Aha! ........Yakshagana!

With Aha! International theatre for children festival on at Rangashankara until the 20^th of this month, the highlight for us this year is most definitely the Yakshagana performance of "Jatayu Moksha" put up children from Udupi’s Yakshagana Kendra.

 

Yakshagana is folk theatre that combines dance, music, dialogue, costume and stage techniques with a unique style and form native to coastal Karnataka. Though I’ve been brought up in Bangalore, I have grown up watching and listening to Yakshagana performances during the annual Ganesh chaturthi celebrations in our native village or during our numerous holiday visits. With most Yakshagana performances based on stories from Hindu mythology, a Yakshagana performance typically begins during the twilight hours and extends through the night! The performance consists of a storyteller, called the Bhagavatha who narrates the story by singing as the actors dance to the music, perform the dialogues, there being ample scope for improvisation and on-the spot philosophical debates within the framework of the plot and the mythological character being played. Accompanied by his grandparents, who are true Yakshagana aficionados, this was the first time Abhay was watching young artists don the spectacular costumes and setting the stage on fire with their traditional yakshagana dance steps and spins while beautifully displaying the fierceness, gallantry and maturity of the adult characters they were portraying. We are indeed grateful to AHA children’s theatre for bringing our little one closer to our roots!!J

 

 

Ideally I would have liked to read a book on Yakshagana that explains the art form in an age appropriate manner, but since I couldn’t find such a book, I had to settle for a  story closer to the plot of yesterday’s  performance “Jatayu Moksha”.  As a prelude to the show, I had picked up “Divine Beings’ by Amar Chitra publications,  a mini-omnibus on non-human mythological characters like Jatayu, Nandi, Airavata, Shyama and Sabala, etc.

 

We read the story of the magnificent vulture, named Jatayu scripted by Mimi Chacko and illustrated by Arijit Dutta Chowdary. Not many of us were aware (at least I wasn’t!)  that Jatayu was the son of Aruna, the Sun- God’s charioteer, Garuda’s nephew and Sampati’s brother. Not only that, Jatayu’s benevolence saved Dasharatha’s life and thereafter went on help his son Rama too. Most of us are aware of the story of Jatayu’s valiant efforts to rescue Sita from the evil clutches of Ravana and his resultant injury that moved Rama into performing his last rites with full honours… bringing in water from seven sacred rivers so that Jatayu’s soul is granted salvation. But to have the young troupe bring life to this famous story from Ramayana through the indigenous art form of Yakshagana was truly an unforgettable experience!

 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!

Over the last weekend, we went for a performance of Frank L Baum's “The Wizard of Oz” staged by the students of Bangalore School of Speech and Drama. (BSSD) Though we’ve been to a number of children’s plays mostly at Rangashankara, or some at Jagriti and Chowdiah memorial hall, most shows have been performed by professional theatre artists or productions by well known theatre groups. This is the first time we watched a performance put up by a group of talented children from BSSD aged five and above ……and what a grand show it was! Abhay sat enthralled through-out the performance which  resembled a Broadway musical….with the live performances by kids…err actors, spectacular lighting and sound effects and amazing dance choreography that’ll put even the most popular television dance reality shows to shame!  Like Dr. Zulfia Shaikh, the Founder-Director of Bangalore School of Speech and Drama says ….we all know the story of Wizard of Oz, but to recreate the magic of Frank L Baum’s American classic on stage with kids/actors like our little ones and put up such a magnificent show  ….is truly a laudable initiative! Kudos to the staff and students of Bangalore School of Speech and Drama!

 

It can be anyone’s guess that the story of the day on Onestoryaday is of course Frank L Baum's “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. Although I would have preferred to read a picture book or a Junior fiction version of the story,  but what I could lay my hands on …….just in time before the play was a graphic novel by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young brought out by Marvel Publications.

 

 

The Eisner Award winning author teams up with artist Skottie Young to present an imaginative rendition of the Wizard of Oz that includes certain lesser known sub-plots of the American fantasy adventure. The narrative is featured in a graphic novel format that will surely have your young reader sit in rapt attention! The creative artwork speaks volumes about the turn of events while unraveling the mysteries of the land of Oz. We particularly loved the portrayal of the flash back moments of Tin Woodman, Winged Monkeys or the Great Oz himself!!!! Though a tad long, this is a great introduction to graphic novels for young readers. However a note of caution to parents who plan on making this a bedtime read for it can turn into a daily night-time soap opera on print like it has in our household…..

The reading of Frank L Baum’s “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young     

Timings: Daily from 9.30 PM  to 10 PM 

Venue: Abhay’s bed             

Dates – 24.06.2014 to 04.07.2014 (hopefully!)

Enjoy your journey into the World of Oz!!! :-) 

 

Shakespeare for kids!

