Thangam of Mehrgarh
by Geeta Dharmarajan and illustrated by Mrinalini Sardar
“Thangam of Mehrgarh” by Geeta Dharmarajan and illustrated by Mrinalini Sardar. Published by Katha. A lovely book to introduce the Indus Valley Civilisation to children through the eyes of a little girl.
The story is narrated by Thangam, a little girl, who lived in Mehrgarh in the Indus Valley 9000 years ago. We get a peek into her home, family and life. She is excited that the caravan of traders has reached her city. She wants to check out the wares that her father and others have brought from their travels to faraway lands like Persia and Afghanistan.
Thangam is happy to meet her father. He is looking at some of the best Lapis Lazuli that he has ever seen. He offers to make jewellery using the stones. The merchant is convinced by the offer only after he observes the cornelian bead necklace that her father is wearing. Her father has made a new thing called a drill which can be used to make holes in the stones to make jewellery. She is quite excited and proud of her father’s skills.
As Thangam roams around in Mehrgarh, she interacts with other skilled people, like the potter, too. Like her father each of them is an expert in their own skill.
Thangam is as restless and dreamy eyed like the children of today. She wants to become a traveller some day and visit the distant lands that she has heard of. How wonderful it would be if she could do that!
The last couple of pages have simple facts about Indus Valley civilisation. There are few photographs of artifacts that have been excavated in the region. Loved reading this with my 7 year old. It gave us a view into what the world may have been like thousands of years ago when the Indus Valley civilisation thrived. The illustrations have been done beautifully similar to the inscriptions of the civilisation. Thank you Vidya Mani of Funky Rainbow for recommending this book! Apt for children aged 7+.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Katha here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.