#383 - A New Home For Ajiri
by Sandeep Virmani and illustrated by Niloufer Wadia
“A New Home For Ajiri” by Sandeep Virmani and illustrated by Niloufer Wadia. Published by Kalpavriksh. An endearing story of a chinkara fawn from the Banni grasslands of Kachchh.
The story is narrated by the fawn as well as the author. The fawn recounts how she was born in the shimmering white light of the full moon. Along with her mother, the moon was the first thing she had seen. As she starts going around the grassland with her mother, she realises what their routine is and what were the dangers faced by chinkaras like her. She also observes the beautiful landscape and the various birds and animals who inhabited it such as cranes, flamingos and so on.
One day, the fawn gets separated from her herd and is surrounded by a pack of dogs. She tries escaping from them but is unable to jump over the thorny bushes in her path. When she thought that she had no chance of living, a young boy called Shivam living in the nearby village of Virani rescued her by shooing the dogs away. Shivam and his father took good care of the fawn and nurses her back to good health. Shivam named her Ajiri and an unusual bond of trust and friendship formed between the two. Ajiri was then sent to live with Mitti’s family who belonged to a pastoralist tribe. Despite being amidst loving and caring human friends, Ajiri longs for her mother and wishes to be with her. How long can Ajiri stay in the village? Is she going to be reunited with her mother and the rest of the herd? How does she react when she stumbles upon a poacher? Can she survive the encounter? Read the delightful book to know all of these while getting a glimpse of the incredible landscape of Kachchh.
My 8.5 year old son and I enjoyed reading this book. He was happy to know about the chinkaras and region of Kachchh. He was worried when Ajiri was almost killed by the dogs but relieved when Shivam saved her. The story kept us at the edge till the last page wondering if Ajiri would survive. I will not reveal the end as the book deserves to be read :) There is a short riddle in the book about Vayaro aka the wind which we loved. Like all other books from Kalpavriksh, this book introduces a region and its flora and fauna in an amazing way through a charming story complemented well by the bright and cheerful illustrations. The book takes us on an armchair trip to Kachchh. There is a note at the end of the book talking about what we should do if we find any injured wild animals which is quite useful. There is mention of the Bishnoi community as well who take care of the injured animals as a part of their tradition and have helped in the conservation of the endangered chinkara. Books like these introduce our children to the amazing forests and wildlife of India. Looking forward to reading more such books about this beautiful region published by Kalpavriksh.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 8/9 and above.
Reasons to Read
The book is a lovely means to introduce the endangered chinkara and the landscape of Kachchh to children.
The book encourages love for nature and animals in children.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Kalpavriksh here.
An independent bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.