The Lotus Pond park in Banjara Hills, with its lush greens is actually a beautiful slice of nature in the middle of the bustling city. So, on Sunday evening, the park provided a perfect backdrop for a storytelling session for children organised by the Society To Save Rocks, which saw around 100 kids taking part.
Deepa Kiran, a professional storyteller, writer and educationalist, told stories and legends about rocks from various parts of the world, as well as about the historical significance of the granite-based rock formations in the city. “I had to be very specific… and create a sensitivity towards saving rocks,” Deepa later told Deccan Chronicle, “One of the stories was written by a member of the society itself; a fictional story but it was specific to Hyderabad.”
Creating awareness about their importance, says Sandeep Raj from the Society, is paramount, especially for young children. “They need to know why rocks are important especially to this part of the world,” he says, “Granite-based architecture is only seen in Hyderabad, if you go around 100 km from the city, you probably won’t find it anywhere. And these are 2,500 million year old rocks, older than mankind!”
The kids also enjoyed themselves, with 10-year-old Sidharth Lokareddy saying he now knew not to destroy rocks, and that he especially enjoyed it when Deepa had the crowd singing Humare Baba Motor Gaadi Chalaye. Parents, too, were glad that their kids were getting to learn about things they wouldn’t have in school.
