A Weekend of Edutainment

The National Library at 100, Victoria Street is a great place to spend quality time during the weekend or any other time. The endless rows of books, magazines and newspaper come in English, Tamil, Chinese and I know not which other language. I understand this is a Green library for children.

Check out the Children’s section, where we have a “tree-house” that kids climb up and do their reading.

Beneath the Tree of knowledge...

At the entrance of the library at the basement is a book-shelf where you can donate your old books. Of course you can pick up the books which others have donated, the idea being that you too pass on these books after you have read them.

They have regular story-telling sessions for children. I even met my favourite danseuse Mallika Sarabhai there, whom they had invited for a talk, since she was in Singapore for a performance at the Indian High Commission. For my friends who do not know, she played Draupadi in Peter Brooks’ Mahabharat for five years. My sheer luck, we happened to be there that particular Saturday! I got to hear her speak and get clicked with her, one of my role models, whose performance I used to hear about in the newspapers in India, but only after the shows were over… What poise and what confidence she exuded, like some apsara come down from heaven! When will I ever see her perform on stage but?

Almost celestial...Mallika Sarabhai!!

          Another weekend at the NLB, we bought tickets to a play "Puss in boots", laced with humour and wit for kids to enjoy. Fifty minutes of uninterrupted family fun. I remember my stomach growling and me not able to do anything because eatables were not allowed. I also remember a lady in the front row surreptitiously chewing some snack…maybe we were in the same boat.
                                                                                                                                                             Numerous exhibitions and Sales take place in the open space adjacent to the building.

Artwork out of recycled material
at one of the exhibits

There is a café in the building itself, and one just outside. I once had spaghetti with pine nuts that I am unable to get now in the outside café. They can whip up some delicious coffee also, that can go along-with one of their carrot cakes or cheese cakes. Don't forget that there is also a McD close by.


 Posing with the Desigual mannequins

Get a whiff of this perfume

The Malls of Bugis beckon. Head to the Bugis Junction and enjoy the ambience, with well-arranged kiosks selling handbags, soft blankets and the like. Check out the Sale items at Desigual, take in the glamour of the Chanel shop. Eat. We did not,  coz we already ate at the café by the NLB remember?

 

There! That's a full day well spent!