Mukti's Marvel

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PDF, English Download (14MB) | Lizenz: Mukti's Marvel by Tahnani Dapha Khalah ; Palanchoke, Pushpa underlies the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Download (14MB)

Abstract

In the historic town of Kirtipur, the annual processional masked dance known as Devi Pyakha unfolds. But hidden within this tradition lies a long-lost folktale—a tale of Kutiya Buri, an antagonist trapped in her own narrative. She was once notorious for stealing beauty from animals and humans alike. Enters Mukti, a curious young girl from the neighborhood. Drawn to the enchanting Dapha music heritage and the community places like phalcha and ankha chen, Mukti inadvertently stumbles into the world of Kutiya Buri. As she forms deeper social bonds with both people and places, she discovers a non-spatial realm—the archetypes revered or scorned in the town's folktales. In her dreams, Mukti embarks on journeys to these ethereal worlds, where she learns about a beauty that transcends human judgement—a beauty that is eternal. And in this exploration, she unknowingly offers solace to Kutiya Buri, who seeks redemption for her past misdeeds. Mukti’s Marvel weaves together folklore, music heritage and places, and the magic of interconnectedness, inviting young readers to explore beauty beyond the ordinary.

Use this colouring-book version to bring Mukti’s world to life with your imagination.

This work is a result of 4 years of collaboration between Folk Lok, Satori Center for the Arts and Tahnani Dapha Khalah, and a week-long HAP community outreach lead alongside with Dapha Dhuku, Hilltown International School and Shree Bishwo Rashtriya Secondary School.