Date:13/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/13/stories/2008051350830200.htm

Karnataka - Mysore

When children turned entrepreneurs

Special Correspondent

30-day Chinnara Mela comes to an end in Mysore

— PHOTO: M.A.SRIRAM

Hurrah: Children demonstrating their talent in gymnastics at Chinnara Mela in Mysore.

MYSORE: For the nearly 600 children participating in Chinnara Mela at Rangayana, it was a memorable 30 days that was spent in the company of litterateurs, environmentalists, theatre personalities and others who exposed them to a colourful world that goes beyond their academic life.

And on Monday when the curtains came down on the unique summer camp, the Rangayana campus came alive with the full-throated glee of the participants who danced in joy for the grand finale.

From music and dance to games and theatre, painting, the participants imbibed a bit of everything while a few took to painting. Launched a few years ago, Chinnara Mela has emerged to be the most popular summer camps to be conducted in Mysore, given the obvious benefits. During the valedictory, the children also showed their latent talent as entrepreneurs as they set up shops to sell wares. Majority of the participants are in the age group of 5 to 10 years and this new breed of entrepreneurs set up what was called Chinnara Santhe which transformed the ambience at Rangayana.

Exhorting the visitors, little children tried to cajole the elders into buying artefacts and carpets, mats and other utility wares.

A group of nearly 30 children gave a demonstration of their potential for gymnastics and participated in the “Mallagamba,” which proved to be a roaring success.