Elephant in the Pit

Is Islam violent? Can Hindus and Muslims live in harmony? Elephant in the Pit vividly describes the unjust, caste-driven society of Kerala in the early 1900s when the landed gentry exploited the peasantry, driving them to penury. It portrays the agony and indignity of lower-caste women who were subjugated, raped, and treated as chattel and whose men were no better than slaves. But it is also a story of the human spirit of ordinary folks like Kelu, Moideen, Mambi and Mohammed who behaved in extraordinary ways when faced with great challenges. Above all, it narrates the equanimity, wisdom and sacrifice that epitomized MP- that intractable, recalcitrant individual who was far ahead of his times. An earlier draft of the Elephant in the Pit received an honourable mention in the 27th annual Atlantic Writing Competition. Some of the comments from reviewers of the earlier draft of the "This is an extraordinary story ... I like the story within a story convention." "Essentially, this story is such a fine and important piece of work." "Your sensory details and descriptions bring the piece to life ... and your historical details are instructive." "I am particularly entranced with ... MP's clash of ideals with Gandhi."