Name of Book : Tohfa: stories for children
Author : Sunita Bhadwal
Publisher : Akshay Prakashan, Sainik Colony, Jammu
A very redeeming feature of Dogri literature scenario is that besides bringing out of books there is also a trend by writers to write for children. Now a number of small attractive, multi-colored books with interesting stories and poetry are being written and published. This addition in Dogri literature for special interest of the children is a welcome move and will certainly popularize our mother tongue!
Tohfa, a pictorial, well-illustrated and finely printed book is a collection of interesting stories, by renowned writer Sunita Bhadwal is being gradually accepted by Dogri-knowing new generation.
Children literature
This 92-page book contains 15 stories with beautiful pictures of children’s interest. All the stories are written in the backdrop of Duggar culture, simple language and the region.
The very first story Paharein Di Sair is about who is Abu asked by his mother to accompany family to Bhaderwah for vacations. The child was fond of urban metro cities but hesitatingly he went to this famous hill station, and was immensely fascinated by natures’ bounty of mountains, landscape, streams and beautiful spots.
It was a memorable visit and he fully understood the charm of Nature instead of artificial attractions like air conditions, fridges, television of big cities with rush and pollution. Abu learnt the reality of life.
Educative Themes
Nandu, a village boy brought by his paternal uncle to their home in a big city and got him admitted to a modern school in which his cousins were his school-mate. As this boy was acquainted only with his mother tongue Dogri, he felt aloof and alone as he couldn’t speak Hindi and English like others. Consequently, he insisted for going back to his native village where everybody spoke Dogri only. Meanwhile, one Dr. Vinod came to his uncle’s house and counseled him that he too belong to a village but got adjusted in the new environment by learning Hindi and English and became a doctor. Afterwards, Nandu too could frequently write and speak Hindi as well as English to become eligible for a big job. Nandu strictly followed this advice and became one of the bright students while sticking to his favorite mother tongue.
Moral Lessons
In the story entitled “Sangat Di Rangat”, Naman, a boy in a joint family fell in a bad society and did not regularly attend school resulting in low-score in the exams. His grand-mother narrated a story that a man brought a bucket of fresh apple but also put one rotten apple. After some days the entire stock was found quite rotten. The lesson is that single rotten apple spoiled all the fresh apples as one Bad Fish could spoil all the good fishes in the pond. Naman now on followed grand-mother’s words of wisdom and made rapid progress in life.
Sunita Bhadwal, a noted Dogri writer, has wide experience, working knowledge of child psychology and has authored a number of books.
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