At first glance, A Song From Where I Live (The Little Dipper Publishing; ₹399) by architect and artist Smrithi Devakumar might seem like a simple picture book for children. The pages burst with colours, a blend of figurative and abstract art, and minimalistic use of words tinged with nostalgia. Palakkad-based Smrithi collaborated with Hyderabad-based architect and author Anusha Veluswamy who founded the publishing house specialising in pictorial stories. Smrithi explains that the idea began as a children’s book but shaped into a book for all ages.

“The book developed into something that can have a calming effect on adults,” says Smrithi, speaking over the phone from Palakkad, Kerala. A Song From Where I Live, with the suffix PIN Code 678574, is an ode to her native village Peringottukurissi. “Not everyone has the opportunity to live in a village. I have that privilege and decided to portray it through a visual narrative.” 

Love letter to hometown

Through illustrations, Smrithi presents vivid images of lush green fields swathed in golden sunlight, white storks amid the greens, hues of the earth and the scent before the rains. She paints the glorious greens and browns of the earth alongside the deep blue pea flowers and pale brown winged seeds that glide through the air. The technique used for the images is a mix of hyperrealistic figurative art and semi-abstract forms. A Song From Where I Live is less of a story and more of a love letter “to the earth, sky, wind, and everything in between”. The book may not deliver a compelling story but would work for those looking for something out of the norm.

Nostalgia for one’s hometown, says the author, is like a totem that anchors them to a place. “No matter where you are, the memories can inspire you.” Smrithi was keen to make the artwork fluid and not too intimidating to readers who may be inspired to recreate or reinterpret the visuals, dipping into their own childhood memories. A few Malayalam words appear sporadically in the narrative. A glossary explains the words with English translations.

Smrithi says the book was possible partially due to the unhurried lifestyle in Palakkad. She teaches architecture a few days a week and devotes her spare time to art.

A Song From Where I Live is the third book from The Little Dipper Publishing, the idea of which took shape towards the end of 2021. Anusha, an architect, author and educator, had moved to Hyderabad from Chennai more than a decade ago with her husband, writer-director Vi Anand. Post lockdowns, she was keen to venture into publishing and put forth visual stories for children and adults. “It is not a vanity project to start a publishing house and narrate my own stories. I saw a gap in traditional publishing and thought there was scope to narrate visual stories rooted in native flavour,” says Anusha, who has earlier authored titles such as Amma’s White Stone Mookuthi (nose pin) and What If Rainbows Were Your Shadows? 

Anusha Veluswamy | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Visual stories for mental health

On what made her give serious thought to picture books beyond the realm of children, Anusha says, “There has been research on how picture books can be used in the mental health space for a healing effect.” As part of The Little Dipper Publishing’s initial foray into the market, she wrote Where is Mr Thookam? (sleep) and Maari (rain), illustrated by Janan Abir and Shruti Hemani. Where is Mr. Thookam? won the Atta Galatta Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize 2023.

From her conversations with readers and friends during her initial writings, Anusha had learnt that parents, who often turn storytellers for their children, like to intersperse the narratives with childhood anecdotes. Anusha spontaneously found herself using a few Tamil words in her stories. “Similarly, the mention of traditional games and folk dance was also a conscious decision. It is not always just the story; sharing memories strengthens the bond between parents and children. If someone is narrating a story from his or her environment and perspective, the native language will kick in. I see it as a way of honouring our roots and identities, and celebrating diversity.” This approach pervades through A Song From Where I Live as well.

(The books are available on Amazon, thelittledipperpublishing.com and a few independent bookstores in India)