Inspirational Teenagers

I met these boys in February just a few days before the second open mic I had organised in Khandwa. Nitin’s (dancer) uncle is an employee at the hotel grand barrack who is extremely supportive and proud of these boys.

I still remember clearly the night of the first open mic (13.1.2018) in Khandwa. 

Sumiran and I had decided to organise the event for the city. Our main motive was to give an audience to the performers. 

The evening was planned for the poets, storytellers, musicians and singers. Even I got a stage to share my thoughts, emotions and poetry.

During the first open mic, Mithun, our employee kept on insisting me to call the boys for the dance performance. It wasn’t an event for the dancers and I hadn’t seen the boys dance too. At that point, I promised him to see the dance performance soon. 

In February, just a few days before the open mic, few boys from the GN Dance Crew came at 5 in the evening and surprised my primary students and me with their passion towards dance, precise moves and foot tapping music and especially their stylish hairdos. 

17th February 2018 will remain a memorable evening for the performers and the audience too. These boys performed thrice and the audience was enchanted by their moves and the story of their life. The boys have auditioned in Mumbai for dance reality shows and run a dance academy in Khandwa. They save money to beautify the dance class, train journey from Khandwa - Mumbai - Khandwa and everything else. 

I am proud of these teenagers who are independent, passionate about their dreams and set an example for the teenagers. Their dream is to make Khandwa proud and they are working towards it with rigorous practice on a daily basis at their dance studio. 

These young artists are mentors at one of the summer camps held in Khandwa too. I am grateful to the kidtastic 2018 management team for giving them a chance to prove themselves and proud of these boys. 

Sometimes, we don’t know what we want. Open your eyes, look within and the universe will show you the light. 

The glorious sky

24.3.2018

Khandwa

6:25 PM

I was busy teaching the kids in the Open area at the camp and suddenly a kid looked above the sky and exclaimed with joy, “Wow! Ma’am, the clouds are playing hide and seek.”

All of us were amazed experiencing the glorious and ever-changing colours of the sky. The six to nine-year-olds followed me in a queue to a silent area where we just gazed at the clouds, sky, birds and the blue-orange-pink-grey colours. 

I told them a sorry of a cloud family which my maternal grandmother used to tell my sister and I every night before going to bed. 

The memories of my childhood, the grand sky, the white clouds, the melange of colours, the happy smiles and surprised faces made the evening special and a beautiful closing to the three days workshop with these innocent and beautiful souls. 

P.S - Listen to the happy and inquisitive voices of the kids.

Solitude

28 February 2018

Dayalbagh Agra

Solitude

A glassful of tea at just one rupee,

served with loving hands and humility;

While sitting on a cemented bench quietly,

I listen to the distant voices in the canteen;

The sun is about to set to shine again tomorrow, 

It’s time to leave to a new place tomorrow;

The canteen is closed to open tomorrow, 

The pure dust enters my shoes as I move forward.