School students research local legends, put them to verse

NEW DELHI, Aug 28:
Ever wondered why Mughal monuments in Delhi were built from marble but buildings in Dalhousie and Shimla of the same era used other construction materials?
Students from the NCR region and other cities have over the past few months been researching into some obvious facts and thus discovering stories, lores and legends about their cities and local communities and traditions.
The discoveries were put into verse and melody for the second edition of an inter-school competition titled “Anveshan in Verse”, organised by the India Traditions and Heritage Society (ITIHAAS).
“Our idea behind organising such an event was to inculcate heritage in a curriculum and to provide students a forum where children could engage with their heritage, the traditional knowledge systems and culture,” says Director of ITHAAS, Smita Vats.
The 11-year-old organisation began the competitive event last year as part of its efforts to foster insight among school going children about the history and rich traditions of their country.
Citing the fact that people generally visit monuments for fun and usually do not have any proper knowledge of their architecture and history, Vats says the motive was to make children aware of the science behind their construction.
“If marbles are used in Mughal monuments in Agra and Delhi, it’s because these are hot cities. Marbles are not used in Dalhousie and Shimla because of their cold weather. We want children to make such connects and create knowledge,” Vats says.
The verse competition comprises three categories. Primary students clubbed into the category “Chesta,” strung together melodies on the topic ‘In -Joy” with students documenting celebration of various festivals like Holi.
Finalists were asked to think of festivals and fairs, rituals and ceremonies taking place around them. Students were required to ask people what each of them meant, how they began and what made them unique.
“Is there a science behind the traditions an also a few intriguing legends. In short the students were asked to capture the many shades of joy and lend them their voice,” Vats says.
While teams sang about the traditional festivals of Holi, Christmas, Diwali and Eid one finalist composed verses on the famous “Kullu ka Dusshera.”
Middle school     students clubbed under the category “Jumbish” composed verses for the theme “In-habit” where they looked at traditional habitats – houses and habitats, different from the modern homes they live in.
“The habitat could belong to a long-forgotten prince or a clan of artisans. Students were asked to look for colours and carvings, wood and mortar and also the context that they were built in. Students were asked to bring alive these habitats through the people who inhabit them,” Vats said.
Students composed verses on monuments like Ghalib’s haveli, Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Nizamuddin Dargah etc.
Finally in “Udgaar” featured high school students composed verses describing their encounter with different forms of inequalities prevailing in the society.
Themes on inequalities among gender, caste and communities were put into verse form, such as verses to call Indians to promote equality, to request Indian artists to make such paintings that gives the message of equality etc.
“To compose verses and weave them with music to create a song is a task. But to do an in-depth research of a topic and then follow the cycle makes it completely different of an experience for students and us,” said a teacher who accompanied finalist students from a school in Chandigarh.
Every year, as a return gift, ITHAAS presents to its participants a song based on the theme “heritage”. This year’s song narrates the history and architecture of an ancient monument “Firoz Shah Kotla” of Delhi. (PTI)

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