Mysuru: The four-day ‘Chinnara Chilume’, children’s theatre festival, began at the Mini Theatre (Kiru Rangamandira) in Kalamandira premises here this morning.

The event is organised by Kannada and Culture Department in association with Janamana Samskrutika Sanghatane and Nele-Hinnele. Speaking after inaugurating the festival, veteran theatre personality Rameshwari Verma stressed on the need for having drama teachers in schools.

Observing that the learning ability of children will get better if a subject is taught after considering it as a play, Rameshwari opined that the theatre is the biggest school of learning.

Pointing out that staging a play means a lot of activities, right from writing the script to the issuance of entry ticket, she maintained that theatre teaches every aspect of life, even more than what we learn in collegiate education.

Sharing her over four-decade experience in theatre, she said that a play involves many activities such as make-up, acoustics, lighting, scene creation etc.

Noting that keen involvement in staging plays helps one to increase his/her creativity, Rameshwari Verma said that no opportunity must be lost for staging plays that carry messages to society.

Calling for optimum use of all theatre facilities across the State, she opined that, Kalamandira, if vacant, can be utilised for staging plays, so that hundreds of children can watch them at a time.

DDPI S. Mamatha, former Chairman of Karnataka Bala Vikasa Academy Shankar Halagatti, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa, former Rangayana Director H. Janardhan, fest convenor K.R. Gopalkrishna and others were present. Eight teams from the eight districts of Mysuru Revenue Division — Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi — are taking part in this divisional event.

The top two teams at the festival will qualify to take part in the State-level event. Two plays, each of one hour duration, are staged every day till Jan. 24 between 10.30 am & 11.30 am and 12 noon to 1 pm.