This marvellous book is yet another promising read from the Songs of Freedom Series. This book enabled me to travel back to 1915, Chota Nagpur, India. It was such a delight to share this book recommendation with the young readers at the Young Readers' Club.
I was particularly excited about talking about Rebellion in Ranchi by Swati Sengupta, with my young reading companions at the Young Readers' Club. This time around I took extra time to prepare. I wanted to create a sense of curiosity, a desire to travel back in time so that my reading experience will motivate them to pick up this beautiful book and read it themselves.
All of them knew Nagpur. Some had even visited Nagpur. But 'Chota Nagpur' was new. We took a look at the India map to locate this place and then went back to 1915. Who knows how it would have been to be a part of an Adivasi Tribe living in 1915? One reader chimed in that the Adivasis are forest dwellers and follow their own unique customs. So perhaps they did the same in 1915?
Sibu, the protagonist in the book was introduced at this exact moment. There was no concept of school or learning to read or write. World was limited to what he saw. All that he knew were the beliefs, customs and practices of the Oraon tribe to which he belonged to. He did not know that the world was a much bigger place until the time he came to meet a member of the Tana Bhagat movement. The notion that a child growing up in 1915 did not know that the world had many countries, the fact that he had never heard of Europe before was intriguing. All that he had heard was about the legend of German Baba who the Oraons came to believe would be the savior who would save them from the shackles of the British. After all, the British were hand in hand with the Zamindars who exploited them. Their forefathers had first cleared the lands and occupied them. But the advent of the British occupation changed everything. They were reduced to living in impoverished conditions.
Characters that resonate or are likeable in some way contribute a lot to a fine reading experience
Eng Ajji, Sibu's grandma- the character that had a profound impact one me as a reader
All of us tend to share a special bond with grandmas. They shower us with love, sweets and lots of stories. Eng Ajji, Sibu's grandma is a character that I loved for her wisdom and exceptional storytelling skills. She may not have been educated but she was very learned. Her trick was to be alert, always ready to find information and observe the events that happened around her.
Talking about the Tana Bhagat movement
The book made me curious to know more about this movement. As a part of the prep, I made sure to find more information about this movement. My reading companions listened in rapt attention. The freedom struggle as they knew it, took a new dimension. It was new. While they had studied about various Adivasi tribes, the fact that they too were affected and had to fight for their rights was a revelation. Knowing more about the Tana Bhagat movement introduced them to the leaders of the movement, Jatra Bhagat and Turia Bhagat.
By this point, it was evident that my audience were enthralled by the book. This felt like a perfect moment to stop. If they want to know more, they will have to pick up the book and read it themselves! A couple of them asked for the title of the book to be repeated. Then I knew my job was complete.
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The Young Writers' Club program for the 13-15 age group offers a weekly platform to read and discuss curated articles from the news, observe writing approaches and practise one's writing skills.
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