<p> It was a pretty sight to see about a hundred students revelling in the magic of the written word at the Bangalore literary festival. </p>.<p>As Rohini Nilekani took to stage with Sringeri Srinivas, the children enjoyed every bit of it. Srinivas is a fictional character in one of Nilekani’s works, with his long hair as no one wants to cut it short. <br /><br />The story was dramatically reconstructed, with one of the children playing Srinivas. The children were thrilled to see the fictional character on stage.</p>.<p> They conversed with him and wondered as to how he had such long hair. The story ended with all his hair flying away as he enters a cave with a tiger in sheer fear. When Sringeri Srinivas asked the children as to how he could cut his hair, one of the children advised him to go to Bannerghatta and find a tiger! <br /><br />Parallel to the literary sessions at the main venue, the festival had organised storytelling sessions for children, in association with Pratham Books. <br /><br />Bolwar Mohammed Kunhi, who has authored a book on Mahatma Gandhi’s childhood, struck up a conversation with the children about Gandhi. The children were as brilliant as ever. Even Bolwar was at a loss for an answer when one of the children asked, “Why was Gandhi jailed? Had he done anything wrong?” <br /><br />Some of the other questions ranged from what were the names of the three girls who were decided as a match for Gandhi in his young age, but died. On Sunday too, the festival organisers have arranged special story telling sessions for the young ones. <br /></p>
<p> It was a pretty sight to see about a hundred students revelling in the magic of the written word at the Bangalore literary festival. </p>.<p>As Rohini Nilekani took to stage with Sringeri Srinivas, the children enjoyed every bit of it. Srinivas is a fictional character in one of Nilekani’s works, with his long hair as no one wants to cut it short. <br /><br />The story was dramatically reconstructed, with one of the children playing Srinivas. The children were thrilled to see the fictional character on stage.</p>.<p> They conversed with him and wondered as to how he had such long hair. The story ended with all his hair flying away as he enters a cave with a tiger in sheer fear. When Sringeri Srinivas asked the children as to how he could cut his hair, one of the children advised him to go to Bannerghatta and find a tiger! <br /><br />Parallel to the literary sessions at the main venue, the festival had organised storytelling sessions for children, in association with Pratham Books. <br /><br />Bolwar Mohammed Kunhi, who has authored a book on Mahatma Gandhi’s childhood, struck up a conversation with the children about Gandhi. The children were as brilliant as ever. Even Bolwar was at a loss for an answer when one of the children asked, “Why was Gandhi jailed? Had he done anything wrong?” <br /><br />Some of the other questions ranged from what were the names of the three girls who were decided as a match for Gandhi in his young age, but died. On Sunday too, the festival organisers have arranged special story telling sessions for the young ones. <br /></p>
