Some more pictures from the 30 April cultural programme, shot by Shalini:

Our cultural programme last evening was our very first event at what is to be our new campus, where Shibumi will be for the next few years. A beautiful seven-acre piece of land at Somanahalli on Kanakapura road, where we are building three classrooms and renovating a large, old stone structure. More pictures of the progress of the construction will be up soon.

We just had our first cultural programme -- song, drama and dance! A colourful, happy and, I think I can safely say, successful event. Here are some pictures taken by Dipankar, one of the parents. More photos and perhaps videos will be up soon. We started with singing four of the many wonderful folk songs Nilanjana has been teaching us: Our youngest group, Pallav, then performed 'Anansi and the Magic Stick', based on a Liberian folk story retold by Eric Kimmel: "I'm not lazy, I'm thinking!" The Magic stick A trickle at first, then a stream, then a flood, then a mighty river. Kiri, our junior school group, enacted 'The Lorax' by Dr Seuss. They made their own props with the teachers' help: "Listen here! Here's a wonderful chance to make our money dance!" "You won't see the Once-ler. Don't knock at his door. He stays in his Lerkim on top of his store." "This is JUST what I need!" (A Thneed's a Fine-Somethi...

Nikita and Anna have been blogging about their garden interaction with Shibumi! Read their posts... Here. .. And here .... And here . Or visit their official blog, play plants .

Arati Chokshi (Thanks, Arati, for letting us use your post on Suno Sadho -- http://sunosadho.blogspot.com/ . Videos, images, and text in italics added by us.) The day started unusually for me - with zero expectations. Shabnam and I were on our way to 'Shibumi' - a non-formal school conducted in a house on the outskirts of Bangalore city. About 35 children,and 7-8 dedicated teachers - who were themselves exploring boundaries of learning with stories, arts, songs, and lots of play. I looked forward to this day - a day of singing and sharing Kabir, with a vertical age group from 6 to 60, as playmates. The singing began in a long open room - well lit, with walls of books, drawings, odds and ends. The little ones sat closest to us, clustered around - wide, bright eyes, open mouths, a wonder in their looks as they watched Shabnam sing with her head thrown back, eyes closed, a smile - expressing a little of the world she inhabited inside. The older, taller ones sat systematically furt...