|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Akela and the Blue Monster
Akela and the Asian Tsunami
VERY rarely does one come across a litterateur who devotes his creative power to writing for children. It is indeed creditable on the part of Chaman Nahal, a reputed writer, to have come up with the Akela trilogy—Akela and the Blue Monster, Akela and the Asian Tsunami and Akela and the UFOs—for young readers. The trilogy exudes freshness and an aroma worth any literary work meant for children. These three books are a young boy called Akela’s adventures displaying the writer’s deep knowledge of science, technology and Indian mythology. One marvels at Chaman Nahal’s vast knowledge of Indian mythology, deep waters, the tremors therein, and the Mars et al. Akela and the Blue Monster takes to the realms of the Indian Ocean and the geographical factors behind tsunami. The third part is even more adventurous. The readers travel to the Mars along with Akela and Rishi Baba and know a lot about the alpha hole basin. In each of the books, evil and destructive forces, Yamkal, the Ravana and his associates and the Maharani Anokhi, respectively, are up against the noble ones. The good ones, of course, prevail in the end. This action-packed trilogy in hand creates thrilling sensation in the readers. In the struggle against the Yamkal, Rishi Baba, Akela and adivasis seem to act like soldiers on the front. The same impression do we form in the other two parts, where birds and animals have their own charisma. This endears the collection to the readers and undoubtedly keeps them glued up to the last page. Nahal is at his best in descriptive passages. Mark the "pearly neck, light brown glittering eyes ..." of Akela’s carrier pigeon. Virtually a cinematic picture do we form when the Maharani and courtiers are transformed into statues, "The Maharani’s female attendants `85 their lehngas, their dupattas, their tight-fitting blouses were made of nothing but the substance `85 ." Also, the scene depicting the Maharani being held in the jaws of the tiger in the palace stays in our memory long after we have laid the trilogy. With his sheer flight of imagination, the author maintains his hold on the readers and makes them oblivious of earthly problems around them. This is the real beauty of the triology. Besides this, there is a rich sprinkling of humour, with satire here and there. Dialogues between the parrot and Akela are a treat. Towards the end, the aliens asking for jalebis and wanting to take saris and glass bangles with them make our ribs tickle. Very subtly does the writer criticise violence in the land of Gandhi. What charms us most is the absence of loose threads herein. Angoori, who simply appears once in Akela and the Blue Monster, plays an indispensable role later on. The plot in all the books is well knit in a colorful texture. The collection makes a good read not only for the children but also for the grown-ups. The rich and deep knowledge of Indian mythology is imparted to us in a very convincing yet fascinating manner. Obviously, the learned author’s intentions of making the young generation aware of our mythology are highly appreciable. It should be an asset of every child’s personal library, absorbing as well as an educative treat that it is deserves to be called a wonderful contribution to this genre virtually.
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
