Chapter 2 — Going to the Mela

It is about Nita, Radha, and their friends and family going to a local mela together. The chapter covers how they prepare for the trip, travel safely by bus, and enjoy the mela while being responsible and caring for Dadiji.

Nita's family and their neighbours Sneha and Rohit travel together by bus number 401. Mohan Chacha and his family come by train and then take a city bus and an autorickshaw to reach the mela ground directly.

Nita holds Dadiji's hand and walks slowly with her to the bus stop. On the bus, the conductor and Nita's father help Dadiji board, and she sits in the seat reserved for older people. At the mela, Mohan Chacha and Rohit fetch a wheelchair for her.

Rohit's father tells the children to sit properly and not jump around on the bus. He also asks them not to put their hands or head out of the window for their own safety.

The children visit the toy stall and buy spinning tops, puppets, phirkis, and dolls. Sneha and Radha buy bangles and trinkets. They also ride the merry-go-round and the giant wheel, and watch a magic show.

They eat gol gappas, chaat, chhole kulche, hot jalebis with rabri, kulfi, and many other delicious things. Before eating, they wash their hands at the water point, and afterwards they put all waste in the dustbin.

At the mela entrance there is a map of the grounds, a Lost and Found booth with volunteers, and an ambulance, police jeep, and fire engine parked nearby. A police dog is also seen accompanying a police officer.

The Lost and Found booth is run by volunteers and is there to help people who have lost something or someone during the mela, so that lost items or people can be returned to their families safely.

Large gatherings like a mela can have accidents, fires, or medical emergencies, so fire engines and ambulances are kept ready to respond quickly and keep everyone safe.

The chapter notes that the Kumbh Mela is the world's biggest festival and the largest gathering of people. It is held once every 12 years at Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik, and Ujjain, on the banks of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, and Shipra.

Children study a sketch of the neighbourhood showing houses and landmarks, and are asked to find and circle specific houses, work out whose house is closer to the parade ground, and trace a route from the police station to the mela ground. They are also asked to draw their own route from home to school.

The chapter teaches care for elders, road safety, personal hygiene (washing hands before eating), cleanliness (using dustbins), teamwork within a group, and responsible behaviour in a public space.