Illustrated by Viditi Jain
This work is part of the academic studio Reimagining the Vernacular at Faculty of Design, at CEPT University. The studio is conducted by Associate Professor Jay Thakkar and Kamna Vyas (TA). This studio is part of the International Academic Research Project - Threads of Innovation (TOI) - (2021 -2025) between the Faculty of Design, CEPT University and Faculty of Architecture and Design, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway which has been awarded the grant of UTFORSK 2020 by Diku - The Directorate for Internationalization and Quality Development in Higher Education. This project is coordinated by Aleksandra Raonic, Associate Professor at Department of Architecture and Technology, Faculty of Architecture and Design, NTNU and Jay Thakkar, Associate Professor at Faculty of Design, CEPT University and Co-Founder, DICRC, CRDF.
TOI project proposes a collaborative educational platform that will combine the design studio culture and teaching pedagogy with the traditional craft practices both in NTNU, Norway and CEPT, India. TOI makes way for two kinds of alliances – one which is cross-disciplinary, between design, architecture, and crafts, and the other cross-cultural, between Norway and India. The students, faculty members, craftspeople and professionals will continuously engage with each other and enrich the bipolar cultural knowledge in crafts, design and architecture throughout the program through knowledge sessions, site explorations, common assignments and workshops in the hybrid academic model - online and physical.
This academic exercise - This is our story - is in collaboration with Folklogue studios. The folk stories were narrated by storyteller - Dr Jaishree Sethi and Kafeel Jafri through the Folklogue Studios and supervised by Vandana Pant and Arupa Lahiry.
One of the following regional stories were used to develop the storybooks by the students.
• The Rolling Pumpkin: A Kumaoni story that explores the quick wit of a woman and the various perils that one can face in a route through the jungle. A story like this explores the local flora and fauna in an interesting fashion.
• Who will be King: This tale from Manipur breaks all barriers imposed by society and shows how a true legacy bearer is not identified by gender but by qualifications.
• The Odessey of Sheamonto: A Bengali story, is part of the Patachitra storytelling repertoire. An adventure narrative, this story explores the theme of quest.
• A Story in a Story: A Bengali fairy tale, explores the Russian doll theme within its narrative pattern. This story also explores adventure as its principal theme.
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First Edition: 2021
Published by CEPT University, Ahmedabad-380009 Gujarat, India
Long long ago, in the mountainous ter- rain of Kumayoun, there lived a woman who loved her daughter dearly.
As she grew up, a suitable man was found and the marriage took place with no hassles.
One day she missed her daughter and decided to visit her. The way of the jungle was long, dangerous and full of animals. The next morning she put her stuff together and was on her way.
The first animal she saw was a fox, who said, ‘wow what a great meal.’
"Hi hi Mr.. fox. look at my skinny bones. Wait untill I come back healthy. The fox agreed.
The old woman continued on her way. But not for long. A fierce tiger stood blocking her path. " wow what a great meal, ”,the tiger said.
In a month, I will be fat and you will enjoy eating me.’ replied amma he purred, "Ok! I’ll wait"
As she proceeded through the forest, Amma repeated her promise to a lion, a pack of wild dogs and a wolf ! She told all of them, ' I’ll come back fat and fleshy in a month, and you will enjoy eating me.’ And they all let her pass.
Having survived all these encounters, the old woman finally reached her daughter’s house. Her daughter was overjoyed to see her.
When the time came for her to return home, she was radiant and in good health.
She told her daughter ‘The whole forest is waiting to eat me! ’
Her daughter promptly sourced a pumpkin, removed all its seeds.
After her mother got in, the daughter tied the two halves of the pumpkin together and gave it a push.
The pumpkin rolled and rolled and rolled until it got to the lion and the tiger. Both asked the pumpkin, ‘Hey pumpkin! Have you seen an old lady around?’ To which she replied: ‘Keep moving, oh pumpkin, Tarry not! What do I know of old ladies?
Nothing, that’s what!’
With its paw it shattered the pumpkin from the back and started going inside it. Amma got out from the front. As the fox got in, Amma pushed the pumpkin and it fell off the cliff.
