Gulla and the Hangul
by Mariam Karim Ahlawat and illustrated by Proiti Roy
“Gulla and the Hangul” by Mariam Karim Ahlawat and illustrated by Proiti Roy. Published by Tulika. An endearing story of a little boy called Gulla and his encounter with the Hangul (red deer) set in the verdant Tangdhaar valley of Kashmir.
The book is a part of the word bird series of books by Tulika. The word bird books feature traditional as well as contemporary stories from different regions. The unfamiliar words from different regional languages are explained with the help of word birds in the pages of the book giving a charming touch to the story being narrated.
Gulla is a shepherd and takes his animals to graze everyday to the high meadowlands near the forest. He has to be careful from the wild animals such as bears and leopards in addition to the fabled Banbudhiya (the wicked old woman of the forest) who could be terrible if she caught him. Also the men with the guns near the border.
One day he sees a little Hangul being chased by some wild dogs as he is returning home with his animals. He forgets to be careful himself and rushes to help the Hangul in distress. Gulla goes deeper and deeper into the forest. What happens next? Does he manage to save the Hangul? Does he return home safely? This forms the crux of the story.
The Hangul is a protected animal in Kashmir. It is the only variety of red deer found in India. The book gives a peek into the quiet lives of the shepherd community who live in the Tangdhaar valley braving so many difficulties living so close to nature. Proiti Roy’s brilliant pastel illustrations bring the region to life in front of the reader’s eyes.
Both me and my (then) six year old loved reading this book. I had been eyeing this from the time I saw it first on Tulika website a few years ago. I had put it up on our wish list and was waiting for my child to turn six before buying. The book went out of stock by then and I was disappointed. When Vidya Mani recommended this in a funky rainbow buzzaar, I was over the moon and ordered it right away. Hangul is an animal that I have been wanting to see in the wild and it can be found in Dachigam National Park near Srinagar in Kashmir.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Tulika books here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.