The child lock

<i>Small stories find a huge audience at the recent book exhibitions,as childrens theatre finds a bigger stage too</i> Turn the pages and unfold the magic,adventure,mystery,mythology as 14-year-old...

Small stories find a huge audience at the recent book exhibitions,as childrens theatre finds a bigger stage too

Turn the pages and unfold the magic,adventure,mystery,mythology as 14-year-old,God-gifted Akela takes you on a journey thats simply thrilling. Sahitya Akademi award-winner Chaman Nahals latest work is the Akela Trilogy,which according to the author,is an imaginative blend of science and mythology,the stories focusing on todays times,and bringing out a sense of wonder of life. The protagonist Akela is a Delhi Public School student,who is granted a gravity ball by Brahma,with which he can move anywhere. Lord Shiva gives him the vision of his third eye in the form of his spectacles,while Vishnu empowers him with a mirror,which can kill his enemies. Akela and the Blue Monster,Akela and the Asian Tsunami and Akela and the UFOs,the effort adds Chaman,here at Capital Book Depot,has been to fascinate audiences with a synthesis of Indian imagery and modern thought. Humour,a quick narrative,a fresh genre,Punjabi ethos,this series is simply captivating. Talking of new childrens literature in India,at the recent book fair by the National Book Trust (NBT) there was a lot to pore over,of the 15 crore business NBT does in a year,30 to 40 per cent is from childrens books,which in fact is our backbone, agrees Dr Baldev Singh,Chief Editor NBT. Whats impressive is the fact that many books in the childrens section are written by Indian writers,so the feel is of home,with characters and settings so familiar and adding to the charm is excellent publishing quality and great,affordable prices. We now have a special section,translations of renowned authors like Prem Chand,Manto,Tagore and its all a merit selection. The idea of such frequent book fairs is to connect publishers,writers and readers, adds Dr Baldev.

The torchlight series at the book exhibition by Rupa unravelled the mysteries of life,body,beings,animals,in an absorbing manner,with children seeing the intricacies in a fun way,through a torch. Here too,childrens books of varied genres,from history to fiction,astronomy to science attracted a huge audience,with some books priced as low as Rs 30!

The culture scene in the city is alive with music,theatre,film festivals and exhibitions,with intense creative activity focused on children,as the mega play of Vivek High,Mohey Rang De,which had as many as 500 children have a time of their life,with director Amal Allana introducing them to the complete art form with aplomb bing a super-duper hit. Freedom of expression,thought,gestures…the play in Punjabi had Dr Nissar Allana create seven fabulous sets. The idea is to keep this production alive,by showing it again and again to varied audiences and instill a love of theatre among children, smiled Allana.

Now,all set to woo little audiences is the Durga Das Foundation,which brings to Chandigarh,Day I Met The Prince,a contemporary play that uses images and relatable situations,treated in a manner that any growing child would find appealing. Written by Kuo Pao Kun,directed by Jaimini Pathak and adapted by Nayantara Roy,it is an adaptation of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint. The incorporation of magic on stage,as well as live songs,music and dance add to the uniqueness of the play which is full of fun,laughter and enjoyment. Children respond best to underlying issues in any play only when they have been thoroughly entertained in the performance and it is only when the actual stagecraft is memorable that the message is driven home, Jaimini believes theatre should initiate the child on a journey of honest introspection while creating a sense of awe and wonder. Day I Met The Prince is scheduled for November 16 at the Tagore Theatre and entry is by invitation,available from sponsors at the Nehru Bhavan in Sector 24,on a first-come-first-serve basis. Enjoy!

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The child lock

<i>Small stories find a huge audience at the recent book exhibitions,as childrens theatre finds a bigger stage too</i> Turn the pages and unfold the magic,adventure,mystery,mythology as 14-year-old...

<i>Small stories find a huge audience at the recent book exhibitions,as childrens theatre finds a bigger stage too</i> Turn the pages and unfold the magic,adventure,mystery,mythology as 14-year-old...