Maari

MY THOUGHTS

In a recent episode of Tell Me A Story, author-illustrator Pankaj Saikia mentioned that there is no reference point for stories and illustrations from the North-East, simply because there hasn’t been much content that represents the way of life there. That hit me hard and left me thinking about how it is so important for creators to be conscious of the fact that they represent at least the region they come from. 

Maari – A Gift from the Skies and Where is Mr Thookam are books that were probably created from this very thought. Little Dipper Publishing is the latest entrant into Indian children’s literature, and boy, have they made a Rajnikanth-esque entry! The books are visually stunning — colourful, engaging, and interesting. 

Maari, written by Anusha Veluswamy (also founder of Little Dipper), is about a young girl, Kanmani, who wonders why everyone around her is so worried. There has been no rain, and the unrelenting heat spares no one. People have had to move away from the village, and those who have stayed back are worried about their prospects. She worries about her baby goat, Kutti, wondering if she will have to give her away. Her cousin Maaran announces that the village folk will gather to celebrate and pray together for the rains by dancing Karakkatam and playing the Parai. The village prays together, and they are blessed with cooling showers that quench the thirst of their land and bring back happiness and hope. 

Reading this book transported me to those tiny villages in Tamil Nadu, the ones you see in the old Tamil movies or those one-temple towns you visit as part of summer holidays. Veluswamy keeps the text simple and envelopes the reader into a world they haven’t seen before. She embraces her Tamil heritage and doesn’t shy away from including details that paint a vivid picture of life in that region. Illustrator Shruti Hemani includes details like Appatha’s tattooed arms, kolams in front of the house, red chillis drying out on the porch, and vadamalli-decorated pots. There is a helpful glossary at the end, with added information. 

This is such a great book to have conversations about culture, belief, village life, and the important role grandparents play in a young child’s life. I love a book that offers so much to a reader. Read this book for the story, then go back to simply look at the pictures. This is a must-have book in your child’s shelf.