Mirzam 2024 Advent Calendar: The Darya Express

We got 5 in and they are sure to go...

All aboard the Daryā Express, where magical and mystical adventures await… Sail through the Spice Route on a traditional, Middle Eastern Dhow, and taste your way across the oceans, as we embark on a journey to Tamil Nadu, India, Damascus, Syria, Dubai, UAE, SoCotra Island, Yemen and Zanzibar Island, Tanzania.

The Daryā Express gets its name from the notorious ‘Bu Darya’.

In Arabic, “bu” or “abu” translates to “father”, while “darya” originates from the Persian and Indian word for “sea”. Bū Daryā was seen as a terrifying and colossal half-human half-amphibian who preyed on those out at sea. In fact, according to one version of the legend, Bū Daryā would sneak onto unsuspecting ships at night before scurrying off with crew members whom he would devour, and in some cases sink the ship. The legend of Bū Daryā has been an Arabic folklore tale for many generations, and when children are not behaving they are threatened with Bū Daryā.

The visual storytelling of The Daryā Express has been curated and illustrated by artist, Soroshi Michelle, @soroshimic, a self-taught artist who lived in various regions of India before moving to Dubai, and then onwards to Paris. Her detailed, sketching style of illustration made her a perfect fit to explore a special commissioned ‘Darya Express’ graphic novel of the journey from Tamil Nadu to Tanzania.

From bean to bar, by way of the stars.