Fundraising with Nalamdana, Kalakshetra and Perch

PERCH volunteers did a very loving flower kolam on 21st and 22nd November 2009 at the entrance of Kalakshetra koothambalam. PERCH the theatre group headed by Rajiv Krishnan had offered their very successful English plays based on the famous Malayalam author Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's short stories for fund raising for the activities of Aseema and Nalamdana. We at Aseema use traditional performing arts for message dissemination and Nalamdana uses theatre. We are partners in projects with World Education. It was Nitya Balaji of Nalamdana who suggested we have the fund raiser jointly and we went along though we were doubtful if we can raise any funding and sell tickets at all. The plays are brilliant and provide vignettes of life of ordinary people in Kerala in fun filled action packed stories. I asked Leela Samson an amazing woman who heads Kalakshetra for the space. She readily agreed to give us the Koothambalam as we do our projects in Besant Arundale school and Besant Theosophical schools run by Kalakshetra foundation. We had a really good time. On 21st I thought there may not be more than twenty people but more than three hundred people turned up with Tamil film actors Surya, his wife Jyothika and brother actor Karthi turning up long before the crowd began to come in. They stayed till the end and enjoyed the programme. On 22nd I thought there would be a bigger crowd. there was a crowd, but not bigger than the Saturday crowd.
We had the satisfaction of a perfect coalition event with all partners, Aseema, Nalamdana, PERCH and Kalakshetra coming together in great camaraderie. It was worth doing even if to discover the possibility and values of friendship and team spirit.
V.R.Devika

Gnanasamudhra award to V.R.Devika

more pictures at

http://picasaweb.google.com/trustaseema/AGnanasamudhraAwardToVRDevika#

Samudhra magazine for the arts awarded "Gnanasamudhra" title to V.R.Devika for her work in linking arts and education during their 7th anniversery celebration on 15th November 2009. The award was presented by philonthrophist Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetty and Mrs.Y.G.Parthasarathy, dean and director of Padma Sheshadri Schools. Dr.Srinidhi Chidambaram inaugurated the function by lighting a kuthuvilakku and Mr.Natarajan, former director of Doordarshan and Mr.Nagai Muralidharan participated. The citation reads "Samudhra is proud to confer the title "Gnana Samudhra" on V.R.Devika art educator, writer and critic during its 7th anniversary celebration in recognition of her innovative approach in linking art and education and using it as an effective tool especially among children. May God Almighty bless her with long life and strength to continue rendering service towards the cause of fine arts" signed by Dr.Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetti, Patron and Dr.Radha Bhaskar, editor.

read more at http://samudhra.org/

Childrens Day

14th November Children's' Day.
V.R.Devika was chief guest at a sharing session with children with social and economic disadvantages organised by play school Yellow Bus at Shastrinagar women's association premises. They presented costume dance and a puppet show for children and gave them gifts. There were some collage work also. Kalanjiyam, our partner organisation came and distributed free audio Cd's of Pappara Mittai consisting of stories told by children to children. V.R.Devika did some story telling too.

more pictures at

http://picasaweb.google.com/trustaseema/ChildrensDayWithYellowBus#

Reinventing Education

On November 11 and 12, V.R.Devika, managing trustee of the aseema trust took part in a two day conference on smarter education for a smarter planet conference organised by IBM in its reinventing education project of activity based learning for primary schools. She is on the advisory board of IBM's reinventing education projects. She introduced our partner organisation Kalanjiyam to IBM.

Ahimsa Devi

Ahimsa Devi The Aseema Trust is very happy with the success of the performance of "Ahimsa Devi" a dance on attributes of non violence choreographed by V.R.Devika and Premnath with the students of Avvai Home. This choreography was a part of discourse on non violence along with a project on reproductive health, sex and sexuality and HIV Aids that we are doing in parternship with World Education. Sessions on HIV and Aids were done by Nalamdana and on sex and sexuality by Raviraj of Kalanjiam, our partner organisations. Bombay Jayashri sang the sixty Sanskrit names of Ahimsa Devi's attributes with Ananthanaryanan on Mridangam and Ganapathy on percussion. Music direction and recording was by Sai Shravanam A Tamil translation of the words written and tuned by Lakshmi, music teacher at Avvai Home was sung by the girls before the performance. The girls also enacted a play on HIV and AIDS and sang a song on health and empowerment from their sessions with Nalamdana

more pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/trustaseema/AhimsaDevi#

