Authors and officials of the state education department at the workshop in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, Dec. 22: Akash Kumar’s story on litti-chokha could very well find a place on one of the illustrated story cards being prepared by the state education department for Bihar Divas 2012.

A Class IX student of PN Anglo Sanskrit School, Naya Tola, Patna, Akash picked the state’s favourite dish and went to a city hotel today where the education department organised a workshop for its Sau Saal Ke Sau Kahani or Sau Saal Ke Sau Card project. The scheme is a part of the state’s centenary celebrations.

Akash was not alone. Several schoolchildren came with their ideas on the content for the proposed 100 illustrated story cards after being briefed about the project by the school authorities.

Once at the workshop, the state education department authorities and some eminent authors like Bhagwati Prasad, Shiv Dayal and Kunsum Khurshid assisted the students on how to develop their ideas.

Delving into the titbits of litti-chokha, Akash told The Telegraph: “The main character in my story is Golu, a young boy. He likes litti-chokha but his mother does not allow him to have the delicacy, as she prepares it for her guests.”

The story revolves around the ways Golu tries to convince his mother to allow him a small piece of litti, Akash said.

Udai Kumar, the state co-ordinator of Saakshar Bharat, said Akash’s story highlights the imagination of children of his age, who would be given an opportunity to write a story for the project.

The education department has tied up with a non-government organisation, Pratham, to create the content for the illustrated story cards. The aim is to encourage reading habits among the school children. The four-page story cards, which would highlight characteristics of the state, would depict Bihar’s culture, its flora and fauna and various art forms.

Popular dishes seem to be a favourite idea with the students, who attended the workshop that will continue till Monday.

Mantun Raj, a student of PN Anglo Sanskrit School, is writing a story on tilkut, another popular delicacy of Bihar. Popular in households across the state during winter, Raj plans to depict the importance of eating tilkut in winter and its health aspects.

Galib Khan, a member of Saakshar Bharat, said: “At the workshop, we discussed about various possibilities of enriching the reading habits of students and ways to make their reading material more interesting.” The 100 illustrated story cards will be supplied at the libraries and schools in the state after its inauguration during Bihar Divas on March 22.