GHUNGROOS FOR GAURI

A young soccer player explores a newfound passion for dance.

Sisters Gauri and Nandini are “like sunshine and shade—opposites in so many ways.” Gauri plays rough-and-tumble sports, while Nandini enjoys quieter hobbies, like sewing. One day, as Nandini practices Bharatnatyam, a classic Indian dance, Gauri is drawn by the distinctive tinkling of her sister’s ghungroos, or anklet bells. Their rhythm entices her, and she sneaks into Nandini’s room for a closer look. Nandini encourages Gauri to try them on and offers an impromptu dance lesson. As Gauri practices with her sister, her joy is overshadowed by worries about her offbeat rhythm and imperfect poses, so she puts away her ghungroos. At Nandini’s dance recital, Gauri admires her sister’s performance but also notices that others dance with joy even if they fumble through the moves. After, she praises Nandini, who tells her that practice is key to mastering dance—and that “mistakes don’t matter, as long as you love what you’re doing.” Gauri works as hard at dance as she does at soccer and soon finds herself excelling at both. Rawat teaches a much-needed lesson: Never let fear of perfectionism hold us back from expressing ourselves. Playful onomatopoeia and repetitive rhythms infuse this tale with joy. Centering a loving South Asian family, Rawat’s dynamic digital illustrations showcase the grace and elegance of this traditional Indian dance.

A gentle reminder that mistakes are just stepping stones to learning.