World Forests Day & World Water Day at Raj Nivas with a difference

This year, Pondicherry Science Forum and CERD had celebrated the World Forests Day and the World Water Day with a difference.

More than 200 children including special children, 40 teachers and PSF activists gathered at the Raj Niwas, Pondicherry along with the Hon'ble Lt. Governor of Pondicherry, Dr.Kiran Bedi IPS and her team including LG's Secretary, Mr.Deva Neethi Das IAS, Mr.Devaraj, IFS, OSD Mrs. Amrita Bahl, Controller Mrs.Asha Gupta - all gathered at the Raj Nivas Lawns on the 21st March (World Forests Day) and eve of World Water Day.

After a brief introduction by Mrs.Asha Gupta, an Introductory Speech by LG's Secretary, Mr.Deva Neethi Das IAS, the first programme was a Mass Theatre on Forests, its intricate roles and how a forest supports all kinds of life forms and hence the future of human kind.


The theatre had all the children as participants and including the Hon'ble LG, Dr.Kiran Bedi IPS who acted as a beautiful bird of the forests.


The programme ended with a beautiful mass rendering of Hum Honge Kaamyaab. Dr.Kiran Bedij danced and ran and played with the children and she also paused for a photo session with all the children running around the lawns.

The Forests' Theatre had special sound effects, various species of trees, birds, animals, a live stream of water performed by girls with their blue duppattas, waves of rain and wind by special children of Ananda Ranga Pillai Special School and Satya Special School.



PSF had also conducted a photography contest for school children on the themes of Forests & Energy and Why waste water? . More than 200 children had send their entries out of which the best 25 were shortlisted and there was an exhibition of these photos. From these 25 entries, the best three in Junior and Senior categories were honoured with certificates and prizes by Dr.Kiran Bedi.

There was also an interesting demonstration of children as to how to save water while bathing and washing of kitchen utensils. The children demonstrated how to take bath with a mug of water!. This was followed by Activity corners on water where children tried out several water based activities.

All this was planned and executed with in 4-5 days, by a handful of PSF volunteers along with a dedicated team of teachers and students which is the strength of PSF. The novelty of the mass theatre, the excitement of the children and teachers while planning the programme was refreshing and when the programme actually unraveled at the lawns of Raj Nivas on the evening of Raj Nivas, the entire place exploded with laughter, cheers and happiness.

Science communication does need new forms of reaching out to the children, the public. And this is most refreshing when they themselves become part of the process, rather than just receivers of communication! .

Thanks to the entire team of PSF and the dedicated Raj Nivas team who rose to the occasion and made it to a grand success. And of course, special thanks to Dr.Kiran Bedi, the Hon'ble Lt. Governor, and her team!