A LITERARY TREAT FOR YOUNG MINDS IN THE CITY
A popular children’s literature festival is making its comeback this weekend
e it school or cocurriculars — the long months of the pandemic have tied down most kids to screens, while the joy of reading has gone for a toss. But as normalcy tiptoes its way back to Delhi, young adults in the city are in for a literary treat with the return of annual Bookaroo Festival of Children’s Literature.
In its 13th edition, the festival will have interactive storytelling, drama skits, art and craft workshops and myriad literary activities and sessions by 48 speakers, for kids aged between four and 14. All this will be conducted ensuring Covid-19 safety protocols.
“I’ve been bringing my kids to the festival since they were just a few months old. It’s an important part of bringing up a child with books,” says Shikha Sharma, a Delhi-based content writer, who has been bringing her little ones to the festival since its inception in 2008. “It’s like a dreamland for my kids... We have booked our weekend for this lit ride,” adds Sharma.
Cancelled due to Covid-19 last year, the festival this time has been set-up at the National Rail Museum and will see participation of speakers from pan-India. “There will be sessions on trains and also some stories around train
BThe energy after a live session is one that hard to capture online. There’s only so much you can do online. I want to see readers’ reactions offline. NANDITA DA CUNHA,
journeys, including one on schooling inside train coaches,” says Swati Roy, festival director. Apart from these, most of the sessions are being held in open-air venues. “We have kept the venues outdoors this time, as children are sick of being indoors due to Covid-19,” elaborates festival director M Venkatesh.
Happy that the festival is retuning to its physical format, children’s author Paro Anand, who will have a session this time, says, “For me, this event is like going to a place of pilgrimage. The sense of isolation everyone experienced during the Covid times, especially kids, is huge. I’m really looking forward to being face-to-face with people and connecting with my own community of readers, writers and illustrators.” Naming singalong activities and book signings among the highlights of offline fests, author Nandita da Cunha says, “The energy of a live session is one that’s hard to capture online... I want to see readers’ reactions offline.”
Other authors who the young ones must look out for include Lavanya Karthik, Samina Mishra, Savio Mascarenhas, and Sutapa Basu.
Author
The sense of isolation everyone experienced during the Covid times, especially kids, is huge. I’m looking forward to being face-to-face with people at the fest. PARO ANAND, Author