From Kabir’s Poetry to Puppetry: ELC and CFAL’s Mangalore Literature and Heritage Festival 2026 brings stories, art and heritage to life

Media Release

Mangaluru, Nov 14: Centre for Advanced Learning (CFAL) and Early Learning Centre (ELC) are hosting the Mangalore Literature and Heritage Festival 2026, bringing together literature, poetry, storytelling, music, art, science, ecology and cultural heritage through a series of engagements with writers, artists, practitioners, educators and the wider community.

The festival opened on November 14, coinciding with the Children’s Day celebrations, with an inauguration by author and science communicator Nandita Jayaraj.

Rooted in Books

A community gathering

Over the years, the festival has grown into much more than a series of events for children. It has become a community gathering that brings together people who share an interest in heritage, art and scientific enquiry. Through discussions, stories, shared experiences and hands-on explorations, it creates spaces where children and adults can come together to exchange ideas, discover different perspectives and develop a deeper appreciation of the world around them.

Why literature

At ELC and CFAL, learning has always been much more than an academic pursuit. Books, poetry and stories are seen as ways for children to understand themselves, connect with others and make sense of the world around them. The festival builds on this philosophy, creating opportunities for children and the wider community to experience literature alongside the arts, sciences, nature and the living traditions of the region.

Reading at ELC

Reading is woven into the everyday life of children at ELC. From kindergarten onwards, every child takes home a book each month. Through books from Indian children's literature publishers, children encounter diverse voices, places, experiences and ways of seeing the world.

Growing over the years

What began as a love for books and reading has since grown into a broader celebration of literature, heritage, music, nature and culture. Over the years, it has welcomed writers, poets, artists and thinkers including Jerry Pinto, Roopa Pai, Nandita Jayaraj, Abhisheka Krishnagopal, Ken Spillman, Chandini Chhabra, Praveen Alva, Priya Muthukumar, Swathi Bhat and Nester Fernandes, among others.

The 2026 edition

The 2026 edition continues this journey with a programme that invites children at ELC and CFAL, and the wider community, to engage with stories not only through books, but also through performance, hands-on exploration, conversations and encounters with traditional knowledge.

Session on Kabir’s Poetry with Umesh Kabir (November 20)

Umesh Kabir, an educator and theology researcher from Varanasi who has shared Kabir’s teachings for more than 20 years, will lead the evening through recitation and conversation.

Participants will listen to Kabir’s verses, reflect on what they say about everyday life, relationships and the assumptions we carry, and talk about how his words speak to us today.

Natural colour workshops with Vanditha (November 20)

Vanditha S, a Mud architect and sustainability practitioner, will lead two hands-on workshops.

• Natural Colour Chemistry (grades 3-5): Children will extract colour from plant materials, experiment with two natural dyes, see how different salts change the colour, and paint with the results.

• Natural Textile Techniques (grades 6-10): Students choose between eco-printing with leaves and plant materials or natural tie-dye, and make their own textile pieces.

Creative Thinking Workshops with Praveen Alva and Ashwin Raghavendra (November 21 and 23)

Curated by Praveen Alva and Ashwin Raghavendra, this hands-on workshop will encourage children to look at the world differently and express ideas creatively. They will observe using their senses, movement and imagination, create through spontaneous writing, team games and defending “bad ideas”, and share by turning ideas into jingles, music, acting and short performances, learning that there are no wrong ideas in creative thinking.

On the evening of November 23, Praveen Alva will be joined by Shashank Kandachar for an evening of live music.

Puppet-Making workshop with K Rajeev (November 28)

Drawing on Kerala’s ancient Tholpavakoothu tradition, shadow puppeteer K Rajeev will guide participants in making their own puppets from cardboard and simple tools. As they cut, shape, assemble and bring their creations to life, they will see how everyday materials can become expressive characters and how an age-old art form can find new forms of storytelling.

Author talk with Roopa Pai (December 19)

Roopa Pai, the author behind Taranauts, India’s first fantasy-adventure series for children, and the national bestseller The Gita for Children, will give a talk on the Montessori Open Day.

Other events at the festival

A range of sessions, visits and workshops exclusively for students of ELC and CFAL will also take place throughout the festival.

Students will explore nature, science and the arts through wildlife sessions with Chandini Chhabra, a session on ecology with Samuel John, map-making with Nandita Jayaraj and Mervin Rosario, a music workshop with Stalin D’Souza, a session on mathematics and music with Shivarama K N and Sumukh Acharya, and origami and kirigami workshops led by experts.

Local culture and tradition will feature through a visit to a Guthu Mane and More Than a Saree, a session on handloom and sustainability with Mamatha Rai.

Stories and poetry will come alive through a session on Kabir’s poetry with Jaya Madhavan and storytelling workshops with Priya Muthukumar. PU students will also attend a session on the healing power of music with Dr Vijayalakshmi Subramaniam.

The bigger picture

Community spirit is central to the festival's purpose: bringing together people who value the arts, heritage, nature and scientific enquiry, and creating opportunities for learning through conversation, experience and shared curiosity.

Through this festival, ELC and CFAL hope to nurture in children and the wider community a lasting curiosity about stories, ideas, people and places, and a deeper appreciation of the many ways in which we understand, question and share the world we inhabit.

About ECL and CFAL

Early Learning Centre (ELC) is a child-centred school in Mangaluru offering Playgroup, Kindergarten, Primary and Middle School education. Learning at ELC draws from Montessori education, scientific inquiry, nature-based learning and the educational philosophy of J Krishnamurti. Children are encouraged to observe, question, explore and develop independence in an environment built around respect and curiosity.

Centre for Advanced Learning (CFAL) builds strong foundations in mathematics and science and prepares students for premier national examinations including JEE, NEET and Olympiads, as well as entrance exams for institutes such as ISI, CMI and IISER. The institution is built around a culture of curiosity, discipline and science learning.

For more information, contact:

Early Learning Centre (ELC)

+91 6360 238 816

teachers@elcindia.org

www.elcindia.org