New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) A new children’s book, “Taatung Tatung”, sparks conversations about the country’s linguistic length and breadth by highlighting some of known and unknown languages.
Written by author Vaishali Shroff and published under Penguin Random House India’s ‘Puffin’ imprint, the book was released on the occasion of World Mother Language Day, celebrated every year on February 21.
From drawings on cave walls by early humans to three men on a raft stumbling upon a language they weren’t looking for, the stories in the book take readers from the northeastern tip of the country to the forests in central India, exploring indigenous languages that are thousands of years old as well as those that have developed recently.
“Through these stories, I want to give agency to our languages and make their voices heard. I can write so many sequels to this book and I still won’t be able to cover all our languages. Let ‘Taatung Tatung’ be a starting point where we can explore our hidden identities through our beautiful languages. Through stories, through conversations, through songs.
“I hope you will read this book and share the stories with many others. Above all, I hope you will start looking at your mother language, your matrubhasha, in a new light,” the author told PTI.
Her previous works include “The Adventures of Padma and a Blue Dinosaur”, “Sita’s Chitwan”, and “There’s a Leopard in My House”.
According to the publishers, “engrossing, entertaining, and packed with trivia”, the book is for non-fiction lovers and students who have a keen interest in all things India.
“Supremely well-researched and accessibly written for curious young readers and young adults alike, this is one book that should be on every bookshelf,” said Sohini Mitra, publisher at PRHI.
The book, priced at Rs 299, is currently available for sale across online and offline stores. PTI MG MAH MAH
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