Come winter and the literature world is abuzz with Lit Fests all over the country. From Jaipur, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune, writers, poets and editors, publishers and book lovers throng these Lit Fests to meet authors, check new genres, listen to interesting discussions and be a part of the word vibe.
But Belagavi kids raced ahead of the rest and got published in a book yesterday. Book Buddies was the first Lit Fest dedicated to children’s literature which also published a collection of stories and poems written by children themselves. Organized by Bharatesh Central School (CBSE) in Halaga, the Lit Fest was a hit among over 200 students who attended it. Vinod Doddanavar of Bharatesh Trust, an avid reader and book lover said that kids today need platforms to know and feel mesmerized by the fascinating world of books and we adults must make it available to them from a young age. Vice Chairman of Bharatesh Rajeev Doddanavar added flavour by narrating an interesting story with a twist.
The school wore a fun festive look with plenty of artwork that created a lit fest feel. Kids dressed up as famous authors were the cynosure of the crowds’ eyes.
The Lit Fest had invited poems and stories from Belagavi school kids a good two months ago. Selected entries were edited and published in the form of a crisp book with ISBN number.
The highlight of the fest was a workshop on storytelling by Sowmya Srinivasan, Founder Member of the Bangalore Storytelling Society. She enthralled the students with her stories, her narration and the nuances of a nicely written and told story. Students also participated in story writing competitions and a literature quiz. The judges for the competitions were Dr. Achala Desai, Mrs. Lata Kittur, Mr. Chaitanya Halgekar and Mrs. Sushma Bhat.
Students were encouraged to check out the books on display at the campus. DCP Crime and Traffic, P.V. Sneha, attended the Fest as the Chief Guest of the Valedictory function and while speaking about books, also narrated a few lines from her own poetry. Bharatesh Central School Principal Devyani Desai and her team went to great lengths to make this event a memorable one.