Stories play a vital role in the growth of children. Keeping that in mind, Srijanalaya, an NGO that creates safe spaces of learning through the arts, has come out with six children picture books from Tharu writers in four different languages—Dangauro Tharu, Bara Jilla Tharu, Nepali and English. The books are part of the Book Creation Project supported by The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia programme.

In recent years, although the market for children books has made headway, many of these books largely under-represent indigenous marginalised groups. Thus, to highlight works that represent such cultures, last year, Srijanalaya had produced picture books based on poet Durga Lal Shrestha’s Nepal Bhasa poems. And this year, the organisation has brought forth stories from Tharu communities discussing their craft, food, and their ways of lives emphasising moral lessons for life. The books are targetted mainly for children between the age of 9 to 13 years.

Amid the lockdown that has been in place since March 24, to curb the spread of Covid-19, the books' launch festival, ‘From Kailari to Bara’ curated by KathaSatha will take to various virtual platforms from May 30 to June 5, where the organisation with its collaborating partners is hosting reading and discussion sessions with the writers, illustrators and translators.

Established Tharu writers Shanti Chaudhary, Krishna Raj Sarbahari and Chhabilal Kopila have each written two stories each that reflect on the Tharu culture and lifestyle. And the six illustrators—Bandana Tulachan, Shradha Shrestha, Mitthu Tharu, Umesh Chaudhary, Ubahang Nembang and Suman Maharjan—have successfully brought their stories alive with colourful explanatory and elucidatory pictures.

The e-books will also be available on the Let’s Read app, a digital library developed by Books for Asia.