The Jungle Book · Character

Kala Nag

An old government elephant who has carried mahouts for three generations, he lifts his feet at Little Toomai's word and remembers roads older than the keddah.

major

Also known as Nag

First appearance: Toomai of the Elephants

As a major figure in The Jungle Book, Kala Nag is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Elephant ridden by Little Toomai, participates in the keddah and the elephant dance.

In the storyThe Jungle BookOpen this moment free

See Kala Nag in The Jungle Book Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Kala Nag is the great tusker of the elephant-lines, obedient to a boy who has ridden him since before he could walk, and patient under the ankus his masters' fathers wore smooth. He is caught between the dull safety of barracks life and the wild pull of the hills, where the smell of free elephants drifts on the night air. His bond with Little Toomai — and the secret he carries about where elephants dance — makes him the hinge on which the story's wonder turns.

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The fuller portrait of Kala Nag sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Kala Nag in Toomai of the Elephants

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Kala Nag sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Social
Other

Character groups

Mowgli's mentors and allies
Protagonist
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi's world and jungle elders
Jungle and domestic friends
Elephant keddah operators

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Climax.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Kala Nag, after a lifetime of obedient servi…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
friendship · positive
Kala Nag, the wise old elephant, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the brave mongoose, share a mutual… How this plays out →
Kotick
friendship · positive
Darzee
social · positive
Teddy
social · positive
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
friendship · positive
Kala Nag, the wise old elephant, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the brave mongoose, share a mutual… How this plays out →
Darzee
social · positive
Kotick
friendship · positive
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
friendship · positive
Kala Nag, the wise old elephant, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the brave mongoose, share a mutual… How this plays out →
Darzee
social · positive
Teddy
social · positive
Kotick
friendship · positive

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Kala Nag, the wise old elephant, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the brave mongoose, share a mutual respect and occasional cooperation across different stories.
Kotick
Kala Nag and Kotick, the white seal, are both protagonists in separate stories and share no direct interaction, but are linked by thematic parallels of leadership and adventure.
Darzee
Darzee the tailor bird and Kala Nag are characters from different stories with no direct interaction, linked only by the shared universe.
Teddy
Kala Nag and Teddy are characters from different stories with no direct interaction, linked only by the shared universe.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Kala Nag, the wise old elephant, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the brave mongoose, share a mutual respect and occasional cooperation across different stories.
Darzee
Darzee the tailor bird and Kala Nag are characters from different stories with no direct interaction, linked only by the shared universe.
Kotick
Kala Nag and Kotick, the white seal, are both protagonists in separate stories and share no direct interaction, but are linked by thematic parallels of leadership and adventure.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Kala Nag, the wise old elephant, and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the brave mongoose, share a mutual respect and occasional cooperation across different stories.
Darzee
Darzee the tailor bird and Kala Nag are characters from different stories with no direct interaction, linked only by the shared universe.
Teddy
Kala Nag and Teddy are characters from different stories with no direct interaction, linked only by the shared universe.
Kotick
Kala Nag and Kotick, the white seal, are both protagonists in separate stories and share no direct interaction, but are linked by thematic parallels of leadership and adventure.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Kala Nag in Toomai of the Elephants

In the story

Kala Nag appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Kala Nag unlock in the free preview.

See Kala Nag in Toomai of the Elephants

See Kala Nag in The Jungle Book