Could you capture the spirit and essence of your city? Have you ever thought of looking past the concrete jungles and motor fumes that are so much a part of your everyday life? Or given a thought to the rich cultural heritage that your city, no matter where in India you are, must have?
These five children have done that — and a bit more!
Srishti Soni, a student at DPS Varanasi, was always conscious of the heritage of her city and the patronage it thus enjoys. But what this Class IX student did not realise were the pros that she, as a citizen, could have. For instance, the lure and mystery of the ghats of Varanasi got her a place in the second edition of My City, My History. An initiative of Fox History and Entertainment channel in alliance with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), this programme encouraged school children to discover historical treasures in their respective cities, which in turn could help them to learn a lot more about the streets they walked on every day.
In retrospect, this programme was perhaps a reason for kids to look inside their cities and take a peek at the people and lifestyles that inhabit them.
And so, if Srishti found the ghats of Varanasi alluring, Raksha Rai of Deorali Girls Senior Secondary School, Sikkim, was spellbound by Sakewa — a traditional dance form in her area. Ayush Ganapathy from the Coorg Public School, Kodag, Karnataka, on the other hand, found his muse in his own family — the warrior clan of Puliyanda.
Ayush is quick to explain, “I am really Puliyanda Ayush Ganapathy.” Sharing a glimpse of his connections to the Nalnad Palace, this youngster goes on to proudly clarify, “Some believe that the fierce features and attitude of our ancestors gave them the name Puliyanda. As the Kongalva rulers of Kerala said in Malayalam — ‘they (the Puliyandas) have a tiger’s build and are equally courageous!’”
My City, My History reached out to over 10 lakh children in over 1,000 schools (aged bet-ween 11-15 and in Classes VI-IX) from all 28 states in India.
The final five winners, came from Auranga-bad, Kochi, Kodag, Sikkim and Varanasi, and were the lucky ones to bag the opportunity of filming their own stories. These films will now be aired on the Fox History and Entertainment channel in March. And to top it all, since the film-makers are novices, the channel will get these kids guidance from a professional film-maker who will steer them through the whole process!
For Khan Tauseef Ahmed of Class IX, Little Flower High School, Aurangabad, participation in the programme goes beyond getting a trophy and national recognition. “Before the contest, I had a near-zero interest in history as a subject. But, this victory at the contest has made me interested in history and geography. If my area is home to so many interesting and unheard of historic treasures and legends, think about what the myriad other places scattered all over India must hold!” he says excitedly.
Rohini Mohan of Delta Study School, Kochi, has a fairly similar view. “I think this contest also created a sense of belonging in all of us. In my city, a major percentage of people have come from other places, and so fail to call Kochi ‘their city’. Being able to be a part of this show has certainly empowered me to help these people realise what they are missing out on,” she says happily.
Today, these kids know where their cities stand in their hearts. How about you?