Children’s Corner shines on day four of Shillong Book Fair

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 8, 2024

The second edition of the Shillong Book Fair, organized by the National Book Trust under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, is becoming increasingly engaging, especially for young book lovers who serve as ambassadors of this annual event.

On October 8, 2024, the fourth day of the fair began with an exhilarating session at the children’s corner, instantly uplifting the morning atmosphere. The musical storytelling event led by Vasudha Ahuja, accompanied by guitarist Kunal Shandilya, captivated over 500 students from 14 schools. All the children in the auditorium joined in singing along with the storyteller.

Dailaigingkmen Lyngdoh, a Class IV student from Mawngap District Christian Multipurpose High School, shared her enthusiasm: “This is my first time witnessing musical storytelling. I love listening to stories, and today’s session was so exciting. I also understood the songs in Hindi.”

The excitement continued with a portrait-making workshop conducted by artist Arni Sarkar, which followed the storytelling session. Participants were guided through the techniques of creating portraits. Sarkar, an alumnus of Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan, is a Delhi-based art practitioner.

Additionally, an orientation session on the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a regular feature at the book fair, took place.

The musical evening on October 8 featured mesmerizing performances by the Pynter Orchestra Group and a band led by Kupar Shadap.

On October 9, the session will begin with folk dance and song performances by various school choirs. Children will also have the opportunity to learn puppet-making in a subsequent workshop. For the city’s literary enthusiasts, there will be a book discussion on Basketry: Everyday Art of North-East India. Visitors can look forward to a lively musical evening featuring a drum ensemble by Really Lyngskor and a performance by the renowned Summersalt music band.

A notable feature of this year’s book fair is the introduction of a mobile bookstore and library. Governor CH Vijayashankar inaugurated the ‘book van’ on October 2, 2024. This mobile unit will travel to the outskirts of the city, offering over 200 titles, until October 13, 2024.