Amma, Take Me to the Taj Mahal is the latest addition to the ‘Amma Take Me’ series written by Bhakti Mathur. In the earlier books Amma took her two sons to the Golden Temple, Tirupathi, Dargah of Salim Chishti and Shirdi. As the author, Bhakti Mathur, says in her introductory note, ‘The series is an attempt to introduce children to the places of historical interest and different faiths in India. Styled as the travelogues of a mother and her two young children, these books link history, archaeology, tradition and mythology to bring alive the major monuments of India in an engaging and informative way.’
Puffin is doing well to fill an obvious gap in children’s literature in India. Given the richness of India’s history, one in which influences from Europe, West Asia and Central Asia permeate all art, it is a pity that children do not get books that are interesting as well as informative about Indian monuments. Any book that simply rattles off facts about places of historical interest is unlikely to capture a young reader’s interest. It is the human-interest story that must be told first so that children get interested in the monument or shrine or temple that is being talked about. Bhakti Mathur does just this.