Granny & Pouchu – Book Conversation
It was a bright afternoon in Granny’s Pouch.
The sun was shining outside. A little breeze was wandering through the cottage.
And then—
Click.
Everything went quiet.
The fan stopped.
The room became still.
Pouchu looked up.
Pouchu: Granny?
Granny: Hmm?
Pouchu: The power has gone.
Granny looked at the silent fan and smiled.
Granny: Ah. It has.
Pouchu hopped over to the meeting point where Granny was sitting sifting rice grains and chaff. He wobbled and settled down beside her.
Pouchu: What do we do now?
Granny looked around the cottage.
Granny: What did we do before we had all these things that need electricity?
Pouchu thought hard.
Pouchu: Sit?
Granny laughed.
Granny: We certainly did that.
She reached for a book.
Granny: But sometimes, Pouchu, a power cut could make an ordinary evening rather interesting.
Pouchu: A power cut?
Granny: Mmm.
Pouchu: Interesting?
Granny: When I was younger, power cuts were much more common. In the city, the electricity could disappear quite suddenly—and sometimes stay away for quite a while.
Pouchu: And what did everyone do?
Granny: We managed.
She smiles.
Granny: Candles came out. Lamps were lit. People sat together. And if there was a wall…
Pouchu’s eyes brighten.
Pouchu: A wall?
Granny: Ah. A wall could become many things.
Pouchu: Like what?
Granny: Well…
Granny pauses mischievously.
Granny: Have you ever seen a shadow become a story?
Pouchu shakes his head.
Pouchu: No.
Granny: Then you have missed something rather lovely.
For a long time, little shadow plays could appear almost by accident. A hand, a candle, a wall—and suddenly there was a whole little world to imagine.
But then things changed.
Power cuts became less frequent. Electric lights stayed on. Television, computers and all sorts of other things filled our evenings.
And perhaps, without anyone noticing, those little shadow shows began to disappear too.
Pouchu looks thoughtful.
Pouchu: So… no more shadow stories?
Granny gives him a knowing smile.
Granny: Oh, I wouldn’t say that.
She reaches for a book.
Granny: Someone has written a story about a family who finds themselves with a power cut.
Pouchu moves closer.
Pouchu: And what do they do?
Granny: Ah-ah.
She taps the cover gently.
Granny: That is for us to discover.
Pouchu: Is it a shadow story?
Granny smiles.
Granny: Let us just say that when the lights go out, there may be more to see than darkness.
Pouchu’s eyes widen.
Pouchu: Read it, Granny!
Granny opens the book.
Granny: Come along then, little Pouchu.
Let’s see what this family does to make their power cut rather special.
And together, they begin to read.
Peek into the Book
A family is faced with something familiar to many Indian homes—a power cut.
The lights go out.
But darkness doesn’t necessarily mean there is nothing to see.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little light, a wall, and an imagination ready to play.
What happens when this family discovers a way to turn their power cut into something quite unexpected?
Well…
We aren’t going to tell you.
Some shadows are much more fun when you meet them yourself.
Open the book and let the shadows begin.
Library Calling Card
Title: Power Cut
Written by: Sowmya Rajendran
Illustrated by: Renuka Rajiv
Publisher: Tulika Publishers
First Published: 2010
Edition: 2023
ISBN: 978-81-8146-783-6
Language: English
Type: Picture Book
Category: Children’s Book
Granny’s Note
A delightful reminder that when the lights go out, imagination can switch on—and an ordinary power cut can become an opportunity to play, imagine and share a little magic together.
