“I want to make one too!” I thought to myself as Sruti proposed the idea of making wild gaurs from clay. Although my figurine looked more like an elephant at first, I eventually got the hang of it and made something that was half-decent.
Making clay gaurs was part of my session with Green Panther, an organization based in Bangalore that helps kids connect with nature. Before starting my story, I asked the kids to use their imagination to come up with their own versions of wild gaurs. This is an activity I enjoy, especially if they have never seen one before. To my amazement and joy, there were gaurs with pink horns and even rainbow colors.
When I narrated a shorter version of my book “The Myth of the Wild Gaur,” the kids were full of questions.
Does Theni see a wild gaur?Why is there water missing from the lake? Who could be responsible for it?Are wild gaurs really dangerous?
They tried wheedling the answers from me, but to sustain the mystery, I told them that only the book would be able to provide them with solutions.
After my storytelling was over, we took a short break and then got ready for making wild gaurs out of clay. This activity was planned to celebrate World Mud Day, and there was no better way to do this than by sculpting the gaur that already occupied their thoughts.
My session with Green Panther was impactful because I got the chance to pair my story with the hands-on activity of creating a gaur. I can say with certainty that stories linger in our minds far longer if we have a creative task to go along with them.
Many thanks to Sruti for making my book tour in Bangalore a memorable one. I look forward to collaborating again, next time hopefully for a story session along with a nature walk.
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