Feature stories for kids that focus on unusual and interesting write-ups on the world we live in. About its customs, ways of life, about cinema, sport, champions, rare feats and artists. Cool reading for kids.
156 items in this section. Displaying page 13 of 16
Making Music
This happened a long time ago. Hemavati sat in her kitchen after a meal. There was nothing much to do, and Hemavati was bored. So she picked up the thaali or plate in which she had eaten earlier and struck it with a ladle. Taaaaang, traaaaaang, traaaaang… it went. Funny sound, she thought. But then, she liked it too. It was better than many other sounds. For instance, it was better than the snoring sounds her husband made when he slept....
Sundari
Sundari was my cousins’ immediate neighbour. She lived with Lalit Kapoor and his German wife, Hazel, in their beautiful bunglow in Nizammudin East. This goes back many, many years, when I used to come to Delhi from Indore for my holidays. I must have been six or seven years old then. I saw her for the first time from my cousins’ balcony. She was lazing in the garden enjoying the sun on that wintry afternoon....
From Cave Drawings to Floor Drawings
See this drawing? It was painted by our early ancestors on the walls of the caves in which they lived. Often they would draw bulls and bisons. These were the animals they went out to hunt. Drawing them was a way of getting the courage to go and hunt successfully. They knew that if the animal did not die, there was a chance that one of them might. Drawing the pictures of bulls and bisons was a way of overcoming fear to get what they wanted: food and a long life....
Godly Guardian for the Road
The road on which I travel to and from office every day is one of the busiest roads linking the Indian capital, Delhi, to its neighbouring state, Haryana. It is barely 11 feet wide for the last couple of kilometres before it snakes across to the neighbours. And it is on this stretch that you have a war every morning and evening. It is a war of space and speed – between cycles, scooters, auto-rickshaws, cars, lorries, tractors, buses and huge trucks....
Joining Hands for peace, at Hiroshima
Every year, on August 6 and 9, a peace memorial conference is held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Thousands of people from all over the world gather there to indicate their support for peace in a world that is free of nuclear weapons. Dr Srimanjari, who teaches History at Miranda House, Delhi University, took part in one such conference, in 1998. She shares her experience, saying that the visit was a real eye-opener for her. How does one talk about peace?...
I Carried the Olympic Torch
In his early 40s, George Abraham is known as the man who has used the game of cricket to encourage a competitive spirit and confidence among the blind. He is the man who singlehandedly put cricket for the blind on the world map, literally. It was Wednesday, July 10, 1996, the time 11.30 p.m. The telephone rang. It was a call from Coca-Cola, Mumbai. The voice at the other end said, “Can you arrange for a US visa?...
Champion of a 2300-year-old game
It was a lazy summer afternoon, and the buffaloes had gone to sleep in the village pond, at Hassangarh, in Haryana. They had been given a vigorous rub by little Bhola and his gang of four, ranging from six to 10. All they wanted to do was doze. The creatures moved their ears slightly when the boys clambered onto their backs. Each one of them held a flower stamen as if he was holding a sword....
Mormu: Daughter of the Forest
Mormu Oraon was lying under a sal tree in the jungle. As the first rays of golden sunlight fell on her face, she stirred a little. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up slowly. Nearby, her mother poured steaming tea into clay cups. Dawn had just broken, but the day had begun for the Oraon family. Twelve-year-old Mormu is an adivasi or a tribal. She lives in Ranchi district, in India’s eastern state of Bihar. She is the first in her family to go to school....
Smart Ones and Fools
This morning we got a call in our office from a friend who gave us us the news that the Taj Mahal had collapsed in an earthquake in the wee hours of dawn. As soon as we let out shocked gasps we realised that we had all been made fools. For it is April 1 or Fool’s Day today! Last year, one of India’s most well known TV networks put out a news report that left the viewers speechless....
Mind the Manners!
Neeru and Shama were planning a trip to Europe for a holiday. They had been through all the travel catalogues, Lonely Planet series, and Michelins to plan their travel and stay. From friends and foren returned relatives they knew the weather backwards and had both warm and arctic-wear clothing. The final stop was this book on etiquette that friends were raving about: How Not to Say Yes While Meaning No. They sat in a group with their friends....