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Snehadhara features on The Hindu yet again....

Bangalore, January 6, 2014

An alternate rhythm

RASHIKA MAJUMDAR

The Hindu Different drum: Snehadhara uses visual arts to help children express themselves. Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

Arts-based therapy centres that use music and dance to help the differently abled are making their presence in Bangalore.

Music, art and dance is all it takes to connect mind, body and soul. When these expressive arts help the differently-abled overcome their challenges and express their voices, Art-Based Therapy (ABT) becomes an important and powerful tool

A home for everyone

Snehadhara, an ABT centre in JP Nagar uses multi-arts to help its students with motor, language and speech, cognitive, sensory and social skills. Research to refine and improve methodologies using ABT is also carried out at the centre.

The foundation, started in December 2012, uses voice, language, songs, dance, drama, puppetry, story-telling, drumming, music and visual arts to help children and adolescents with skills and self- expression. It works with differently-abled children and adults, their caregivers and parents.

“The differently-abled seem to experience the world in their own ways as their perceptual world varies from ours,” says Gitanjali Sarangan, the director of Snehadhara Foundation. “We can make learning a fun filled creative journey for them with the help of music, songs, drama, plays in different languages and visual arts.” The organization has 10 facilitators and seven caregivers who engage the students in different activities on a daily basis. A unique feature is the Oota Thota, an activity which encourages students to prepare food from scratch as a form of therapy.

“When students go out with us and buy the necessary ingredients, it helps to build their sense of weights and measures. The smell, the taste and cooking helps develop their sensory perceptions,” Gitanjali adds.

Pallavi Chander, a therapist at Snehadhara feels art lies in the process and not the product. She and other facilitators use dramatics, storytelling and role-play to help children.

“For instance, while staging a drama every aspect from script, costumes, stage props to backstage activities and performing can be deconstructed to achieve a certain physical or emotional goal and help one overcome a certain challenge.”

On a new note

Vocal, instrumental and rhythmic movements in music and musical instruments can be applied to achieve developmental goals in autism. With this conviction, Ganesh Anantharaman heads the Sampoorna Music Therapy Center for Children with Autism in Horamavu. With 11 students and four therapists, the organisation completes its first year in January. Their focus is developing skills in social, emotional, motor and cognitive areas for children in the spectrum through a structured, wide-ranging and long-term music intervention program.

“Music and movement therapy evokes the innate desire and motivation for self-expression and self-regulation in children on the spectrum. This expression seems to be a reward in itself, an affirmation of the personhood of each child,” writes Anantharaman in an article on a web magazine, The Alternative. Individual and group sessions are conducted for children at the centre with a different module depending on each child’s need. Group sessions involve instrumental improvisations and singing. “A child who in February, would only play instruments and listen to the instructor, can now hum and sing. Another child who had speech difficulties can now sing full lines of a song. The progress varies in each child,” says Shruthi V Kumar, a therapist at Sampoorna.

Using rhythm and movement

Studio for Movement Arts and Therapies at Richmond Town has initiated art and movement therapy programmes for children with learning disabilities in Bangalore since 2010. Movement is used as a medium to gain access to the sub conscious and thoughts for a positive change. The centre also provides an intensive one-year certificate training course for creative arts therapy and organises workshops for therapists.

“Every child is different and before designing any activity, we first assess the child. The activity is goal oriented and depends where the child is on the spectrum. These activities help develop his gross and fine motor skills,” says Brinda Jacob Janvrin, founder of the centre. “Some autistic children respond well to music, while others might not. Sometimes, it takes months to help the child maintain eye-contact. It is a slow and effective process which may take about a year to show results,” she adds. Just like any form of therapy, ABT too requires time and patience. With care and long-term programs like these, children and adults with various difficulties can be empowered to use the arts to express their world.

'Pipilika People'

Pipilika as a program started with the intent to have parents experience the arts with their children. The seeds were sown from multiple requests from parents who were for one curious to know what their children were up to at the centre. 

Considering the arts have always been a rich source for learning in India. We have only started scratching the surface in looking at the ‘Arts’ for ‘Therapy’. It has only made its entry as a form of ‘therapy’, a couple of years ago. 

As a team, hands on experience with the arts and children have constantly kept us on the move, recharging our batteries along the way. The experiences seem to seep into many layers within, that have triggered a sense of order within mindful chaos. There was a need to bridge that gap for parents. We had to awaken our subliminal inertia, experience the magical churning within, enjoy it with acceptance and it was important to do this together. Ideally speaking, every child requires meaningful and holistic learning spaces, which we believe is possible if all those engaging with a child is somewhere on the same page. It was imperative to share this learning space with our direct beneficiaries, having jumped into that stream, we had to learn to swim together.
For parents, the main intent of the program was to give themselves at least two hours a week to ‘let go’, ‘be at ease’ and experience the arts in a safe and comfortable space of acceptance. 

This year the program has been extended as a training and capacity building program for the entire team and the support staff. By creating a window for collective experiential learning of the arts; the program has given us a neutral space to sync up on our creative energies as a larger team. We have seen some rather unexpected sides to each other. The openness of the support staff to sessions have sometimes thrown us off guard but most often been humbling.   

 

After a years’ process of learnings and unlearnings through months of trial and error, the program has taken on a more fluid form this year. Besides the usual suspects of in-house facilitators, we have invited external facilitators; experts in their fields to conduct regular sessions. As we unfold this process of learning their constant inputs and feedback have enriched the program with new insights and ideas.    

We have been blessed to have Sumathi Ramjee, Arts Based therapist and Ashirwad Acharekar, percussionist and Carnatic singer facilitate some wonderful yet introspective sessions on visual arts, music and drumming.

Vikram Shidhar, Ratnakar Baggi, Ravi Srinivasan and frequent flyers from Space Theatre Ensemble - Goa for creating fun- out-of-the-box sessions on storytelling, theatre and play.

 The last three slots have seen sessions exploring impromptu costume parties to one-min skits, playing traditional board games and hopscotch during sessions on theatre and play to introspective and personal sharing of stories with storytelling, we created myriad paintings and played with our shadows to create puppets, got messy making funny shaped pots during pottery and cooked date biscuits and spicy mixtures,  baked rainbow sprinkled cupcakes and cookies, hopped and skipped while we tried hard to keep in-sync during sessions on folk dances and created foot tapping rhythms during sessions on music and movement. We have also had special sessions on rubik's cube to masks, mirrors, film-screenings, outdoor visits and more. It truly has been a rich cauldron for us to meet the arts and experience it together.   

A special feature introduced this year are regular over-nighters once every slot. Children from the Pipilika program stay overnight with the regular program children. It has been a small yet important milestone for the parents more so than the children. Children eased-in with fun activities, dinner and bedtime while most parents took some time to ease out for a few hours without their lil’ wonders by their side. 

With this collective spirit of learning and experiencing the arts together, we would like to extend our gratitude to all the parents, facilitators, care-givers and all those visible and invisible people who have made Pipilika possible. 
 
 Few words from our 'Pipilika People'
  'Pipilika is a space of possibilities, a space which allows you to be you.  The different art forms that we play with are like mirrors in which we get to see ourselves; touch something deep within which the clever mind doesn't have an access to. Here the children are the teachers, the teachers are the students, the parents are the pillars and the support staff are the bridges. Pipilika, you rock!' - Ashirwad Acharekar, Facilitator

'Pipilika has helped put myself out there, openly share my thoughts and it gives me a lot to think about through the week. I often go back home and try'em out.'  - Manasa, facilitator-in-training

'Nannege thumba santhosha aguthaide. nanu idhu schoodays alli maduthaide. Threga eega madhanee antha thumba kooshi aguthadei. Nanneege lifeali theruga athtra baruthe antha ankondela' - Shiela, support-staff

 ('It makes me very happy, i did most of these things in my schooldays. Even in my widest dreams I didn't think I would be allowed to be a child again. I didn't think I would get that experience that in my life again') 

'Opened the doors to freedom, breaking limiting beliefs and uninhibited expression of all that you feel at the moment.'  - Achuta, parent and facilitator

'A mood, a dance, a swaying song,

A space that's surreal and yet so real,

Where I receive much more than I give,

A lesson or two on how to live,

Be it Ahan's statutory warning,

Or Arvind's joyous being,

Or Shivesh's thoughtful chuckling,

Or Karthik's mindful humming,

The cent percent total participation,

From the entire staff congregation,

The awakening of the inner child in us,

Making every moment momentous,

Such is the magical space of Piplika,

My heartfelt gratitude to Snehadhara!' 

- Sumathi Ramjee - Facilitator

Happy Birthday Snehadhara...

Wishes that came our way…

“Congrats Gita!  The work you folks are doing is just AMAZING!” - Regards, Raghavan

“Congrats geetu..we'll continue to support u.”- Vivek

“Congrats! All the Best!!” - With kind regards, CA. R Mahesh Iyer PCC-ICF

“Congratulations on the milestone.

