The towering, fantasy-world-like castles that could easily touch the sky had already created a big impression. Not that one hadn’t visited Powai before. But those were purely for leisurely activities, hangouts with friends and the like. This time, the visit was connected to books and young people. As I approached the picture-perfect landscaped venue for Powai’s first literature festival for children, the preconceived notions had all stacked up in my head. Upmarket, fast-paced planned mega township. Kids with little or no interest and exposure to books, and literature in general. Low IQ scores in Mumbai’s heritage and history. Distracted and obsessed with their tablets and phones. Uninterested parents.

To my great relief, two hours into the sessions, after having spent a fair amount of time interacting with various age groups, I was happy to realise that I had been proven wrong. For starters, the level of engagement from parents to ensure their children make the most of this daylong literature festival, charmingly called Stories By The Lake, organised by education platform, Brainologi, was high. Even the afternoon itinerary had a sizeable turnout, especially a session where senior educators from different spheres discussed the impact and extent of AI in children’s education.