Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A Handkerchief For Peace

Friday marked the end of the exams and we all heaved a sigh of relief! (not that we had worked too hard for the exam, but the fact that it was over was enough for us to rejoice...). The school diary came back full with instructions for the coming week - the last week of the current academic year. We have one week of freedom before we begin the new year...Samhith will go proudly to the second standard...after a much awaited holiday.. But more of that later....

Anyway..... my son is great at telling me what happened in the school, but about 15 days of the event! I get to hear of nothing in time, and am usually lost when other parents call me up asking for some clarification. This time, courtesy my having to pick him up during the exams, I heard that the kids were required to bring along a handkerchief on Monday......something I had, of course, no clue about! When I asked him about it, he answered, "Oh Yes, I knew about it.... and forgot to tell you!" Asked what it was for, he hemmed and hawed for a while before telling me that it was something to do with friendship and messages for peace.. and an exhibition about something called, in his words "amma and asha". It took me a while to understand that he meant "Aman ki Asha"- the current cultural peace initiative between India and Pakistan! (of course, the association of ideas was quite clear - 'Aman' became 'amma', the more familiar word, and 'asha' to him meant his aunt of the same name!)

The campaign at present involves writing peace slogans on handkerchiefs, a project involving schools across both countries, and using them to form a rope to be tied across the border over the trademark barbed wires. I read about this in the paper months ago, but had no idea their school was participating in it, and actually thought that it was already over! You can read more about it on their site, and even add a virtual handkerchief  of your own... Check it out here.

As it happens, we had kept Samhith's handkerchief and colours ready, but in the enthusiasm of exams getting over, he took them out to play, and forgot to put them back into the bag! Thankfully, he didn't cry at school when he realised that he didn't have his stuff, especially thanks to the fact that many of his friends had done the same thing! He came home and sat down to decorate his kerchief, all by himself! 

Here is the final result..........



For those of you who need some explanation, there are mountains, a river, a road and a grassy plain, with two children, one handing a rose to another... 

He wanted to take the kerchief to school and give it to his art teacher,but unfortunately, she was absent, and (as I had expected), the date was past, and they did not accept it. Thankfully, this chap did not cry, but brought it back...... To appease him, I told him that I would feature it on the blog, so please guys, encourage him with your comments.....

16 comments:

  1. Good beginning. I can see traces of a "Piccaso" in him. If he can continue and develop his creativity, may be this potential blossoms.

    Good wishes ........... Cheenu

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  2. Your son has a way with art, I always passed drawing because I was good at the other subjects and my art teacher took some mercy on me.

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  3. Beautiful work Samhith.
    the handkerchief looks sooooo goooood

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  4. Good work.. Appreciate his idea of drawing children and rose. And shows he has understood the concept behind this project. Great going Samhith... Best wishes to you.

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  5. Hey Samhith, that's an amazing handkerchief! You should frame it and hang it on your room wall!

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  6. @Cheenu mama: thanks so much! He can really draw well now when he tries.... but just like me,he doesnt want to go for any classes.. which is fine by me..

    @Mridula: that sounds like my hubby..he used to get his art stuff done by his friend :) i was differnt.. used to love drawing, but never obeyed the rules... did what i liked and never accepted any of my sir's suggestions.. after a while he gave up and told my mom to leave me alone too..

    @Sandhya: thanks a lot.. the kerchief will probably come to you in the end

    @Jayasree: thanks! that was the part I too loved about it..... at least he grasped the essence of the thing!

    @nitya:thanks a lot, esp for the suggestion.. his eyes lit up when i read it out to him!

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  7. Very beautiful work and an extremely noble cause! Samhith keep up the good work! You can maybe have him take part in Shruti's(mindfull-meanderings.blogspot.com) next monthly challenge if he is interested in the arts :)

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  8. Ooh, forgot to mention, absolutely heart the smiley's on the mountains!!! :)

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  9. Samhith, you are just too good.. what a budding lil artist! Keep up the good work..

    Anu: Heard and read abt this initiative.. i hope it brings sweeping changes to the way things currently are. (ajcl)

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  10. Way to go, Samhith. The handkerchief looks very beautiful, I hope all those fighting nations understand the concept of "Aman" as well as Samhith has understood.
    Love, Padma.

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  11. Beautiful concept...love it and his school for participating

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  12. hey baby, love the way u take every bad news positively! Keep up the good spirit. of course your drawing is very good!!!! Keep improving and best wishes,

    kanthi

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  13. Samhith, you should show it to Sudhir uncle; he's downstairs. He'll finally believe you when you say you can draw :) Good job!

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  14. Shabaash beta. im the president of geo tv and we loved your peice of art. Jamini Roy watch out!

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  15. Start looking for an agent to manage his works of art - I am happy to resign and become his manager!!! Good to see him getting into art and writing - and the fact that he understood the concept and depicted it - this amazes me.....you have got a budding talent here.....He has come a long way indeed from the last time I have seen him....

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  16. Siva, its just been too long since u saw him! and oh yes, i accept your offer immediately! he will never get an agent better than you!

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