Do kids really ‘know’ their city?

Be it Powai Lake or Khotachiwadi, children should visit such sites and be made aware of the threats and challenges they face. Pics/Fiona Fernandez

It was a penny-drop moment. During a school visit to discuss the city's priceless, often overlooked heritage, I was exposed to a certain type of vacuum that exists in the minds of many students. This episode occurred when I was invited to a sought-after school located in one of the eastern suburbs. My already-high hopes hit the roof when I noticed a state-of-the-art library, and even a newspaper rack stacked with multiple newspapers in the lobby. However, things went downhill as soon as a quiz that I had prepared for the students, based on the city's historic, cultural and natural heritage, rolled out. The surprises included being unable to identify notable city landmarks, and having never heard of Prithvi Theatre, let alone watched a show there.

Back in the non-social media era, I recall how we, as collegians from the eastern suburbs, would make monthly plans to Prithvi Theatre. We would make the effort to hike all the way to Juhu in those pre-Ola/Uber times. I still recall the teenage thrill of spotting Shashi Kapoor make a quiet entry, or Ustad Zakir Hussain doing an impromptu live gig at Prithvi Café. Bragging rights with friends, or doe-eyed parents who allowed us to explore the city, would follow. This rewind reel, while it might appear as a distraction, is to highlight a prevalent concern among nuclear, especially ‘township'-living families.

The reality in this day and age is that every aspect of our city life has been amped up - from using technology for every task, to faster ways to reach from one point to another - yet, we seem to overlook what's in our backyard. I feel many parents and schools aren't doing enough to educate children about the treasures that exist within their city. Field trips to Singapore, Hong Kong, or a European destination, are more likely to occur than a visit to the ancient Kanheri Caves, Prithvi Theatre, or a heritage neighbourhood like Khotachiwadi. Children, who are aware of these city wonders, know of its existence, thanks to their parents or schools, and thank goodness for that! I've heard fellow authors for young adults and tweens bemoan how students will rattle off trivia about the Boston Tea Party or the fire at the Tower of London but will draw a blank when asked if Banganga is in Walkeshwar or Varanasi.

In some other school visits to discuss the city's heritage awareness, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Powai Lake were viewed as faraway magical lands. The flamingo sanctuary along the mangroves is another mystical location. This is where schools and parents must step in, and play a pivotal role in organically acquainting their children from a young age with the delights within a city via field trips and other on-field activities. I suspect that these young, impressionable minds imagine that they were born in a concrete jungle, one that exists on swish, marble and glass-lined islands, as they hop from school to tuitions, to ballet, piano or pottery classes, and many such extra-curricular activities. Sundays are meant for mall-hops, and or social dos. Speaking about malls and materialistic cravings that young minds are exposed to from an early age, an episode from a school session reiterated the fact. My book, H for Heritage: Mumbai, takes an A-Z look at the city's historic and heritage sights. At a session with an upscale school from the western suburbs, I quizzed them on what could be the possible location for the letter ‘Z'. A clue was offered: Which location would you head to for wedding and festive shopping? A confident 13-year-old immediately raised her hand, and answered, "Zara", instead of the correct answer, Zaveri Bazar. Everyone laughed, but reality wasn't lost.

Amidst these dreary discoveries, there are sparkly lights…the kinds that we hope parents and schools will spot and act upon. Festive season, and we mean the cultural and literary kinds, is upon the city in a big way. This is the ideal time to get their kids away from their digital-enabled ecosystems, and head out to experience these sides of their home city; draw kids to explore its cultural landmarks, its heritage sites and its natural wonders, as well as the riches of our literary and performing arts via these festivals. This packed calendar continues till February-end, so now is the perfect time to draw up itineraries and make those weekends count.

It's a suitable environment to experience tactile, interactive activities, away from their screens. A suitable starting point would be checking the Prithvi Theatre Festival curtain raiser that is featured in The Guide section in today's edition (Page 16), which offers a fine curation of events across age groups.

Break that stride, dear parents and schoolteachers, and you'll be amazed how much this city will intrigue and fascinate your young one!

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her.
She tweets @bombayana. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com