Activities - February 2010

23rd February 2010 - Brain storming and orientation meeting for the new projects with Raviraaj, Mansadevi, Priya Nagesh, Sowmya, Vasantha and Devika in the office.
22nd - Prakriti Foundation's Poetry with Prakriti book release with Madras Book Club.
16th - 19th February 2010 - V.R.Devika's visit to New Delhi to ICPR.
15th February 2010 - Prakriti Foundation's Butoh dance from Japan performance at Chandra spaces.
13th February 2010 - Orientation workshop for teachers in charge and resource persons ahead of the start of the project "Traditional performing arts and Gandhi in Education" in ten schools of Chennai with support from Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.
12th February 2010 - V.R.Devika gave a talk on "Siva, Nataraja and the constellation Orion" on the occasion of Sivarathri at MGR Janaki college.
10th and 11th February 2010 - Visit of filmmaker David Skinner and his artist wife Catherine Skinner to office.
8th February 2010 - UMA session at Avvai Home by Sowmya.
7th February 2010- V.R.Devika's illustrated presentation on "Gandhi's Ahimsa and pluralism" for Rotary International's conference on "World Peace for youth" conference in Cochin, Kerala.
5th February 2010 - "Spin a Yarn .." outreach at Cochin Bhavan's Elamakara School and Vidyodaya.
1st February 2010 - UMA session at Avvai Home by Sowmya.

Activities - January 2010

31st January 2010 - Prakriti Foundation's Tree of Life festival sand sculpture contest at Elliots beach
30th January 2010 - Sarvodaya day celebrations at Central Railway station, Chennai with Gandhi mission and Anusuya foundation. Spinning, songs and dance on non violence.
29th January 2010 - University of Madras and story telling and power-point presentation on Gandhi at AMM School.
28th January 2010 - V.R. Devika gave illustrated talk on Gandhi for Martin Luther King jr Day, organized by the Indo American Society at Stella Maris College and attended citizens meet for Indian Express.
27th January 2010 - V.R.Devika chief guest at annual day of Karumuthu Thiagaraja Chettiar school, Madurai.
26th January 2010 - V.R.Devika chief guest at Republic day parade flag hoisting at Perambur railway school. Meeting at Bharatha Kalanjali, rehearsals at Mogappair Rukmini Natyakshetra.
25th January 2010 - Southern Railway head quarters, UMA session at Avvai Home by Sowmya. Mothers day of SOS Children's village.
23rd January 2010 - Prakriti Foundation's events of book release at Kalakshetra and Gharana music festival.
22nd January 2010 - Power point presentation on Gandhi at Yellow bus school, Prakriti Foundation's Gharana music festival.
21st January 2010 - University of Madras and meeting of Medha Maithri on geographical connections
20th January 2010 - University of Madras and Kalakshetra,
19th January 2010 - University of Madras, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan and Southern Railway head quarters.
18th January 2010 - Meeting with General Manager Southern railways for 30th January programme with Mr.Rammohan. Visit to Parijatham trust for women entrepreneurs. UMA session at Avvai Home by Sowmya.
16th January 2010 - Meeting with Mr.D.K.Oza at Central Station.
15th January 2010 - Meeting with Dr.D.K.Oza for 30th January programme.
14th January 2010 - Pongal festival at Dakshinachitra.
13th January 2010 - V.R.Devika cultural resource at Mamallapuram for visitors from US
12th January 2010 - Meeting at Roja Muthiah Library with Ranvir Shah and Lori Hudson.
11th January 2010 - UMA session at Avvai Home with Sowmya.
10th January 2010 - V.R.Devika and Vasantha Parthasharathy guests of honour at the valedictory of cultural week of Rukmini Devi Natyakshetra, Mogappair. V.R.Devika at the Natya seminar of Rangamandira at MGR Janaki College.
9th January 2010 - Sports day celebrations at Avvai Home Sowmya and V.R.Devika attended it.
8th January 2010. V.R.Devika's meeting with Lynn Weil communications director of the House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs US.
8th January 2010 - V.R.Devika in conversation with dancer Priyadarsini Govind at Rasam restaurant organized by Deccan Chronicle newspaper.
7th January 2010 - Prakriti Foundation's Book release and talk by Romila Thapar on cyclical and linear time in ancient India.
3rd January 2010 - Meeting of Mamalla heritage group. Talk on Pallava Art. V.R.Devika felicitated with a shawl and a shield by philanthropist Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetty for receiving the Gnanasamudhra award.
2nd January 2010 - V.R.Devika gave a presentation on Gandhi and a demonstration of spinning to the students of Rukmini Devi Natyakshetra at Mogappair, Chennai.

Spin a yarn for life .......

Our new project "Spin a yarn for life through arts..." supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust began with a performance of the dance Ahimsa Devi by children of Rukmini Devi Natyakshetra and spinning on the Charkha by students of Avvai Home on 30th January 2010 (Mahatma Gandhi's martyr day marked as Sarvodaya day) at the Central Railway Station. The month of May is the month of summer holidays after school examinations and we organized a summer camp for children in performing arts and education and a performance of interactive Carnatic classical music by the well known musician Bombay Jayashree at SOS Children's village. The project began in right earnest in schools of the city with a session at Bala Vidya Mandir, Adyar on 8th June 2010. The days coming up will be full of these sessions. Mahatma Gandhi as a background to think of peace and self reliance and living nature-friendly lives in today's world is the theme. We have the support of excellent resource persons like Prof. S.Swaminathan, Chitra Nagesh, Priya Nagesh, Palani and others in this project. V.R.Devika is the honorary director of the project.

