Vignette
Ink on Small Hands
‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
- Pablo Picasso
There is a distinct sound that echoes in any classroom when children are handed over a paper and pencil instead of a spelling test. It is the happy chatter of little minds engaging in a more frivolous adventure than the routine dictation exercise. The Mukherjee Nagar Centre witnessed this change on the 2nd of August, a Sunday that will live long in the memories of these young learners.
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Instagram creator Deeksha Sehgal joined in the fun in the centre, where children were introduced to a unique thumb printing activity. As simple as it may sound, the excitement with which the young ones participated in this exercise was heartwarming to behold. Children pressed their thumbs onto the ink and smeared them on the papers. They were then free to imagine what they saw and colour within the lines to bring the print to life. Each child’s imagination was unique, as evident from the myriad images of birds, flowers, butterflies, the sun, etc. There was no right or wrong here; just the power of imagination taking over these young minds.
It is important to encourage such creativity among children. Most of these children are used to being corrected, instructed, and taught the ‘right’ way to do something. Their creative expression is stifled under the burden of ‘proper’ grammar and handwriting, a necessary evil for examinations. But where does the thrill of doing something right on your own come in? A thumbprint butterfly does not need correction to take flight; it needs someone brave enough to give it wings.
Deeksha interacted with the children in between helping those who needed assistance from her peers. Her positivity and willingness to engage in whatever the children wanted to do with her was infectious. This engagement created a kind of joy that could not be achieved within the four walls of a classroom. The positive energy and encouragement prompted an unusual degree of curiosity and self-assurance among the young ones.
Saturdays and Sundays were days of happiness for the centre’s children, with biscuits, chocolates, candies, Frooti, chips, and toffees being distributed. However, the notebooks and pouches of stationery that came with them seemed to create a deeper impact. These stationery pouches were filled with pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners, sketch pens, colours, and scales. These children, who often had to share stationery with their siblings, were thrilled to have their own pouches of pencils and erasers. This gesture of being given individual attention to their needs and wants seemed important to them, impacting them more than one would expect.
Collaborations like these bring communities together by helping children understand that people from outside their community are willing to spend their time getting them things they do not have. This is especially crucial for children who are often overlooked in society. While stationery and food are important, community participation creates a lasting impact by reminding these young minds that someone was there to take time out of their day to make a difference.
Exams are an important indicator of a child’s progress. But, how does one measure the confidence instilled in these young ones through such activities? It is impossible to ignore the excitement in these children when one of them placed her thumb on the paper and decided what it would become. These centres create a space for children to engage in activities that encourage individuality and imagination while allowing them to express themselves freely.