--------

report in the Hindu Young World

http://www.hindu.com/yw/2009/10/13/stories/2009101350091400.htm
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009
Setting Ahimsa to dance
MADHUMITHA SRINIVASAN
Students of Avvai Home presented "Ahimsa Devi" in dance form to a rapt audience.
The girls explained how Ahimsa devi grants protection, bounty, access to knowledge and happiness.
Expressions : Explaining the significance.
You know Ahimsa as something that Mahatma Gandhi preached and followed till the very end, but did you also know that Ahimsa was personified as a Goddess in Jainism? Twenty six girls from Avvai Home enlightened all present at their school about the concept and her various names. “Ahimsa Devi” was a production conceived and organised by Aseema Trust as a part of their extended Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations.
In dance form
The girls, dressed in knee-length cotton sarees and pyjamas, depicted a third of the Goddess’ 60 names through dance that was set to a song sung by Bombay Jayashri, accompanied by Ananathanaryanan, the Veena exponent of Kalakshetra and musician Ganapathy on Mridangam, Tabla and Pakhawaj. The soulful music blended well with the smooth choreography by guru Premnath, a long-term associate of Aseema in its workshops.
In the dance, the visibly nervous but excited girls explained to the audience how Ahimsa Devi grants protection, bounty, access to knowledge, generates happiness and bears our sins.
“When I was reading a book on Ahimsa, I stumbled upon this ideology of the Jains where a concept is personified as a Goddess, just like how we have personified ‘Mother India’.
I was also reading about the 60 different names that she has and then it struck me that it would be interesting to make it into a dance production. That’s when I started working on it,” explains V.R. Devika, Managing Trustee, the Aseema Trust.
The girls, all of them students of Std XI, who participated in the programme were also equally enthusiastic about having a different outlet apart from just academics and also put up a social awareness play on HIV AIDS as it was important to raise awareness and educate their fellow students about it.
Apparently, the girls were involved in a discussion about the “Ahimsa Devi” production and they examined each name and its significance, and also suggested possibilities of concepts like how Ahimsa ensures wealth — possibly, by not destroying the environment; we only stand to benefit from Nature’s bounties in return.

Gandhi Jayanthi 2009

The Aseema trust held the following events for Gandhi Jayanthi 2009

1. 1st October 2009 - Video clippings and talk on Gandhi by V.R.Devika at Janaki MGR College

2. Video clippings and talk on Gandhi by V.R.Devika at L.M.Dadha School.

3. "Creating a Sahridaya" Workshop for school teachers at Balamandir resource centre.

4. Spinning on the Charkha with students from Avvai Home at Nageswara Rao Park.

Traditional performing arts in education

V.R.Devika gave a presentation on the lessons she learnt from traditional performing arts of Bharathanatyam, Therukoothu, Oyilattam and Devarattam for use in teaching in the classroom on the occassion of teachers day (September 5th which happens to be Dr.Radhakrishnan's birth anniversary). Video clippings shown were of Mahatma Gandhi's dandi march, Therukoothu Tugil, Pillaiyyar, padukalam, Jakkamma shrine in Kodangipetti village, Devarattam at a wedding in Kodangipatti, Kottaipatti Senraya Perumal temple festival and Devarattam and Sevaiattam there with clippings of a large number of children dancing in productions based on these forms. Demonstrations of Bharathanatyam adavu was done by Premnath and Koothu mantapam was done by Ashwini Kashi with Devika. Preetham helped Devika to edit longer videos and taking clippings from them for power point presentation. The leture was organised by Tamil Heritage Group with Prof. Swaminathan, Dr.T.K.Ramachandran, Annamalai, Badri Sheshadri and Kannan. The Spin a Yarn booklet and poster on spinning was distributed by The Aseema Trust at the programme.

aruna sairam at SOS Children's village and chatnath homes

September 3rd 2009

A great concert for children by Aruna Sairam at SOS Children's village. Accomponied by J.Vaidyanathan on mridangam and Padma Shankar on violin, she enthralled the children with her little affectionate narration and great singing. Rhythmical and interactive. Great. She did this concert completely free of charge when I told her about sos village she was happy to come and sing there for children. Om Shakthi in honour of mothers, Vaarathirundal (Kanthimathipillai tamil) , Ganapati abhang and Ooththukkadu Kalinga Narthana tillanna for children. It was a memorable evening. The Aseema trust is happy to have organised it.

