Saturday morning is the busiest in Katathitam of Hyderabad. Located on the fifth floor of a complex in a quiet Gachibowli Lane, the library-cum-cultural space, opened in August, 2025, with its village-themed decor and serene ambiance, transports young readers to another world. When we visit, the children stop their studies to welcome Farmer Lakshmi for a storytelling session.
Shilpa Kiranveer as Lakshmi, a farmer, during a storytelling session. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Dear friends, I am not even close to being qualified to play a farmer. This is a highly respected profession and I am honored to step into this role.” says storyteller and founder Shilpa Kiranveer, as she gets into character to explain the significance of Sankranti for farmers. For the next 15 minutes, she becomes Lakshmi – a woman who works the land, contributes to food production, manages her household and takes care of her children. Through expressive narration, Shilpa vividly brings the lives of women farmers to life for her young audience.
Shilpa started her professional life as a software engineer before being drawn towards education due to motherhood. She went on to teach at Vidyaranya High School for seven years, where she became closely involved with library work. “I completed my Library Educators course at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), which really opened my heart and mind to what reading can do for children, especially at an early age,” she says.
medium of communication
During a session Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Collecting books for her four boys wasn’t just about forming a habit of reading, it became a way of communicating values. Whenever she faced an obstacle in parenting and wanted to get her point across without lecturing, Shilpa turned to stories. She says, “Many situations arise that families are not ready to discuss. Stories help simplify them and children understand. It also reduces stress in the home.”
He soon noticed that his children were imbibing values through books. While her storytelling sessions were popular in schools, Shilpa felt they fell short. “The kids enjoyed them, but they weren’t reading,” she recalls. This inspired her to rework the format of the story-based values education program. The one-on-one sessions helped them understand the child’s academic, social and emotional world, as well as gain input from the parents.
Books in the library Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Reading out loud proved to be important,” she adds. “Anyone can read, but comprehension doesn’t come naturally. That habit needs to be formed.”
traditional decoration
Co-Founder Kiranveer PN; (Right) The space has been designed like a traditional village Muggulu On the walls Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
These experiences inspired Shilpa to launch Katathitam, a children’s library-cum-cultural space. Derived from Telugu and Sanskrit, Kathathitam means ‘to go beyond stories’. Designed like a traditional village Muggulu (Or kolam) Decorating the walls, this space is meant to soothe children, develop the habit of reading and arouse curiosity in the genres, authors and forms of literature. “I see them becoming more confident in expressing their views, listening respectfully and being open to different ideas. They also develop critical thinking,” she says.
As a cultural space, Kathathitam collaborates with artists and practitioners from the worlds of art, music and culture who share its values, including sustainability and zero-plastic ethos. Along with productions like ‘Popsicle Productions’ on shared childhoodThe venue also hosted an open-mic event for adults by Unruled Mic. However, collaborations are carefully crafted. “We want the space to be consistent with our values. We always ask, ‘What value are we providing to the viewer or reader?’ If there is none, there is no learning,” explains Shilpa.
At a time of growing concern over the impact of social media on children and adolescents, Katathitam has taken a clear stance. Its social media posts never include children.
A child reads a book in the library. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“It’s a conscious decision,” says Shilpa. “The first rule when working with children is to protect their physical, emotional and mental well-being. We don’t believe that social media is safe for them. And I feel uncomfortable if someone calls in my direction while I’m studying.”
Katathitam’s events are listed on Instagram: @katathitam.
published – January 27, 2026 02:06 PM IST