About the Book: Travels on My Elephant: An Indian Journey
When Mark Shand, an aristocratic playboy and travel writer, decided that what
he needed was an elephant, it wasnt long before he started getting phone calls
from India, offering elephants for sale. With the help of a Maratha nobleman, he
purchased Tara, a young, scrawny female, and travelled with her—and a retinue of
friends, old and new—for more than 800 kilometres across India, from Konark to
the Sonepur Mela—the worlds oldest elephant market. From Bhim, a drink-racked
mahout, he learnt the skills of elephant driving. From his friend Aditya
Patankar, he learnt about the culture