Remember the time you saw those magical figures dressed in a riot of colours and dancing to the tune of a lively music? Or when you felt immense joy and sadness as you watched them narrate the story of the charming prince, in their own animated way? Many believe India to be the birthplace of puppetry, with crude specimens found in the Harappa and Mohenjodaro civilizations as well. The art of puppetry as a divine creation or form of entertainment and illustration has found widespread mention in many ancient scriptures and literary works including the Mahabharata, Gita, and works of Kalidasa and Patanjali.

It is a known fact that this ancient art is dying a slow death due to neglect and more sophisticated forms of entertainment. Puppeteers find it difficult to earn a living and feed their families just by giving puppet shows as there is hardly any audience left. It would be very rare to find a puppet show these days, and is only seen sometimes in fairs that try to promote traditional Indian art forms. However, Press Trust of India reports in NDTV.com the good news that there are slum children of about 2,600 families in Delhi, who have taken on the responsibility of keeping puppetry alive.

This classical art form, however, has been kept alive by children of around 2,600 families from the slums of Delhi, who put up shows under the banner of Kalakar Vikas School.

Hailing from Rajasthan, Gopal, says he wants to show this art form to a much larger urban audience, who in his opinion, are not very much aware of puppetry.

Gopal’s ambition is echoed by Lakshmi, a 14-year-old from a village near Delhi, who says the urban audience needs to know more about this almost-dying art form.

“Urban people are not very much aware that this art form is almost on its deathbed. We are struggling to keep it alive, but we are ready to do anything for it,” Lakshmi says.

Their efforts are encouraged by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), as it has recently released a journal with the focus on puppetry, and The Union Internationale de la Marionette (UNIMA). It is touching to see these children with very few means of livelihood taking an active step in the conservation of an Indian heritage, a step that many affluent people would also not dare to take. The passion and optimism of these kids is a lesson to most of us who hesitate to protect what we know is valuabe and on the verge of being lost to us forever.

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Image Courtesy: PuppetIndia.com

Most old people of our generation cannot imagine a life of leisure. They yearn to keep themselves busy, and if they don’t find a suitable outlet to employ their vast wealth of knowledge, they get restless. It is precisely for this reason that Agewell Foundation has set up an ‘employment exchange’ for the old, in which it has helped thousands of senior citizens find gainful employment.

Raj Kumar Sharma reports in the Press Trust of India:

Started in 1999 the Foundation’s aim is to instill self-confidence in the senior citizens and to tell them that there is nothing wrong in becoming old. Our endeavour is to bring about a change in the perception of old age,” says Himanshu Rath, who founded the organisation.

The NGO has its offices in 540 districts all over the country and says its employs services of professionals, senior bureaucrats, professors; artists, writers, judges – all people who sincerely feel for the cause. They are assisted by a huge base of volunteers and trained counselors.

These jobs could range from home tuitions to management positions. More important than any monetary compensation is the sense of achievement and worthiness for these aged. According to Himanshu Rath of the Foundation, the most common problem faced by these old persons is alienation, due to ‘generation gap’ between them and their family members.

Let us take steps to eliminate this gap before it ever creeps in so that our elders do not need to feel alone at such a fragile age. They have years of experience and learning behind them. So let’s value them as our greatest assets and treat them well.

Read the complete article here.

Image Courtesy: Agewell Foundation