Gita for children!

Taking a cue from my friend and fellow blogger on “intolerance and all that jazz” that she guest posted on Onestoryaday, I found a perfect book for everyone to fall back on in these chaotic times. When in doubt or confusion, it’s not uncommon for us to turn to God or religious scriptures - be it the Gita, the Bible or the Quran. As a practising Hindu brought up and now married into a traditional household, seeking solace in religious activities like Bhajan singing, or reciting religious texts have been integral part of my life.  Though Abhay is still young, we make sure he participates in some of our routine religious activities at home, in whatever way he can afford to. While I am not sure how religious or spiritual my son will be in the future, it is our duty as parents to introduce them to our roots so that they know where to find them if and when they go looking for the same!

So when I learnt about Roopa Pai’s “Gita for children”, I jumped and reserved my copy in advance. Though Bhagvad Gita is essentially known as the single most important Hindu scripture, Roopa Pai’s rendition has a universal appeal, irrespective of religion one follows. Rated as one of the top-five selling books of 2015 in the Children’s and Young adult category by Amazon, “The Gita for children” by Roopa Pai  brought out by Hachette India   promises to be a one-of- a kind retelling of the Bhagvad Gita and I must say that it sure lives up to this promise! It starts with the million dollar question like “What’s the big deal about the Bhagvad Gita?” that opens into a quiz on the Gita that might as well serve as a preface to the book. With a brief explanation of the background facts leading up to the most important conversation in Hindu mythology, like any other commentary on the Gita, this one too is divided into eighteen chapters or “yogas” in which Arjuna learns all there is to learn about the secret of good life from Krishna! Employing a rather contemporary narrative, using catchy phrases and titles, Gita for children takes the reader through each of the shlokas or verses and explains their true essence in an uncharacteristic way that the current generation is able to relate to. For instance….have you ever heard of Lord Krishna being described as a Dark Knight??!!! With each chapter featuring the progress of conversation between Arjuna and Krishna and followed by a child appropriate analysis of the life’s lessons embedded in them, the author also throws light on lesser known facts in the form of fun trivia. Not to forget, the reader is also given a glimpse into excerpts of other works from Harper Lee’s To Kill Mockingbird to Paul McCartney’s song “Ebony and Ivory” that echo the sentiments of Gita!  In all, “The Gita for children” beautifully presents the timeless epic without oversimplifying its concepts so as to serve as a wonderful guide book to children and adults alike! A must have for every library!!!

Amma, tell me about Diwali!

First published on Parent Edge blog 

No matter which part of India you are in, it’s hard to ignore the festive spirit this season brings in! Whether it’s bursting crackers, or attending numerous religious or cultural events lined up in the neighbourhood temples, or the shopping frenzy and lightening Diwali sales put by all retailers, off-line or online, or enjoying the extended Dusshera-Diwali vacations with the kids, holiday cheer is everywhere!

While it’s our second cracker-free Diwali, it’s the first Diwali experience for the little one at home, which for a five month old, it would mean more than anything else noise emanating from the crackers!!  While bursting fire crackers, gorging on sweets and treats is fun, there’s more to Diwali than just the merrymaking, how do we get our children to realize the importance of the same? Here’s a delightful series that does just that and what’s more …it’s presented in a format that combines the power of story-telling with rich imagery to engage and educate our kids on Indian tradition and values.  Here comes the “Amma, tell me” series by Bhakti Mathur and illustrations by Maulshree Somani brought out by Hong Kong based Anjana publications. Comprising of a series of picture books on Indian festivals and Indian mythology for children between the age group of 3 to 9 years, these books are a great way to enlighten the kids on the stories and sentiments behind the observance and celebrations of our festivals. Besides many titles on festivals such as “Amma, tell me about Holi” or  “Amma, tell me about Ganesha” or the series on Mythology such as “Amma, tell me about Ramayan”,  this vibrantly illustrated series also presents interesting tales from the Hindu epics in a trilogy format such as the trilogy series on Krishna and Hanuman. 

