How often do storybooks transport young minds to a world where enchanting tales are spun with a local twist? In the enchanting village of Gol Gumbad, magic is not a distant dream but a palpable reality, one that readers aged between eight and twelve can now explore through the eyes of Shobita Narayan. In her seminal work, “Midaash & Maitreyi’s Magical Mayhem,” a solitary mage breathes life into a seemingly quiet village by bestowing magical gifts upon unsuspecting children—a gift that unfolds into a tapestry of adventures. This Scholastic India publication is easily accessible on various e-commerce platforms as well as physical bookstores across the nation.
In a deft stroke of creativity, Narayan revitalizes classical European fairy tales—legends that have been etched in the collective memory of generations—by relocating their essence to the Indian subcontinent’s vibrant backdrop. Tales that have become household words—Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, the Pied Piper, The Three Little Pigs, The Snow Queen, and The Selfish Giant—all find a new home amidst the fantastical realm of Gol Gumbad.
Rooted in Hyderabad and New Delhi in her day-to-day life, Narayan admits that her journey into the realm of children’s literature was an unforeseen detour. After laboring over an adult fantasy fiction series that lingered in developmental limbo for over ten years, she faced the stark realization in 2022 that the project was not coalescing as intended. It was at this juncture that she revisited a college-era short story, a take on Rapunzel, which, upon further development, diverged to become an entirely new entity. With her previous project set aside, she embraced the challenge of molding a new dimension especially tailored for the younger audience, a process she found exhilarating.
Crafting each tale with care, Narayan tailored her prose to appeal to independent young readers, imbuing the narrative with both simplicity and depth, ensuring the language was approachable even as the stories’ layered complexities took readers through a temporal dance. The result was a collection of standalone stories, which, quite unexpectedly, culminated in a sixth connecting entry that offered a panoramic view of the entire narrative.
Charbak Dipta’s illustrations dance across the pages, mirroring the vivacity and daring spirit of Gol Gumbad’s youthful denizens.
Attention to detail is a hallmark of Narayan’s writing, evident in the naming of her characters—names drawing inspiration from the varied linguistic and cultural landscape of India. The triplet characters Rohini, Ashwini, and Bharani share their monikers with celestial stars, while other characters like Korou and Achanba are named after words from the Manipuri language, adding layers of semantic richness to the narrative. Similarly, the character Chittaa—the girl who sports a unique spotted skin—is a nod to the Hindi word meaning “spotted.”
Further enriching the reading experience, Narayan personally sketched a map depicting the variety of locations within the book’s invented world. Kingdoms of Saluka and Taluka, the central Gol Gumbad village ensconced by mountains, apple groves, and abandoned architectural wonders, are all laid out to aid the reader’s imagination. As a cherry on top, a thoughtfully included quiz and puzzle bolster the book’s interactive appeal.
Reflecting on the creative path that led to the completion of her maiden book, Narayan recalls the affirmation of her skill as a storyteller that came with her accolade as a runner-up in a Readers Digest Asia contest back in 2013. Her professional ventures in marketing and publicity with leading publishers like Hachette India and Simon and Schuster India, and later, within the communication department of a tech company, provided her a front-row seat to the creative and commercial aspects of book production.
Balancing a day job with her passion for weaving stories, Narayan confides that the seeds for her next literary endeavor have already been planted. Scribbled ideas transmute over the weekend into potential new worlds waiting to be chronicled. With a manuscript awaiting her return, readers and dreamers alike can expect more captivating journeys similar to that of Gol Gumbad.
