Making Hinduism accessible to children
SARIKA Besesar-Ramdhani recently launched her debut children’s book aimed at instilling and reinforcing Hindu culture and values in children.
The book’s release coincided with the festival of Hanuman Jayanthi on April 26.
Besesar-Ramdhani said Hanuman Jayanthi celebrated the birth of the victorious Hanuman, who is the personification of strength, perseverance and dedication.
Hanuman and the Sun is planned to be the first in a series of books aimed at making suitable literature on Hinduism accessible to South African children.
Born and raised in Durban, the 36-year-old actuary and mother of a 3-year-old son said that after becoming a mom, she was disappointed to learn that not much had changed since she was a child. She felt there was still a lack of access to suitable literature for children on Hinduism in South Africa.
“Eager to introduce my young son to the topic, I began importing books from India. However, I found that the books were inappropriate for a little one, with complicated and violent storylines, and unappealing images. I then began researching the Hindu scriptures, so that I could retell him stories in a manner to which he could relate. This is how Stories for Shiv was born.”
Stories for Shiv is a publishing house that focuses on creating children’s Hindu books. Hanuman and the Sun is their first book in the series.
Besesar-Ramdhani, of Johannesburg, said the objective of Stories for Shiv was to retell the great yet complex Hindu epics in a picture-book format with a simple storyline and enchanting imagery.
“Stories for Shiv aims to introduce the key concepts of Hinduism and promote awareness of the Indian culture to children and their guardians. Our stories are based on events as described in the ancient Hindu scriptures. Each book focuses on the principal Hindu deities and their functions, weaving noteworthy facts about each god into the storyline. Parents and children alike may rely on Stories for Shiv as a set of reference books on Hinduism.”
Besesar-Ramdhani said the stories focused on the Hindu concepts of Dharma (righteousness), Karma (universal law) and Moksha (liberation from the material world).
“By focusing on principles that are universal, Stories for Shiv is relevant to children from all backgrounds.”
Hanuman and the Sun retells the event of young Hanuman taking to the Sun after mistaking it for a juicy fruit.
“A tremendous amount of work has been put into this book. Dr Lokesh Maharajh and Pundit Rishi Maharajh of the Shree Sanathan Dharma Sabha have reviewed the content for accuracy to the ancient scriptures. I have also worked closely with child education specialists and a leading children’s publishing house to ensure the content is appropriate and stimulating for my young audience.
“I have been fortunate to meet the talented illustrator Emily House, who enthusiastically offered to bring my story to life with her captivating illustrations. Emily has portrayed the gods in a classical, yet modern style, which simply captivates the imagination of the little child.”
Besesar-Ramdhani said that given the history of South African Hindus in the country, she thought it was also important for her to undertake this project as a tribute to her forefathers, grandparents and parents.
“Despite the challenges they faced as indentured labourers, and then under the chains of apartheid, they were still able to maintain their religion and culture so that I may proudly pass on this rich heritage to my son today.
“Today, Hindus are an important component of South Africa’s rainbow nation. Further, with more than 1 billion Hindus worldwide, Hinduism is a significant part of the societal fabric, locally and internationally. As communities strive towards religious and cultural tolerance, it is therefore important for Hindu and non-Hindu children alike to have access to appropriate literature on Hinduism.”
Besesar-Ramdhani said Hanuman and the Sun was aimed at children aged 5 to 8.
“However, from my own experience with my toddler, and from the feedback from my readers to date, the picture-book format allows the story to be accessible to a much younger audience as well.”
Hanuman and the Sun sells for R149 and it is available from www. storiesforshiv.com or through Sabina at 082 778 5767 or WhatsApp orders. For every book sold, one book will be donated to a child less fortunate through the South African Hindu Maha Sabha.
“Our aim is to sell at least 2 000 copies of Hanuman and the Sun, so we can donate copies to 2 000 less-fortunate children. As societies locally and internationally embrace religious tolerance and cultural diversity, it’s important for children from all ethnic backgrounds to have access to appropriate and appealing content on Hinduism.
“My hope with Stories for Shiv is that our books become a household name, and loved by all members of the family. I hope that children will treasure these stories forever, and perhaps pass them down to their children one day.”