Art & Media

See Saw–A play at the Law School festival

For the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) students, the second edition of the university's theatre fest, “Admit One” should be special for at least two reasons: a team of Pakistani students are scheduled to perform a play called Zindagi, Maut Aur Muqsad on November 21, an event that will give the law university reason to call its event truly “international”. The second reason is a play by seven handicapped youth.

Bringing alive the festival on the first day was See Saw a play by seven adolescent boys with hearing disability. The play connoted the imbalance caused in the routine of a deaf child. The performers internalised these issues and were confident to take it to stage, thereby creating a platform to discuss and address these issues. Through “See Saw,” the audience could get a glimpse of the loneliness, failures, fears, peer pressures, responsibilities and the realities that the child faces.

Source: NLSIU's ‘Act One’ theatre festival gets under way, The Hindu, Bangalore, 21 November 2007.

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The Selfish Giant

Impaired – Disabled – Differently abled – Special – Abnormal – Challenged

We've all heard these words–together or individually–at some point of time or the other. For now we shall skip dwelling into the political correctness (or incorrectness) of these terms, and get straight to the point.

Each of these are words that lose their weight once we realize we are all just people who are differently made–words that hold no prejudice, no barrier once there is no “us” and “them”.

Bhawna is an all inclusive theatre group of children that seeks to erase the line between the so called “special” and “mainstream” spaces. We create unique public spaces without the dividing lines for children to interact and have a whole of fun. We seek to do this to break the myth of “us” vs “them”.

Bhawna is an initiative of the State Pressure Group for Disability in Tamil Nadu–and yours truly is a part of Bhawna. An ex colleague of mine, Dr. Lakshmi Sundar, sits on the above mentioned pressure group–and since we love doing mad things together we decided that this World Disability Day we'll kick start the effort with a production of The Selfish Giant adapted from a fairy tale of the same name written by Oscar Wilde.

We have had tons of fun over the last month putting this together. And we've seen that even a little effort can produce the most magical moments–from watching groovy steps of a tiny boy who usually doesn't sit still to listening to the gyaan of a bespectacled small girl, “I used to think that such children would be different. But after seeing them at practice, I think there is no difference Amma. They are also kids like me.”

This year's production had 25 kids under the age of 11, one adult (a parent) and one teenager (I dare not say kid) performing. Children have come from various schools across Chennai including some which are commonly identified as special schools. Vidyasagar, formely Spastics Society of India, has extended their hospitality with place and snacks for rehearsals. Shireen, Jeeva, Teresa, Sudha are teachers from Vidyasagar who've helped us tons during rehearsals. The choreography has been done by Kokila, Balaji and Hari from the Russian Cultural Center, the sound and lights by Prithvi and sets by Kannan.

Source: http://theyumblog.wordpress.com/2007/11/23/the–selfish–giant–for–world–disability–day–bhawnas–first–production/

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Making a livelihood from art

For eight hearing impaired youth of Himachal Pradesh who wield the paint brush for their livelihood, disability is not an obstacle.

The eight artists, including three young women, in the age group of 22–26 years, share the expenses of their families with the money they get through the sales of their Kangra–style miniature paintings, greeting cards and bookmarks, besides painting on village houses.

Initially, the parents of these children were sad and often viewed their children as a curse until, the Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD), a self–help group based in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra District, recognized the kids’ hidden talents in 2001.

A group called the ‘Chinmaya Prayas’ was formed. Twelve hearing impaired youths was given training in the Kangra style of painting. They were trained for a year with the help of the Kangra Art Gallery in Dharamshala.

Out of the 12 youngsters, six are still school going and attend Kangra painting classes after school hours.

Four out of the 12 hearing impaired dropped out from the Kangra Painting Group and took up other vocations promoted by CORD, such as welding, carpentry and running a shop.

“At one time their parents were desperate and they refused to send children to painting classes. Today, they (the youngsters) are earning through their art,” said CORD National Director Dr. Kshama Metre.

These youngsters continue to paint with due care of delicacy of line, brilliance of colour and minuteness of decorative details, which are unique to the Kangra style of painting.

“I like to draw ladies portraits. Most of my paintings depict Gods. My favourite drawings are of Lord Ganesha and Krishna–Radha,” said Anita, one of the artists.

Depending upon detailing, intricacies, and theme of the paintings, their price range from Rs 600 to Rs 3000. “These eight artists took a loan of Rs 62,000 in 2004 to print 72,000 greeting cards of their paintings. They were able to return their loan by the end of the season,” said Metre.

The works of these youth are slowly being recognized on a larger scale. Last Sunday, they displayed their works at Canada House.

David M Malone, the Canadian High Commissioner to India, has bought over a dozen paintings. Of these, Malone says he has presented a few in France and to his friends abroad.

“When I visited the CORD centre in Himachal Pradesh, I saw Shivank's (one of the artists) paintings. They were so beautiful, that I decided to do something for the cause of these youth. Today, I know all the eight artists,” said Malone.

Source: Hearing impaired Himachal kids find a livelihood in Kangra, Asia News International 21 November 2007.

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Lila Majumder's Pakhi

The Story…

Pakhi is a story about an eight–year old little girl who is sent by her parents and aunts to her grandma's house to recover from a leg disability which has almost crippled her. Kumu, the little girl, is worried about passing her exams. Nevertheless she goes to her grandmother's village and meets her cousin Latu, a little boy full of fun and mischief. One day it happens that a wild goose while flying away with its brood, shot by a hunter, lands in their garden by the lemon tree. Kumu is worried about the treatment that may be meted out by her grandma or the mischievous Latu but then finds a great supporter in her mission to save the goose–Little Latu himself!

Kumu is lame and the fledgling bird is lame too – so there is an affinity in their struggle to recover.

Would their struggle lead them to success or would they remain lame the rest of their lives?

That is still to be seen.

06 December 2007 (Thursday)
at Rabindra Sadan at 6–30 P.M

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