Moodubelle: Awareness Programme through Yakshagana about the Specially Abled Children

By Eugene DSouza, Modubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 22 December 2011: In an attempt to educate the people regarding the problems of the physically challenged children also known as specially abled children and the facilities that are available under various government schemes, the Karnataka State Government has devised a community awareness programme through Yakshagana  since the last three years.through the Public Education Department and Block Education Officer of the Udupi South Zone.

 

Under this programme, the Durga Parameshwari  Yakshagana  Kalaranga, Tantradi-Mandarthi under the leadership of Hirianna Shetty presented “Balina Belaku” , written, directed and acted by Hirianna Shetty himself along with other two artists and background team, in St. Lawrence Composite PU College hall on Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10 am. The audience were the students and staff from three institutions-St. Lawrence Composite PU College, St. Lawrence English Medium High School and Church Aided Higher Primary School.

 

The Yakshagana troupe was accompanied by Lakshmisha- Inclusive Education Resource Teacher (IERT), Mrs. Ravikala-Block Resource Person and Ms. Harini-Special Teacher.

 

Prior to the commencement of the one hour long Yakshagana presentation, IERT Kalshmisha explained the students about the problems of the specially abled children and the need to bring them into the main stream of education.

 

 

Fr. Paul Sequeira, Principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College along with Fr. Lancy Saldanha-Principal of St. Lawrence English medium High School, Mrs. Hilda Aranha-Senior Teacher of St. Lawrence High School and Sylvester Mathais-Senior Teacher of Church Aided Higher Primary school welcomed the Yakshagana team by presenting a flower bouquet.

 

The Yakshagana presentation of “Balina Belaku” was witnessed by the student audience with rapt attention. It is the story of a kind hearted king who wants all his subject to live a happy life. When father of a crippled child, who had lost all hope and worried about the future of his son approaches the king, the king asks his minister to devise means and methods to provide a better life to the crippled child and the family. Accordingly, in a public meeting the minister reads out the charter of all the facilities that the government would provide so that all those children with special ability would be able to attend school and avail the facilities promised by the government.

 

After some year, the king meets the father of the then crippled child dancing with joy. When the king asked the man why he was so happy, the latter said that due to the facilities provided by the king, his son had good education and had become a teacher.

 

The Yakshagana presentation was quite entertaining and the message of the needs of the specially abled children, the facilities available from the government agencies and the way how even these children can be educated and brought into the main stream could be conveyed through the play “Balina Belaku”.