The Race for Rugda

MY THOUGHTS

I love, love, love it when picture books teach me (a 43-year-old) something new. I was this many years old when I learnt rugda (a mushroom) was a delicacy foraged for by the tribal communities of Jharkhand. I also learnt that rugda mushrooms have an intense, rich flavour and are often equated to ‘vegetarian mutton’ or ‘chicken liver’.

Lesley D Biswas’ book The Race for Rugda is about little Savita, who wants to take care of her Ma as she recovers from a fever. Her neighbours help Savita out with herbal medicines to help her ma recover her appetite, and when she does, she has a hankering for Rugda and White Rice. Rugda is available in the market, but it is expensive. It is easier to forage for it around the Sal trees. Savita sets out with her basket but is waylaid by friends and neighbours asking for help. By the time Savita is done with the requests, there is little Rugda left to be foraged. How will she get the yummy Rugda curry and rice for her ma?

I enjoyed reading this book because of all the different things you can learn from it. Hook Books are set in different parts of India, and I love that we have a story from a village near Ranchi, Jharkhand. Lesley Biswas highlights the use of local herbs and plants through the story, and it is fascinating for those of us who equate buying produce with a supermarket. By reading this book, we take a walk with Savita through her neighbourhood and the nearby Sal forests for a rich glimpse of life and living in those parts.

I also enjoyed flipping through Anupama Ajinkya Apte’s bright and colourful illustrations. The multicoloured sarees of the women, Savita’s patched-up outfit, and the bright ribbons used to tie the girls’ braids all help bring to life the local flavour of the region. Her illustrations of the tall Sal trees are also so beautiful. But most of all, I loved the expressions she has drawn on all the characters’ faces with their gap teeth and evocative eyes.

This is another PINK Hook Book that is just so darling! Bring it home for everything it stands for — learning about local traditions, innocent endeavours to help a parent, and the story of a kind-hearted girl.