For this festive season, however, we picked out “Amma, tell me about Diwali!”  which believe me, will have you and your little one feeling festive on the first reading itself!  As most titles in the series, it starts off with the little boy named Klaka excitedly waking up to a typical Diwali morning characterized by new clothes and gifts followed by the lighting of Diyas, fire crackers in the evening, and the family offering prayers to God for good fortune, prosperity and health. As the children wonder about the story behind the celebrations, whom do they approach? Amma…of course, who at bedtime regales them with stories that explain the significance of the festival of lights. While elaborating on the meaning of Diwali, Amma in the story also delves into the multiple dimensions to festivities that includes remembering Lord Rama and his triumphant return to Ayodhya on Diwali day, while also encapsulating a brief account of Ramayana.  Of course, Diwali is not only all dazzle and fun, but the children are subtly reminded of the value of honesty, hard work and dedication through the story of Goddess Lakshmi and the poor seamstress. The beauty of this book not only lies in free-flowing narrative and engagingly rhyming text, but also in the simple message that the author attempts to convey to today’s kids brought up in a consumerist world that we live in.  The colouful illustrations are not only striking, but also present an authentic setting of Diwali celebrations in a typical Indian household, and not to forget the amiable images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, particularly when Klaka is shown seated beside Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth! As this series also caters to the Western audience, each story ends with a Glossary on Hindu names and symbols, which is quite educative to the Indian audience as well. Though a little pricy as compared to some of the Indian children’s publications, “Amma, tell me” series, is a wonderful “Mythology made simple and meaningful” that is sure to capture the imagination of young minds and will have them begging for ‘Amma, tell me more’!! Enjoy the festive season and happy Diwali everyone! 

Aadya is here!

Over the previous weekend, we were joined by our close family and relatives on the occasion of our little one’s naming ceremony or Namakarana as it’s traditionally referred to amongst Hindus. Thankfully in India, we still have months after birth to mull over various options in choosing a name for our little ones, unlike in the West. However, it is also true that most expectant parents in the West are well aware of their baby’s sex  as early as the second trimester, unlike in India! So they have all the time in the world to arrive at the perfect name and have it ready to be declared at the time discharge from the hospital! Well, with most Indian hospitals today offering birth packages as if they  were vacation packages, more so with an emphasis on faster discharge/ turn-out rates, a three nights – two days  hospital stay, hardly seems sufficient for even shortlisting a few names, let alone finalize one! And then …there’s always the convention of naming after family elders or the convenience of rhyming with sibling names and of course, astro-numerology where the date, number of letters and stars will all have to converge for the right name! So you wouldn’t dare to say “What’s in a name?” …now would you?

Frankly, we didn’t go through much trouble in arriving at the names of both our  children! (who will probably take us up on this when they grow up!) With my older one, I insisted upon a name that he could live up to and we all know how counter productive it turned out to be! So the responsibility of choosing a name for our younger one fell upon my husband, who in his characteristic style sought a consensus among the close family over the first name he liked and didn’t encourage any further discussions and voila!... We had the name! As if to ward off any last minute dilemma, we even had her birth certificate registered before her official naming ceremony! Of course, we preferred a name starting with the letter ‘A’ as to alliterate with Abhay’s and chose the name for its modern yet traditional tone.  Our little one is now officially named ‘AADYA’ which is a Sanskrit word derived from the name of Goddess Durga. Aadya also means the original power from which all five senses and five elements of nature originated.

So as we unveiled the name ‘Aadya’ and shared the joy of her arrival with close family, I had to celebrate the same by a mention on Onestoryaday! No celebration on Onestoryaday is complete without reading a book for the occasion, and  our choice for this happy event is the Tulika’s First look Science series on the basic elements of nature by Anushka Kalro, Rajasee Ray, Sankhalina Nath and Shubangi Goel, developed as a classroom project with Srishti School of Art. Since the name Aadya means the original source of Panchabhootas, five elements – Akasha (Sky), Vayu (Air), Prithvi ( Earth), Agni( fire) and Jal (water), we picked out this series that features Air in “Dhooli’s Story”, Water in “Boondi’s Story”, Earth in “Gitti’s Story”, Earth’s surface in “Beeji’s Story” and Space in “Bhoomi’s Story”.

