Enjoyable listening and a special gift for lovers of Indian music: CD “Kelir Kelir” produced by Aseema Trust and Rukminidevi Natyakshetra
Tastefully arranged, this professionally produced CD is intended for educational use in Tamil Nadu’s schools. The songs and dance cover a wide range of traditional and modern styles. The price of Rs. 250 per copy contributes to the charitable work undertaken by Aseema Trust.
Comprising six tracks in Tamil, sourced and recorded especially for this project, the common factor among the songs is the idea and importance of peace education, a virtue, a value that is imperative and can be inculcated through a medium that children, across the world, identify with – music. As many as 1,000 CDs will be distributed, free of cost to schools.
The CD was released by renowned Bharathanatyam dancer, Padma Bhushan Alarmel Valli at Sivagami Petachi Hall (Chennai) on August 30, 2013. These songs were performed in Bharathanatyam by Rukminidevi Natyakshetra and children from Vidya Vanam School for tribal children, Anaikkati near Coimbatore. – The Hindu (Young World, August 27, 2013)
To support Aseema’s work and order copies, contact its Founder-Director V.R. Devika www.aseematrust.org
Vidya Vanam school
Vidya Vanam is an elementary school for children from tribal and underprivileged families in rural India. The parents of these children are either illiterate or have had no formal education hence the sons and daughters represent first-time learners.
It is our endeavor to help these children grow into literate, self-confident, motivated and emotionally stable human beings.
Vidya Vanam provides children with the tools for self-learning while simultaneously recognizing their rich cultural identity and instilling pride and respect for their roots, environment and culture. – http://vidyavanam.org
Aseema Trust
Founded in 1998 the trust aims at bridging arts, artists, and education in an ever-expanding network. Through a focus on the performing arts of South India such as puppetry, dance, theater, and music, the Aseema Trust reinforces a respect for differences, dignity in labor, and integrity in cultural preservation. Today, several projects fall under the Aseema umbrella, from teaching Gandhian principles through spinning workshops , to leading a group of Indian performing arts children through the Netherlands, to storytelling at a temporary shelter for Tsunami survivors in Nagapattinum District, Tamil Nadu, to conducting a project using traditional performing arts as an empowering tool for young girls and partnering with several organisations in art and education. […]
Dr.V. R. Devika, Founder and Managing trustee of The Aseema Trust, a nonprofit organization for linking traditional performing arts and education and Mahatma Gandhi for schools, is a well known cultural activist who has a passion for performing arts and education.
Dr.Devika’s PhD thesis is on “Gandhian communication for transformation: Philosophical issues and dimensions” at the Department of Philosophy, University of Madras. She conducts regular workshops on Charka-spinning, peace education and communication skills for students and teachers. […]
Source: The Aseema Trust – Linking Arts, Education, Rural and Urban Address : https://www.aseematrust.org/about.php Date Visited: Sun Dec 08 2013 12:14:50 GMT+0100 (CET)
K.A. Shaji, The Times of India (Coimbatore), Dec 7, 2012
It was a unique experience for former West Bengal governor and Kalakshetra Foundation chairman Gopalkrishna Gandhi when he visited Vidya Vanam, a school for about 270 first-time learners from tribal families of backward Anaikatti region. […]
When Gandhi asked the students to point out major advantages of the unique school located in tribal majority Thuvaipathy Road, they said they loved its egalitarian concept along with the lack of any competitive exams or grading system.
“We all are equals here and the teachers ensure that nobody gets sidelined in the rat race for performance. Teachers teach us after understanding our strengths and weaknesses,” the students explained.
