Bharat's Incredible Heritage - Book Review

Discover Bharat's Incredible Heritage with Agastya by Kaninika Mishra

"Discover Bharat's Incredible Heritage with Agastya" by Kaninika Mishra is a gem of a book for young children. The first thing that stands out is the joyous and colourful artwork, a sure draw for young readers.

The author has chosen adventures from many parts of Bharat, which is a great way to create curiosity and respect in the child for the whole country. The attention to detail in the pictures is truly remarkable. The beautiful colour gradient in the pages jumps out to attract children, and the writing stays true to Bharatiya heritage while attracting the modern child. The quality of paper ensures that it looks attractive and glossy and will last through years of bedtime reading.

The best way to get children interested in our heritage is through experience and a focus on their area of interest. The author has done exactly that and so beautifully, too!

You can read more about how to introduce IKS to kids here, and this book is a practical application of all the points mentioned in the article. Agastya, the curious little 9-year-old, has many adventures that open the door to different aspects of our culture and heritage, such as yoga, traditional artwork, food, math, and astronomy. It is heartening to see yogasanas referred to by their authentic names in picture books meant for children. The asanas also have explanations woven into the narrative. 

Discovery of our unique heritage is all around, hidden in the most mundane of everyday events, and the author brings this aspect out in a bright, attractive, cheerful way. Your child can learn so much about Bharatiya culture if you, as a parent, have the imagination to see it and enjoy it in the most unlikely places!

The author, Kaninika Mishra, shows you how to transform every experience into a magical one for your child. In the words of the author, "A day without friends in the park turns out to be an evening of learning asanas at his mother's yoga class; a trip to an Ayurveda hospital with his grandmother becomes an opportunity to experience the benefits of this ancient medical science; while shopping for Deepavali, Agastya hears the story of Khadi and India's freedom struggle; at a mundane chore like bathing his baby sister, he explores the fragrant herbs used as soap in Bharat since ages; his favourite uncle teaches him ancient Indian math techniques; and his aunt turns up with indigenous toys that add a sparkle to his birthday celebration."

The possibilities are endless, and every moment opens up a world of learning about Bharatiya heritage for your child. As they say, we will only cherish and protect what we know, and this book gets children started on the journey of knowing and learning.

Every part of the book, whether through pictures, words, or other details, conveys the message of pride and fun in discovery! We see Indian clothes, festivals, bindis and colours everywhere. It’s a fantastic effort to create an attractive book that will quickly become your little one's favourite for reading and re-reading, while you never have to fear the kind of messages the child is absorbing at a subliminal level. 

Activities under the "Try It Out" section give practical tips on hands-on learning to explore Indic heritage. There's also a "Did You Know" Section at the end of every story to help children discover more information independently. 

We highly recommend buying and soaking in this book! It will make an excellent present for all the young ones around you.

Click here to buy the book.