Dadi, Dantkatha and the Djinns: Kashmiri Folk Tales That Bring Back Childhood

Dadi, Dantkatha and the Djinns by Avanti Sopory, published by Readomania, is a delightful anthology of folk tales from Kashmir.

This book instantly reminded me of my childhood days, when we would sit around an elderly person, listening with rapt attention to tales, folklores, and stories that carried wisdom within them.

That same charm flows through these pages, which bring together 27 tales of kings, rulers, peasants, families, villagers, talking animals, and even fairies, each with its own morals and lessons to reflect on.

It’s refreshing to see these short, timeless tales being shared, almost like opening a treasure chest of oral storytelling that’s been passed down for generations.

I am amazed at how the author managed to remember or collect all of these stories, preserving them in such a simple yet engaging way. It feels like a bridge between past and present, ensuring that the magic of these narratives is not lost.

This is not just a book, it’s an experience, especially for children. It’s a wonderful way to introduce them to values, culture, imagination, and the beauty of stories from Kashmir.

Read it for your children!

Comments

Draupadi - Action Prevails Emotions

The woman of Kaliyuga…. before the Kaliyuga descended One of the few very clear memories I still have of my childhood is when my mother was feeding me lunch and we were happily chatting about Mahabharata. While talking, I said ‘when I grow up, I want to become Draupadi’. She yelled at me ‘ pagal ho gayi ho kya?, kuch bhi bak bak karti ho. Khana khao chup chap ’. I was taken aback by her sudden anger. Barely 7-8 years of age, I didn’t quite understand the reason for her annoyance, then. Today, after decades I certainly do. Indeed, I do understand, why a mother wouldn’t want her daughter to become Draupadi or even get closer to what she suffered. All said and done, she was the heroine of the one of the only two greatest epics of the country’s history – Mahabharata.

From ‘ASL Pls’ To Emoji’s

I don’t get tired; no really, I do not get tired or bored at all narrating our story to anyone. Infact every new person I meet, I try to grab this opportunity to talk about us – You and I! And I surprise myself when I realise that I still remember it all so well. Every single detail of 4 years of friendship, 4 years of long-distance relationship, and 7 years of being married. Well, can’t really say that about the last 7 years :P, but the first 8 years are like embedded in my DNA. Pic clicked by Sudipto Roy I think our story is unique. It’s beautiful. Just 15 years old but so much has changed in this one and half-decade. Or not much?

A Soul Stirring Journey! (Book Review)

Image Source Book: The Seeker Author: Karan Bajaj The climax of the book is just unexpected. Well that's not how you would expect me to begin a review, but it's simply not what I had anticipated. In fact with the twists and turns I actually had no idea how the book will end. Had completely given up all my presumptions. I'll be honest, first few pages were a little boring for me. Perhaps, because the beginning is slow or maybe because I thought this packing your stuff and going away is a 'very guy' thing. Alright, the fact is I was jealous of Max, that he could just walk away from his corporate life towards a different life...... However, I continued to read; I was curious to know how far does Max go in order to reach that state where he feels detached from the world yet one with every tiny bit of the universe. And boy what a journey that was! I enjoyed it :)

A(NU) Thought

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