Inter Faith

The Aseema Trust was invited by the US Consulate General Chennai to be part of the organising of an inter faith dialogue meeting with Anju Bhargava, representing the Hindu faith in President Obama's interfaith advisory committee with college students at Stella Maris College. The Aseema Trust facilitated the focus group discussions. Some group presentations were just fantastic. In the evening there was a discussion about inter faith programmes at the Us consul general's house. Anju Bhargava was asked a lot of questions by Harmony India and at the end of it there was an Iftar for the muslims who had taken part in the discussions.

SWARAJ workshops at Dakshinachitra

August 10,11,12,13, 2009
V.R.Devika designed a workshop for school students and teachers on the topic of "SWARAJ" and "SWADESHI" at Dakshinachitra. Issues discussed were what Swaraj actually means apart from political independence and democracy and elections. students were asked to come up with meanings. A powerpoint presentation with video clippings of original mahatma gandhi footage was shown to students. Then they were asked to go explore Dakshinachitra and come back and sit in smaller groups, deliberate among themselves on what they had seen and heard the morning and recall it in words on chart papers and then present it to the larger group. The first 93 class IX boys and girls from Uthandi government school had a game with Priya Nagesh on Swaraj which had different tasks assigned to children who had to look after their role in the group. then the students discussed that freedom also meant cooperation and recognition of rights of others. Spinning on the Charkha was tried by several students and then a quiz on the poster exhibition of Tamilnadu's contribution to freedom struggle put up by Roja Muthiah Library was held and a lacquer decorated pen was given as prize for each correct answer. The second day the workshop was shifted to Thirupporur school as Tuesday is a holiday for Dakshinachitra. Class XI was engaged in a conversation on Swaraj and given a demonstration of Spinning. A workshop is scheduled again on 18th August as the powerpoint could not be presented. The third day, students were given the brief on what, why, how, who, where of Dakshinachitra.

CCD Sevayur Madurai teacher's workshop

August 1 and 2, 2009
V.R.Devika gave a two day workshop on Gandhi and education for rural school teachers at Sevayur an and half away from the city of Madurai. It was organised at the CCD sadhana centre. Organised by Priya Nagesh of Samanvaya knowledge trust, apart from Devika, Meenakshi of Puvidham a great earth lover who runs a school which teachers children of farmers to not just learn the letters but also love nature and learn to farm with Madhavraj a committed teacher in her school gave teachers glimpses into child friendly learning methods. There was also spinning on the Charka. An amazing experiment that is happening there with farming, education and self sustenance through the efforts of Mr.Muthu who is spearheading CCD and its community projects is simply amazing. CCD has been facilitating a process of developing the local resource base, building on the traditional knowledge and skills, and improving the community access to mainstream resources. The scale is awesome and the feeling of participation and warmth is very palpable. To know more, go to http://www.ccd.org.in/