Each of these books presents a perfect introduction to young children on the science of how things first began. Narrated in a unique format, with each of the elements assuming a young character - be it Beeji, a super-seed wanting to explore the world, through which the story of the evolution of earth’s surface unfolds, or Bhoomi, one of the eight planets in the universe, through which the concept of space is brought out, or Gitti, through which we learn about the earth as we know today, or Dhooli, a tiny speck of dust who flits and floats in the air, through which your little one is enlightened about the air around us, or Boondi, the tiny droplet of water who teaches us about the water cycle! Aided with stunning pictures and illustrations, each of these stories successfully attempts to unravel the mysteries of nature by way of interesting stories that are sure to capture the imagination of young minds. So as Aadya is set to begin her journey in this world, here’s seeking the blessings of the Panchabhutas or the five elements that form the basis of our cosmic quest of this world and beyond!

Hanuman's Ramayana!

July seems to be the month of children's theatre in Bangalore! If we began the month with the play "Gumma Banda Gumma " followed by the week-long Aha! Children's theatre festival at Ranga Shankara .....this weekend saw the riveting performance of Tulika's "Hanuman ki Ramayan" in Swaang-Nautanki style by Gillo theatre repertory at four different locations in Bangalore. 

                                         

With our eight year old already having watched more plays this month than we adults watch in a year, we were  warned by our folks at home that an overdose of theatre might just be a little too much for him! That said, however, we couldn't miss this troupe whose musical rendition of Asha Nehamaiah's book "Granny's Sari" we so enjoyed a couple of years ago ( God..time flies!).  So Abhay went along with his daddy to watch the play at Suchitra film society at South Bangalore. The play was performed in the North Indian folk art form - Nautanki, where the story is performed through an eclectic mix of folk songs, dance and dialogues followed by an interactive session with the audience post the performance. Gillo demonstrated how a simple story can be transformed into an electrifying stage act with minimal props, purely on the strength of their performance , with each and every actor contributing in equal measure.  Though set as a period drama, certain contemporary themes were also blended into the narrative making it even more entertaining! For instance, it was hilarious to watch Narada, touted as mythogy's most misunderstood character, comparing himself to today's "media-wale"! :-) So whether you love the story, or the Nautanki dance drama style.... Gillo's rendition of Hanuman's Ramayan is a must watch! 

As a follow-up to the play, we read the book on which yesterday's performance is based... "Hanuman's Ramayan " by Devdutt Pattanaik and pictures by Nancy Raj. We all know about Valmiki's Ramayan but as the story goes... there appears to be another Ramayan supposedly a better one, according to Narada. Don't believe it.. Neither does Valmiki when Narada discloses the author's name to be Hanuman... the monkey.... a mere character in Valmiki's Ramayan. As Valmiki sets off to the foothills of Himalayas hoping to take a peek at the so called "better Ramayan" , he comes across an orchard full of banana trees with it's leaves scrawled on by what looked like fingernail marks. Upon close observation, the marks turned out to be " letters...words ....sentences" .... and it didn't take long for Valmiki to realise that he was indeed reading "Hanuman's Ramayan"! As Valmiki voraciously takes in the seven banana leaves containing the Ramayan...without missing a single word... he is so overcome with emotion that it falls upon only Lord's Ram's greatest devotee to save the day! Read on as this story only highlights how the mythological classic "Ramayan " lends itself to many different versions and mini-tales that is vibrantly brought out by the folk style illustrations. This is as much a story about Valmiki swallowing his pride as it is a tribute to Hanuman's devotion to Lord Rama. Indeed....a great way of getting our younger generation interested in mythology! Kudos to Gillo's talented performers for choosing stories from Indian children's publications and bringing them alive on stage! 

Aha! ........Yakshagana!

