Lost and Found In a Mumbai Koliwada
by Vinitha and illustrated by Kripa
“Lost and Found In a Mumbai Koliwada” by Vinitha and illustrated by Kripa. Published by The People Place Project. A beautiful story showcasing the Koli community though the eyes of little Meena who lives in Worli fishing village inside Mumbai.
Meena lives in a Koliwada. Her father is a fisherman. She has found something which cannot be kept at home. She is waiting for her parents to go out before she can go out herself without them knowing. She doesn’t want anyone to see what she has in her palms or stop to talk with her. Baba leaves for fishing and Aai goes to the wharf after cooking. It is time for her to slip out quietly.
As she goes about on her mission, we get to see all the landmarks in her village. Will Meena be able to do what she has headed out for? What has she found? Where is she going? Read the book to find out all of these.
Many cities of today have grown to envelop villages that have remained in place within them. In Mumbai’s case, while the city of Mumbai is modern, there are many spaces like Gaothans and Koliwadas where life remains close to that in a village though some aspects of modern life have been adopted.
My almost eight year old enjoyed reading the book with me. While we had already read about the landmarks of Mumbai in “Leopard in Mumbai”, this book gave a different and unique view of the city. It felt like we were walking with Meena as she went through her village. The detailed illustrations are charming and bring the place to life. Facts about Koli community, fishing and Mumbai are peppered across the story. The book is part of the “City Mosaics” series. In addition to the view of the city, the mystery created as to what Meena has found and where she is going kept us hooked till the end. And it was a pleasant surprise! It was cleverly hidden in the cover picture :)
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 6/7+.
Reasons to Read
The book gives a peek into the lives of the Koli community and their villages within Mumbai giving a fresh and unique perspective of the city. It is like taking a walk through the fishing village sitting at your home.