JOIN USEntrepreneurial skills of children on display
High decibel levels are common in markets, with everybody arguing and bargaining to do business. What would be the scene, if the usually noisy and nagging children are made vendors, selling vegetables and fruits?
Rangayana premises, in the city, on Sunday, was witness to ‘Chinnara Santhe’, where noise levels overtook busy markets. Children, who had setup temporary shops, screamed at the top of their lungs, trying to attract anyone who showed even a momentary interest in their ware.
Cries like “Uncle, illi banni. Aunty, illi banni. Anna, idu tagolli. Akka idu tagolli” reverberated, providing a jovial mood to the people, who visited the fair of the children, as part of their summer camp Chinnara Mela.
Business acumen of the children too was on full display, with them hanging on to every customer and nagging them to buy products ranging from fruits and vegetables, to condiments and juices.
Divya, a UKG student from Saraswathipuram in the city, who was helping her elder sister in selling pudina (mint) juice, was seen holding a tray with three cups of juice, asking people to drink the juice for just Rs 10. “Offer ide. Mooru glassge bari ippatthu rupayi” (It’s an offer. Three glasses cost only Rs 20), she said in a cute manner. As soon as one finished drinking the juice, she was seen nagging the customers to play a game, which cost Rs 5, but carried a prize money of Rs 10 for winners. The game was to drop five coins into a bucket filled with water, with a condition that all coins should drop inside a circle marked in the bucket.
Pradyumna, a seventh standard student from Vontikoppal, had made Buddha lockets out of plastic spoons and was selling it for Rs 10 apiece. By 11.30 am, his business was progressing briskly.A group of students was seen attracting people into a ‘Haunted House’. Sreelakshmi, a ninth standard student, was leading the group ‘haunting’ the people. Entry fee for the Haunted House, crafted by the children, was Rs 10.
Children with baskets of fruits were trying hard to sell them. There were also a ‘Bajji Point’, which seemed to challenge multi-national fast food chains, as children were urging the customers to buy something desi. The market sounded no less than an usual market, with a dash of cheers and laughter all around.
Following the ‘Chinnara Santhe’, about 350 participants of the Chinnara Mela had an additional dose of fun with water, as they celebrated ‘ookuli’.
The month-long Chinnara Mela, which began on April 13, concluded on Sunday evening. Participants had varied experience by taking part in several programmes, such as games, learning the basics of agriculture and miracle exposure programme.