The Story of Divaali - Softcover

Jatinder Verma

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1902283988 ISBN 13: 9781902283982

Publisher: Barefoot Books, 2004

Synopsis

The Story of Divaali is a beautiful rendition of The Ramayana, an age-old Hindu tale which has been passed down over centuries. The story tells of the young prince Rama who, with the love of his wife, Princess Sita, the loyalty of his younger brother Lakshmana and the bravery of the Monkey God Hanuman, overcomes the forces of darkness. Out of his triumph, Divaali, the Indian festival of lights, is born.

About this title

About the Author:

Born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, Jatinder Verma grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, and migrated to Britain in 1968 as part of the Kenyan Exodus. He now lives in Surrey. In 1977 Jatinder co-founded Tara Arts - the first Asian theatre company to be set up in Britain. He has also written and presented a variety of documentaries for television and radio. Nilesh Mistry was born in Bombay and moved to London in 1975. He studied illustration at Harrow School of Art and Central St. Martin's School of Art, and went on to work for various animation companies, before becoming a freelance illustrator. This is his third title for Barefoot Books, joining Stories from the Silk Road (1-901223-21-3) and The Seven Wise Princesses (1-84148-021-5).

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-4-Verma has based his retelling of the Sanskrit epic from ancient India, The Ramayana, on the translation of the 15th-century Hindu poet Tulsidass. The story, which scholars feel may date from as early as 3000 B.C.E., tells of the birth of Prince Rama, his marriage to the Princess Sita, and the adventures and trials that follow. Displaced as rightful heir to the throne because of a promise made by his father, Rama is banished to the forest for 14 years, accompanied by Sita and his brother Lakshmana. During their exile, Sita is captured by the evil Lord Ravana. With the aid of Lord Hanuman, a monkey/human with marvelous powers, and his monkey army, she is rescued and Rama slays Ravana. The celebration that follows, in which numerous oil lamps are lit, is said to be the origin of the Hindu holiday Divaali. Verma's tightly written text does an excellent job of bringing the story to children without sacrificing meaning. Unfortunately, the accompanying illustrations look as if they stepped directly out of a Disney feature and detract from the epic grandeur of the tale. With little else available, the book is an appropriate addition to folklore shelves but would work best as a read-aloud.
Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Barefoot Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1902283988
• ISBN 13: 9781902283982
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Nilesh Mistry