Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

Disability did not prove to be a hindrance for these children from staging 'Ramayana on wheels' in an open theatre on the eve of World Disability Day on Sunday. Over 200 disabled children, from Pune-based Bal Kalyan Sanstha, displayed a heartening sight of exuberance and willingness to lead life to its fullest by arranging a unique kind of dance and theatre performance.

With five diverse stages and specialized training, the children enacted the play coupled with dance and music, a first for the Sanstha as well as for the kids. "This was for the very first time that the children put up such a mammoth performance. They were trained meticulously for the special event and each and every child was very excited to perform," said Minetta Patil, Sanstha principal.

The Sanstha had collaborated with Delhi-based Ability Unlimited Foundation for the performance, and the children were trained by Guruji Sallauddin Pasha, who is revered as the 'Father of Indian Therapeutic Theatre for persons with disabilities'. Guru Pasha choreographed and designed the entire sequence of 'Ramayana on Wheels'.

"The Sanstha, which was established in the year 1979, basically has the objective to provide recreational and cultural facilities to differently-abled children. The primary aim of this event was to imbibe a sense of self-dependency and confidence in differently-abled children and help them to lead a normal mainstream life. We also aim to educate and sensitize people on various important issues concerning these children, who are often reckoned as a burden by their own," Paatil said.

The characters [...]