Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
Mysteries, Mountains and Mythology (Uttarakhand’s folktales retold) by Supriya Bansal is a book that I read with child-like glee. For me, it was childhood canoodled between the pages.
The ease with which Supriya writes, weaving emotions and narratives rich in imagery and replete with metaphorical beauty; was a thoroughly engaging experience for me. The ten stories, reimagined from Supriya’s viewpoint to recreate folk magic passed on through the generations (many of them the foundation of sayings/idioms that we employ today in our language), was a rich, visual and immersive experience.
What I particularly loved was Supriya’s research (her bibliography is proof of that), in the way each story ends with a section on ‘more to explore!’, in which she paraphrases the local tales with folktales and legends from Greek and other mythology. Alongside this section, Supriya also gives us 3 appendixes (at the end of the book) which have recipes for local delicacies (mentioned in the book), and other bits of information. I found that an extremely well-thought-out approach.
Although all the stories are well written, I would be remiss if I did not mention one that tore at my heart. Story no 7—Pure Putti Pure Pur. The story of a mother’s loss and longing, lodged itself deep in my heart, dislodging emotions I found difficult to rein in. There is a haunting sadness in this story that I haven’t been able to get out of my heart.
I loved the book. I loved Supriya’s visualization and vivid imagery. The language is easy to read and engaging, making this an ideal read for both adults and children.
I hope everyone picks up this book.
