Ahimsa - Hardcover

Supriya Kelkar

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1620143569 ISBN 13: 9781620143568

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 2017

Synopsis

In this historical middle-grade novel, Gandhi asks for one member of each family to join the fight for independence from the British, and when Anjali's mother is jailed for doing so, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work.

In 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi asks Indians to give one family member to the freedom movement, ten-year-old Anjali is devastated to think of her father risking his life for the freedom struggle.

But it turns out he isn't the one joining. Anjali's mother is. And with this change comes many more adjustments designed to improve their country and use "ahimsa"--non-violent resistance--to stand up to the British government. First the family must trade in their fine foreign-made clothes for homespun cotton, so Anjali has to give up her prettiest belongings. Then her mother decides to reach out to the Dalit community, the "untouchables" of society. Anjali is forced to get over her past prejudices as her family becomes increasingly involved in the movement.

When Anjali's mother is jailed, Anjali must step out of her comfort zone to take over her mother's work, ensuring that her little part of the independence movement is completed.

Inspired by her great-grandmother's experience working with Gandhi, New Visions Award winner Supriya Kelkar shines a light on the Indian freedom movement in this poignant debut.

About this title

About the Author

Supriya Kelkar grew up in the Midwest, where she learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. Winner of the New Visions Award for Ahimsa, Supriya is a screenwriter who has worked on the writing teams for several Hindi films and one Hollywood feature. Supriya’s books include Ahimsa; Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame; American as Paneer Pie; and That Thing About Bollywood, among others. Visit her online at www.supriyakelkar.com.

From the Back Cover

Uma Krishnaswami, Padma Venkatraman, Rajkumar Hirani, Cynthia Levinson, N. H. Senzai, Vindu Vinod Chopra

Reviews

Gr 4–6—Ten-year-old Anjali's comfortable life changes dramatically when her parents decide to honor Mahatma Gandhi's request that every Indian family give one member to the fight for freedom from British rule. Anjali's mother takes the active role, first learning to spin cotton on the charkha in order to make khadi, or homespun clothes, and teaching others to do the same. Her aspirations expand to helping the Dalit community, referred to with the pejorative "untouchables" by most in the town. It is Anjali's observation that the Dalit children in their town should be able to go to school, and Ma is determined to make that happen. The road ahead is not smooth, as violence breaks out between Hindus and Muslims in their town and across the country, and Ma and other freedom fighters are jailed unjustly for their efforts, though they follow the principles of "ahimsa," or nonviolent resistance. Anjali continues her mother's crusade to integrate their school, knowing that before she can change others' beliefs, she must first change her own. Inspired by the author's great-grandmother, this well-written, accessible middle grade debut is powered by strong, fully developed characters who make mistakes and learn over the course of the story. Anjali and Ma in particular, though well-intentioned, are guilty of several missteps, which make them even more realistic and relatable to readers. They learn that change is not easy or straightforward, and Anjali especially learns how important it is to recognize and confront inequality. VERDICT A historical, timely, and informative story that is full of heart and belongs in most library collections.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

Edition details

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1620143569
• ISBN 13: 9781620143568
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320