There is so much to get from diversity. One of the richest explorations of diversity lies in language. It is the gateway to explore our rich histories.
Kannada is one of the many languages spoken in India.
Our kids at ILM had a pride-filled and joyous day on the 1st of November. We celebrated Kannada Rajyatosava and Children’s Day on 1st November. Yes, we combined the two!
Children showed their reverence for Kannada, with an anthem, rhymes, and activities. They brought Kannada Rajyotsava to life with their excitement and efforts.
We started with the Kannada anthem, Naade Geete – Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate. Our grade 3 students moved us with their fervour. Then, Nithil, from grade 4 shared facts about Karnataka and had us all fascinated.
Grade 3 students singing Naade Geete- Jaya Bharata Jananiya
Our grade 1 students banded together to sing a few rhymes and described parts of the human face in Kannada. There couldn’t have been a more fun way to learn and celebrate than this.
Flashcards and activities are one of the most engaging ways to learn a language. General knowledge-based, English-Kannada vocabulary activity and cards by grade 3 had us hooked.
Our Grade 2 students had a few rhymes up their sleeves too! The whole place reverberated with their melodious and impassioned voices. This was about how we learned to describe everything around us.
Grade 2 students singing rhymes
Our next venture was learning about ourselves.
Abdul taught us how to introduce ourselves in Kannada. Jishnu and Mohammed shared facts about ILM in Kannada!
Jishnu and Mohammed sharing facts about ILM in Kannada
Upper elementary students delighted us by singing Jogada Siri Belakinalli. After that, they pulled a really big feat by having a fruit and vegetable market setup!
Fresh produce market setup by Grade 4
Children’s Day Celebration:
The second half of the day was a special kind of delight! First came spells, sorcery, and a lot of baffled joy from witnessing a Magic Show.
This was the first time we had a magician come in to delight and baffle our kids at ILM.
The campus roared with their quizzical and awed expressions. They exclaimed to each other about how reality seemed to bend right in front of them!
Children before the magic show
All the teachers were excited to celebrate the little faces that brighten their day every day. The second surprise cued for kids was the airy, buttery, and jerky fun of popcorn.
Teachers came together and made buckets of popcorn for the kids. The best part was the handmade popcorn tubs to enjoy the salty delight.
With the help of their teachers, grade 2 and grade 3 children made paper cups by upcycling old newspapers. They made around 80 of these to serve and shared it with everyone present on the campus.
Upcycled Popcorn Tubs
The joy of November 1st was twofold because of the twin celebrations we had at ILM on that day.
It was a serendipitous event.
Children celebrated the long roots of Kannada. And the day concluded with a celebration that cherished their innocence and zest.