Treasure Hunt: The Emerald Quest
- Dr. Akshita Mamania Mehta
- Feb 3
- 3 min read
Dr. Akshita Mamania Mehta
EI Library Team
A Morning of Riddles, Discovery & Green Learning
What happens when you take away smartphones from a group of children, hand them cryptic riddles, and set them loose in their own society? Magic, apparently.
On a sunny Sunday morning, L&T Emerald Isle transformed into an adventure playground as young residents participated in The Emerald Quest — a treasure hunt that combined brain-teasing riddles, physical challenges, teamwork, and an unexpected lesson in sustainability.
The Hunt Begins
Organised under the banner of the L&T Emerald Isle Library, the event saw enthusiastic teams of children racing against time — and each other — to decode clues that led them across nine locations within the society.
The rules were simple: no phones, solve the riddle, find the location, complete the task, and rush to the next clue.
And rush they did! The morning was filled with the sound of excited chatter, hurried footsteps, and triumphant cheers as teams cracked each puzzle.
"I'm a path, but not for running fast, walk barefoot here, feel stones contrast..."
— riddles like these had children scratching their heads before that lightbulb moment sent them sprinting towards the Reflexology Path, the CH2 Library, the Meditation Plaza, and beyond.
Through the riddles, children were thoroughly engaged, debating possibilities, eliminating wrong guesses, and experiencing genuine joy when they finally cracked each clue.
Their familiarity with some locations made the hunt faster, but it was the discovery of hidden gems that made it memorable — many participants had never visited the Adventure Park or walked the scenic Lake View nature trail until that morning.
More Than Just a Game
The Emerald Quest was designed with purpose. Beyond the fun and cardio (and there was plenty of both!), the event aimed to achieve something deeper: digital detox, teamwork, and exploration.
For 90 minutes, children experienced the thrill of solving problems together, communicating face-to-face, and discovering corners of their own home that they'd walked past countless times without noticing.
The finish line at the Composting Area was more than just the end of the race — it was the beginning of a learning experience.
Volunteers from the EcoCrusaders group took over, introducing the young participants to the fascinating world of composting and biodegradable bio-enzymes.
Children learned how kitchen waste transforms into nutrient-rich compost, and how bio-enzymes help accelerate this natural process — turning what could have been just another game into an eco-awareness session.
A Community Effort
Behind every successful event is a team that believes in the idea. The Emerald Quest was conceptualised and organised by Harinath and Chintan, with Harinath being the driving force who brought everyone together and transformed a simple idea into a grand community event.
The spark for The Emerald Quest came from an unlikely source — a Mystery Room game that the organisers had enjoyed.
"It was so much fun for us adults," recalls the team, "that we thought — why not bring this experience to the kids? Our society is so big with so many places to explore. Add some tasks where children interact, make new friends, and learn something along the way — and you have The Emerald Quest."
The event wouldn't have been possible without the dedicated volunteers from the L&T Emerald Isle Library who gave up their Sunday morning to guide teams, manage checkpoints, and ensure everything ran smoothly.
A heartfelt thank you to ASG EI Committee, Harish, Vinita, Shuchi, Uma, Bhavna, Dhruv, Sangeeta, Anita, Akshita and Amita (and Claude AI!) for their enthusiasm and commitment.
The amount of pre-planning — from crafting riddles to designing activities to coordinating logistics — was a testament to what our community can achieve when we come together.
The Verdict?
Exhausted legs, happy faces, and new friendships. The children were supportive of each other throughout, celebrating not just their own victories but cheering for fellow teams. The excitement was palpable at every checkpoint — the anticipation of the next clue, the rush of solving it, the thrill of the chase.
For the volunteers, it was equally rewarding. As one volunteer put it:
"Seeing kids discover their own society, work together, and genuinely enjoy themselves — that's what community living should be about."
Coming Soon: Season Two!
The overwhelming response has already sparked conversations about The Emerald Quest: Season Two.
New riddles, new locations, new challenges — and perhaps a few surprises. If Season One is anything to go by, the next edition promises to be bigger, better, and just as memorable.
Until then, here's a riddle for you: What brings children together, gets them moving, teaches them about nature, and leaves everyone smiling?
The answer, as our young questers discovered, lies right here in Emerald Isle.
— L&T Emerald Isle Library
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