State to Come Alive at Bishop's School

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Publication: The Times Of India Pune; Date:2010 Oct 26; Section:Times City; Page Number 4 State to come alive at Bishop’s School

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Pune: Maharashtra’s cultural diversity and integrity will be on display at a two-day exhibition opening at The Bishop’s School, Camp, on Wednesday. Students from class VI to IX of all the three branches of the school — Camp, Kalyaninagar and Undri — have been preparing hard for the project ‘Our Maharashtra’ since last four months. The exhibition includes charts, models, displays, video films on Maharashtra. Besides, forts, cities, important places, institutions, industries and agriculture will highlight the state’s achievements through the centuries. “We want our children to learn about the state we live in. They must know its culture, way of life, its history, geography, the holy men, its rivers, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and other great people who led from the front. The efforts to showcase the state is part of our mega project,” said Frank Freese, principal and CEO of The Bishop’s Education Society. Minister of state for home Ramesh Bagwe is expected to inaugurate the exhibition on October 27. The school has also trained some of its students to perform ‘lejhim’ while some others will stage Shivaji’s coronation, said another school official. Students at the stalls and exhibits will wear the traditional phetas (turbans). Ajinkya Jadhav, a student of standard VII in the Kalyaninagar branch, will perform Ramdas Swami’s role in a skit. Ajinkya said, “During rehearsals we learnt so much not only about Shivaji Maharaj, but also about why he is called the Jaanta Raja (The people’s king).” Others said the whole preparation was a learning experience, something which they missed out in their regular curriculum. A ‘lavani’ troupe will put up dance performances while a ‘tutari’ player will mark the commencement of every programme. “We will also have 25 food stalls that will serve authentic Maharashtrian cuisine from masale bhat, puri- bhaji, pithla bhakri to puran poli and sabudana khichadi,” said Freese. Vaishali Billimoria, a parent who has put up a food stall along with friends, said the cuisine was the state’s hallmark. “Every 10 kilometre, just as the language changes, the food also looks and tastes different. We are putting up authentic items like kothimbir wadi, alu vadi, motichoor ladu, chakli and even a faral box. Others have decided to put up interesting fare like misal pav and wada-pav,” she said. Over 10,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition.