DumDum Rhythmscape and Aashiyana recently organised a dance programme, as an initiative to develop the overall growth of children as they get accustomed with Bengali culture. The hall was filled with parents and was bustling with the presence of guests of honour, notable among them Ms. Sweeya Santipitaks, the Royal Thai Consul-General of Kolkata and actor Parambrata Chatterjee.
Parambrata Chatterjee, upon being felicitated recounted his own childhood as he spoke of his hobbies of reading books or singing, “Bengali culture has always harboured art. The quest to find an amalgamation of development of art and culture and engage young children of the orphanage is highly praiseworthy.”
A performance by Drabin Chatterjee as a tribute to the late Rituparno Ghosh called “Antare Rituparno Aj O” was witnessed by the audience. A semi-classical dance production based on Rabindranath Tagore’s Bhanushingher Padabali called Krishnapriya was performed by Dumdum Rhythmscape. The highlight of the event was the performance of tiny tots of Aashiyana orphanage , which shelters little girls who have dealt the cruelest blow thrown by fate.
Speaking about the need to be more considerate to young children who are born as orphans or become orphans, David who is the founder of Aashiyana along with Joyce is a beacon of hope for the children of the orphanage. Speaking about an incident, “A young baby girl wrapped in a dirty towel was found in the street and as we took her in, she grew up to be an enthusiastic and happy kid. That young baby was now five-years-old and was a participant of the dance programme.”
It is unimaginable being born in this world where you cannot hold the hand of your mother or find support from your father. With an uncertain future looming at their faces, children born as orphans find themselves in the midst of poverty.
Occasions where children are celebrated emphasises on the need to recognise a child as a blooming gift filled with innocence and mirth. Children of the orphanage were seated in the hall and their laughter was prevalent as their peers performed on stage.