A dazzling biography in verse of drag performer Queen Harish (Harish Kumar), known as the Whirling Desert Queen of Rajasthan.
A young boy living in the desert feels music deeply: “Rhythms pulse through his body./ The music sings clarion clear in his heart.” He is careful not to let anyone see, though, knowing that dancing is for women and girls, not for men or boys. When the boy is given “a chance to perform as Lord Krishna in a school play, however, he is able to dance, and feels “shiny and / glittery and / NEW.”
When and his sisters are orphaned, the boy has a bold idea to help take care of them. He dresses as a woman and dances, “A goddess./Shining, strong, proud.” As a boy, he is taunted; as a woman dancing, he is acclaimed. She practices and performs, and we see her fame grow. Eventually, Harish is seen, not as a boy or girl, man or woman, but “fluid/ flowing/ like a dance/ in between/ and all around.”
Author Jyoti Rajan Gopal’s words are spare and evocative, while Rajasthan artist Svabhu Kohli’s illustrations are rich in detail, texture, and bold colors. Rhythmic and inspiring, just like Queen Harish, and highly recommended.
Backmatter includes an Author’s Note about meeting Queen Harish, and more details of Harish Kumar’s life, including the free lessons he gave to students in his hometown and his advocacy for the folk musicians and artists of Rajasthan. It also tells us that “Jaisalmer, where he lived with his wife and two children, grew to embrace their native son, and he became a beloved state and national icon.” An Artist’s Note relates that the illustrations “are rooted in and inspired by Jaisalmer’s cultural heritage.”
