#522 - Shalome Rides a Royal Elephant

by Jael Silliman

“Shalome Rides a Royal Elephant” by Jael Silliman. Published by Talking Cub, the children’s imprint of Speaking Tiger. A funny and heartfelt account of Shalome, the first Jewish settler in Calcutta, by a monkey who befriends him.

Chanchal, the narrator of the story, is an endearing and inquisitive monkey living in the port town of Surat in the late eighteenth century. She loves sitting high up on trees and watching the dolphins in the waters of the Arabian Sea. One day she spots a tall man aboard a big ship alighting at the harbour. He stood out from the others and seemed to be quite an important person given that he was well dressed and had servants following him. She heard him being called as Shalome. She made an instant decision to befriend him and become his partner. She could teach him a lot about Surat and life in general in India. Maybe Shalome could teach her a thing or two in return. Overall it seemed a nice prospect.

Chanchal did manage to make Shalome take her along like a friend. She was sure that this monkership (aka partnership) was going to be for the rest of their lives. Shalome went on to marry Najima and settled in Surat for some time. His family grew with the arrival of children. Chanchal had become an integral part of his household and accompanied him on most of his journeys. She knew a lot of things about his work and enjoyed quite a few adventures with him. Shalome moved on to various parts of India such as Calcutta, Lucknow and so on. He was the first Jewish settler in Calcutta. His business prospered. Following his example, many Jews came to start their businesses in Calcutta. Read the book to get a glimpse into the lives of Shalome and Chanchal as well as some aspects of the Jewish customs and culture.

The book presented an interesting insight into the lives of the Jewish community for me and my 9.5 year old son. The narrative was very lively as well as heartfelt, with a generous amount of humour, giving an insight into the Jewish community in India at that time. The play of words and the aspirations of Chanchal were quite funny. The bright and delightful illustrations by the author made the characters as well as the settings come alive in front of our eyes. The things that Shalome traded in like silks and gems to the costumes that they wore and the mouthwatering delicacies that they feasted on have been described in a vibrant manner. We liked one of the poems written by Shalome about doing good deeds, sharing with others and doing work without delaying.

Shalome Obadiah ha Cohen was a real person and the great great great great great grandfather of the author. This fun filled story based on his diary has been woven wonderfully by the author. All the facts and stories in the book are historically substantiated. It was amazing to know about the encounters that Chanchal had with the dazzling Kohinoor diamond while in Punjab and the memorable times with the elephants in the stables of the Nawab of Lucknow. The story shows a nice portrayal of how different communities were interacting with each other in Calcutta and seemed to be living in harmony.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 9 and above.

Where to buy from?

The publishers Talking Cub here.

Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Talking Cub, for review. Thank you to Tanu, from Talking Cub, for sending across the book!