Bhawana Somaaya

This week’s column is dedicated to two causes, both involving children.The first to showcasing children on theatre and the second, to aiding children with learning disability called Dyselexia.

‘IPTA Balmanch’ is the children’s wing of the Indian People’s Theatre Association and was started in 1984. Idgah and Naya Gokul were among the first children’s plays to be staged at Prithvi Theatre.

Balmanch has since then produced Gulzar’s Agar Aur Magar, a musical play based on Brecht’s stories. Live music and chorus singing have been a vital part of both IPTA and Balmanch. It premiered Barsoram a fairy tale at Prithvi summertime festival in 2009 and later at NSD’s Jashnebachpan (National Theatre Festival for Children) New Delhi. Directed by MS Sathyu’s talented daughter Shaili Sathyu it is a story about what goes on in the minds of children.

Swaroop Sampat, film and television actor and wife of Paresh Rawal has committed her lifeto enhancing the life of children with learning disabilities. Sampat has authored a book Learning Disabilities in a Nutshell with a foreword from Aamir khan who delved on the issue in his film Taare Zameen Par.

The crusade began for Swaroop unplanned. She did her PHD at University of Worcester in 2006 and specialized in skill enhancement. She was often invited to conduct workshops on the subject in India and abroad and that’s how she got embroiled in it.

Today Swaroop has combined her innate talent for performing arts to devise a novel technique of ‘learning life skills through drama’. Her book is dedicated to dyslexic children and focuses on the needs of ‘the special child.’ “It is a guide for the children, their teachers, parents and siblings of these kids. If we can collectively empathize with the differences, we can help them overcome adversities and aid them to effectively deal with the challenges of life.”

And before I sign off a happy news.The winner of this year’s Kishore Kumar Award presented by the Madhya Pradesh Government isYash Chopra who was invited to Khandwa, the birthplace of Kishore Kumar on his birth anniversary, October 13.

Yash Chopra, a contemporary legend in Hindi cinema, has played a seminal role in the Indian Film Industry. With this award, he added yet another prestigious accolade to his long list of achievements. State Culutural Minister Laxmikant Sharma presented him with a traditional shawl and a cash prize and said that by agreeing to accept this award he had added to the glory of MP as a state. State Education Minister Ms Archana Tipnis and the State Tribal Welfare Minister, Mr. Vijay Shah, were also present at the occasion. The award was instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government in 1997 and past recipients include filmmakers Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Shyam Benegal and superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

The closing ceremony of Commom wealth Games was even better than the opening ceremony and this proves that all is well that ends well. Sheila dixit has promised that the problems will be addressed and effective action taken and I trust her.

Bhawana Somaaya
blog.bhawanasomaaya.com

This week I tell you the story of two women, both dedicated to a cause. The first Bawari, painter, singer, writer and dedicated to Lord Krishna. The second, Laadli an initiative conceived a few years ago and today an obsession for an NGO.

Rupa Bawari has been writing, singing, painting odes to lord Krishna alias Shrinathji for more than three decades now. In fact it would not be an exaggeration to say that she has dedicated her life and art to the deity.

She is a renowned painter and only paints Shrinathji. Mumbai’s top families are patrons of her paintings. She holds regular solo exhibitions and her oils of the deity and her calendars are popular with communities.

She tries as far as possible to release her new album around Janmashtami time, sometimes the plans go awry. This was a rare year when she did not hold a performance on the Gokulashtami day.

Today, 4 October Rupa releases her ninth album of Shrinathji Bhajans titled “Sarvaswa Samarpan” which literally means Total Submission comprising songs written and rendered by her and her son Rikin Mehta in Hindi. Music composed by Deepak Shah and produced by Raja Audio, Rupa describes this as her most complete album. “All the bhajans are about ultimate surrender. A true devotee comes to a stage when she takes eight vows to surrender her entire being and this surrender is complete in body, mind, wealth, speech, family, deeds, ego and most important, submitting his soul to Shrinathji.”

The album is to be released by Ghazal king Jagjit Singh at Isckon Temple, Babulnath Temple, Chowpatty. The eight stages of devotion are divided in eight bhajans namely Prasadi, Charnamrut, Shriji Utsav, Angikar,Param Krupa, Anubhuti, Birah Ra Skipyali, Palna Jhulo Shyam.