 

When I began blogging about the books I read to Abhay, I had meant it to be a daily affair and that is the precise reason for the name “Onestoryaday”! More or less I managed to live up to the name during my “stay-at-home-mom” phase in the US, the first year of Onestoryaday,  and all thanks to the fantastic US public library system that allows for free access to some of the best children’s literature! As we moved back to India, one story a day became one story every other day as even with the combined membership of over three of Bangalore’s libraries…….I still couldn’t borrow over 30 books which I could in the Hillsboro public library! (And that’s true!)  Now that I’ve traded my “easy-going-stay-at-home” status to “always-on-the-run working mom” phase…one story every other day….has been demoted to twice a week! While it is still one story/one book  a day at bedtime everyday or even two books if it’s a holiday for Abhay, (if not, my seven year old refuses to sleep!)…. blogging about it everyday ….is a different matter altogether! Now that I have joined the “30 books in 30 days” challenge, an event launched by friend and fellow blogger Bubble Ink, I hope to key in a few sentences on the book of the day…everyday until the next 30 days! Thanks to Bubble Ink …..Onestoryaday is now actually One story a day!

 

So kick-starting the challenge the first day of March, I thought I should begin with the master storyteller of all times – William Shakespeare! I know….all works of Shakespeare may not exactly be age appropriate…but I hoped to engage Abhay with “The Tempest”, brought out in a comic book format by Wonderland Books as a part of Illustrated Classic Works series, as with Alice in Wonderland that we had read earlier. Though I hope this will not be the only version of Shakespeare’s works that Abhay may ever read, I guess this will do for now! J I was quite surprised that Abhay quite liked the story and was fascinated by the magical world of Prospero, intrigued by the treachery of his brother Antonio and the twist in his fate as Prospero seeks revenge. Though not a typical children’s book, this is a great way of introducing famous works of literature to our kids…..so as to inspire them read more and more!

Creating your own wonderland!

 Over the weekend, we took Abhay to an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s  “Alice in Wonderland” that was playing at Rangashankara. Performed by the Mumbai based theatre group Tram theatre with the aid of objects, puppetry and shadow play, this is a play not be missed and mind it,  not just for kids! Not only did the play stay true to the original elements of the classic, but in a way took the story to a whole new level with its adaptation into a modern setting that had us introspect into the way we look at our own lives! Should we surrender to the daily hum-drum of life without taking time off to enjoy the moment? Should we go about our routine totally devoid of any sense of wonder or fascination? Should we see the world with a black and white lens as opposed to a coloured one? Growing up doesn’t have to mean that we stop being imaginative or grow out of our little wonderlands that we once cherished as kids! Actually, it’s not the kids, but we adults have a lot to learn from Alice and her wonderland! :-)

Alice in wonderland was also of special interest to Abhay as his class has been rehearsing the same play for a performance in their upcoming annual school day!  So on the eve of watching the play at Rangashankara, I  picked up “Alice in the Wonderland”, an illustrated graphic novel from Om publications. Of course there are numerous publications of timeless tales such as this, but frankly this was the only one I could lay my hands on just when I needed one! Narrated in a graphic book format with vibrant and vivid illustrations, this one is sure to engross your early reader into the wondrous world of Alice following the hurrying hare into a tunnel only to land in a hall full of doors of various sizes until she is of a perfect size for the door leading up the garden full of rapid races and mad tea parties that gives her courage to challenge the queen of hearts and just as she is about to have her way, she wakes up all envigorated to find that it was one adventurous dream after all! So don’t underestimate the power of imagination and the wonders it can do to your once boring world! 

Mythological Mania - Who is the stronger God?

Hi Divya,

Mythological stories are some of my favourites too and I have read numerous stories from the Amar Chitra Katha series during my childhood and well into my school days. As I read them to Abhay now, some of his questions get very difficult to explain. It also pushed to me to think about many such stories which we accepted as they were. Ofcourse we cannot change the mythology and it is certainly fascinating to read. But some of the questions that Abhay asks are sure to have crossed the minds of other children too and believe me, there are no easy answers to these questions!

I thought I should list some of these situations and questions here:- 

1. In Amar Chtira Katha's "Ganesha",  the story goes on about how Goddess Parvathi created a boy to guard her door, and how this boy stopped Lord Shiva from entering the palace. The story also shows all the other Gods eager to propitiate in front of Lord Shiva and offer help. Abhay noticed Lord Vishnu (his favourite God) also doing so. So his question was, why doesn't Vishnu have powers here? Is Shiva powerful than Vishnu?

2. When I read Amar Chitra Katha's "Mahabharata" story, Abhay could not understand how Gandhari can give birth to 100 sons. The concept of the foetus preserved in pots etc, was too much to explain and way too much for him to digest.

3. In Amar Chitra Katha's "Jarasandha", Krishna actually fled to Dwaraka from Mathura to escape from the onslaught of Jarasandha. Abhay could not come to terms with his favorite God running from Jarasandha. And then comes the part where Bhima tears Jarasandha's body apart and throws the pieces in opposite direction. Quite an extreme death to explain. Similar is the death of Hiranyakashyapu in the hands of Lord Narasimha.

