Rokuurooo - Why does the rooster crow?
Retold by by Sangeetha, Sandhya and Pavithra | Illustrated by students of KGBV School (Godupalli, AP) and curated by Ruchi Shah
This book was done as a part of the art workshops that I was conducting at their school. This entire project was in
collaboration with the LETS - Learn English Through Stories project, IDC, IIT Bombay - funded by the TCTD centre.
While testing an English reading app in various regions we realized that there was a dearth of local Indian stories in schools.
All the existing content was westernized in writing and accents. While facilitating the art workshops we thought of giving the children some time to write out stories they have heard at home, or stories which have been passed on verbally in tribal families,
What made this particular story unique was that it was an animal fable. It was re-narrated (with a twist) by Sangeetha, Sandhya and Pavithra, students of KGBV School, Godupalli, Andhra Pradesh. This visuals were created with everyday materials like dried leaves, flowers and string. I had to sift through hundreds of such assemblages, selecting the ones that could finally make the final visuals. I had to compose these images without modifying them to work together like a unit and unfold with the story.
The book was designed in a way that it would keep expanding every time it was opened. Until finally it becomes the size of a large poster.
The story flowed onto the front and the back pages.
I experimented with different techniques to bind such a book, and create hinges that would not tear apart over time. This was more like a book design project - and I wanted children to realize that books don't necessarily have a fixed format. Anything can be taken on as an inspiration to design a book.
The girls who worked on this project were from a local tribal school - KGBV School (Godupalli) near Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh. They were extremely
resourceful and creative, as they used whatever materials were available like leaves, flowers, thread etc. to create the visuals.
