“The Parsis came all the way from Persia , landing on the coast of Gujarat , not far from where I live—Nargol. The ruler, Jadi Rana, didn’t want foreigners in his land. He sent them a silver urn, filled to the brim with milk. The message was: our land is full. We have room for no more! … They added a pinch of sugar to the milk and sent it back! Their message? Just as the sugar has mingled with the milk, we shall mingle with you and add a dash of sweetness.”

The classroom choruses “Awww” in unison, and for a moment, history softens into something else entirely—a parable of belonging, compassion, and coexistence. This is not a sermon from a teacher, but a story from Spoonful of Sugar , one of the tales in The Dog With Two Names by Mumbai-based author Nandita da Cunha.

Children’s

See Full Page