Events

31st December - V.R.Devika conducted a session on traditional performing arts and Gandhi in education for a group of teachers of Kendriya Vidyalayas at Dakshinachitra. V.R.Devika also inaugurated the street photo and book exhibition organised by the progressive writers association at Saidapet.
30th December - V.R.Devika facilitated a face to face encounter with Bharthanatyam artist Alarmel Valli for Deccan Chronicle news paper. Poetry with Prakriti validectory with readings by Ruth Padel and Aditi Saxena at Oxford book store.
29th December - Trip to Kanchipuram to invite the priest of Vaikuntaperumal temple to the 7th programme of Prakriti Foundation.
28th December - Natyakala conference of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Poetry with Prakriti reading by Aditi Machado at Evolutione and Neetu Das at Oxford book store.
27th December - Natyakala conference of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Mamalla heritage group meeting on scripts of pallavas.
26th December - Natyakala conference of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Meeting with Mr.D.K.Oza. Poetry with Prakriti readings by Ananta Kumar Giri in TFL Gym.
23rd December - Poetry with Prakriti with Deepika Arvind at Shilpi and Asan memorial school and Manav Kaul at Vastrakala and Evolutione.
22nd Dcember - V.R.Devika facilitated a face to face encounter with Bharathanatyam artist Urmila Satyanarayana for Deccan Chronicle news paper. meeting in the University of Madras.
21st December - UMA session at Avvai Home with Sowmya
20th December - V.R.Devika attended the meeting of Mamalla heritage group. Screening of film on sculptures Vaasthu marabu by Bala Kailasam. Poetry with Prakriti festival reading of Parnab and Sampoorna at madras terrace house.
19th December - Poetry with Prakriti Festival reading of Parnab Mukherjea and Sampoorna at Apparao galleries.
18th December - Poetry slam of Prakriti Foundation with US consulate.
17th December - V.R.Devika attended a piano and carnatic vocal programme at the US consul General's residence.
16th December - Inauguration of Poetry with Prakriti festival at Taj mount road.
15th December - Post Natyam dance presented by Prakriti Foundation at Chandramandapa.
14th December - UMA session at Avvai Home with Sowmya. V.R.Devika compered a programme of music from Srilanka for Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
13th December - V.R.Devika attended a meeting of the Mamalla heritage group. Talk on early history of Tamils.
12th December - V.R.Devika gave a talk on "Shiva, Nataraja and Orion" at the literary club of Gymkhana.
10th December - V.R.Devika chaired a session on Women rights and empowerment at Loyala College.
7th December - UMA session at Avvai Home with Sowmya and Vasundhara Thomas and V.R.Devika
4th December - Workshop on "Identity" with students of Navharath Matriculation School at Dakshinachitra by V.R.Devika
3rd December - Workshop on "Identity" with students of Navharath Matriculation School at Dakshinachitra by V.R.Devika
2nd - 6th December - The New Festival of Prakriti Foundation.
30th November - UMA session at Avvai Home with Sowmya and Vasundhara Thomas.
26th November - Creating a sahridaya gandhi session with class VII of Olcott School.
23rd November - UMA session at Avvai Home with Sowmya
21st and 22 November - Moonshine and skytoffee and Sangathi arinnyo two english plays based on Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer's Malayalam short stories staged by PERCH theatre group as a fundraiser for The Aseema Trust and Nalamdana at Kalakshetra.
16th November - UMA session at Avvai Home with Nila and V.R.Devika
15th November - V.R.Devika was awarded the title Gnanasamudhra by Samudhra magazine.
14th November - V.R.Devika chief guest at children's day programme of sharing organised by Yellow Bus play school
11 and 12th November - V.R. Devika took part in IBM's reinventing education conference.
9th November - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
8th November - V.R. Devika and Vasantha Parthsharathy facilitated Citizens Run
6th November - Gandhi and spinning a session with classes 8,9,and 10 of Ashok Leylands school, Hosur and traditional performing arts in education with the school teachers by V.R.Devika
2nd November - UMA - dance session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
27 - 31st October - V.R.Devika was a part of the Horizon group to look at demining in Srilanka.
26 October - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
25th October - V.R.Devika did a story telling session of Indian mythology and culture for students of Semester at Sea at Dakshinachitra and compered a programme of music from Brazil for ICCR at Mylapore Fine Arts Club.
23rd October - V.R.Devika compered a programme of music from Columbia for ICCR at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha.
21st October - V.R. Devika gave an illustrated talk on " Nataraja and the Orion constellation" for Medha Maithri women's group.
20th October - Visit to Kanchipuram to photograph scultures. VRD and S.Anvar.
19th October - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
15th October - VRD attended a meeting of public affairs section of US consulate.
14th October - viewing a film on Child Sexual Abuse with Ashraya, visit of Sowmya for music education in schools and Raviraj and Mansa of Kalanjiyam to Aseema.
