While colouring books for adults are all the rage in the global publishing world right now, a new book from Auroville promises not just a relaxing time with colours but a fun way to learn more about edible plants and weeds commonly found in India and the tropics. ‘Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville: Coloring Book Series for Adults & Young (Botanical Drawings) – 1’ by Auroville author and ecologist Nina Sengupta has been published by the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research.
“As a student in the U.S., I had used colouring-in books. There used to be not just the books with patterns and mandalas, but also topical ones like cell structure and anatomy for learning,” says Ms. Sengupta. “I like doodling, and I realised that I remembered more from conferences where I had doodled. I find this ‘osmosis’ of information, where you are not making too much effort, interesting,” she adds.
The book has illustrations of 40 weeds and plants, an information guide and a coloured insert. “It is the sense of wonder which got me started. After every rain, I would see pretty weed flowers along pathways or little clumps of greens sticking out of concrete as I wandered about in Auroville. However, it is not just in Auroville that you see such weeds, they are there everywhere. They are accessible but not always noticed,” says Ms. Sengupta. While weeds are often thought of as useless, the book shows them in a different light, she adds. It is up to the reader to use it as a meditative or informative book, she says.
Colouring books for adults, also referred to as colouring-in books, are being touted as stress-busters, a means to tap into one’s creativity and a way to re-live a joyful experience from childhood.
At a children’s book launch in Auroville recently, the organisers had provided colouring templates for the audience. Ms. Sengupta noticed that it was the adults who had sat down to colour. She knew then that a colouring book for adults had potential in Auroville. By the time her book was into pre-production, colouring book for adults had become a huge trend worldwide, she says. This book from Auroville is likely the first such colouring-in book from India, says Ms. Sengupta.
“For a majority of adults, such a book was a new idea. As adults, it is difficult for us to allow ourselves that indulgence,” she adds. The author plans to bring out more books in this series.
There are now a number of books featuring illustrations of patterns, art forms and mandalas in good quality production in the West, says Ms. Sengupta. However, the informative colouring-in books even in the West have to catch up on production quality, she says. This is because the informative books require more production time as it involves research, she adds.
The illustrations have been done by Ms. Sengupta, Shona Van Dam and Jeffrey Goodchild in Auroville. The book is available at bookstores in Auroville and online at the Auroville website.
