Inauguration Ceremony of Ghummakkad Narain – the Travelling Children’s Literature Festival
13 years ago
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Inauguration of Ghummakkad Narain – The Travelling Literature Festival 2011 on 30 July, 2011
Library Auditorium, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi
Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
10:15 am – Welcome Tea
10:45 am – Audience to be seated in the auditorium for the Chief Guest to arrive
11:00 am – Welcome address by the organizers and introduction to the festival
11:15 am – Performance of Tagore’s plays by Imran Khan (theatre artist)
11:45 am – Inaugural Address by Dr Shashi Tharoor
12:15 pm- Q&A
12:30 pm – Musical rendition of Faiz’s poetry by Madan Gopal Singh (to be confirmed)
12:45 pm – Vote of Thanks
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
THE CONCEPT:
Ghummakkad Narain- Narain is an elderly gentleman who is extremely fond of books and travels around reading them out to children. He is fun to be with as he makes reading a whole lot of fun. He is a store house of knowledge and has a unique way of sharing it – in the form of stories. He’s loved by both children and the elderly, wherever he goes. His stories sometimes even attract animals that follow him around listening to his stories……
THE INSPIRATION:
Thakur Vishva Narain Singh, a well known journalist and writer of Dehra Dun and the first Braille Editor(NIVH) in India who brought light to people who had no means of learning since there were very few books written for the Blind. He served the visually impaired by bringing out literature for the 10 million blind in ten regional languages in Braille script. The books included reading books, literature, reference books, epics and regular magazines and epics translated into Braille. He was popularly known as the “Father of Braille Literature in India.”
THE INITIATIVE:
Books are extremely important tools of providing knowledge, transmitting information and introducing us to unknown worlds, enhancing our understanding of the world. In addition books play a meaningful role as psychological and emotional balances and vents that help people overcome trauma caused by a disaster and help them face challenges and look at them rationally through reading. Reading can be escape into worlds of one’s choice or an emotional cushion seeing us through tough times, bringing us back to regular everyday life. Books cannot be isolated from reading, and reading habits can be inculcated only in those who have the opportunity to read and have an access to books and reading and essay. It is therefore our binding obligation to facilitate the collection of reading material and to bring books to those who do not have access to libraries or the privilege of owning books. Books are for everyone and we would want every child to have access to books and reading through schools or community libraries. What matters is that each book must be read and
enjoyed. It is with this purpose that we bring this festival to our children to bring them closer to books and to reading. To stimulate their imagination and foster their development by helping them understand themselves better. To make books their best friends for life. Our motive is to not just educate children but to retain their interest in studies through reading and sharing so as to make them thinkers and individuals of tomorrow.
For queries and details contact [email protected], [email protected]
Ghummakkad Narain is an annual travelling literature festival for children, which takes place from 30 July to 29 September every year. This year the festival will be held in Delhi from 3 to 6 August, Dehra Dun 19, 20, 26, 27 August, Chandigarh on 2 and 3 September, Delhi Youth festival from 7 to 10 September, Naintial on 16, 17 September and Traditional Storytelling festival in Delhi from 23 to 29 September 2011.
