Drishti Tolani
In Drishti Tolani’s book “Tied Up with Love,” a young boy visits a children’s hospital to tie rakhis. In “Let’s Get Lit for Diwali,” a young girl in Australia learns that Diwali honours the same values her family celebrates at Christmas. In “Colour Me Crazy,” Holi is celebrated in the backyards of the Indian diaspora in San Francisco, Singapore and Toronto.
Making up the My Little Dharma series, Tolani imbues the great epics of Hindu mythology with warmth and joy. Published late last year, this vibrant four-book collection showcases how age-old traditions continue to be revered, celebrated and importantly, shared amongst friends and families all across the world.
“I wanted to show the rich, beautiful mythology behind our practices but also show kids how they can make it their own and take it to their community,” Tolani says.
At its heart, each book is a reminder that Hindu traditions aren’t merely upheld for their own sake but are underpinned by messages on what it means to be a good friend, a good sister, a good brother, and a responsible person.
These books offer a sense of cultural pride that Tolani didn’t always have. Growing up in Indonesia, she had the luxury of being surrounded by a thriving Indian community, but at age five, she and her family moved to Australia, where she was often the only brown face in her class.
“Indian-origin kids living in Australia don’t have as much of a connection to [Hindu] heritage when compared to kids growing up in India or even other places such as Malaysia…” she says.
The My Little Dharma series was written for her nieces and nephews also growing up in Australia, as an antidote to this disconnect. A way for young children to be more exposed to their culture and eventually, proud enough to share it.
Inspired by books such as Michael Wong’s Unconditional Love, she hopes her books too can make children feel valued, seen and excited to read.
Her background as a primary school teacher, where she helps older children from war-torn or refugee backgrounds improve their literacy, makes her uniquely placed to do so. Her first picture book series, self-published in 2023, Potter the Pomeranian, teaches young children how to communicate with each other and was directly influenced by the issues faced by children on the playground.
“My experiences teaching these children to read has even influenced the type of language I choose to use. It’s challenging to find a balance between descriptive and accessible language. Too much symbolism can go over their heads, but it’s also important to acknowledge their intelligence and not be too obvious either,” she emphasises.
This approach to storytelling proved to be vital when dealing with more complex topics such as reincarnation and avatars in her book “Oh My Gods,” or when describing the strong bonds between Lakshmana, Sita and Rama in “Let’s Get Lit for Diwali.”
“In the end, everyone is a reader, they just haven’t found the right story,” she says.
For many young ones, the My Little Dharma series might contain the story which turns them into avid readers eager to get lost in old myths, modern tales, and importantly, to find real-world communities and connections who equally share a love for stories.
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