13th October - brain storming session on reinventing education IBM project at Corporation girls School, Nungambakkam
12th October - UMA- dance session at Avvai Home by Vasundhara Thomas.
12th October - Gandhi and education workshop at Kalanjiyam, kalpatt village, Madurantakam
10th October - Spin a Yarn at Patashala.
9th October - Spin a Yarn at Besant Arundale School.
8th October - Spin a Yarn at Vidyodaya.
8th October - Spin a Yarn at Suddhananda Vidyalaya.
7th October - Spin a Yarn at Navbharath matriculation school.
6th October - Spin a yarn at Children's garden school and Besant Theosophical School
5th October - UMA - Ahimsa Devi and reproductive health and HIV aids programme at Avvai home with Bombay Jayashri as chief guest.
5th October - Spin a Yarn project session at Bla Vidya Mandir .
2nd October - Spinning on the Charkha at Nageswara Rao Park for Gandhi Jayanthi with Avvai Home girls.
2nd October - Creating a Sahridaya workshop for teachers at Balamandir
1st October - V.R.Devika's illustrated talk on Mahatma Gandhi at L.M.Dadha school.
1st October - V.R.Devika's illustrated talk on Mahatma Gandhi at MGR Janaki College
September - 28 - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
Septmeber 28 - V.R.Devika at Lakshya dance academy for Vijayadashami
Septmber 25 - 30 - UMA- Training sessions at NSS camp at Kanathoor for Avvai Home
September 21 - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
September 19 - performance of Kolattam at kolu facilitated by the aseema trust.
September 16th - Bombay Jayashri recording at Resound studio.
Septmber 15th - Play About Caliban Prakriti Foundation's Hamara Shakespeare at Stella Maris College
September 14th - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
September 10th - Puppet show amost twelfth night by Katkatha at Balavidyamandir school for prakriti foundation's hamara shakespeare festival 2009.
September 9th - Puppet theatre almost twelfth night at Asan Memorial school for Prakriti Foundation's Hamara Shakespeare festival 2009.
September 7th - UMA - Dance session at Avvai home for school students and teacher trainees with V.R.Devika and Vasudhara Thomas.
September 5th - V.R.Devika gave an illustrated presentation for teacher's day on " traditional performing arts in education" at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya campus for Tamil Heritage Group.
September 3rd - V.R.Devika organised a Carnatic classical concert for children by celebrity singer Aruna Sairam at SOS children's village.
August 31st - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
August 28th - V.R.Devika took part in the exchange visitor alumni association of US consulate general meeting in Bangalore
August 24th - Interfaith dialogue with Anju Bhargava and college students at Stella Maris College and at US consul general's residence.
August 24th - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
August 21st - V.R.Devika conducted a workshop on Swaraj and Swadeshi for school teachers at Dakshinachitra.
August 17th - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees with Vasundhara thomas of Kalakshetra.
August 10th - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
August 10th, 11th, 12th, - Swaraj and Swadeshi and Gandhi workshop for school students from rural schools around Dakshinachitra.
August 4th and 5th - V.R. Devika at Swanubhava organised by T.M.Krishna and Bombay Jayashree. Presented Therukoothu. http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/08/07/stories/2009080751550100.htm
August 3 - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
August 1 and 2nd - V.R. Devika at CCD Madurai doing a workshop for rural teachers.
July 30th and 31st - Melanie and Lilian at Navbharath matriculation school. conversing with children.
July 29th - Spinning for Melanie and Lilian.
July 28th - Melanie and Lilian from US started their internship at Aseema.
July 27th - UMA session at Avvai Home for school girls and teacher trainees.
July 25th - V.R.Devika attended the inaguration of peace academy.
July 20th - UMA - Workshop session with Avvai Home school and teacher trainees.
July 19th - V.R.Devika emceed a progromme on dance and mathematics by Three Aksha group of Philadelphia for ICCR.
July 17th - workshop with Nalamdana to prepare for "UMA" project
July 16th - VRD inaugurated Hindustani music festival in memory of Gaanayogi Pachakshara gavai.
July 9th - VRD did a workshop for English teachers of government colleges on communication skills and Gandhi.

A session with New English teachers of Government Colleges

I did a session for the refresher course of the new recruits for English departments of Government Colleges all over Tamilnadu at the department of English, University of Madras on communication skills as learnt from ancient Indian performing arts texts, Mahatma Gandhi and his way of reaching out and the messages he gave the world with his bodily action, his writings, his silences, his fasts, his walks and his death seeing it through the eyes of a student of Indian dance and drama. I was sure at the end of the session that I would get quite a few invitations from the colleges the participants will go to. I realised no picture had been taken. So I took these with my cell phone after the session.