Basavaraj

This Foundation Project implemented by India Foundation for the Arts, engages sixth grade students of PM Shri Government Model Higher Primary School in SM Krishnanagar, Betageri, Gadag district, through an arts-based initiative centred on the Panchatantra Stories of Durgasimha. The project introduces students to these stories through storytelling, theatre, poetry, drawing, painting, handicrafts, and other creative activities that complement their curriculum in science, social science, and language. Basavaraj is the Coordinator for this project. 

Basavaraj aka Basavaraj G Nelajeri, an artist from Gadag, holds a postgraduate degree in MFA Applied Arts, and has also received training in theatre. With a keen interest in drama, storytelling, poetry, visual arts, and performing arts, he has spent the past twenty years nurturing artistic interests among children. He has directed several children's plays, organised theatre, storytelling, and poetry workshops at the state level, and consistently provided visual arts training to children, helping them develop their personalities through creative activities aligned with the school curriculum. He has also received awards for excellence in theatre direction. Given his extensive experience in arts education and work with children, he is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA.

Durgasimha was one of the prominent poets of old Kannada literature. His Panchatantra is an important Champu literary work composed in a combination of prose and poetry. Serving as a military commander under the Chalukya king Jagadekamalla, Durgasimha translated the Sanskrit Panchatantra, composed by Vasubhagabhatta, into Kannada. His teacher was Shankarabhatt, and he lived in Kisunadu, in present-day Gadag district. At the command of his ruler, he also arranged for the construction of Harihara temples in the region. His Panchatantra comprises five sections addressing the themes of Bheda (Division), Pariksha (Examination), Vishwasa (Trust), Vanchana (Deception), and Mitrakarya (The Work of Friendship). Featuring animals and birds, these stories combine entertainment with lessons in political wisdom, practical judgement, ethical conduct, and human relationships. The poet's use of literary embellishments and proverbs makes the narratives engaging and accessible to readers of different ages. These stories offer valuable opportunities to introduce students to Kannada literature while encouraging creativity, imagination, critical thinking, and moral understanding.

Through this project, students will explore Durgasimha's Panchatantra as a medium for developing storytelling skills, literary appreciation, and artistic expression. They will learn to create and narrate stories, understand narrative structures and techniques, and explore the creative possibilities of storytelling. The project aims to integrate literature and the arts with classroom learning, making the curriculum more engaging and accessible. By participating in a range of arts-based activities, students will be encouraged to develop their creativity, imagination, communication skills, and confidence. The project will also provide alternative avenues of learning for students with conventional classroom methods, enabling them to participate actively and discover new ways of understanding and expressing ideas.

In the first phase, students will be introduced to Durgasimha as a storyteller and poet, alongside contemporary stories and works by other writers relevant to the project's theme. They will examine how stories are constructed, exploring their themes, characters, narrative styles, and the roles played by animals, birds, plants, trees, and human beings. Through guided creative exercises, the Project Coordinator will help students develop their imagination and construct their own stories inspired by the Panchatantra. The project will then connect storytelling with concepts from science, social science and language curriculum, encouraging them to communicate their understanding through oral presentations, poetry, and music. Local and curriculum-related themes will also be adapted into theatrical presentations. These may include Kannada texts such as Gadha Kattalu Mattu Gummagalu and Kittur Kesu, local Siddharoodha's fair, and the unification of Karnataka. Students will be guided in writing stories, poems, and plays based on their classroom learning, with resource persons invited to conduct workshops and support their creative writing and the development of articles for final publication.

In the second phase, students will participate in storytelling and poetry workshops that encourage them to imagine, develop, and write their own stories. These original narratives will subsequently be adapted into visual art and theatre, allowing students to explore different ways of interpreting and presenting their ideas. They will learn about the literary value and diversity of stories, the development of narrative structures, and the use of descriptive language and visual details. Experienced practitioners will conduct workshops on creative writing and specialised writing techniques, while appropriate media and presentation methods will be used to stage and share the students' work. These activities are expected to strengthen students' language abilities, observation, sensitivity, and artistic skills. As part of a field visit, students will travel to Shalavadi in Gadag district, identified as Durgasimha's birthplace, to gather information about the poet and his legacy through interactions with local residents. This experience will help develop their communication, observation, and research skills while deepening their understanding of the region's cultural heritage.

The project will further expand students' artistic experiences by adapting stories into theatrical productions and providing training in acting, stage design, mask-making, singing, and visual expression through drawing and painting. Students will also explore murals, sculpture, plaster-of-paris work, clay modelling, and handicrafts. Training in costume design, makeup, and the navarasas will help them understand the relationship between artistic expression, performance, and storytelling. These skills will be connected to their curriculum and creative work, encouraging them to apply classroom knowledge through practical and collaborative activities. Local artists, writers, and practitioners will be invited throughout the project to conduct workshops and share their expertise, while schoolteachers will participate in the activities and artistic processes. The project will culminate in a theatre performance showcasing the students' learning and creative work, and a selection of student-written articles will be published in a project handbook. Overall, the initiative seeks to nurture students' literary and artistic interests, encourage experimentation with ideas and materials, and demonstrate how arts-based learning can enrich their education, strengthen their confidence, and contribute to their personal development.

The outcome of the project will be a publication and a theatrical performance in the school premise. The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA with the final report will include a copy of the publication, photographs and video documentation of the entire project. 

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Education programme in the manner in which it attempts to connect students and schools to the cultural knowledge of the regions they inhabit and communities they live in. 

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.