With Aha! International theatre for children festival on at Rangashankara until the 20^th of this month, the highlight for us this year is most definitely the Yakshagana performance of "Jatayu Moksha" put up children from Udupi’s Yakshagana Kendra.

 

Yakshagana is folk theatre that combines dance, music, dialogue, costume and stage techniques with a unique style and form native to coastal Karnataka. Though I’ve been brought up in Bangalore, I have grown up watching and listening to Yakshagana performances during the annual Ganesh chaturthi celebrations in our native village or during our numerous holiday visits. With most Yakshagana performances based on stories from Hindu mythology, a Yakshagana performance typically begins during the twilight hours and extends through the night! The performance consists of a storyteller, called the Bhagavatha who narrates the story by singing as the actors dance to the music, perform the dialogues, there being ample scope for improvisation and on-the spot philosophical debates within the framework of the plot and the mythological character being played. Accompanied by his grandparents, who are true Yakshagana aficionados, this was the first time Abhay was watching young artists don the spectacular costumes and setting the stage on fire with their traditional yakshagana dance steps and spins while beautifully displaying the fierceness, gallantry and maturity of the adult characters they were portraying. We are indeed grateful to AHA children’s theatre for bringing our little one closer to our roots!!J

 

 

Ideally I would have liked to read a book on Yakshagana that explains the art form in an age appropriate manner, but since I couldn’t find such a book, I had to settle for a  story closer to the plot of yesterday’s  performance “Jatayu Moksha”.  As a prelude to the show, I had picked up “Divine Beings’ by Amar Chitra publications,  a mini-omnibus on non-human mythological characters like Jatayu, Nandi, Airavata, Shyama and Sabala, etc.

 

We read the story of the magnificent vulture, named Jatayu scripted by Mimi Chacko and illustrated by Arijit Dutta Chowdary. Not many of us were aware (at least I wasn’t!)  that Jatayu was the son of Aruna, the Sun- God’s charioteer, Garuda’s nephew and Sampati’s brother. Not only that, Jatayu’s benevolence saved Dasharatha’s life and thereafter went on help his son Rama too. Most of us are aware of the story of Jatayu’s valiant efforts to rescue Sita from the evil clutches of Ravana and his resultant injury that moved Rama into performing his last rites with full honours… bringing in water from seven sacred rivers so that Jatayu’s soul is granted salvation. But to have the young troupe bring life to this famous story from Ramayana through the indigenous art form of Yakshagana was truly an unforgettable experience!

 

Junior Kumbhakarna!

Over this weekend, we went for a book launch of “Junior Kumbakarna” at one of our favourite book stores, Atta Galatta. It had been a while since we went for a book launch and I was quite looking forward to being there with Abhay….from start to end! But since I had to finish up some work at office, it was agreed that I would go in directly while it was my husband’s job to drive Abhay from home. But as I reached the venue at sharp 5.00 PM on Saturday, both Abhay and his dad were nowhere in sight! As the author began reading aloud from her book, with the help of puppets and props that had the whole group of kids and their parents in splits, all I wished was for Abhay to join them soon. Though he missed the initial round of questions and discussions, Abhay sauntered in just in time to wake up Kumbhakarna!:-) Well, before I could pull up the daddy for his presumed tardiness, he passed the buck over to our little "Junior Kumbhakarna” who’d refused to be woken up from his Saturday afternoon siesta! :-)

