For author Tiju Mundakappalli, the best stories begin with places he has known and people he has lived among. Long before he created Maniyan, the donkey who became the heart of his award-winning children’s book series, he was a young boy growing up in Kaipattoor, a small village in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. The quiet roads, open fields, simple homes, and close-knit community left a lasting mark on him. Years later, those memories found new life through the Maniyan series.
Although the books are fictional, the feelings behind them come from real experiences. Tiju believes readers connect with stories that grow from honest memories, and that belief has shaped every book he has written.
Why Kaipattoor Still Feels Like Home
Growing up in Kaipattoor gave Tiju a deep love for simple living. Life moved at a slower pace, and people spent more time with family, neighbours, and nature. Small moments that might seem ordinary became lasting memories.
Even after moving away for higher studies and later settling in Kuwait for work, those early years remained close to his heart. Whenever he began writing, his thoughts often returned to the village where he spent his childhood.
Rather than trying to recreate the past exactly as it was, he used those memories to build stories filled with warmth, kindness, and familiar emotions.
The Making of an Original Children’s Character
The idea for Maniyan stayed with Tiju for many years before he began writing the first book. He wanted to create a character who could live through many parts of human life while looking at the world through different eyes.
By making Maniyan a donkey, Tiju found a fresh way to tell stories about friendship, love, family, hope, and growing up. While the character is fictional, the emotions and values that shape his life come from the world the author knew as a child.
That mix of imagination and real-life feeling has helped Maniyan connect with readers across different age groups.
How Maniyan’s World Continues to Grow
The first book, A Short Vacation of a Donkey, introduces Maniyan as he enters the human world and begins to understand the people around him. Readers also meet his master, Shreeju, whose role helps shape Maniyan’s early experiences.
The story continues in Metamorphosis of Maniyan the Donkey, where the character grows through new experiences. In the third book, Maniyan’s Bakery and the Magic Muffins, the series grows further while keeping the same warmth that readers have come to enjoy.
Tiju has also announced two more books, Maniyan Meets Laika and Maniyan in Japan, showing that the character still has many stories left to tell.
Finding Stories Close to Home
Tiju believes every writer has a unique voice, and that voice grows stronger when it comes from personal experience. He often encourages new writers to write about places they know and moments they have lived instead of trying to copy others.
For him, writing is built on patience. Even on days when he does not write many words, he spends time thinking about his characters, making notes, and allowing ideas to grow naturally.
This steady habit has helped him shape the Maniyan series while balancing a full-time career in Kuwait.
Celebrating the Beauty of Simple Living
The Maniyan series has earned recognition, including the Young Adult Author of the Year award from Ukiyoto Publishing and the Sahitya Sparsh Award. Yet for Tiju, the greatest reward is knowing that readers connect with the world he has created.
Every Maniyan story carries a small piece of Kaipattoor. Through its people, values, and simple way of life, Tiju Mundakappalli has turned childhood memories into stories that continue to bring joy to children and adults alike.
