Fiesta UKG G, H, and I: A Literary Celebration

On 17 September 2026, the second day of the KG Fiesta, it was the turn of Grade 2 students from Sections G, H, and I to shine, and they were absolutely resplendent on the stage. The children began the event by invoking the Divine to bless them and guide them. As Ganesh Chaturthi was being celebrated this week, the first performance was devoted to celebrating Lord Ganesh, including through a vibrant dance presentation. At the end, the children invited the audience to join them in praising the remover of obstacles and the entire auditorium reverberated with chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’!

The theme for the day’s performance was overarchingly literary, making the event intellectually stimulating and enriching. There was a delightful presentation featuring literary authors, including Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Marcus Pfister, Hans Christian Andersen, and R. K. Narayan. A stroll around the School corridors would reveal walls and notice boards teeming with creative write-ups on some of these authors who are so beloved by the children. The tables were turned as the little Quiz Masters took the lead, giving some clues to the audience and inviting them to guess the authors. Those who answered correctly earned a badge that proclaimed, ‘You’re a Fantastic Reader!’.

The literary theme further unfolded as the young stars impressed the audience by impersonating some famous literary characters in impeccable costumes. The characters featured in this performance included Little Red Riding Hood, Tenali Raman, Alice, Chacha Choudhary, Thumbelina, Mowgli, Rapunzel, and Pinocchio. In a heartwarming segment that highlighted the School’s commitment to the principle of inclusivity and community collaboration, a grandfather joined the children on stage and these literary characters joyfully danced around him.

A truly novel and unique concept that was presented on the day was the ‘Hospital for Books’, where doctors and nurses cared for torn and mistreated books. Children dressed as some famous books made an impassioned appeal for the books to be treated with care and respect. The book doctors and nurses movingly concluded with the message:

No bandage or cure can fix a book’s pain.

Only your love can heal it again…

Handle with care, keep them safe and bright!

Books take you places without a flight!

So love your books—it’s your duty, dear,

And they’ll be your best friends year after year!

Beyond the literary theme, there were other fascinating performances on yoga, nature, sustainability, emotions, and screens vs playtime. Following Section B, C, and D’s Assamese Bihu presentation the previous day, continuing the focus on the North-East, there was also a graceful presentation on Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival by children dressed in elegant regional attire, followed by a beautiful dance performance. One sequence that particularly stood out was the ‘Parent Collaboration’ segment, which focused on the Mother’s motto of ‘Remember and Offer’. The parents shared warm anecdotes with the audience and had a lively and engaging interaction with Ms. Anjali Jaipuria, the Vice-Chairperson, and Ms. Promini Chopra, the Principal. In particular, the audience gratefully acknowledged the School’s commitment to introducing children to the richness of Sanskrit.

Ms. Anjali Jaipuria delivered a special address to the audience. She urged parents to limit children’s excessive dependence on AI tools such as ChatGPT since it blunts the critical thinking skills of the students. She also suggested that by giving free access to these tools, a trap is unfortunately being set up. Aligning with the literary theme of the day, she illustrated the dangers of free consumption of AI with a powerful parable. A zookeeper initially does not get any visitors when he charges an entry fee. Therefore, he decides not only to make the entry free, but also to offer ice creams to visitors free of cost. Visitors start thronging his zoo. He then quietly traps them by shutting the gates of the zoo and setting lions upon them, releasing them only when they pay money. The audience listened to this parable with rapt attention, readily discerning the cautionary message that Ms. Jaipuria sought to convey about the potential dangers of AI.

The KG Fiesta for Sections G, H, and I was an occasion for creating warm memories and joyous collaboration, interspersed with moments of deep reflection. Scenes of parents being mesmerised and awe-struck by the charm, intelligence, and confidence of young children flourishing on stage continued to linger till the end.