Mangaluru : Children in the age group of two to five years in Dakshina Kannada district will get an opportunity to collect unlimited puffed rice, groundnuts, banana, chocolates and biscuits of their choice at the ‘Makkala Habba,’ to be held at Shivarama Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama, on November 14 and 15.

Chairing a meeting here on Wednesday, District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai said that the district administration would organise the Makkala Habba to commemorate 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. Around 25,000 children are likely to take part in the festival.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said that the festivity would commence from the entrance of the Pilikula Nisargadhama itself. The programme will be inaugurated by blowing balloons. All the children, who take part in the Makkala Habba, will be given gifts, coupons to savour their favourite food along with groundnuts, chocolate and biscuits. They will also be given a mask and a cap. The chocolates, puffed rice and groundnuts will be placed on either side of the road in the Pilikula premises, he added.

Apart from this, there will be rural games and other entertainments in which children can take part. They can also enjoy a ride on bullock cart, horse cart and even ride a camel—some of the old transportation mode found even to this day in rural areas, the deputy commissioner added.

There will be rural games like breaking the pots, ‘lagori,’ ‘kuntebille,’ ‘goliyata’ and ‘jubilee’ and so on. Apart from this, the participating children can enjoy kite flying, treasure hunt, making artifacts from bamboo and coconut fronds, clay-modelling, drawing, magic show, mime show, mimicry and folk dances, Ibrahim added.

Pilikula Nisargadhama Executive Director S A Prabhakar Sharma said that the participating children can get their sanpshot with the tableaux and paintings of well-known tourist spots of Dakshina Kannada, Yakshagana, Bhootharadhane, Gomateshwara, cock fighting, sea and hilly areas.

An arrangement has been made for organising special Makkala Gramasabhe where the children can air their grievances in their villages. An information centre to furnish information on children’s rights, child helpline and missing children’s bureau will be opened, Sharma added.

Apart from this, there will be a demonstration on rescue operation by fire service personnel and first aid treatment. Demonstrations on simple science queries and on traditional artisans will be also held. Further, the children will have free entry to Science Centre, zoo, ‘Guthumane,’ botanical garden and artisan’s village at the Pilikula Nisargadhama. There will also be a demonstration on life-saving skills for the participating children, he added. MCC Commissioner Dr Gopalakrishna and others were present.