Nandu, the crow, was living peacefully in his nest atop a large banyan tree. Until a storm destroyed the only home he knew.
That is how the story of Nandu begins, as he embarks on a journey of a lifetime searching for a home through the bustling port city of Muziris.
Nandu is the protagonist of a newly released children’s book, Nandu in Muziris, which reimagines life from centuries ago.
The brains behind the book are Nivedith George, a writer and management professional; Usha George, a retired professor; Betsy James, an illustrator; and Johann Binny Kuruvilla, founder and chief storyteller of The Kochi Heritage Project.
Nivedith recalls chairing a programme organised by the Kerala Management Association when he met Johann, whose session covered Kochi’s history and the tales of the ancient port city of Muziris.
“That, unfortunately, was the first time I heard about Muziris in my life,” Nivedith says. “The CBSE doesn’t teach you much about Kerala’s history. Unless you seek it out, you will never learn about it. Listening to Johann, I felt that at least today’s children should have a link to our history and culture. That is what prompted me to write a children’s book explaining Muziris.”
Nivedith and his mother Usha co-wrote the story, while children’s book illustrator and Fort Kochi resident Betsy created artworks for the tale.
To gather details, the team embarked on a Muziris tour. “Just like Nandu, our journey also began in a boat,” Betsy says.
“We travelled around Kodungallur, visited the Paliam Palace, Paravur Synagogue, the Cheraman Juma Masjid, Kodungallur temple, St Thomas Church… all with Johann explaining the history. He helped ensure that the story and the art came out as accurately as possible.”