|
|
|
|
Deccan Herald » Metro Life - Mon » Detailed Story
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Passing Through
|
|
Fascinated by scales
|
|
BC
|
Zai Whitaker is a naturalist and a writer. She spoke to Metrolife about her new book ‘Cobra in the Kitchen’ and other experiences.
|
|
|
She waits in the coffee shop with an espresso and a book she picked from the bookstore to give her company. Zai Whitaker, writer, academician, naturalist and social worker, is an extremely interesting person to be with. Her new book ‘Cobra in the Kitchen’, launched in May this year, has interesting stories, some based on personal experience, some others fiction.
“The book is about my life; the reptiles and the Irulas - the hunter-gatherers around the Chengalapattu district in Tamil Nadu with whom I have been working for the last 25 years now,” she says. The book starts with the hatching of cobra eggs kept inside a basket in a house. The thrill is that the inmates do not know where the infant reptiles have disappeared. One of them is known to be in the kitchen. Where? One has to read to find out.
Zai belongs to a family of conservationists and naturalists, such as ‘bird man’ Salim Ali. She was married to the ‘snake man’ Romulus Whitaker for 20 years, and together they worked for the conservation of many endangered Indian reptiles. The Crocodile Bank in Chennai, which they set up, is an important crocodile breeding and research centre. She is the principal of Outreach School in the City.
Zai has written books such as ‘Andamans Boy’ - a children’s novel about a Mumbai boy who joins the Jarawa tribe of the Andaman Islands; ‘Snakes Around Us’ - a small guide to common snakes; ‘Kali and the Rat Snake’ - about a boy from the Irula tribe and ‘Croc Fever’ - a wildlife travelogue about Papua New Guinea. There are also two biographies and a novel, ‘Up the Ghat’.
She is now working on a book of animal poems to be published later this year. Speaking about ‘Cobra in the Kitchen’, she says it has been well received by readers of all age groups. “I write with the idea of bringing families together. Parents hardly have time for children. Most of the TV serials are not worth watching as a family. My books are family literature,” says Zai.
As an academician Zai makes sure that her students keep in touch with Mother Nature. “Children have a natural affinity to nature. We recently took our school children to interact with Irula women. They were very enthusiastic and had many questions. For a long time the Irulas were known as snake catchers, because they used to catch snakes for their venom, used to make anti-venom serum. But with the ban on snake catching, the Irulas lost their livelihood,” says Zai.
She first met the tribe in the 1970s when she was working at the snake park in Chennai. The Irulas used to supply snakes, frogs and rats to the park. “We set up a project for women - Irula Tribal Women’s Welfare Society. It began as a tree planting project but now, over the years it has grown into a full fledged herbal products project,” she adds.
Passionate about her work, Zai loves to be with children and nature. “I like the combination of writing and teaching. I always have environment as the background. Being in the school helps my writing,” says the sprited writer-naturalist-academician.
|
|
|
|
Other Headlines
|
|
|
|
|
| Festival at a dolls’ house »
|
|
Collage of myth & reality »
|
|
Encouraging Yakshagana »
|
|
‘Sigappu Koil’ or red church »
|
|
The policing of live music »
|
|
Buzz in Bangalore »
|
|
Fascinated by scales »
|
|
Tribute to rich craftsmanship »
|
|
Around the schools »
|
|
Birthday banter »
|
|
|
|
Florist Send Flowers Gifts
Bangalore
Delhi Dehradun
Hyderabad Mumbai All
India
|
|
|
|
|
NRIs Hurry! 20 year Citibank NRI offer ends
this week! Apply now!
|
| |
|
| |
| Get Married the Smart Way - Join Free @ Shaadi.com |
| |
|
| |
| Buy
Shoes, Boots,
Sandals, Slippers,
Apparels, Furnitures,
Online. |
| |
|
| |
| Branded
Footwear |
| |
|
| |
| UK
shopping Directory |
| |
|
|
|
|
Flowers to India,
Mumbai,
Delhi, Hyderabad,
Bangalore
|
| |
|
| |
| Send
Flowers, Cakes,
Chocolate, Fruits
to Pune,
Mumbai and
India |
| |
|
| |
| Send
Flowers Bangalore,
Chennai,
Delhi,
Hyderabad,
Mumbai,
Pune,
Baroda. |
| |
|
|
|
Monday, October 3, 2005
