Panchatantra theme park to open soon

Gachibowli: Many of us have grown up listening to tales of Panchatantra, these stories have been retold through different modes – books, TV, movies and pictures etc - numerous times. Now to make it more interesting, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is coming up with an innovative Panchatantra theme park at Gowlidoddi near AVN Vida International School, Gachibowli. Children and visitors can learn the morals of Panchatantra from interactive exhibits like sculptures and storyboards which would narrate related stories through audio speakers on a click of a button. 

GHMC west zone Commissioner Harichandana Dasari says, “When we talk about Indian storytelling, we cannot ignore Panchatantra, one of India’s greatest contributions to the art of storytelling. It is perhaps the only secular literary work that can truly claim to be a world heritage. We look at so many cartoon programmes  when we think of children but to recall childhood of Indians we thought Panchatantra will be a great idea. This generation should also hear these valuable stories of Panchatantra. 

The AVN Vida International School came forward and sponsored around Rs 23 lakh for the development of the park. About Rs 5 lakh more is likely to be spent on finishing works like wall paintings and sculptures to be made with more ideas. The Panchatantra theme park construction which began seven months back is almost ready. The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of inter-related animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose. The earliest recorded work, attributed to Vishnu Sharma, dates to about 300 BCE. The fables are likely much older, having been passed down generations orally.

There are story boards along the walls, many animal sculptures made in fiber and cement don every part of the park teaching some moral lessons for visitors. Sandhya, one of the directors of Art Exotica Pvt. Ltd said, “It is a privilege to work on a park like this, there will be so much for the children to learn from these moral stories. The atmosphere here may remind you of Shantiniketan.”

Rajender Kumar Deputy director of Urban Biodiversity GHMC said, “Educative and to create awareness among children this park is started. The park is not only for the children but for everyone we also have tracks where people can walk and jog. There is also a play area for children.”

BY Vandana Sharma