Abhay also enjoyed the fun activities post the story while I met up with many like minded moms who enjoy reading, blogging and writing children's books! Of course....one can never leave Atta Galatta without a book and so we bought a few, besides picking up our copy of "Junior Kumbhakarna" signed by the author!  As if to make up for their delayed entry and in keeping with the daddy’s posting day on 30 books in 30 days  challenge promoted by friend and fellow blogger the bubbleink, Abhay’s daddy read “Junior Kumbhakarna” by Arundhati Venkatesh and illustrated by Shreya Sen. I must say that we loved the illustration of Kumbhakarna  which appears both authentic and hilarious at the same time. It’s bedtime for Kuku and like most kids, he wants his favourite story – the story of Kumbhakarna and his appa has no choice (like most appas!) but to regale him with Kumbhakarna’s giant lifestyle, with an appetite equivalent to that of a hundred men, with a burrp loud enough to make your little one giggle, a stretch here and a yawn there to ultimately slip into what Kumbhakarna is most famous (or infamous) for – his deep slumber yielding snores like thunder! As animals from donkeys to elephants, from people blowing trumpets to making laddoos, all  attempts to wake Kumbhakarna fails and Kumbhakarna only goes ZZZZZZ! So what happens? As you read on, your little one will be surprised as to just whom is the book talking about – the mighty Kumbhakarna or junior counterpart! A mythological tale beautifully adapted onto what is an everyday saga in most homes with kids! A great book to reflect on and have a hearty laugh over our daily morning mania!

Our Deccan expedition!

We are in Central India on a sight seeing tour of world heritage monuments of Ajanta and Ellora followed by a pilgrimage to Shirdi. As we visited the rock cut caves of Ellora and Ajanta, we were spellbound by the massive ancient architecture created using only instruments like hammer and chisel! While Buddist caves at Ajanta are carved out of a crescent shaped mountain ridge by the waghora river, with some of them dating back to 2nd century BC, the caves at Ellora are located mostly by the foothills, and belong to three different religious faiths : Buddist, Hindu and Jain that date from 5th to 11th century. While Ajanta caves are characterised by their beautiful paintings and tempra artwork, Ellora caves are best known for their intricate sculpture panels! Besides the architectural splendour, we were also amazed by the clean , well organised and pollution free set up at Ajanta caves that are comparable to the amenities at any tourist destination in the West! Okay... now for the most important part, how do you enthuse a seven year old to enjoy and appreciate something that may be a little beyond him? Well, you need to make an attempt with the aid of child appropriate content but don't expect a 100% success rate!:)

My attempt of course was through books and this one was indeed was an eye-opener for me as until now, I had no clue that the caves at Ellora are the legacy of the Rashtakutas, one the many dynasties that ruled over Karnataka. Amar Chitra katha's "Ellora caves" is as much a story of the glory of the Rashtrakutas as it is about an interesting tale around the carving of the Kailash temple caves at Ellora. Cut straight to the story of the making of one of the most important  Hindu caves of Ellora, the Kailash temple cave. On vacation at the hills of Ellora with his Queen, the Rashtrakuta king Krishna recalls that the erstwhile king Dantidurga had expressed a desire to build a temple of Lord Kailagnath in the Ellora hills. So the queen takes a vow that she will not touch a morsel of food until she sees the kalasha of the temple of Lord Kailasanath, much to the king's concern as temples cannot be built in days. King Krishna then summons the best sculptor in land named Kokkas, who promises to complete the temple in sixteen months with the help of 7000 craftsmen. When he learns of the queen's vow, he devises a plan. He identifies a single giant rock that will be carved out into a temple starting from the top with the kalasha and then working down therefrom. After fulfilling the vow of the queen, Kokkas sets his 7000 men to work to carve out what is now known as a must-not-miss Cave no. 16 called Kailas! Being an ardent fan of ACK comics, Abhay listened in rapt attention on the first night of our trip at Hotel Kailash, Ellora. Not sure how much of this he could relate to when we actually visited the caves, but he loved the story! Kids may not be able comprehend everything they see on trips like these, but you can't deny that even a little exposure to different experiences is  sure to make an impression on their young minds. We are aware that Abhay may not be able to take in everything he sees, but when he best remembers Ajanta caves for the sleeping Buddha sculpture, Ellora for the sculpture of Shiva's Rudraavatara and the friends he made at the hotel, best remembers our road travels for the giant effigy of Ravana and the Shirdi temple for the three-hours long wait that  was arduous even for adults, let alone kids -  we know that our Central India tour is completely not lost on our little one!

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!

