Musical skits and plays bring out children’s hidden talent

Karachi

The Children’s literature Festival continued for the second day on Saturday with a whole lot of sessions featuring musical skits and plays bringing out the children’s hidden musical talent.

One of the first sessions to be held in the morning was “Burhiya Ki Pitari”, a play by the Tehreek-e-Niswan. It is the story of demons emerging from the luggage of an old woman. These demons bring about friction between people resulting in mayhem. Then there come some young people who subdue them. The idea meant to be conveyed is that these demons of hate and frenzy have gripped our society sowing seeds of mayhem and animosity and that they have to be overcome through noble pursuits like education. It was a musical skit with Sheema Kirmani leading the vocalists.

Then there was “Gaao mere Sung” with singer Afshan Ahmed motivating the children to sing along with her. The children responded enthusiastically and supplemented Afshan’s melodious, mellifluous voice their angelic ones.

She rendered a whole lot of numbers with children joining. Some of these were “Jeevey, Jeevey Pakistan”, “Yeh Des Hamara Hai” and a children’s favourite of yesteryear, “Dosti Aisa Naata, Jo Sone Se Bhi Mehnga”. It was interesting to see the children’s guardians, mostly mothers, joining in the singing with all the gusto.

Later, there was the launch of the album “Bachon Ke Geet” by vocalist

Khalid Anum with a subsequent discussion involving Khalid Anum, Ameena

Saiyid and Nadia Hassan and moderated by journalist Khurshid Hyder.

It featured vocal umbers by Khalid Anum and the Urdu translation of nursery rhymes like “Enky, Pinky Spider” and the English nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle little Star”, the tune actually being that of Mozart’s piano sonata No. 12.

Said Khalid Anum, “Music should be a compulsory subject in schools and not an extracurricular activity.”

“Children learn much quicker when taught in a creative, imaginative way rather than sternly,” said Ameena Saiyid.

All the programmes had been given a strong musical orientation keeping in mind the importance of music in cultivating temperance and tolerance in an individual and for developing the children’s musical talent. 

There was also a repeat performance “Babbi, Tishu, and MJ”, a musical skit reflecting the evil of book piracy and the importance of education. It starred Khalid Anum, Faiza Kazi and Hena Ameed.

Saturday was the second—and last—day of the children’s festival.

Sunday, February 28, will be the Teachers’ Literature Festival. The children’s festival drew large crowds. Not only children but even their parents and guardians joined in the singing with all the gusto.