It’s commonplace to listen to classical tunes from inside a yellow bus parked within the leafy bylanes of Napean Sea Highway. Step inside and what you see is a brightly lit classroom with vibrant posters. The scholars are kids from the slums of Shimla Nagar in Napean Sea Highway. Performed twice every week, The Sound Area on Wheels is a bus that navigates by way of the slums of Mumbai to show Indian classical music to the kids who stay there. This distinctive enterprise by Mumbai-based sisters Kamakshi and Vishala Khurana makes an attempt to carry some artistic and enjoyable moments within the lives of the underprivileged kids. Each sisters maintain a level in psychology and a Visharad (thought-about equal to a Bachelor’s diploma in music) in Hindustani music.
The Khurana sisters don’t recollect a particular time of their childhood after they had been initiated into music. It was part of every little thing they did. From studying tables to serving to their mom within the kitchen — every little thing had a rhythm to it. Whereas finding out music from her father and different gurus, Kamakshi additionally dabbled in educating music to kids and creating attention-grabbing studying modules to maintain them engaged. “Anticipating three to 4 yr previous kids to sit down and study music shouldn’t be going to work. It’s not the way forward for artwork training. Except, after all, they’re are obsessed with it. However how do you carry them to some extent the place they study and likewise take pleasure in themselves? So I constructed a curriculum that concerned not simply music but in addition different issues comparable to storytelling,” says Kamakshi.
The Music on Wheels bus
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Just a few years down the road, Vishala joined in and the sisters launched The Sound Area, an organization that creates and runs specialised music workshops and coaching periods in a few of the most high-end faculties in Mumbai. Nevertheless it was the pandemic that gave start to the concept of The Sound Area on Wheels. “Throughout Covid, we had on-line courses for our common college students from faculties and houses. Some even despatched their kids in vehicles with their nannies. That set me pondering — what are kids, who can’t afford to enrol themselves in courses, doing with their time? They’re principally entering into issues they don’t wish to. So we thought why not give them 45 minutes every week of pleasure. A secure house to return to and takeaway glad emotions for the entire week,” says Kamakshi. So the sisters approached Eicher Motors for a bus they might take round Mumbai and educate music to kids. After months of shows and discussions the auto main stepped in with a bus with remodelled interiors. The enterprise kickstarted with crowdfunding in 2023.
A category in progress
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The Sound Area on Wheels bus isn’t any unusual bus. Devoid of any seats, the carpeted interiors are lined with guitars, ukuleles, djembes, tabla and different percussion instruments and decked out with vibrant posters. Because the clock strikes 5 pm, a stream of youngsters aged 6-14 trickle in and take their place contained in the bus. The 45 minute class is carried out by ‘didis’ (music lecturers recruited by Kamakshi and Vishala) utilizing songs and props. The session ends with listening to some calming music.
The Sound Area on Wheels is not only a music programme insists Kamakshi. “The intention is to not make singing stars. It’s a category the place they study language abilities, cognitive and socio-emotional abilities, cultures of assorted international locations, focus, and so forth. These are issues they’ll by no means study at school. And all they must do is come out of their properties and step into the bus.” When the sisters spot expertise they choose them up for specialised coaching and to be part of the music live shows they put collectively. At present, the bus travels to slums areas within the Malabar Hill, Napean Sea Highway and Worli.
Kamakshi and Vishala Khurana throughout a efficiency
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Funding Woes
Whereas Eicher is able to roll out the second bus, the ladies are holding again due to lack of funds. Previously, enterprise homes comparable to Piramal and Zerodha, have funded the courses which have recurring prices like gas, salaries for lecturers and driver, parking expenses, and restore and upkeep. “The south Bombay youngsters are very impressed by the undertaking. College students from The Cathedral and John Connon Faculty in Fort put up a music present and raised funds. One in every of our music college students held a bake sale and donated the cash to us. Some even volunteer to show. So it’s a neighborhood undertaking,” says Vishala.
Discovering the correct of lecturers is one other herculean job. “There are various music lecturers however we’re in search of lecturers who’re prepared to work with us on elevating consciousness amongst kids by way of music. It excessive time educators receives a commission effectively so that they have a cause to work effectively. We’re agency with our lecturers on how they converse with the kids, their tone and physique language.”
The duo can also be at present in search of sponsors for meals for the kids, which is able to give them extra causes to return to the category.
Printed – September 30, 2024 05:28 pm IST
