This new book captures mythical creatures treasured in little corners of India

Monopod

CG Salamander and Sheena Deviah's collaborative project, From Makaras to Manticores: Around India in 100 Mythical Creatures (Hachette India), is the perfect example of a book you would want to preserve in your library and show off about possessing, even years after you've finished reading it. It contains stories about mythical creatures that are treasured in little corners of the country. It has been written in the form of journal entries of the fictional character, Thomas Iravathur, as he travels from Kurinji Hills in Tamil Nadu to Mizoram. The choice of the journal format is an inspired one. Salamander injects new life into something that has always been so close to the heart of an Indian reader, through the curious eyes of a traveller. But you've missed half the magic of experiencing the book, if you have not read the writer's introductory note. It sets the tone for the rest of the book as he plays with ideas of belief and disbelief.

Kara lizard

The protagonist's voice is where Salamander uses his most powerful tool as a comic book writer, his heartwarming sense of humour. "I modelled this character based on different people I know, like my grandfather. He grew up in the same place where Thomas' journal begins. But I also wanted to put a bit of myself in Thomas to make his journey a bit more real." Salamander worked as a tour guide about a decade ago, and has travelled to several places. Much of that is reflected in Thomas' personality. However, he admits that it did not have anything to do with the stories that ultimately made it to the book.

"It was mostly boring work like sitting with books and journals, and creating a spreadsheet to choose the right candidates that would feature in the book," he shares. Two things stand out as a result of this. The collection includes creatures that aren't limited to the ones that commonly appear in Hindu epics, but also those found in Persian legends, in Buddhist mythology, or in stories that are whispered in pockets of Mizoram and Meghalaya. Moreover, the notes and plot twists left by the writer at the end of several sections are delightful and worth looking forward to.

Makara. Illustrated by Sheena Deviah, published with permission from From Makaras to Manticores, Hachette India

Sheena Deviah's illustrations throughout the book enrich it. They aren't mere background characters like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; they play a vital role in the world-building process. Salamander and Deviah worked as colleagues at Pratham Books, a few years ago, and that's how Salamander knew she would be perfect for this. Deviah tells us, "I'm drawn to the slightly odd, the unknown, and the mysterious, so for me, getting a chance to draw creatures that weren't a dog or a cat was exciting. There's room for play in such projects; you get to mess around with the anatomy, you get to use your imagination." She recollects how Salamander had unearthed stories of creatures that one would not find easily, or sometimes at all, on the Internet. So, when the text came to her, she worked on the known creatures with the help of some references, but completely imagined the unknown ones from her immersion into his writing of their tales.

CG Salamander and Sheena Deviah

From the Asunam, the Pohuval birds, the Horned Jackals, the Paravai Nagam, the Talking Donkey, and the Yali in Tamil Nadu to the Banjhakrini, the Keimis, and the Phungpuinu in Mizoram, the hundred creatures and their tales excavated and produced through the commingling of art and words show us the possibilities in literature. "I think it's fabulous that people are responding to this kind of storytelling, where attention is paid to how the text and images are interacting, how they come together to tell a narrative so richly. I love it," agrees Deviah, who cherishes the time she spent visually translating Thomas' voice.

Available at Leading bookstores and e-stores cost Rs 699