Storytime at Makkala Koota!

Over the weekend, we attended the Literature Festival organized for the first time in Bangalore. BLF 2012 was a dream come true for the booklovers of the city. We got to meet many of our favorite authors, have them autograph their books for us and watch them speak on various discussion sessions all spread over two and half days. BLF 2012 also hosted special sessions on children’s literature titled “Makkala Koota” which featured some books from Pratham publications, works of the famous illustrator Nadia Budde whose picture book we had the good fortune to come across in the US. So overall, it was both a fun filled and a thought provoking weekend for the entire family! Of course, when you attend such fests with your little one, a story telling session organised by  Pratham publications assumes priority over a discussion like “Ferment in West Asia”! J

So while BLF 2012 had programs for children on both the days, we had to split the time spent in the lit fest between Abhay and us, with Saturday meant for Abhay and Sunday reserved for us!  The highlight for Abhay on Saturday was the story of Sringeri Srinivas in “Annual Haircut Day” narrated by the author herself, Rohini Nilekani going by the pen name of Nonie in all her children’s books. Brought out by Pratham publications, this story is even a part of Abhay’s school curriculum. Sringeri Srinivas is a man who has a hair cut only once a year. So when it was time for his annual haircut, he discovers that the busy barber does not have the time to cut his long hair and so he tries to find an alternative. But he soon finds no one from his wife to the tailor or the carpenter is keen to cut his knee length hair. But does Sringeri Srinivas finally get a hair cut on his annual hair cut day? Read on to find out about the unexpected Good Samaritan because of whom Sringeri Srinivas literally goes bald! A couple of days later when Abhay was taken for his hair cut, he narrated the entire story while getting his hair chopped, and the salon shop owner ended up asking his grandfather, "Who is this Sringeri Srinivas, sir?"! :-)

 

BLF's very own Sringeri Srinivas!