At least 700 schoolchildren from 35 government, aided and unaided schools in Mangalore taluk took a boat on Wednesday to participate in ‘Prathibha Karanji', an annual talent show programme that is part of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan.
They took a boat from the Dhakke in Bunder (the old port) in the city to cross the Phalguni river to reach Kasba Bengre, located between the river and the Arabian Sea. The venue for the event was the Kasba Bengre Government Higher Primary School, which is 15 km away by road from the same point and takes at least 45 minutes to reach by bus.
A banner at the Dhakke welcomed the children to the event. The boat ticket (Rs.4 one-way) was sponsored by Al Madrasathuluddineeya Association, Kasba Bengre, said Mukesh, Assistant Teacher of the school.
The children, from schools in Bajal Nanthoor, Bajal Padpu, Permannur, Babbukatte, Sandpit, Bengre, Ullal and Kallapu, participated in games, group dances such as kolaata, Yakshagana, poetry recitation, singing, and yoga.
Soudha Hafiza, Class 7, Government School, Melangady, was busy reading an English poem for the reading competition while Aysha Afeefa from Peace Public School was waiting for the quiz. Nizamuddin from a school in Bajal Nanthoor said about the Kannada poem he was given, “Sulabha ide, avarige kashta, English.” (It is easy, those who have to read English poems will find it difficult.)
Abdul Rehman Afrid, Class 7, Kasba Bengre School, said his teacher and “akka” (elder sister) had helped him learn a story to narrate. Mohammad Hafeez from the same school said he had practised yogasanas for a week while Razik said he had practised making clay models of the Taj Mahal for the past three days.
Chief guest Haji Hasan, president, Al Madrasathuluddineeya Association, said that children like to come to Kasba Bengre as they get to travel in the boat.
The organisers instructed teachers to ensure the children stayed within the venue. "Children are fond of water but please do not go near the river or the sea,” he said.
Shakunthala Karkera, councillor, Bengre, said that some children were talented but they had the problem of funds and there were obstacles at home so they get no opportunity to show their talents here…”
T. Gopal, Cluster Resource Person (CRP), Bajal Nanthoor cluster, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, said that they had been preparing for the last few weeks to participate in the programme.
Shekhar Suvarna, the other chief guest and member of Bengre Mahajan Sabha, said that while the Government wanted to shutdown Kannada-medium schools as children did not go there, a large number of children are attending the Kannada-medium school in Kasba Bengre, which is notable.