A drive along RV road  in Bangalore signals the beginning of the festival season with umpteen rows of Ganesha idols lining the sidewalk! For years, this very sight had me excited as it had meant that the annual Ganesha festival at my native town,  also known as " Chouthi" is here! Of course,  there was also a time when as a jaded teenager, I would rebel against observing these traditions! But as time passed,  I began to accept and appreciate these family customs, more so after marriage when everything of your family seems dearer.  Now life has come to a full circle as we try to initiate Abhay into the same traditions that I tried to escape from! 

On the occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi,  I read "It's all the same " by Nina Sabnani. This is a story of Ganesha that is narrated from two different perspectives by two different kavadi story tellers. Both stories explain why Lord Ganesha is worshipped first before all the other Gods. Pappuram, a traditional Rajasthan kavadiya story teller believes that the race between Ganesha and his brother Kartikeya around the universe resulted in Ganesha being rewarded for his victory and the reward being that Ganesha  being the foremost to be worshipped. Whereas, Kojaram,  another Kavadiya storyteller opened his storytelling box and describes how Ganesha being upset at having been left out from Lord Rama and Sita's wedding,  was finally appeased when he was assured of being worshipped first. Both of them finally conclude that it's after all the same! The author brings out plurality in thinking while intertwining mythology and folklore.  So howsoever you may choose to celebrate today's festival,  here's wishing everyone a very happy Ganesha Chaturthi!

A Gift of Ramyana...!

Over the Christmas vacation, we got to spend time with my cousin Vijay, his wife Supriya and their son Vikranth who were visiting from the US. Vijay has been one of the biggest influences in my life as I was growing up and in many ways he still is! Being an avid reader himself, Vijay encouraged me to transition to chapter books while I was still hooked on to comics at the age of eight or nine. Had it not been for the Famous Five/Nancy Drew/ Hardy boys series, I would have never known the pleasures of reading…and for that I guess I have Vijay to thank! J So it’s not a surprise that this time when he came down from the US, he got Abhay a wonderful book, a book that my six year old can’t seem to have enough of! Thanks once again to Vijay for introducing Abhay to “Ramayana” and more so with Abhay’s new found  fascination being mythology, he simply couldn’t have asked for a better gift from his Vijay Mama!

 “Ramayana - Divine Loophole” is a brilliantly illustrated book  by Sanjay Patel, an animator and a storyboard artist for Pixar Entertainment living in Oakland, California. This book presents Ramyana like never before and is a treat to both the kids and adults. Narrating the Hindu epic in three acts and 120 chapters, Sanjay Patel,  an Indian American, dedicates his version of Ramayana to his dad Gopalbhai, mom Ramleelaben and bro Amulbhai. The author uses the technique of graphic storytelling that not only captures the imagination of young minds but also provides an interesting perspective to this timeless epic. For instance, I was quite intrigued by his uniquely titled chapters like “Cosmic Bully” that explains how Ravana, the scholar transforms into a ten headed walking one man army on Brahma's grant of his wish, "Vishnu's Loophole" that has Vishnu thinking about a way to work around Brahma’s grant to Ravana and   "Fatal Attraction" and "Nosey Demon" that features the subplot of Shoorpanaka during Rama's exile.   At the end, the author even provides an illustrated glossary of all the Devas and Demons who make their appearance in Ramayana. Though the book’s size appears to be daunting to read to a six year old, the chapters therein are short and concise serving as a perfect introduction to the story and adventures of Rama which in Sanjay’s own words “explains just why Hindus honor a Blue Warrior and Mountain moving Monkey!" However, a small caveat before any of you decide to make it your bed time story,  make sure to set the expectation at the beginning of the book or else you would be doing an “Arabian Nights Style” storytelling the whole night!

Mythological Mania - Who is the stronger God?

Hi Divya,

Mythological stories are some of my favourites too and I have read numerous stories from the Amar Chitra Katha series during my childhood and well into my school days. As I read them to Abhay now, some of his questions get very difficult to explain. It also pushed to me to think about many such stories which we accepted as they were. Ofcourse we cannot change the mythology and it is certainly fascinating to read. But some of the questions that Abhay asks are sure to have crossed the minds of other children too and believe me, there are no easy answers to these questions!

