Narratives

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION-PART 1

Project 8754 Category:   8. Local Music and Art Forms 

Project Title: LSA’s tribute to 100 years of Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol

URL of your Project Web Site: https://lsakolcyberfair.wixsite.com/aboltabol

URL of your Project Bibliography Page: https://lsakolcyberfair.wixsite.com/aboltabol/bibliography

URL of School Web Site (optional): https://lsakolkata.com/      

Date Project was Finished: 15th March, 2024

Name of School or Educational Institution: Lakshmipat Singhania Academy         

Name of District: Kolkata 

City: Kolkata

State or Province: West Bengal

Country: India        

Names of the teachers and/or classes that participated: All teachers and students of Classes 1 to 9 and Class 11          

How many students worked on this project? Approximately 50     

Ages of students who worked on this project: 5 years – 17 years

Project Contact Email: contact2lsa@gmail.com     

Years Your School or Organization has participated in International Schools CyberFair. 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 

 

Description of "Our Community"

Kolkata, the city of joy, is one of the biggest homes to culture in India. The city is known for its enthusiastic approach towards festivals and tradition. Despite the various castes and communities that dwell here, the city projects a picture of sheer harmony and joy. In Kolkata, you find solace, peace and your true calling. Whether it be the old age community living together celebrating Durga Puja like a strong knit family, or the Anglo Indian community in Bow Barracks decorating their homes on Christmas to show the world their culture still lives. Whether it be the Potter community of Kumartuli toiling in the sun to give the world the most exquisite ceramic pots or the fishermen in Babughat working all day for the fishes that define the city's cuisine. Kolkata has almost different worlds within itself, and you see them blend when we celebrate. Be it a cricket match or the FIFA World Cup, you'll always find a lane decorated with flags, even if it might not belong to our own country. Such is the passion here and such are the lives we lead. The city has the sweetest dialect and even sweeter people. And it all lies in the mutual feeling of finding it our home. At Lakshmipat Singhania Academy (LSA) we learn how to interact with local communities and celebrate each of them. It is a true privilege to live among such rich cultures and LSA not only helps us recognize its importance but also encourages us to help those communities. Together, we aim to bring change for those who live near our homes as well as hearts.

 

Summary of Our Project

In the fabric of a society, lies the vibrant thread of community and culture. If home is to the heart, then local culture is to the society, serving as the beating pulse of well-being. Kolkata, rightly called the City of Joy, keeps art, literature and music, very close to its heart. A stalwart who made the City of Joy more joyous would be Sukumar Ray, the master of Bengali nonsense literature. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the modern world, Sukumar Ray's whimsical creations remind us to embrace the beauty of the nonsensical and find solace in his creativity, be it with wordplay, humour or linguistic quirks! This digital wonderland is a realm like no other, where words dance playfully and imagination knows no bounds, enchanting readers of eight to eighty! This treasure trove of nonsense verse celebrates the centenary of Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol, with analysis and expert comment by various luminaries, Abol Tabol and the Western literary circle, creative interpretations through Lakshmipat Singhania Academy and Kolkata’s tribute to the legend among many others. Through this project, the team has embarked upon a pun riddled-fun fiddled journey where logic takes a back seat, and the whimsical reigns supreme as Abol Tabol becomes a canvas upon which thoughts are painted with hues of delight, laughter, and everything in between.

 

Our Computer/Internet Access

A) Percentage of students using the Internet at home: 100%         

B) Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom: 48  

C) Connection speed used in the classroom: Dedicated Connection  

D) Number of years your classroom has been connected to the Internet: 28  

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION-PART 2

Problems We Had to Overcome

The students were very excited about this project from the very beginning. However, in terms of obstacles, the only hindrance was that Sukumar Ray’s original piece is in Bengali language and to cater that content for an international audience we had to choose his translated works. Through our initiatives we have tried to keep the essence intact in the best possible way. Also we had done interviews with reputed personalities and getting their time/ appointment was an uphill task. But as the theme of International CyberFair 2024 says – Collaborate and Unite, as a team we have been successful to achieve it.

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Our Project Sound Bite

Keeping the spirit high of the theme for International CyberFair 2024 – Collaborate and Unite , everyone involved in this project learnt immensely from the stalwarts, reconnected to their roots and relearned the lessons of days gone by.

 

PROJECT ELEMENTS-PART 3

How did your activities and research for this International Schools CyberFair project support content standards, required coursework and curriculum requirements?

Through this project, the entire team learnt about the local culture and community, the rich heritage of Bengali literature and its contribution to the world. This project was skillfully designed as a part of the curriculum and involved community members like grandparents, parents, teachers, peers and renowned personalities. The usage of internet was massive as many interviews were conducted over online platforms.

 

What information tools and technologies did you use to complete your CyberFair project?

For our CyberFair project, we employed a diverse range of tools and technologies to ensure its success. Our toolkit encompassed everything from traditional computers to visits to museums. Here's how we utilized these resources:

1. PCs and Laptops: These were indispensable for conducting research, organizing data, and editing videos. They served as our primary workstations throughout the project.

2. Applications: We leveraged a variety of applications such as Google Drive, Zoom, YouTube, and Video Editor. These platforms facilitated seamless information sharing, virtual meetings, and video compilation and editing.

3. Interviews: Conducting interviews was a cornerstone of our project, serving as our primary source of information. This method allowed us to gather firsthand insights and perspectives on our topic.

