Written by Ajanta Chakraborty @culturegroovekids & Vivek Kumar. This book is based on the fun trip of Maya and her brother Neel to Gujarat , India. Maya and Neel live in Chicago , USA they have not experienced the real fun of Navratri festival. This travel to India helps them to enjoy festival and it’s real fun in the land of Dandiya’s. They stay with Maya’s uncle and his family. Maya’s uncle and his family explain little kids each and every detail of Navratri festival and how it’s celebrated in Gujarat.
They have fun practicing Garba, (dancing around the Garbo lamp) eating/ munching all the traditional sweets and food ( Dhalia, Lapsi, Chakli, Dholka , Fafda ) cooked during festive time.
Also during their trip to market, kids get to know about different dresses (Dhoti, Kedia- for boys; Chaniya and Choli for girls) which they wear during Navratri festival. Wearing new dresses and with company of their cousin Hiral, both Maya and Neel visit the big field to dance for dhandiya holding sticks.
Little readers have so much fun in repeating the actions of Maya and Neel.
Author’s have navigated little readers to witness how Maya and Neel enjoyed to know about the story of Navratri. Author’s
tell little readers of different ways how Navratri is celebrated across India especially in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
They also share about the story of Ram Leela. This book is great for little kids to explore to know so much about the festival. Colorful illustrations create impact for little kids helping them to visualize things so powerfully that they go to
imaginary world of Navratri happening in front of their eyes.