Theatre of Relevance philosophy is known for its constructive change bringing processes that digs the mind till the core of our inner self , inspires to think for the purpose i.e. “WHY ?” and brings out the thoughts that defines the persona and resonate “Who I am..” ! The group of 26 Youth from HR College , Mumbai took an initiative to bring a change in the society for the children living in slums !! Undercurrent to help them for a social cause !
Manjul Bharadwaj
Manjul Bhardwaj (The Initiator and Practitioner of TOR) is a renowned Theatre Thinker and a Pioneer for “CHANGE” ! He defines Change from the processes and principles of TOR and empowers the suppressed self inside the person who then transforms into the person of self belief ! A five days workshop (4th – 6th and 15th -16th August 2017) was facilitated by Manjul Bhardwaj and TOR Team (Ashwini Nandedkar , Sayali Pawaskar & Komal Khamkar) to experience how the change occurs in self and create a self believing team of Young Changemakers !
1. Keeping the Benches upright and sitting on the floor in a circle.
– all the participants can sit together
– to break the habit of sitting comfortably
– for bringing a change first be the CHANGE
– take initiative , think to act
– sit in a circle so that everyone is visible
– learning from experiences
– sitting down on floor is our decision , decision making
– communication , eye contact
– identifying ( where the slum children sit on floor )
– collective decision , unity
– everyone is equal
2. To turn back and notice what you see .
(dirt , cobwebs , chalk marks , scribbled wall , mosquitoes , wall paintings…. )
– to start the observation
– acknowledge ( in the classroom and then in the society)
– pinpoint details
– precised observation
– start seeing your surroundings
– see the other side
– notice what everyone diagnosed
– pick the issues that are assumed petty issues by the society
– take all the observation as symbols and see the society
– where are we ? what is our stand ? and how does it impact us ?
These exercises where taken to built a environment in which :
– participants become alert
– they break their comfort zone and fight for their opinions
– raise their voice and take a stand
– experience their growth as a individual to a team
Manjul Bhardwaj’s way of learning is multidimensional and experimental.. Beyond teaching and tutoring , he emphasizes on the processes and the flow of thoughts running inside the mind.. Due to which the workshop becomes interactive and memorable.. He designs the processes in such a manner that first individual might feel uncomfortable and assume that self is being targeted , because ” Change has a direct impact on your habits ” but that triggers the mind of the participants at the end and make them realize the purpose of the process…. on the other dimension participants do feel thrilled by the interventions done by Manjul Bhardwaj as he first make them experience and then describes it theoretically i.e. first practical and then theory which usually nowadays is vice versa in our educational system..
Here Manjul Bhardwaj also challenges the system of education that gives more importance to the theory , words , languages and so on… It’s the law of nature that first the woman gives birth to a child and then the process is being coded by using certain medical terminology.. hence we can say that today’s system wants an individual to be graduate by just mugging up the words and phrases and leaving behind the substance , thoughts , self belief and sensitivity..! Here TOR process nurtures the person and defends from conditioning…