#585 - Threads That Bind : Sibling Stories From Indian Mythology
by Nalini Ramachandran and illustrated by Sayani Ray
“Threads That Bind : Sibling Stories From Indian Mythology” by Nalini Ramachandran and illustrated by Sayani Ray. Published by Penguin. A collection of endearing short stories celebrating the beautiful bond between divine siblings from Indian mythology.
Sibling squabbles are commonplace. The bond between siblings is often bittersweet with confused feelings ranging from affection to rivalry irrespective of gender or age gap. Most of the times the parents end up acting as arbiters and are viewed by the children as biased towards the other sibling. It is no different in the family of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati when it comes to little Ganesha and Karthikeya. Though they can easily handle any kind of problems be it big or small in the three worlds, resolving the constant squabbles between their sons proves to be the biggest one.
Each time the quarrels between Ganesha and Karthikeya seem to go out of hand, Goddess Parvati comes up with an ingenious plan. She narrates an apt story of another sibling pair from mythology to make them understand how they should behave in similar situations and not fight like they did. They enthusiastically listen to her tales which take them through the sweet and sour world of divine siblings like Kubera and Ravana, Jyeshtha and Lakshmi, Nara and Narayana, Yami and Yama and many others. Read the book to be magically transported to Mount Kailash and know the tales being narrated by the family of Lord Shiva :)
The book celebrates the threads of common interests, feelings and qualities that bind the siblings together through the stories of divine siblings. Through ten tales of sibling pairs, we get a beautiful and endearing glimpse into the fascinating world of Indian mythology. My ten and a half year old son and I were captivated by the stories and found them heartwarming. They are full of magic, mischief, fun, wit, wisdom, fantasy and faith. We liked how each of the squabbles between Ganesha and Karthikeya led to Goddess Parvati or Lord Shiva narrating an apt tale to make them realise their follies. The narrative flowed smoothly introducing ten pairs of siblings and their stories along with the main thread. The stories were new for us and we also got to know the names of some of the vahanas or mounts like Dawon and Paravani. The charming illustrations were like icing on a cake, enhancing the reading experience. The story behind the celebration of Raksha Bandhan was something that my son loved given how much he looks forward to it every year :) Whether one has a sibling or not, there is something in the book for everyone. Overall a “MUST READ” book for the beautiful theme it celebrates through the endearing characters.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 8 and above.
Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Penguin India, for review. Thank you to Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the book!