StoryWeaver has achieved a new milestone by adding 10,000 stories to the platform! When we launched StoryWeaver in September 2015 with 800 stories in 24 languages, we really couldn't predict the tremendous reception the platform has had, not just in India but around the world.

We couldn’t have done it without you, our amazing community! So, a big big THANK YOU to all of you. It's your stories, your translations and your unwavering belief that all children should have access to joyful stories that have helped us achieve this milestone. Without your support and goodwill we wouldn't be where we are or having so much fun doing what we do!

Today, with 10,000 stories in 122 languages, StoryWeaver is truly a global repository of multilingual stories. We hope you continue to support us on our journey and bring more stories in more languages to children around the globe.

To celebrate this milestone we are running a little contest on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Do check it out!

Here’s to the next 10,000! Onward and upward!

comments (4)

---

Saurashtra is a language spoken by a group that migrated from Gujarat two centuries ago to cities like Madurai, Chennai and Tanjore. The script for this language is no longer in use and while it does follow the Devanagiri system, many native speakers cannot read Hindi. The only languages available to write Saurashtram are English and Tamil. Pavithra Solai Jawahar asked us to add her mother language Saurasthra and has been busy translating stories and creating a book of rhymes in the language. 

In recent times, I found myself to be very jealous of people who speak Indian languages like Tamil and Gujarati. The reason: There were these lovely publishers in India, who were bringing out beautiful books in regional languages for children and young adults. But there were none in my language, my mother tongue, Saurashtra. Belonging to a group of linguistic minorities, I believe when your language has a very limited literature for children, it is an injustice done both to the language and the children who miss out reading books in their mother tongue. And when you read in your mother tongue, you also take pride in your heritage. A sense of belonging, you can’t find elsewhere.

That’s why I started to translate children stories into Saurashtra. And it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Pratham Books StoryWeaver. They graciously added Saurashtra onto the platform as a part of their Freedom to Read campaign.

There is something about a child’s imagination. You can never put a lid on it. It is unparalleled in a way, you and I, can’t imagine. So when I started to translate my first story, it was this fear that took over me. Will I do justice to this pure, boundless imagination of the child reading it? Also, Saurashtra is a dialect. A language whose script is in disuse. And so, I had to resort to transliterating Saurashtra into English. A language which would be easier to read for the children to read.

I have translated two books, as of now.

   

(Click on the above links to read these stories)

I have also created a “rhymes” book in Saurashtra, using illustrations from StoryWeaver. You can can read it here.

Now that I am able to create online story books in Saurashtra, my next challenge is to spread the word about it. And that’s where I discovered the  next tricky thing about my mother tongue. Saurashtra has several regional variances, that my transliteration couldn’t cover. (The variation of Saurashtra I speak is different from my dad’s. Yes, that’s how it is!) I am in the process of getting inputs from the Saurashtra community, on how best this can be handled. Also, I now realise, that I should print these translations as physical books which can help engage children with the language better. You can expect more Saurashtra storybooks from me and if you know of any Saurashtrians or if you are one (Avo, avo!), please do share these books and spread the word.

You love your mother tongue. Let it live! :)

Pssst: Since you have read the whole blog, here is another interesting story book, I created with my spouse, for our nephew. It was about a certain SpaceBoy who jumps to the moon to dance with a dinosaur!

Be the first to comment.

---

Sushrut Kulkarni, has 20 years experience  in the field of computer networks and websites. He is a technical writer and translates and writes in Marathi, Hindi, English and German. He writes for various reputed publishers, newspapers, documentaries and radio.

One of the major technical hurdles for regional languages was fonts. That sphere was dominated by proprietary and non-standard fonts.

मराठी आणि अन्य भारतीय भाषांना कॉंप्युटरवर रुळायला बराच काळ जावा लागला. याचं मुख्य कारण म्हणजे फॉंट वापरण्यातले तांत्रिक (आणि आर्थिकही!) अडथळे होते. सुरुवातीला केवळ वृत्तपत्रं आणि प्रकाशनसंस्थांकडेच कॉंप्युटरवर मुद्रण या मुख्य उद्देशानं मराठी वापरलं जात असे. वेगवेगळ्या कंपन्यांनी तयार केलेले फॉंट वेगवेगळ्या प्रमाणांवर आधारित असल्यानं एका कॉम्प्युटरवर टाईप केलेलं दुसऱ्याला त्याच्या कॉम्प्युटरवर वाचणं अनेकदा शक्यच होत नसे. दरवेळी फॉंट बसवणं किंवा ते विकत घेणं शक्य नव्हतं. यामुळं प्रादेशिक भाषांमधलं लेखन इंटरनेटवर उपलब्ध व्हायलाही खूप वेळ लागू लागला.

यावर उपाय सापडला तो युनिकोडच्या (Unicodeच्या) रुपानं! युनिकोड ही जगातल्या कुठल्याही कॉम्प्युटरवर (किंवा मोबाईल फोनवर) वाचता येईल अशी एक लिहिण्याची पद्धत आहे. कॉम्प्युटर क्षेत्रातील काही कंपन्यांनी आणि तज्ज्ञांनी एकत्र येऊन ३ जानेवारी १९९१ रोजी युनिकोड कॉन्सर्टियमची स्थापना अमेरिकेत केली. या सर्वांनी मिळून फॉन्टसाठी एक विशिष्ट मानक (स्टॅंडर्ड) बनवलं. यापुढं फॉन्टस्‍चा जो विकास आहे तो या युनिकोड आधारावर होईल असं ठरवण्यात आलं. त्यामुळं कुठल्याही फॉन्टमध्ये जगातल्या अनेक भाषा सामावता येऊ लागल्या. आता बहुसंख्य युनिकोड फॉंट नि:शुल्क उपलब्ध असल्याने इंटरनेटवर इंग्रजीखेरीज अन्य भाषांमध्ये देवाणघेवाण मोठ्या प्रमाणावर शक्य झालेली आहे.

 

Be the first to comment.

---