Freedom Park in Bengaluru underwent a magical transformation over the weekend. It shed its conventional appearance to become a vibrant, living classroom. The Makkala Hubba festival, specifically designed for children as part of Bengaluru Hubba, attracted numerous families. The event focused on immersive, hands-on experiences that aimed to ignite curiosity in young minds.
Glow-in-the-Dark Underwater Adventure
One installation truly captured everyone's imagination. Phytoplankton World, created by the Museum of Goa, offered a glow-in-the-dark immersive space. This experience transported both children and adults into a fantastical underwater realm.
Artists used ultraviolet lights, neon paints, and various tactile materials to bring the installation to life. Enlarged visual forms, inspired by actual microscope images, surrounded visitors. Knowledgeable facilitators explained the critical role of phytoplankton. They detailed how these microscopic organisms influence marine life, coral reef health, and even the formation of fossil fuels.
For many attendees, both young and old, who had never seen the ocean up close, this provided a rare and wonderful sensory glimpse into a complex underwater ecosystem.
A Suspended Forest in the City
Another compelling feature recreated a natural play space often missing from city life. A suspended forest canopy installation hung overhead, constructed from dried foliage, grasses, and shrubs. Below, a soft bed of red earth invited children to sit, sift through the soil, and play freely.
Children rolled, crawled, and played in the mud without any hesitation. Several parents expressed their delight at this rare opportunity. They noted it allowed their children to engage directly with nature, free from rules and digital screens.
Reviving Forgotten Practices
The festival also cleverly revived some forgotten, tactile forms of communication. In a specially designed blue-themed room, children were encouraged to write postcards. With help from their parents, they stamped them and dropped them into an old-fashioned postbox.
Nearby, a giant floor puzzle of Bengaluru presented a different challenge. Children worked to piece together the city's neighbourhoods using clue-based prompts. It turned geography into an engaging game.
"I loved the puzzle as I managed to find Indiranagar and Koramangala and place them in their shapes. The mud floor is very cold and nice to play," said Maya, a nine-year-old visitor. She gleefully dug her feet into the soil, thoroughly enjoying the barefoot experience.
Local Twists on Classic Games
Classic board games received a delightful Bengaluru makeover. A version of snakes and ladders featured the city's iconic foods, famous landmarks, and cultural references. One parent watched their five-year-old explore a food-themed ladder game showcasing dishes from across Karnataka.
"She's having absolute fun learning about Bengaluru and discovering the variety of foods," the parent remarked happily.
A Celebration of Shared Discovery
Throughout the park, other activities flourished. Children sketched their memories at a ‘lake party' drawing space. Others browsed comics and books at a cheerful pop-up library. The atmosphere buzzed with creativity and shared joy.
Makkala Hubba served as a powerful and compelling reminder. It showed that genuine learning often springs from wonder, playful exploration, and shared discovery. The festival succeeded brilliantly, especially because it allowed a bustling city to pause and see itself anew, through the fresh, curious eyes of a child.
