Who would not love to pick up a kids book once in a while and relive those wondrous memories of fairies and giants, of fantasies and a happy ending? Writing for kids is no easy task and those who have mastered it, have been through the arduous exercise of thinking and dreaming like the kid does. Bengaluru-based Roopa Pai, has over the decades, mastered the art of writing for kids like few in the country have. Priyam Chhetri profiles this popular writer, whose works have been influenced by our myths and mythical characters, making them immensely popular
As long as she can remember, a writer is what she wanted to be. Not necessarily a prolific one or even a one that was popular. Her fingers just itched to write, which is why she found herself giving up a lucrative career in computer engineering to become a freelance writer.
What began with just little snippets of memories morphed into the country’s first fantasy adventure novel series for children, has become an enduring passion and 46-year-old Roopa Pai, mummy first and author later, couldn’t be more grateful. Lounging in her spacious Indiranagar home, in a short blue kurta, blue jeans and jhumkas to match, Mrs Pai gives off an infectiously bubbly vibe. A history buff, she also serves as a guide for Bangalore Walks, a company she runs with her husband.
For her, knowing your roots is the only way you ?can really know yourself, which is perhaps the reason behind the subtle mythological references a reader can spot in her work. ?Taranauts, the eight-book set about a group of children in an alternative universe called Mithya, who find themselves in a whirlwind of adventure, was critically acclaimed and a popular success in the still blossoming world of original children's writing in English in the country. “Ever since I could write, I wrote. I feel like a day without writing is like a day wasted. I wrote a lot of children’s stories for various publications but it was only in 2008 though that I was approached to write what became Taranauts.” The concept behind the book was to give Indian children very Indian stories, she points out. “We have so many stories in our mythologies. I think we need to make our stories cool, make them relatable. When you read the books you’ll find references to Indian mythology, Indian languages, and India itself. For example Zvala, a character in Taranauts who is the child of Fire,? is actually taken from the Sanskrit word jwala, which means fire.”
As far as writing for children goes, she loves it. “I have always connected with children and it is something that comes naturally to me. I remember when I was really young and someone asked me who I wanted to be when I grew up, I blurted out that I wanted to be a mummy!” she laughs.
A mother of two, the author remarks that when it comes to writing for children, there is no way to lie. “You can disguise your knowledge in a particular subject with a lot of fancy language when it comes to adults, but for kids, you have to bare it to the bone, in the simplest way possible and that is a challenge.” A challenge she seems to have breezed through as her second book for children The Gita, which is an adaptation of the original scripture recently won in the Popular Choice category at the 14th Raymond Crossword Book awards. “I couldn’t have been happier. The Popular Choice Award means that readers have read this and liked it, which makes it very ?special.” she smiles and continues, “and look at the people that it was up against, they are amazing and to be there and win, was really something,” she says humbly.
The adaptation gives the ancient scripture a contemporary and relatable twist and that is very important if we need our stories to survive, she adds in a serious tone. “I feel like the Bhagwad Gita is more than just a religious book. It is perhaps the oldest self help book there is! But that said, even though it is timeless in terms of wisdom, it needs to be revisited again and again, and reinterpreted for a new generation and a new time. It is the only way we can stop it from losing relevance. We need to tell the story according to the current situation so that the stories can carry on, the values can carry on and it doesn’t become just an old textbook.”
She is currently in the final stages of editing her next book for children, ‘So You Want To Know About Economics,’ which will hit the stands around February next year.
