Visit to COMICON- 2014, 7-9 February.

It is safest to begin from the beginning. After handling a pack of 40 energetic kids, there are very few things a determined primary teacher cannot handle. Shifting house surely tops the list of the very few things. Having chosen to move to a better house, I started packing my belongings on a Friday afternoon with very little idea of the sequence of events, waiting for me. Like any Indian brought up on a heavy dose of mainstream masala movies, I had romantic notions of the whole experience of relocating where the leading actor and actress shift their household singing romantic songs. Even after struggling for the better part of Friday night, I could not pack more than half of my belongings and dozed off in the wee hours of the next morning dreaming of the same songs. When I woke up on Saturday, determination had already given way to despair. A half packed middle class house can be a dreadful sight, enough to make me stare at the chaos with half open eyes, trying to gather enough steam to move on. And there was the phone ringing at the loudest. The best alarm in the world is the call from boss and here it was. I wanted to give it a miss but did not dare to. The Head mistress wanted me to attend Comicon at the Tyagraj Stadium, I tried to make an excuse but that was promptly refuted and I found myself headed for the venue at short notice.

Never having been to Comicon, I tried to visualize what it would be like. I encountered a long queue of vehicles around the venue, forcing people to park their vehicles much ahead of the venue. All roads that once went to Rome, today seemed headed to Comicon - 2014! People of all ages, classes, races and both genders had became a part of the heterogeneous crowd with the common love for the fascinating world of comics. Infact the atmosphere inside was electrifying. The best of the world of comics was assembled under one roof. The enthusiasm of the comic lover was infectious and very soon I forgot my worries and got engrossed in the proceedings. Though the indoor stadium was jam packed, no one seemed to mind. The otherwise snooty crowd of Delhi seemed to have dropped it's vices for the day. A plethora of activities were on simultaneously including workshops, fancy- dress competitions, comic launches, demonstrations and sales. I was surprised to see comic- lovers travelling from all over, even abroad, to be a part of this event. The most interesting part of the gathering was the presence of comic- lovers strolling about the venue dressed as popular comic characters! A very neat arrangement by the organizers was one where different publishers were housed in separate stalls. I got an opportunity to interact with a number of comic writers, designers and publishers which was an exhilarating experience in itself. The participation of world comics was overwhelming even though the Indian comics had a strong presence. Comicon can easily be dubbed as the literary festival of the world of comics! I was taken aback by the unique opportunities offered by comics as a tool of teaching and instruction. In todays age, when so much stress is laid on interactive and fun learning, what better option to impart teaching through a comic strip? Comicon was replete with the innovative uses of comics to include biographies, travelogues, even literary masterpieces converted into the comics'-form for an ease of understanding and comprehension. The school had been generous to grant me a fund for selecting and purchasing articles for the library and I tried to capture the essence of the festival in the articles I picked up. So engrossed was I in the event that I scarcely realised it was 6 pm and time to leave. After reporting the event to our Head Teacher, Mrs. Maini and a quick bite, I left Comicon with a heavy heart. But with the promise to come back next year. I strongly recommend the participation of even senior students to maximize the learning value from this occasion next year. from next year. Compiled by- Ms Supriya Saxena.