Anyone who has ever performed knows about the adrenalin rush, the energy, the feeling of having achieved something. But more than all of these, I think performances are fun because they're full of stories. Some are dramatic stories that we tell and retell, like when we performed in Chidambaram, and the time when Nisha and I entered from the wrong side when we performed in Aix. Sometimes, though, they're small stories that we store somewhere inside us, and share when we finish the programme, but slowly forget. Last Friday, we performed for Dignity Foundation with my teacher. It was not dramatic, and I'm thankful for that. It did promise to be, though - more than once. The lights kept going during the previous performances, and my teacher prayed right through, the way she does when we're performing Pinnal Kolattam! Narasimha forgot to come on stage. I was Hiranyakashipu, … [Read more...]
Dreaming the Bear
Dreaming the Bear reminded me, in some ways, of White Dolphin. I loved it and I hated it. Because the story took the turn it had to take, and what 'should' happen did. Read the story to figure out what I mean. An intriguing story, Dreaming the Bear took me into minds that are distant from me. The narrative voice shifted and floated - there's no other word I can find for it. It was this floating that I enjoyed, where Darcy, who has just recovered from pneumonia feels as if she is floating out of her body, looking at things from a distance. Books about animals, when written well, wring my heart.(As a child, that is what made me think that I would like to be a vet - and then I discovered that I would have to study biology to do that. Loving animal stories would not be enough!) Dreaming the Bear is a uniquely told story, which did just that. It made my heart ache more than once. It … [Read more...]
Dashami Poojai
Each year, we have a poojai at dance class for Dashami. Now, at the Academy of Indian Dances, there are four teachers, including me. Mythili Mami is, of course, head; that goes without saying. On Dashami, a little girl crept up to the corner where we were standing. "I want to speak to Ma'am," she whispered to my teacher. None of us knew how to respond to that - even the children call Mythili Mami 'big teacher'. She's the first "Ma'am", who makes the decisions. But clearly, this little girl did not want to speak to her. "What happened?" Mami asked. "No, I want to speak to ma'am," repeated the girl. Much amused, Mythili Mami let her come to us. "I have to call my mother!" said the little girl. "Okay ... Why?" She glanced back at Mythili Mami and turned back to us. Like most of the others, she was dressed up that day, with kajal, earrings and a pearl necklace. "I … [Read more...]
The Fastest Boy in the World
Four years ago, I read Elizabeth Laird's Oranges in No Man's Land, and was deeply moved. Then, two years ago, I read The Witching Hour, and loved it. And now, her The Fastest Boy in the World did not let me down. Eleven-year-old Solomon lives in a small village in Ethiopia. When his grandfather announces that he will take the boy to visit Addis Ababa, he is thrilled. To make things even more exciting, Solomon's heroes, who have won medals for Ethiopia in the Olympics, are landing in the capital the very same day ... Things prove to be even more exciting, and Solomon's visit to the capital of Ethiopia is the beginning of a new life for him. What I love about Laird's writing style is its simplicity. The way she builds suspense is wonderful, but more than that, I love how she makes a world come alive to us - Scotland in The Witching Hour, Lebanon … [Read more...]
Mayil Will Not Be Quiet!
I woke up in the middle of the night, frowning. I had a bit of a story in my head, and I could not remember who had written it. It was one of the Mary's girls, I thought ... A young writer, I was sure. Maybe one of the sixth standard girls? And then I realised, it was Mayil Ganeshan. That's what I admired most about Mayil Will Not Be Quiet! The voice was so authentic that the book never once felt like it was written by two adults trying to write like a child. Each entry in this diary-like book rings true. Some entries are short; some are long, just the way mine used to be when I wrote regularly at Mayil's age (about 12). One big difference between her entries and mine is that I could not (and cannot) draw, so I don't have such a pretty diary! Quirky and beautifully honest, Mayil Will Not Be Quiet! gripped me on the first page - and I really mean the first page. … [Read more...]
Queen of Ice
Didda knew that a grand destiny awaited her. She sometimes wondered whether her mother had bribed the astrologer to predict greatness and fortune so that Didda, who was not just a girl, but also lame, would not be killed at birth. But the prediction was made, and Didda was determined to fulfil her destiny. Queen of Ice took me through beautiful, turbulent tenth century Kashmir, bringing alive a time and place about which I knew nothing. I usually do enjoy historical fiction, and this was no exception. Court intrigue and the sheer power of the characters made me turn page after page until, before I knew it, the book was over. The wonderfully drawn relationships amongst the characters, the balance of murkiness and clarity in the machinations of Didda's court, and the effortless storytelling made Queen of Ice the powerful book it is. Title Queen of … [Read more...]
Fortunately-Unfortunately
Option 1 "I am going to meet a monster today." "Fortunately, it doesn't bite." "Unfortunately, that means it will just gobble you up." Option 2 "I jumped into the swimming-pool today." "Fortunately, the pool was heated." "Unfortunately, I cannot swim." "Fortunately, it was not deep." Which beginning do you find more entertaining? I was very surprised to find that many, many girls at the Writers' Club find the second story more promising. I would choose the first, any day. How does this activity work? It's a hugely entertaining one, which I learned from the book Creating Stories with Children by Andrew Wright. Someone begins the story, and then each of the other participants must contribute one sentence, alternating between beginning with 'Fortunately' and 'Unfortunately'. It helps to introduce the idea of plotting and the wonder of surprising the reader. … [Read more...]
Talking of Muskaan
Talking of Muskaan has been on my to-read list for a long time, and I finally bought it, read it and loved it. It was everything it promised to be - moving, relatable and real. Muskaan knows herself better than a lot of others her age. That does not make life easier for her; in fact, it makes things much more difficult. It is impossible for her to pretend to be something she is not. More importantly, why should she need to? But it's the people around her - her "friends" - that make all the difference. She doesn't come out about her sexuality to everyone, yet rumours spread and whispers grow louder ... I love the range of characters in the book, touching almost every kind of person I know. Aaliya - determined to be heterosexual because she believes she can convince herself. Subhojoy - empathetic without being an activist. Rashika - the peacemaker who wishes things could just be … [Read more...]
I love limericks!
Limericks are fun! Very often, during a short session on creative writing, we work with limericks. They're good fun, sparking much conversation and laughter. Many, many children love limericks too - one of my students even wrote a short story in limericks, which is part of Flickering Flames - An Anthology of Poems and Short Stories. But that one deserves a post on its own, so I'll come to it some other time. Recently, we were talking about limericks at a workshop for 7 to 10-year-olds. One girl wanted to share a limerick she knew by heart, so she did. It's a famous one by Edward Lear, which may be familiar to many. There was an old man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared— Two owls and a hen, Four larks and a wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!" Very often, though, in a workshop that has a widish age-group of children, I need to … [Read more...]
Reading Challenge at Clover Dale, Aurangabad
I put a ten-rupee coin into the bubblegum machine Soon, bubblegums flew out and hit my head! For a moment, I wondered; then I realised That I'd put a hundred-rupee coin into the machine instead! - adapted from a poem written in about seven minutes by one of the participants at yesterday's workshop.* *If anyone who reads this knows the name of the writer, please share it in the comments below! I love the Reading Challenge, and The Big Friendly Read is among my favourite themes. "Could you name a book you enjoyed?" I asked. "Grrr," replied a serious-faced young participant. For a moment, there was silence; then everyone burst out laughing. "I've read it too!" cried one. "Me too!" "Me too!" "I liked No!" said another. "No!" Laughter and madness go hand-in-hand when we explore Roald Dahl, a range of other stories in the collection, and Sir Quentin … [Read more...]
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