Storytime with Bharatanatyam

Special Thanks

I'm so grateful to my amazing volunteers:

• Siya Sharma, who spent hours illustrating every picture in the storytime section.
• Ketki Mahurkar, who designed the graphics for the Bharatanatyam workshops and inspired the graphics for the printed version.

I want to thank all of my dance teachers since I began this journey. Most of all, I am deeply grateful to my guru, Ms. Anjali Nandan, who has guided me with unwavering upliftment and attention to every detail. Not only does she share a name with the teacher in the storytime, she has inspired the teacher's character as a motivating force with an undoubtedly encouraging smile. I remember being the shy girl walking into my first dance lesson, and I do not believe that I could have created this book today if not for her support over the past several years.

Charities & Non-Profits

Funds will be donated to:

• Jivdaya Charitable Trust - Jivadaya Charitable Trust is a non-government animal welfare organization that provides medical care to un-owned domestic and stray animals, also runs a rehabilitation centre for birds, reptiles and small mammals. Our objective is to help animals in pain and suffering, and we try our best to nurture them back to a healthy and happy life.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

The Story Behind the Book

Bharatanatyam and books have been familiar to me for as long as I can remember. I've been dancing the Indian classical dance form since I was four years old, but I didn't engage with its cultural significance until years later, when I earned a certification.

While working toward my Girl Scouts Gold Award, I collaborated with my dance and book community, alongside my guru, to create this children's book. We hosted workshops in libraries and dance studios, illustrated and designed dozens of scenes, and added interactive elements like ghungru (ankle bracelet) making to make the experience engaging for young dancers.

After earning my Gold Award, I knew I wanted to publish the book and make it available to more dance studios, libraries, and young dancers around the world. After fine-tuning the design and expanding the book to include explanations and illustrations of all 56 mudras, it's now available on Amazon. All profits will go to nonprofit organizations I deeply believe in.