The Virgin Comics label continues its reinterpretation of global myths with Deepak Chopra's Ganesha. This goes beyond the basic story telling of the genesis of the Elephant God, the son of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati/Uma. It's a beautifully illustrated graphic novel. The emotions evoked seem sincere but the logo of 'authentic India' irked me like biting into an errant pungent cardamom that spoiled the taste of an otherwise succulent dish.

Ganesha, the god of compassion through knowledge, adorns the walls of most homes and is considered to be the harbinger of good luck and yet his origins lie in the ultimate truth of the Universe that we have trouble accepting - birth, death and rebirth and more so the grief felt by parents when the young ones die.

Ganesha appeared in the Hindu pantheon in about the 8th century A.D., and analyses of his role have ranged from proto-Dravidian origins to heralding the coming of an age of progress and conquest. Ganesha is currently one of the most popular gods in the Indian sub-continent, with numerous adherents, cutting across social boundaries, and with a reputation of being a 'remover of obstacles' or problem-solver, the symbology suits the current solution-oriented dialectic, one reason perhaps for the popularity of Ganesha.

Deepak Chopra's interpretation of Ganesha's origins in the first issue of the series is straightforward. He talks about the love that lies between a mother and her child, the jealous heart of a child unwilling to share his mother with others and yet the mother's heart being big enough to encompass all beings in maternal compassion.

Shakti or Uma the giver of life is married to the destroyer Lord Shiva who in anger killed his own son and regretted his impulsive actions. The dichotomy of being a life giver living harmoniously with the destroyer God clearly symbolizes the relationship between life and death, good and evil and looking beyond these truths that the rhythm of the Universe is eternal, that the laws of cause and effect govern the lives of divine beings as well for they too can die and be resurrected.

The beauty of the novel does not lie just in the narration or the illustration or the philosophy of karma or finding the 'godly' qualities within us or what was called incarnating the gods within us but in human qualities as well of honoring one's parents, forgiveness and grieving despite knowing that life is eternal.The memory of elephants is a boon and a curse, especially when combined with the passion of humans.

Visually, the images are wonderful, with a hand-drawn, soft tint, and the coloring is reminiscent of the Amar Chitra Katha series, updated for modern inking and aesthetic tastes.

Deepak Chopra's Ganesha is a must read and a collector's item.