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Population First is an NGO based in Mumbai, working on population and health issues within the framework of girl-child and women’s rights and social development in India. It is a communication and advocacy initiative for a balanced and stable population. It works towards reducing gender imbalances and investing in current and future population.

Laadli is one of their campaigns which address the issue of the falling 0 to 6 sex ratio. Laadli is a comprehensive communications campaign combined with action programme which aims to change perceptions that make couples opt for a boy. The campaign hopes to accomplish that by creating a positive image of the girl child in society.

Launched in 2007 it instituted Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity were instituted. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) sponsored the Awards for a period of three years resulting in a co-branding of The UNFPA-Laadli Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity (ULMAGS).

This year, event gets even bigger with the western region awards being held in Ahmedabad, the southern in Bangalore, the eastern in Bhubaneshwar, the northern in Delhi and the national in Mumbai.

The ULMAGS highlights, acknowledges and celebrates commendable efforts of media focusing on gender perspectives in both print and electronic media and advertising. The response has been overwhelming particularly impressive with many new ads featuring the girl child in non stereo-typical roles. A number of TV serials also have been initiated on the girl child.

Now getting ready for the ULMAGS 2010-11 Awards Laadli aims to change the dynamics of society..

Bhawana Somaaya
blog.bhawanasomaaya.com

I was clearing old files in my computer and came across this ancient interview done almost 20 years ago where husbands discuss what they most dislike about their wives. It is a delicious feature that reveals great insights on marriage. I was engaged reading it and reproduce the same for nostalgic value in my blog.

Lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar said he hates Shabana when she is on a cleaning spree for then she is bound to touch his desk and misplace his most important files and papers. “I also disapprove of her last minute instructions to the staff just when we are about to leave the house but what is most annoying is her frequent misplacing of her key bunch. I fail to understand how a woman who remembers all her friend’s birthdays and anniversary, who never misses an important date of anyone in the family, can every single day misplace her bunch of keys.”

Rishi Kapoor said that he hates Neetu the most when he is angry and she cautions me to remain cool… “I cannot understand why she wants me to calm down even before I have begun to get angry and when I complain that to her she starts smiling and that makes me even angrier. I get angry with Neetu when she nags me to diet and to exercise even though I understand she does it for my good health. What baffles me is that she continues to remain health conscious and at the same time does not give up changing me.”

Dilip Kumar said that despite strict instructions to Saira Banu to not over load his personal dhobi with other chores somehow his wife has a way of keeping his laundry man busy and that bothered him because Dilip kumar wanted his undivided attention.
“Also I hate her worrying incessantly about my health and my meals, for I am old enough to look after myself?”

Kamal Haasan said he hated Sarika’s habit of shouting ‘Dinner is ready’ and at the precise moment when he arrived at the dining table, she disappeared in to the children’s room to put the baby to sleep. “I don’t know why women do this because once I’m in front of food I cannot wait to attack it. I also disapprove of her drinking gallons of tea at all odd hours…tea is injurious and causes acidity and insomnia.”

Amitabh Bachchan said that hate is too strong an expression to express an irritant in spouse but he confessed that he strongly disapproves of Jaya touching his desk and cleaning his study. “There are stacks of letters and papers and only I understand what is kept where and why…When she cleans my study she disorients my belongings so I have explained to her that I can cope with the mess on my table but I cannot cope with my papers getting shuffled around and she understands.”

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said he hated Soni discussing wrong things at the wrong time… When I’m discussing food, Soni discuses my temperament and I have failed to see the connection. Or on another occasion when I’m discussing serious work, she draws my attention to a particular costume my heroine is wearing on the set…It’s a crazy life and it is called star-crossed communications…”

Dharmendra said that he hated and at the same time loved Hema Malini’s self-control and strong will power. “What is admirable and also enviable about her is that her `yes’ means `yes’ and her `no’ also means ‘no’. I have often wondered why I cannot be like her and since I cannot, I decided not to dislike anything about her.

- Bhawana Somaaya
blog.bhawanasomaaya.com