Tell us about the process of compiling a complex subject into a simple format.
The book took about five years to complete. Firstly, a lot of material on the topic that’s available in academic journals, textbooks and excavation reports hasn’t yet made its way to popular audiences. Our perception of the Indus Valley is outdated by about 50 years or so. And going through all the material was a long process. To simplify it down to a narrative that would appeal to a large audience was quite a task. Secondly, to create a visual book I had to source visual materials. I looked through excavation reports to find interesting pieces of art [on pottery and seals] that I could show in the book. When we read about the valley, we see the priest king or the dancing girl, but the rest of the beautiful artwork goes unseen. I wanted to be able to show what it would have been like to stand on a rooftop in Mohenjo-daro in 2,600BCE.

An illustrated play cart