I thought I should list some of these situations and questions here:- 

1. In Amar Chtira Katha's "Ganesha",  the story goes on about how Goddess Parvathi created a boy to guard her door, and how this boy stopped Lord Shiva from entering the palace. The story also shows all the other Gods eager to propitiate in front of Lord Shiva and offer help. Abhay noticed Lord Vishnu (his favourite God) also doing so. So his question was, why doesn't Vishnu have powers here? Is Shiva powerful than Vishnu?

2. When I read Amar Chitra Katha's "Mahabharata" story, Abhay could not understand how Gandhari can give birth to 100 sons. The concept of the foetus preserved in pots etc, was too much to explain and way too much for him to digest.

3. In Amar Chitra Katha's "Jarasandha", Krishna actually fled to Dwaraka from Mathura to escape from the onslaught of Jarasandha. Abhay could not come to terms with his favorite God running from Jarasandha. And then comes the part where Bhima tears Jarasandha's body apart and throws the pieces in opposite direction. Quite an extreme death to explain. Similar is the death of Hiranyakashyapu in the hands of Lord Narasimha.

I am sure we will revisit these stories as Abhay grows up and slowly he will start to make sense out of the complex Hindu mythological tales and eventually will understand the philosophical meaning behind it. For now, there is one question that constantly bothers him though - Who is the stronger God? Is it Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Durga.. and the list grows! He likes to believe Vishnu is stronger for everyone has their favorite and Abhay's favourite God for now is Vishnu :-) and trust me this has no bigger significance in his mind than his favorite car character, Lighting Mcqueen !!!

I think as parents we have a responsibility to ensure that our kids' questions are answered in some logical way such that they do not develop fanaticism of any shape or form. These difficult to explain and unanswered questions will otherwise find their own meanings with different people who use their interpretation to cause some or the other kind of irritation to others. None of us need any examples do we? Every day newspapers have plenty!

Mythological Mania!

Abhay is fascinated with mythological stories, much to the delight of my traditional minded in-laws! J Ever since we brought home "Tales of Vishnu", Abhay is sold on the Amar Chitra Katha series, whose stall we didn’t miss at the Bangalore book festival. While visiting his Doctor recently, Abhay refused to let go of an Amar chitra Katha publication that he dug out from a book rack in the clinic’s waiting room (One of the biggest incentives for Abhay to visit his pediatrician!) In fact we were forced to remain in the clinic even after we were done with the check-up simply because Abhay hadn’t finished with the story of “Prahlad”!

So while browsing through an outlet of Comma365.com, an online bookstore at the Bangalore Lit fest, I stumbled upon a wonderful children’s book series on mythological stories called Umachi. Boy! was I glad to have laid my hands on the last copy of “The Pillar” by Sripriya Sundararaman Siva. Part of the Vishnu series, this is the story of Prahlad, the eternal devotee of Vishnu, much to the chagrin of his father Hiranyakashipu. With vibrant illustrations, Abhay was introduced to Prahlad’s resolve and unflinching devotion to Vishnu that foiled his father’s devious plans, including that of his father’s sister Holika   who turns into ashes in attempt to kill Prahlad. When Hiranyakashipu orders Prahlad to prove Vishnu’s presence in the pillar, he writes his own death warrant as Vishnu emerges from the pillar in a half man-half animal avatar called Narasimha, the fourth of  Vishnu’s Dashavataaras. Though no one can beat Amar Chitra Katha’s range, the Umachi series is based on a picture book format that appeals to children of all ages. So here’s recommending the Umachi series for your mythologically curious little ones!

 

Dassera Greetings!

