From the Panchatantra and the Jataka Tales to the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata, India is a land of oral traditions.
Grandparents handed down stories to their grandchildren and they retold
many of those to their children. In fact, most of the Indian books that
you see in the market today are retold versions of these stories.
However, since independence, India has transformed through a
series of changes in outlook, achievement and ideals, which have been
reflected in literature—even children’s literature. Books for children
have changed from simple stories that are rich in morals and traditions
to those that reflect the new changing society.
It was in the late 1950s that children’s literature in India
saw a significant growth, with K. Shankar Pillai and the Children’s Book
Trust. He published reasonably priced books with new concepts and
styles that came to be widely accepted. Then came the Nehru
Balpustakalaya, the children’s publication division set up by the
government-owned National Book Trust. Books in other genres were
published and many were translated into regional languages as well.
What began thus has now diversified into a much larger market
with many other publishers entering into the realm of children’s
literature—from Vikas Publishing House and India Book House to Puffin
India, Harper Collins, Rupa and the newer publishing houses specializing
exclusively in children’s literature. But considering the large number
of publishers in India, only about 50 of them publish children’s books
and a still smaller number specialize in publishing children’s books— a
sad truth for a country with over 125 million children and an ever
increasing demand for books of good quality.
Today the market is full of books on general knowledge or
books by Western publishers, a reflection of the new-age child shall we
say, or of buying habits? Poor quality, a lack of illustrations and
unreasonable pricing are just some of the reasons that consumers do not
buy or read an Indian book. Breaking this mindset is not the only
challenge Indian publishers face today. They need to meet the demands of
an information hungry generation exposed to electronics and gaming. It
takes subject matter based on reality to feed this hunger.
Indian literature has been catering to the changing reading
habits. Tara Publishing, Tulika Publishers, DC Books, Children’s Book
Trust and Katha have successfully combined Indian talent with the demand
for good Indian literature. They deal with themes that appeal to
children all over the world, and their products range from picture books
to young adult novels. Many of them even focus on the changing
relationship between children and adults. Sandhya Rao’s My Friend, The Sea is based on the life of a young boy who faces the terror of a tsunami, while The Mysterious Neighbour and Other Stories
by Sigrun Srivastava deals with problems faced by the children of
today. But how many of these stories reach their audience? Distribution
is a major challenge. Leading publishers find it hard to reach readers
in smaller towns and cities. Further, with small print runs and the
increasing costs of good artwork, the publishers face higher costs of
production and thus the need to increase the pricing of their books.
Children’s literature from India is not yet recognized around
the world, but it is certainly spreading its wings. With the opening up
of the markets to Western publishers, Indian publishers have to face up
to the challenge of keeping up, taking this journey forward and not
getting lost in the race to get to the reader. As Radhika Menon of
Tulika Publishers says, “…we must produce books, both traditional and
contemporary, that reflect Indian reality in content, style, visuals and
production. This is the voice that must speak to young readers
everywhere because this is our voice, our language.”
