The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated each year in mid-autumn, coinciding with the darkness of a new moon. Based around the holiday's mythology and meaning, Raaga's Song, written for four-to-eight year-old readers, will inspire those newly introduced to these festivities as well as those for whom they are an annual practice.
Raaga — a girl who loves to sing and whose name means "melody" — wonders whether she should audition to sing at the Royal Palace on Diwali. Her grandfather, Baba, reassures her by saying, "It doesn't matter how young you are or what you look like. Just as Lord Rama practiced his aim until he was a skilled marksman, you must prepare your voice."
Interwoven into the story is imagery from the Ramayana's tale about Lord Rama's epic battle to reclaim his wife Sita from the ten-headed demon Ravana. Raaga draws inspiration from Rama's courage. As she dedicates herself to rise at dawn and practice for the audition, "Bolder, stronger, clearer, her sound released like the power of Lord Rama's arrow and mesmerized anyone who heard it."
As she runs into obstacles and attempts to undermine her confidence, it's not only persistence and practice that carry Raaga through, but also support of friends and family. "Lord Rama was brave," Baba tells her, "but he also had people who helped and believed in him."
Author and illustrator Navina Chhabria grew up in India and is particularly drawn to stories that showcase cultural diversity and shatter gender stereotypes. Her expressive paintings convey the colors and context of Indian culture as well as the struggles and joys Raaga experiences as she reaches for her dream.
