Girisha KR

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA will engage fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students of Government Boys Higher Primary School in Melukote, Mandya district in exploring the flora and fauna of Melukote town through Environmental Theatre techniques, and connecting it to their curriculum in languages, social science, science, and environmental studies. Girisha KR will be the Coordinator for this project. 

Girisha KR is a theatre practitioner from Mandya district. He has pursued a Diploma in Theatre Arts from Sri Shivakumara Ranga Prayoga Shale, Sanehalli. He has been working with various theatre groups across Mandya. He is a founder member of Drushya(R) Trust in Melukote. Girisha has training in Kalaripayattu from Kerala, and conducts various theatre and Kalaripayattu workshops for children in and around his village. Given his experience he is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA.      

Melukote is the birthplace of a prominent Kannada poet and playwright PT Narasimhachar, commonly known as PuTiNa. This town is an important historical and religious centre. Recently discovered line drawings on a boulder at Melukote as well as the burials called Pandavara gavi on the hill range show that this was a habitation site of the Megalithic people. Local legends often refer to this town with many names such as Narayanadri, Vedadri, Yadavadri, and Yatishaila. Therefore, till today this town is referred to by different names in Karnataka. The aesthetics of this place lies in some of the excellent sculptures, carvings, and architectural structures. 

The Government Boys Higher Primary School in Melukote has a history of more than hundred years. Fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students of this school will be involved in this project to explore the various learning possibilities through environmental theatre and intimate theatre. Girisha will encourage the students to collect local stories and songs from their parents and local community members, and undertake a mapping activity of the famous sites and landmarks in the town. Novels and short stories on environment by PuTiNa and Poornachandra Tejaswi will be distributed to the students. Reading and writing sessions will be conducted by scholars and practitioners invited by Girisha. This activity will inform students about their local ecology and also improve their communication skills. 

The project has a series of field visits and site-specific activities to engage students in arts integrated approaches based on the topics from their curriculum. Students will explore the rich biodiversity of this place by learning about the rare species like Memecylon plant, Southern Rustic butterfly, Bamboo Pit Viper (snake), Brown Rock Pipit (resident bird), and Ultramarine Flycatcher (migratory bird). Melukote is home to more than 150 species of butterflies. Students will visit these hills and explore their findings through drawings and paintings. 

In the next phase of the project, Girisha will invite local folk artists in the region to engage students with the stories about the folk ritualistic practices and art, as well as learn Kolata dance form which is largely practiced here. Since Girisha is a professional Kalaripayattu artist, he will also engage students with this art form and teach them some basic movements of Kalaripayattu. All these activities will culminate into a performance at the end of the project. 

The outcome of the project will be a performance in the presence of school staff and villagers. The deliverables to IFA with the final report will include still and video documentation of the process, and performance.

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Education programme in the manner in which it attempts to help students connect their school curriculum to their local environment, stories from the regions they inhabit, and communities they live with.

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.