VRD's travels

V.R.Devika has just returned from a fabulous trip to North America. 66 days with 28 lectures, one conference, one week of International Visitor leadership programme as the guest of the US State department. She took 14 flights, 12 train and bus journeys in Mexico, USA and Canada and met fantastic people.
Pictures at picasaweb.google.com/vrdevika
March 10 - Talk on Gandhi for the Interdisciplinary masters, University of Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.
March 11 - Talk on "Power of Performing Arts in India" for the theatre arts department, university of Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.
March 12 - Illustrated interaction with BA class of theatre arts University of Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.
March 15 - Visit to Martin Luther King memorial and exhibition, Atlanta, Georgia.
March 16 - Public lecture on Gandhi at Unitarian Church, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
March 17 - Introduction to Asia, class of Prof.John Tucker, University of East Carolina, Greenville, North Carolina.
March 17 - Hinduism class of Prof.Derek Meher, University of East Carolina, Greenville, North Carolina.
March 18 - Talk on Gandhi - Ledonia Wright centre, University of East Carolina, Greenville, North Carolina.
March 19 - Girls and Art in India Jenkins art centre, University of East Carolina, Greenvilee, North Carolina.
March 20 - Talk on Gandhi at the Satsang of Yogaville, Virginia.
March 21 - Talk on traditional performing arts of Tamilnadu, Gandhi, Nataraja etc for students and parents of dance school of Padmarani Rasiah.
March 23 - Visit to Short Pump elementary school for talk on gandhi, Richmond, Virgina.
March 23 - Demonstration of spinning wheel, Montessory school, Richmond, Virgina.
March 25 - Master class on Bharathanatyam Mudras , dance department, The College of Wooster, Ohio.
March 25 - Public lecture on Gandhi, The College of Wooster, Ohio.
April 4th - "Traditional performing arts of Tamilnadu", Gandhi etc talk for students of Natya Institute, Chicago.
April 7th - Gandhi - presentation to two public schools in Chicago.
April 9th - Girls and performing arts in India talk presented by India Studies Centre, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
April 10th - "Gond Art of India" seminar at Wellesley, MA.
April 13th - Meeting for internship opportunities in Chennai. Mt.Holyoke College, MA.
April 13th - Epic Theatre in India - drama of queen, Goddess Draupadi - illustrated talk at Mt.Holyoke College, MA.
April 14th - Talk on Gandhi Mt.Holyoke College, MA.
April 15th - Talk on Gandhi film studeies dept. Amherst Colelge, MA.
April 15th - In conversation with Prof.David Reck. India, arts, Gandhi etc. Amherst College, MA.
April 16th - Meeting at World Education office, Boston, MA.
April 24th - 28th - Conference of the International Partnership Network, Toronto, Canada.
May 1st - Talk on traditional performing arts, Nataraja icon etc for Natya Institute, New Jersey.
May 3rd - International Visitor Leadership programme visit Meeting with Ms.P.Kowall, Programme Officer, Office of International visitors, US Department of State, Mr.Lau Gieszel, President elect of Association for conflict resolution at Meridan International House,Surprise meeting with Joanne Huskey, Mr. Charles F.Dambach,President and CEO Alliance for Peace building, Ms.Patricia Maulden, Institute for Conflict Resolution, George Mason University, Washington DC.
May 4th - International Visitor Leadership programme Meeting with Mr.Lakshitha Saji Prelis, Associate Director, Peacebuilding and Development Institute, American University, Mr.Jefferey W.Helsing, Deputy Director, Education and Training Center of U.S.Institute for Peace, center for Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Washington DC
May 6th - International Visitor Leadership programme - meeting with Ms.Elizabeth Enlow, Regional Director, American Friends Service, Ms.Karen Bernstein and Ms.Nivedita Gutta, of Safe Horizon Mediation Programme, Ms.Jane Brody of Peace first New York City.
May 7th - International Visitor Leadership programme - Meeting with R.J.DeSena Founder President Council for Peace, Creative Arts Team, the City University of New York and witnessing performance of "Face It" - presented by City at Peace - New York.

First Session for Avvai home girls at Dr. E. V. Kalyani Medical Centre on 30th April, 2010

As an outcome of the talk on Reproductive Health by Dr. Gita Arjun at Avvai home on the 31st March, 2010, the Aseema Trust was happy to take 17 girls to Dr. E. V. Kalyani Medical Centre for their free medical check-up on 30th April, 2010.

The girls were registered and then went one by one for their height-weight check-ups. This was followed by blood tests for haemoglobin content. Dr. Gita Arjun and her team comprising of Dr. S. Rajasri and Dr. Soumya Balakrishnan next did medical check-ups for the girls. The required medication was prescribed and some capsules were even provided free by the doctor. The results of the blood tests are awaited for further treatment.

There will be no consultation in the month of May 2010 as the children will be away from Chennai for summer vacation. The next check-up is scheduled for 26th June, 2010.

Summer workshop at Yellow Bus - Koothu by Palani

The Aseema Trust facilitated a summer workshop on traditional therukoothu movements at Yellow Bus School from 19th to 30th April 2010, Children in the age group of 6 - 12 enjoyed their time with Purisai Palani grand son of Kalaimamani Purasai Kannappa Thambiran.


Please see the attached link for the photographs of the first session on 19th April, 2010.

Dr.Gita Arjun at Avvai Home

The Aseema Trust is very happy that the most distinguished gynecologist of Chennai, Dr.Gita Arjun readily consented to answering questions about their bodies that the girls of Avvai Home school had expressed during their sessions of our project UMA (Using Media to address health issues among Adolescents) in partnership with World Education, Boston. The meeting took place on 31st March 2010 at Avvai Home.
For more photos click here.