Nature Society Series : Odisha

About the Nature-Society series- The booklet is a part of a series of small books on Indian states have an innovative map with a brief text. It seeks to blend cartography and art, nature and society, information and criticality, map and text, and knowledge and change. ________________________________________________________ What is a map? This question holds the future of school geography, and to a considerable extent, the future of education. The old idea of a map focuses on its utility, to locate places and determine direction. However, we must find new ways to look at the maps. They must connect with social institutions because human beings, from their childhood onwards, are located in these institutions. The new map indicates places which can help students to see relationships in a complex landscape and ask questions. For example, students ask why Lakshadweep does not have abundant potable water? Questions provide opportunities for students and teachers to learn in co-operation with each other. The map has slightly different implications for students of Lakshadweep and of the mainland. For the former it gives an opportunity to look deeper at various connections and ask new questions to solve problems impacting their daily lives. For the latter there is much sense of wonder as many aspects of the islands are new horizons of knowledge for them.