Yes. We are here to support the dreamers.

This world needs more people like you.”  

Cheers

-       Ghansyam and Ashwini

“Congrats Geeta....absolutely passionate!” -Atul Shah

“Congratulations on all the wonderful work you are doing along with the team. May all your aspirations to heal manifest and may you get all resources to make it happen. May Snehadhara foundation bring loving kindness and wisdom to all associated with it. You are doing a good job.”

Thank you 

Warm regards

- Asha (WCCLF Team)

“Hearty Congratulations on your achievement. Hats off to your determination and courage. May god bless u and the kids. 

Wish and hope to support u in all respects wherever u will need.”

-Suvarna 

Dear Pallavi, Geetu and EVERYONE at Snehadhara, 

Happy Birthday! 

All the best to the entire team of Snehadhara...

"The space between people working together is filled with conflict, friction, strife, exhilaration, delight and vast creative potential"  

Bruce Mau

Thank you for all the love,

See you guys soon... 

wishes from Dr Seuss... 'Oh, the places you'll go'...Today is your day....

Love, 

Space Theatre Ensemble

Dear Snehadhara Team, 

“Thank you for your vision, relentless pursuit and unflinching effort in shaping the institution. We congratulate all of you for the years' achievements and marvellous experiences and learning to Naren and all of us (Vijaya, Ananth and me).” 

“We wish the birthday girl best wishes as we embark on another exciting year ahead. We are so glad to be part of Snehadhara.” 

Warm regards,

-Sundar

“Happy birthday to u, happy b`day to uuuuuuuu, haaaaaappppyb`dddddaaayyyy to dear SNEHADHARA.

 Wow!!!!! Must say the story is wonderful and iam able to connect to it.

 Thanx a million dear for this and many more that u have given to me as a mother to my angel, sister, friend, well wisher and I don’t know what more!!!!!!

Good luck and we will keep going together.”

 Loads of luv

-Rajitha

“Congratulations on turning one. Thank u for letting us into Snehadhara family and making us see life differently because I did not know people like u live in this world. Thank u once again and making US part of your dream and also see u achieve it”

- Shobitha

“Great work is done by people who are not afraid of taking risks!!!!!!!.

Today, you have proved in every possible way that your enthusiasm and zeal has made this one year memorable and worthwhile. Everybody dares to dream but very few people dare to turn it into a reality.”

“Congratulations on your little baby turning one. Wishing you lots & lots of success for your future!!!”

Cheers,

-MallikaKesavan 

From our board members,

To the Wonderful ones at Snehadhara

As we usher ourselves into the next year of working in Snehadhara, WE, as an association cannot help but look at the following words.....

"Sometimes a man hits upon a place to which he mysteriously feels that he belongs."

-W. Somerset Maugham.

And we all felt somewhere that we BELONGED to this wonderful place called Snehadhara...and hence the flow of love started...a year ago...

Today we all feel happy and proud for being here, for having overcome all the odds, for holding on despite adversities and for just being there, hanging on calmly even when matters took a worse turn.

Kudos to the entire team led by Geetu and her wonderful teachers, support staffs and drivers. You all have stood like a mountain in the storm and steered your way through the ferocious waves. You are touching the lovely beings around you with your tender words, care and love.

Gandhi said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world and you are the change.” We are blessed and proud to be associated with all of you.

Each one of you is unique, talented, a bundle of gifts and your presence lights up our lives. Each of you has devoted your time, your precious moments and your special talents to make and create special moments for OUR children and Adults in Snehadhara. You have overcome your personal odds, left behind your problems at home and have been here WHOLEHEARTEDLY to create this beautiful world. Each one of you have sometimes not eaten, sometimes have undergone unavoidable physical non intentional hardships, the sneers of the neighbors and yet you have  decided to stay on...and come the next day for work....We sometimes wonder ---is it love, is it divinity, is it worship or is it something more  which brings you all back together???Whatever it is, let this candle which dispels darkness, keep burning forever... 

A few years down, these lovely kids and adults would be on their own facing the world independently..What a great moment it would be for this team....OUR TEAM.

We complete one full eventful, great year...three cheers and hip hip hurray for all of us,

As we, Trustees and advisories, volunteers and supporters, salute Snehadhara team; let us ponder over these words of Robert Frost...

THE WOODS ARE LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP,

BUT I HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP

AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP

AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP...

Let this work go on and on...