Pipilika - 2015-2016

Many times our journey with each other starts way before we actually meet.  This interconnectedness allows each one of us to thread in the answers we are seeking, to raise questions, to explore creative spaces within and create a beautiful weave together. Snehadhara has offered us a space for such meetings and dialogues which has added momentum and direction to our own personal journeys. Holding this thought, prayer and aspiration we started , Pipilika this year.  

Through this program we opened our center and ourselves to children and parents and invited them to co-create a learning space with us. This was our Saturday program where we have had facilitators along with the group explore, experiment and experience multi-art forms like music, drama, dance, play, imagination, story sharing, theatre to examine our beliefs, conditionings, strengths and limitations. Pipilika means ants in Sanskrit and is constant reminder to us that at a macroscopic level our efforts remain small contributions to a larger cause but at a more microscopic level, each of us are capable of much more than we can imagine. 

The focus for us this year across our Pipilika program has been to explore the methodology of working with the arts in manifold ways in diverse spaces. The program had three main parts, the overnight experience, the sessions at the centre and the outdoor visits. The overnighters at the centre were designed to allow each child to exhibit independence in taking care of their belongings, self care needs of eating and dressing, setting up their bedding, packing/ unpacking etc. The sessions at the centre have been focused on the following:

Art: To address group interaction, creative expression, cognition and fine motor skills, visual art sessions such as collage making, Mandala, festival decorations, puppet making, zen painting, making cards, modelling with clay etc. have taken place along with activities such as cooking, pottery, drumming etc.

Story telling: Was used as a means to help the group connect to each other through stories that they either told to each other or developed as a group. Stories were used to convey messages and mind mapping to make associations and enhance creative thinking.

Movement for body awareness: Movement and exercise was inevitably a part of each session. Movement was also used as a means to bring about body awareness. A few sessions on expressing emotions and maintaining personal space were conducted using drama and theatre as a medium of communication.

Animal farm play: A very significant experience for the children this year was the exposure to theatre techniques at the centre and then the presentation of the play at Ranga Shankara. The intent was to see how they receive the practices on a regular basis, how they respond to the rigor of a production and how they carry themselves in a social setting.

Outdoor visits: Many outdoor visits were planned when the children stayed over with us on Fridays to expose them to unfamiliar space and situations as a group, adjust to environments that are new and increase independence in managing oneself especially when staying away from home or the centre. We visited many places as a group from parks, temples, overnight houses visits ( Kengeri) to one out of town overnighter (Wedding in Mandya).

We believe that Pipilika has achieved its purpose of providing us a space to explore and develop our own interests and strengths. We intend to take this a step further by collectively bringing these together and taking our many learnings many more children and parents.