to buy from?

The publishers Tulika here.