We have all heard about the Tirupati Balaji temple, a sacred pilgrimage site in India. There are many myths and legends woven around this famous temple, which is one of the most visited places of worship in the world. Amma Take Me to Tirupati by Bhakti Mathur follows a storytelling format to gradually reveal and uncover the stories behind the famed pilgrimage site.
This is just the first of the many interesting myths and stories that follow. There is actually a wealth of detail in the book. Right from stories on how Vishnu came to reside here, why people follow certain rituals like shaving their hair to interesting facts about the temple, the book has a lot of information.
Amma Take Me: The series
The author, Bhakti Mathur, has already penned the Amma Tell Me Series which talk beautifully about the stories behind Hindu Gods and festivals.
With this new series, Amma Take Me, she sets her eyes on famous sites in India and weaves in the stories behind them to make the experience of visiting or knowing about the site a more interesting and informed one for the child. Along with Amma Take Me to Tirupati, there is another book in the series: Amma Take Me to The Golden Temple.
Bookedforlife comments…
The beautiful illustrations and text together make for really interesting reading. The illustrator, Priyankar Gupta has interpreted the text in a very fascinating, captivating and colourful way.
The text is relatively detailed, and children between 9 to 13 could be fine with it by themselves. For younger readers, it’s a great read to read along with children.
There is a very fine balance between history, folklore, mythical tales as well as facts about the temple today. This makes the book a detailed and interesting travelogue of sorts!
If you’re planning a trip to Tirupati temple with the kids, Amma Take Me to Tirupati is indeed an indispensable book!
LOOK AT THE POPULAR AMMA TELL ME SERIES, THAT TALKS ABOUT FESTIVALS:
