What Color is My Patka?

Project Overview

What Color is My Patka? by Deepika Kaur Pujji introduces young readers to Sikh traditions through one of the most accessible entry points imaginable: colour. Ricky, a spirited Sikh boy, shares the significance of his patka — the special head covering that protects his uncut hair — and invites children to help him choose a different colour for each day of the week. The interactive structure turns cultural learning into a game, making the story feel like participation rather than instruction. Along the way, the book weaves in the values of kindness, respect, and community that sit at the heart of Sikhism.

The illustration challenge was making each day’s patka the visual centrepiece of its spread — the colours needed to be vivid and joyful enough to carry that interactive energy, while Ricky’s personality and warmth remained the emotional constant that held the whole book together.

Role

• Character design (Ricky and his family and community)
• Full book illustration across seven daily spreads
• Colour as a primary visual storytelling element
• Cultural accuracy in costume, setting, and symbolic detail
• Print-ready file preparation