The Trunk of Ganesha by Jayant Mahapatra

 The Trunk of Ganesha by Jayant Mahapatra

The story of “The Trunk of Ganesha” is mostly offers a reader the difference between superstition and logical reality. Indians have blind beliefs as far as religion is concerned and Jayanta Mahapatra has tried to convince the reader that all the time it’s not all about God and Goddess and anger of them, but logic also exits. Mahapatra has beautifully presented the element of superstitious which offers an idea to take facts as practically first rather than religiously.The Trunk of Ganesha” is a short story of an idol maker of village. There is a good description of Indian society and how Indians used to react upon such matters. The protagonist of the story is Gobina who is very famous for his skill of making idols and making them in such beautiful and different way. He has achieved his occupation and skills from his ancestors. Gobinda’s wife also has proud on him but he has a problem with his two sons who are not interested in the occupation of ancestors but he is much satisfied with his youngest son Ranju. He is happy with his circumstances, but it did not last long when he one day saw the statue of Ganesha which he was very close to complete.

                 Gobinda has this skills for his ancestors but he himself has changed the way of making idols of God and Goddess, the changes were in the designing of clay figures and the appearance of the idols, he make them more “eye catchy”. Gobinda has been done this because of the demand of his customers who wanted their god more in tune with the time, and because of that reason he has given slim and sinuous bodies to Goddess.The first reason he thought about the broken trunk that changes he made in the idols of God and God has became angry, but the fact was that he has not made any change in the idol of Ganesha though he was feeling guilty.

so he decided to observe that what happens in workroom actually. He and his youngest son Ranju decided to stay in workroom at night. Both have taken position in dark corner of room, and what they have witnessed was very surprising. After waiting for some time they have saw that one cat has came from window and jumped upon the trunk of Ganesha and it has broken again and the mystery has solved.