It is time to feel festive again with the onset Dassera closely followed  by Diwali! Well, what does the festival season mean? It means school vacations, less traffic on the roads (at least on festival days), festival offers and sales doled out by retailers, a host of religious, music and cultural events organized at various temples and cultural associations, a time to take some time off work or visit friends and relatives to join in their celebrations leading to a sudden increase in one’s calorie intake! J At the same time, festivals are an important part of our cultural heritage, to be celebrated, carried forward and passed on to the generation next. While our work schedules may not permit us to celebrate our festivals in the same way our parents did, yet it is important to ensure that our children don’t grow up oblivious to the true essence and the value of Navaratri or Diwali. So whether you observe the Navaratri Vrat (fast), or exhibit the Dassara dolls at home or go dance to the dandiya tunes or perform the Ayudha pooja to your car, make sure to involve your little one too!

So in an attempt to educate Abhay the significance of Dassera, we took him to "Bimba, the Art Ashram", located on DVG Road, Basavangudi that showcased the age old tradition of displaying dassera dolls during Navarathri along with a unique rendition of the story “Anjaneya” through the medium of still theatre in miniature art. So if you are around Basavanagudi, drop by Rasalok at Bimba to witness this indigenous art form transport you to a timeless era.

Navaratri is described as celebrating our connection with the “Devi” or the Goddess, be it Durga or Lakshmi, Saraswathi, (names of some of the Indian Goddesses) So today we picked up Amar Chitra Katha’s “Tales of Durga”  by Subba Rao and illustrations by Souren Roy. This book comprises three stories – “Durga – The Slayer of Mahisha, the story of “Chamundi” and “How Durga slew Shumbha” – three tales featuring the Goddess as an embodiment of Shakti or courage and power that destroys all evil and upholds justice for all. Abhay certainly seemed fascinated to hear the stories of the great Goddesses. His favorite story is that of Ambika who springs from the body of Parvathi to later create Kali from her forehead who goes on to kill the asuras Chanda and Munda and hence renamed as Chamundi. Reading Amar Chitra Katha is a certainly a pleasant throwback to my childhood that was dominated by the same series. It is also a great way to introduce our little ones to the stories from epics and mythology, and orient them towards our rich culture. Happy Dassera to everyone! 

A Family Tradition!

 Pooja at the temple

Yesterday was Anantha Padmanabha Vratha, a special pooja offered to Lord Vishnu every year on the occasion of Anantha Chathurdashi. My husband’s family has been observing this Vratha (Pooja) for over four generations and it is for us to continue the tradition and pass on the same to the generation next. Of course from generation to generation, there have been a lot of changes in the way in which Anantha Vratha has been performed. With rising costs, hectic work schedules, non-availability of dependable domestic help, and not to mention parents and family elders getting no younger day by day, it has become increasingly difficult to host such events at home. So what was once a grand three-day affair attended by over a hundred guests comprising of extended family members and acquaintances, has now been modified into a pooja organized at a local temple followed by a small celebration at home in the evening  meant for only close family  and neighbours. After all, the essence of all worship lies in its spirit and devotion and not in its ostentatious display, isn’t it?  J

Pooja at home

In this year’s Ananthana Vrita, we tried to initiate Abhay into the annual family ritual which we hope he will carry forward in the future, in whatever way possible. I went looking for some child- appropriate story of the Ananthana Vratha, but couldn’t find any material on print or on the internet (maybe I should write one myself!!!).  Hence I decided to read to him Amar Chitra Katha’s “Tales of Vishnu” instead. In the Hindu mythology, Brahma being the Creator and Shiva, the Destroyer, it is up to Vishnu, considered the wisest of the Trinity to preserve the peace and order in the universe. This particular series comprises of four stories revolving around the Gentle God, – Gajendra Moksha, Bhakta Ambareesha, and the stories of Vrakasura and Rantideva.  Abhay was amused at the story of Gajendra, where a king becomes an elephant because of the curse of sage Agastya and then his fight with the crocodile which he cannot win and Lord Vishnu’s grace saves him from the mouth of the crocodile. All three stories are examples of the benevolence of Lord Vishnu who always comes to the rescue of his devotees. On the occasion of Ananthana Vratha, the Kallamundkur family seeks the Almighty’s blessings for everyone’s good health and happiness! Om shri Ananthaya Namo Namaha!