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Tapping tender talents
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The only criterion to join the Bal Bhavan is that the member should be in the age group of five to sixteen
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`CATCH THEM young', is the mantra that goes down well with all those involved in imparting any kind of training. And rightly so. It works wonders if the latent talents are spotted at the right age and nurtured properly. It helps talented kids possessing creative instincts to scale dizzying heights and even hog the limelight.
It is with this purpose that the National Bal Bhavan — a nationwide body — has been rendering unwavering service for decades through its branches all over the country.
The Temple City branch is called the Madurai Jawahar Bal Bhavan, which functions under the control of the Tamil Nadu Jawahar Bal Bhavan, headed by the Education Minister, headquartered at Chennai. The Bal Bhavans in the State are run by the Department of Art and Culture, which gets funds from the National Bal Bhavan for the programmes in the State.
The Madurai Bal Bhavan, with the Collector as its chairman, caters to the artistic needs of aspiring children in five districts. Within the city itself, there are three Bhavans of which one is a rural Bhavan at the Government School at Ellis Nagar and the other two are at Lanka Camp School, Anaiyur and Elango Boys School, Shenoy Nagar.
There is also a partial branch at Chokikulam in which Karate and Silambam are alone taught.
The Anaiyur Bhavan, stands out from the rest, by virtue of being the only centre, where girls are imparted training and also because majority of the enrolled members here are non-students.
"We only insist on the age factor, between 5 to 16 years, in order to become a member in our Bhavan. Talent can be found in anybody anywhere. It only has to be nurtured in the right earnest to shine", says N. Sulaiman, the Assistant Director, Regional Centre for Art and Culture, Madurai. He further points out that it is not necessary to be a student to become a Bhavan member here. That is why all members are referred to as children and not students. The courses offered focus on the native arts of the respective regions, besides some common art forms.
The curriculum at the Bal Bhavans here includes training in vocal music, bharatanatyam and folk dance forms, martial arts and yoga besides the regular claymodelling and different kinds of paintings.
The communication skills of the members are also honed up while a sizeable number of children who do not attend school benefit from the Bhavan's academic courses. The big draw is the periodic summer and winter camps conducted by the Bal Bhavan. The summer camps are mostly in hill stations and all expenses are borne by the organisers. The winter camps are held in different cities on rotation.
Free computer-training courses have had a good response at the Bhavan urging the Collector to call for similar courses in rural schools under the State's Sarva Siksha Abiyan. Spurred by its success, the Bhavan is also conducting the computer courses in some colleges including the Lady Doak College in Madurai, the Palaniandavar College, Palani and Saraswathi Nadar College in Theni.
With much pride, Mr.Sulaiman reveals how Bal Bhavan members invariably make it to a host of cultural programmes organised either by the State Government or at national and international festivals.
"Since we have produced thousands of artistes, it is not possible for us to recognise them all unless they specifically come and tell us that they are our products. We also send them to various competitions all over the country," he adds.
Mr.Sulaiman further shares happily that Bal Bhavan members are regularly taken to Delhi for an audience with the President.
Yet another feather in their cap is that the branch members got the opportunity to give the traditional welcome at the National Children's Day.
M.R. ARAVINDAN
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