  SHIKRA
The adventure of environmental
awareness
Since 1998 a small team
of Aurovilians has been working on the production of a small, cute booklet
that is instrumental in the raising of children's awareness regarding
the general environment in and around the Auroville area.
Swift, light and lively language
The booklets, published under
the general header 'Shikra', have been written by Ditra, a longtime
Aurovilian lady from USA who has an outspoken feel and eye and love
for the birds, smaller animals and trees in the area. In a swift, light
and lively language she tells stories and anecdotes, providing quite
some basic information, and humour, along with them. When the story
felt complete, it was taken up by Auroville´s main illustrator, Emanuele
(Italy), who then highlighted them with his exquisitely amusing and
superb illustrations. After some lay-outing done by a third member of
the team, the world was a lovely little booklet richer.
And so it happened that, aided
by a grant from the Dutch Stichting de Zaaier, every few months or so
another booklet rolled off the press that got distributed to the schools
in Auroville and its bioregion, as well as in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram
schools in Pondicherry and, on request, to schools further away in India.
The Shikra booklets focus on:
-
Banyan tree
-
Jackals
-
Octopus,
-
Shikra bird
-
Owls
-
Chameleons
-
Snakes
-
Health Tree
-
Eagles
-
Flying Foxes
-
Civet cats
-
Hares & Porcupines.
While there are still copies
available that could be ordered, we are most happy to note that we now
are allowed to share some of these with you, one story from time to
time. We start with number one: The Banyan Tree.
Published by SAIIER (Sri Aurobindo
International Institute of Educational Research)
Research: Tim, Regina
Art: Emanuele, Eric
Layout: Luc, Natasha
Editor: Dietra
Printed at Auroville Press
The 'Shikra' has been created
as an offering to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
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