This beautiful and captivating book by Riddhi Doda and Shruti Hemani is set during the lively
festival of Navratri. This story tells a tale of Bhargav, a little boy who LOVES navratri. He loves
the twirl of colorful bright chaniyas, the sound of dandiya and sweets after Aarti!
But what he loves the most is the Chhan Chhan sound of the beautiful bangles dancing on his
wrist. He is fond of bangles. But this time his father has forbidden him from wearing bangles
saying that “Bangles are for girls”. He is upset and hence doesn’t dance during Navratri.
He and his grandmother have a conversation about this in which Bhargav introduces his
grandmother to a new perspective. He defies gender norms with his innocent yet profound
thoughts.
This book has gently touched upon gender stereotypes we enforce. However, children are pure
and are naturally free from biases. It truly makes us understand what a wonderful world it would
be if people had the heart of an innocent child.
The illustrations in this book are so brilliant and colorful, perfectly capturing the essence of
Navratri festival. It also allows children to explore Gujarati culture and food through its
illustrations. It is a book definitely worth reading!