4. Audio-Visual Equipment: Devices like microphones and headphones were essential for ensuring clear communication and effective dialogue delivery during interviews. Cameras were utilized for recording visuals, while smartphones aided in additional research and project-related activities.

5. Scanner: The device is used to scan all No objection letters, feedback from the participants and the viewer. 

6. Google Search Engine: As a ubiquitous information tool, Google Search proved invaluable for accessing a vast array of online resources and information relevant to our project.

Additionally, our project involved a visit to the Nehru Children’s Museum, where we explored an embroidery exhibition commemorating the 100 years of Sukumar Ray’s "Abol Tabol". This experience enriched our understanding of our topic and provided valuable insights for our project.

In essence, our CyberFair project benefited immensely from the strategic integration of various technologies and tools, enabling us to conduct thorough research, create engaging content, and effectively communicate our findings to our audience.

 

In what ways did your students act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

Students are always excited in participating at the International CyberFair because of its international presence, reconnecting to the roots and interacting with important personalities. The students researched well to zero in on the list of people they wanted to interview. They also attended literary fests to grab their contact and establish a communication. Successfully they were able to convince a few and later arranged interview either in person or online to further add to the resource material.

For any academic institution, parents are a great source of wealth. Their words act like motivation. In this edition of CyberFair, the parents teamed up with the students to bring out some of the best productions. Indeed this is a project of creating and collaborating together.

The guests were extremely happy to know that the students are working on this topic and that too for a prestigious competition. Their focus was to help this young bunch of people to go back to literature and know the rich heritage of it.

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What has been or will be the impact of your project on your community?

Through this project the students have been able to connect and collaborate with parents, grandparents, cousins and relatives, teachers, professionals and their peers. The videos uploaded on our website show the rich variety in community connection and hitting the bull’s eye with the content.

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Will your project make a difference?

Sukumar Ray's Abol Tabol was first published on September 19, 1923 a few days after his death. Since then it has been educating and entertaining millions of children over the years. This year while celebrating the centenary of this book and his writings, the entire community and people of Bengal, India are coming even closer to take this to a newer height. Through this project, the students of our Academy have been able to touch all the strata of our society. They have been successful in collaborating and uniting with their roots and rich heritage. The students have been able to draw comparisons with Ray's contemporaries and have been exposed to International literature at this tender age. Certainly this project has helped each one involved to go deeper into tradition and remembering the past.

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How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Most CyberFair teams need lots of advice and help to complete their entry... did yours???

Through this initiative the students would like to thank the teachers for their constant help, family members for their guidance and reputed professionals for their time and knowledge.

This project would have been incomplete without the help of –

Subha Das Mollick (Documentary Filmmaker)

Pradip Sengupta (Geologist and maker of first ever popup book In Bengali)

Jayanta Kumar Ghose (Curator of the embroidery exhibition)

Soumyo Banerjee (Translator of few Abol Tabol poems)

Dr. Pinaki De (Academician & illustrator)

Dr. Anindya Kanti Biswas (Painter)

Kolkata Literary Festival

The Telegraph (newspaper)

Students could conduct interview and meet in person Ms. Subha Das Mollick, Mr. Pradip Sengupta & Mr. Jayanta Kumar Ghose.

But people residing in faraway places helped the students by meeting them online over Zoom platform and guiding them on the content.

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Also tell about those long-distance helpers who provided assistance from across the miles via the Internet.

As a part of this project, I have interviewed four extremely knowledgeable and experienced people. It has been a great learning experience for me in terms of knowledge, skill development as well as public interaction. The topic for the interviews was ‘Abol Tabol’ and I gathered a vast amount of information on its poems and its affect in the present world. The greatest lesson I learnt includes how to frame questions in order to get most information and how to present them during the interview. As a result of this project, I have definitely developed my social and professional skills and I look forward to using my acquired experience further.

• Rai Acharjya Chowdhury, Class 11

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Through the project interviewing the documentary filmmaker on creating a pop-up book about Abol Tabol, I learned about the intricate process of translating literature into visual art. The project underscored the importance of preserving cultural heritage through creative mediums. Surprises included discovering the meticulous attention to detail required in pop-up book creation. Overall, it was an enlightening journey into the fusion of literature, art, technology and cultural preservation, enriching the audience.

• Aritra Kundu, Class 11

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As someone who grew up in a quintessential Bengali family of literature connoisseurs I had been first exposed to Sukumar Ray's poetry and works when at 3-4 my mother used to recite his lines while feeding me. I had been gifted translated editions of Abol Tabol, Pagla Daashu and other short stories written by the absurd literary icon from a very young age. This project was an experience which made me better equipped to understand those texts better and understand the socio-cultural impact they had. I also discovered the giant world of illustrations and nonsense art. I intend to research this medium more and understand its many variations and aesthetic features. Overall this project gave me a very special perspective on my cultural roots and instilled in me the desire to learn about and understand unique art forms and literary subgenres.

• Avilash Ghosh, Class 11

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During the interview, I was rather amazed by the boldness of professor Pradip Sengupta, who not only made the world's first pop up book in bengali to celebrate Sukumar Ray's Abol Tabol 100th anniversary, but also used AI as a tool to generate images for it. This enables me to think out of the box and from different perspectives. It also taught me that age is just a number, and once we stop learning new things, we put a full stop in our life's progression.

• Abir Paul, Class 11