Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India - Madhur Jaffrey

Author: Madhur Jaffrey

Illustrator: Michael Foreman

Genre: Children's Fiction, Indian Culture, Mythology

Rating: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: A beautiful storybook that took me down memory lane. This is for those interested in genuine Indian folklore, mythological as well as cultural.

Madhur Jaffrey is known in India mainly for being a cookbook writer so this collection came as a wonderful surprise to me. I devoured every story with glee.

The collection begins with a wonderful author’s note that details her childhood and how storytelling played a part in it. I relished it because it made me all nostalgic about my childhood years, though I didn’t grow up with a huge extended family, unlike the author.

The tales are arranged in the order of the lunar calendar, which generally begins around April. This is significant as Hindu festivals are celebrated as per the lunar cycle. The structure of the book is thus simple. The author gives a brief intro of the upcoming segment, mostly through a memory of her childhood connected with that event/deity. Then there are tales related to that particular event/deity. This mix of personal anecdotes and mythological tales makes the book charming and creates a nice balance between lore and reality.

The tales come not just from Indian mythological works such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata but also from the stories that the author heard from her elders in her childhood. All of them are strong in Indian cultural essence and medium-to-quick paced. The mythological tales are more like snippets than the entire epic, but they provide enough information as well as intrigue the reader into looking for more detailed narrations. The illustrations (both B&W as well as in colour) by Michael Foreman are striking, though the appeal of that vibrant cover isn’t replicated in any of them.

I loved rereading quite a few stories that I had read in my childhood. At the same time, there were a couple of festivals I have never heard of, such as a festival in March that celebrates brothers! It just goes to reaffirm what a vast and diverse culture we have in India.

One of the highlights of the book is the special pronunciation guide to all the proper names. This is at the end of the book and is extensive. Each entry includes not just the pronunciation but also a brief introduction of the character whenever he/she is taken from mythology.

As this is technically a children’s book, let me clarify that the book aims at kids aged 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7. That said, the stories would work well for even adult readers who love learning about other countries and cultures. As the latest edition is being published by the NYR Children's Collection, this book will now be accessible to a reading crowd that hasn’t seen India beyond the stereotypical portrayal in movies. I hope it gives them a nice glimpse into Indian mythology and folklore.

My thanks to NYR Children's Collection and Edelweiss+ for the DRC of “Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.