Date:25/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/25/stories/2006012517720600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Puppets serve a social cause here

Ramya Kannan

The goal of the project is to spread health and hygiene among children

DIFFERENT PURPOSE: Participants of a puppet-making workshop for anganvadi teachers at Saidapet in Chennai on Monday. — Photo: S. Thanthoni

CHENNAI: This Chennai-based story began with Frenchman Phillipe Fanise.

A pianist, who serves with UNESCO, Fanise was in India in August last year to perform a series of concerts, first in Pune and then in Chennai.

During this period, he developed a great love for the country and its people and wanted to do something for them. Fanise gave a concert in France to raise funds that would go to India to finance a worthwhile project. He channelled the money through Hope in Life Foundation, which also chipped in with its own contribution.

The project got off to a spirited start in Chennai on Monday, with the proceeds going to the Pavai Puppet Centre's workshop for "anganwadi" teachers from the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme.

A total of 25 teachers got together at the Venkatapuram (Saidapet) centre on Monday morning, ready to begin their week snipping, cutting, stitching and gluing together glove puppets. "The goal of the project is to train the teachers in using traditional art forms to share messages about health and hygiene with children who come to their centres," says Diana Schaffter, who helped Fanise identify the project in Chennai.

Simple enough for a theme. Only this time, the teachers themselves will make the puppets to teach their students. And they will also have to script the story and dialogues and set them to music.

Of course, with a little help from Pavai Centre for Puppetry and its founder trustee R. Bhanumathy. "Puppetry has been used effectively with children, though it is the `anganwadi' teachers' first exposure to the medium.

It is also a good medium to take the message to the people," she says, as she helps to snip off a square of yellow sponge.

The excited participants made their puppets on the first day and will follow it up with story creation on the second day.

Even as the participants explain how the puppets could help them spread the message of health, sanitation and hygiene, curious children wander in through the open doors of the anganwadi centre at Venkatapuram, enticed by the colour, ribbons and evolving puppets. Though only half complete, the puppets are a great hit with their makers and the kids.