Milestone in Tharu children’s literature

When growing up, Muna Gurung remembers singing gham pani ghaam pani syaal ko bihe, but she didn’t know who this syaal was and why or how they were getting married. She may have found her answer while working on Gidrak Bhoj, a Tharu version of that song written by Chhabilal Kopila as part of The Asia Foundation’s Let’s Read platform’s Tharu book creation project led by Srijanalaya.

As a writer and educator, Gurung, who did not grow up around books was excited when she got the opportunity to work with Srijanalaya on a campaign to breathe new life to stories for children in Nepal’s indigenous languages.

In 2019, Srijanalaya began the process of creating six picture books based on stories by authors who write in Tharu. After a long collaborative process among illustrators, writers, translators, and editors, which included a five-day residency in Dang, the exquisitely produced books are finally ready and are being launched digitally on Saturday, 30 May.

This is the second time The Asia Foundation and Srijanalaya have worked together to create picture books for children. The first time was in 2018 and the books were inspired by six children’s songs by Durga Lal Shrestha. These books are also available on the Let’s Read platform in Nepal Bhasa, Nepali and English and in print form published by Safu publications.

The writers are Krishna Raj Sarbahari, Shanti Chaudhary and Chhabilal Kopila while the illustrators are Bandana Tulachan, Mitthu Tharu, Shraddha Shrestha, Suman Maharjan, Ubahang Nembang and Umesh Chaudhary. The books are available to read for free online via Let’s Read’s platform.

“The residency in Dang was an opportunity for the illustrators to use their difference senses and collect references to create visual stories that weave together with the words,” explains Sharareh Bajracharya, chairperson of Srijanalaya.

While Dr Krishna Raj Sarbahari and Chhabilal Kopila are from Dang and writers in Dangaura Tharu, Shanti Chaudhary is from Bara and writes in Bara Jilla Tharu; all writers wrote in their native language and in Nepali. The six Tharu books are titled Gidrak Bhoj, Bhukali, Khuttrukya, Ladeha aur Bachhiya, Kailari and Hamar Dudhu, and they have been translated into Nepali and English by Gurung and Niranjan Kunwar.

Dr Krishna Raj Sarbahari, who is already a well-known writer and journalist, is also a well-known children’s book author and says that the six new books are a literary milestone for Tharu literature, not just for children but for adults as well, and not just for Tharus but for Nepal, too.

“Poems written in Tharu languages are relatively popular, but I believe these children’s books will contribute immensely to conserve our language and culture, and catch Tharu children young to be proud of their language,” says Sarbahari.

One of the most historic entries in this Tharu children’s picture book was of illustrator Mitthu Tharu, a contemporary art student from Lalitkala Campus who collaborated with Chhabilal Kopila for the story Kailari.

Mitthu Tharu used modern art as well as the traditional Tharu art, ashtimki, for the book, and says, “The whole journey was so much fun, learning work from one another. I got to understand the writers’ perspectives and I could enhance that through my art.”

The Tharu books will launched at a virtual event on 30 May, followed by a week-long online literary festival called Kailari to Bara to introduce books in four languages, Bara Jilla tharu, Dangaura Tharu, Nepali and English. Children and parents can join read alouds by the authors, intimate conversations with the illustrators and writers via Facebook live.

“It’s an exciting time for Nepali children’s literature. We want to hear back from our readers as we continue to create better books. We can’t wait for you to encounter all the amazing characters in these stories. Enough of Ram, Shyam and Sita, it’s time for the Bhukhalis and Mangalawas of the world to come forth,” says Muna Gurung, who project managed the creation of the books.

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