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For a fairy childhood

20 August 2004, 18:00 PM
LIFESTYLE
By Harun ur Rashid
20 August 2004, 18:00 PM
Gone are the days of childhood filled with moments sitting around grandmother in a cozy corner, half-lit by a flickering lantern, and listening to wonderful fairytales. Tales about the most beautiful princess kept hostage by the fiercestrakkhosh(monster). Tales of the most handsome prince who, riding on a pegasus, goes to that scary land of the monster and fights and kills him and rescues the princess and marries her. Or, the tale of the Tona-Tuni couple who tricks the other animals and eats all the cakes they baked. Or, the tales of heroic expeditions undertaken by Ulysses and Hercules. Or, the Russian folk tale about the simpleton named Ivan and his magic horse Sivka Burka.

Indeed, childhood is no more a world of all those fairy characters. Instead, computer games, cartoons and hi-tech toys have invaded the tender world of today's children. To give the taste of that fairy world to these deprived generation of children, Bengal Foundation has created a forum named Galpoghar that starts its sessions of story-telling from today at 11am at the Bengal Shilpalaya at Dhanmondi. Eminent cultural personalities will tell stories that they heard in their childhood to the children.

On this novel occasion, the Bengal Shilpalaya has worn a new look with masks and figures of animals cut out of colourful materials. On the first day, artist and puppeteer Mustafa Monwar will tell stories. To add entertainment to this fascinating experience, his puppet team will present an interactive show. Tomorrow its second session features theatre personality Aly Zaker.

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'We will also try to attribute originality to this idea by involving real-life grandmothers from different corners of the country,' said the officials of Bengal Shilpalaya at a press conference organised on the occasion of this Galpoghar project. 'Besides, renowned cultural personalities will be presented here, for we want to present them to the budding generation as the role models,' they said.

Children are welcome to experience this exceptional event.