In April our family with couple of my friends and their families went to Delhi, Agra and Manali. Amongst the many hundred pictures we had taken of ourselves, the scenic view of the Himalayan mountain ranges and the many monuments of Delhi, this one stood out.Inside one of the many small streets of Hill town Manali, we stopped one of the days for a cup of Chai - Men waiting for the wives who were busy shopping. We pulled over for a Tea in a small roadside Chai shop, taking care of the kids in parallel. It was a neighbourhood with small streets that had humble dwellings - native, small and not lavish. Quiet, very little traffic, no vehicles, no crowd, very unlike the many shopping streets of Main road Manali. I finished the tea and was ready to put the cup in the corner behind the Chai shop. I noticed this creative home furniture setup, the one in the picture above. Leaning on a column were small pieces of wood, buttons, bottle caps and broken tile used to setup a nice living room table and chair as well as a cozy kitchen.
I called Kaavya and Saatvik immediately to show them this. Built by neighbourhood kids, it reflected many things - simplicity, creativity and fun without mattel and fisherprice but true kids Imaginarium.
There has been many a times I wonder what to buy for the kids when I get to a Toy Store. Books and Barbies, Cars and Gadget, they seem to have em all.
Grandparents sometimes find it challenging to get gifts for Kaav and Saat. In the end they bring simple yet compelling gifts that the kids love and dont often find in the usual stores - Peacock feather, Book of flags, Indian Mythology Story book with coloring activity, dried leaves and flower in the middle of the books being few one wont easily (or never) find in stores...
I showed Kaavya the little furniture setup done by the neighbourhood kids who probably couldnt afford the big toy stores and encouraged her to build and make her own creative games and toys. Kaavya loves to build things and I hope this would have inspired her further. Of course I had to makeup a little story to help her visualize how the kids made it all themselves and had fun playing with them.
Some interesting pictures from this trip...
wonderful. I mean the write up about the local kids toy building. The attitude to make use of simple and avilable materila to the best use is a challenge to the creativity. They might have done it out of non avilability of any sophicated materil . Let us guide our children
ReplyDeleteto make the best out of near nothing. Extraordinary are those who do ordinary things ln an extrordinary manner !!!
Well written and expressed Gokul. Since i was there with you then - and we had shared this thought at that very moment- i was really taken back to that day and time while reading this! Indeed the real joy in life comes more from the mindset than an expensive toy!
ReplyDeleteGreay write up Gulls...I remember this picture well and hope it will have the same impact on Kaav n Saat as it did on us. We all need to appreciate the small things in life and be greatful for all the wonderful things we have.
ReplyDeletegokul
ReplyDeletevery few people know the joy of creativity
i tailor my clothes till date
shyam used to tell me amma do not tell every one that yu do it because they will think you do not have the money to go to the tailor
i used to smile at this
one day i took him shopping with me to select a dress for akka's b day
we selected the dress but
we did not buy the dress but i came home and replicated the dress
involving shyam in every step right from buying the material and other paraphernelia
at the end of it shyam exclaimed amma athe madiri irruke good amma
i reminded him not to tell akka that i tailored it lest she thinks we cannot afford a tailor
you know shyam ------he gave me a sly smile and took off that made my day
it is in us to instill creativity in kids
we may never know there may be a hidden talent
your dad is a good actor
my mom and baby chitti also have those skills but were never poslished who knows they may have been better nargis or madhuri dixits
sudha