I am sure we will revisit these stories as Abhay grows up and slowly he will start to make sense out of the complex Hindu mythological tales and eventually will understand the philosophical meaning behind it. For now, there is one question that constantly bothers him though - Who is the stronger God? Is it Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Durga.. and the list grows! He likes to believe Vishnu is stronger for everyone has their favorite and Abhay's favourite God for now is Vishnu :-) and trust me this has no bigger significance in his mind than his favorite car character, Lighting Mcqueen !!!

I think as parents we have a responsibility to ensure that our kids' questions are answered in some logical way such that they do not develop fanaticism of any shape or form. These difficult to explain and unanswered questions will otherwise find their own meanings with different people who use their interpretation to cause some or the other kind of irritation to others. None of us need any examples do we? Every day newspapers have plenty!

Dassera Greetings!

It is time to feel festive again with the onset Dassera closely followed  by Diwali! Well, what does the festival season mean? It means school vacations, less traffic on the roads (at least on festival days), festival offers and sales doled out by retailers, a host of religious, music and cultural events organized at various temples and cultural associations, a time to take some time off work or visit friends and relatives to join in their celebrations leading to a sudden increase in one’s calorie intake! J At the same time, festivals are an important part of our cultural heritage, to be celebrated, carried forward and passed on to the generation next. While our work schedules may not permit us to celebrate our festivals in the same way our parents did, yet it is important to ensure that our children don’t grow up oblivious to the true essence and the value of Navaratri or Diwali. So whether you observe the Navaratri Vrat (fast), or exhibit the Dassara dolls at home or go dance to the dandiya tunes or perform the Ayudha pooja to your car, make sure to involve your little one too!

So in an attempt to educate Abhay the significance of Dassera, we took him to "Bimba, the Art Ashram", located on DVG Road, Basavangudi that showcased the age old tradition of displaying dassera dolls during Navarathri along with a unique rendition of the story “Anjaneya” through the medium of still theatre in miniature art. So if you are around Basavanagudi, drop by Rasalok at Bimba to witness this indigenous art form transport you to a timeless era.

Navaratri is described as celebrating our connection with the “Devi” or the Goddess, be it Durga or Lakshmi, Saraswathi, (names of some of the Indian Goddesses) So today we picked up Amar Chitra Katha’s “Tales of Durga”  by Subba Rao and illustrations by Souren Roy. This book comprises three stories – “Durga – The Slayer of Mahisha, the story of “Chamundi” and “How Durga slew Shumbha” – three tales featuring the Goddess as an embodiment of Shakti or courage and power that destroys all evil and upholds justice for all. Abhay certainly seemed fascinated to hear the stories of the great Goddesses. His favorite story is that of Ambika who springs from the body of Parvathi to later create Kali from her forehead who goes on to kill the asuras Chanda and Munda and hence renamed as Chamundi. Reading Amar Chitra Katha is a certainly a pleasant throwback to my childhood that was dominated by the same series. It is also a great way to introduce our little ones to the stories from epics and mythology, and orient them towards our rich culture. Happy Dassera to everyone! 

A Family Tradition!

 Pooja at the temple

Yesterday was Anantha Padmanabha Vratha, a special pooja offered to Lord Vishnu every year on the occasion of Anantha Chathurdashi. My husband’s family has been observing this Vratha (Pooja) for over four generations and it is for us to continue the tradition and pass on the same to the generation next. Of course from generation to generation, there have been a lot of changes in the way in which Anantha Vratha has been performed. With rising costs, hectic work schedules, non-availability of dependable domestic help, and not to mention parents and family elders getting no younger day by day, it has become increasingly difficult to host such events at home. So what was once a grand three-day affair attended by over a hundred guests comprising of extended family members and acquaintances, has now been modified into a pooja organized at a local temple followed by a small celebration at home in the evening  meant for only close family  and neighbours. After all, the essence of all worship lies in its spirit and devotion and not in its ostentatious display, isn’t it?  J

Pooja at home

In this year’s Ananthana Vrita, we tried to initiate Abhay into the annual family ritual which we hope he will carry forward in the future, in whatever way possible. I went looking for some child- appropriate story of the Ananthana Vratha, but couldn’t find any material on print or on the internet (maybe I should write one myself!!!).  Hence I decided to read to him Amar Chitra Katha’s “Tales of Vishnu” instead. In the Hindu mythology, Brahma being the Creator and Shiva, the Destroyer, it is up to Vishnu, considered the wisest of the Trinity to preserve the peace and order in the universe. This particular series comprises of four stories revolving around the Gentle God, – Gajendra Moksha, Bhakta Ambareesha, and the stories of Vrakasura and Rantideva.  Abhay was amused at the story of Gajendra, where a king becomes an elephant because of the curse of sage Agastya and then his fight with the crocodile which he cannot win and Lord Vishnu’s grace saves him from the mouth of the crocodile. All three stories are examples of the benevolence of Lord Vishnu who always comes to the rescue of his devotees. On the occasion of Ananthana Vratha, the Kallamundkur family seeks the Almighty’s blessings for everyone’s good health and happiness! Om shri Ananthaya Namo Namaha!