Redirecting tiny minds to nature

Remember how our grandmother persuaded us to finish lunch? “Tui khabar na khele, pakhi eshe kheye jabe” (If you don't eat, the bird will come and snatch your food). A sparrow on the windowsill suddenly became the villain, and we hurriedly ate the last grains of rice, half-scared, half-delighted by the story.

- ROUSHAN CHATTERJEE

For many Bengali children, this gentle warning from mothers and grandmothers was a familiar part of childhood. Stories of birds swooping in to eat unattended food were not just playful tactics; they were lessons in imagination, attention and connection with nature. But today, when a child refuses to eat, parents place a gadget in front of them to ensure a quiet mealtime.

Silence falls, mouth opens mechanically, while the eyes are glued to the glowing screens. Ultimately, the world of wonder that once lived in stories of sparrows and mynas has now been replaced by phones.

It is this disconnect that inspired Mongrace Montessori House to organise its Literary Fest 2025, themed 'Save Our Feathered Friends'. Held recently at the Short Street campus, the event transformed the school into a forest-like sanctuary. Paper birds hung from the ceiling, leafy decorations wrapped the corridor, and soft, natural music created the feeling of walking through a forest.