What is a child's role in a literature fest? I bet most of us haven't thought about taking our kids to one. And even if they were to tag along, they would probably end up getting bored or falling asleep, while the adults listen to debates and discussions.
But then last month, Bengaluru witnessed the Neev Children's Literature Festival, a lit fest that caters specifically to children. Held on September 15 and 16, the event housed more than 4,000 titles and authors like Anita Nair, Sudha Murthy and Paro Anand. Children attended workshops and listened to discussions and story readings just for them. Wonder whose idea it was to curate a literature fest exclusively for the little ones?
Meet Kavita Gupta Sabharwal, the managing trustee of Neev Trust. The fest is solely her brainchild. "The most lasting gifts we can give our children are an insatiable thirst for reading and lifelong learning. The Neev Literature Festival, an annual event at the Neev Academy, celebrates the books that spark the joy of reading," she says.
Kavita, who feels that the children in India aren't much aware of the literature scenario in the country, wanted to create a bridge between the authors and their potential readers. "Children aren't familiar with the leading children's authors in India. Here, we create a better understanding about children's literature among the children," she explains. With this aim, she reached out to the schools she knew and all of them responded positively. The event saw the participation of around 800 children.
One major problem that Kavita observes and hopes to solve is that of the lack of reading. "These days, most children write, but they don't read. One has to be a good reader to be a good writer. This brings us to our mission - learn to read and read to learn," she concludes.
(The Neev Children's Literature Fest was held in Bengaluru on September 15 and 16)
