Every school needs a clown

Velu Saravanan is the winner of Bala Sahitya Academi award winner for Tamil literature (2017).  The prestigious award has been given for the children plays written by him.  Ira Pasi, Thanga Rani, Devalok Yanna are some of them.

                                                                  

 Velu never reveals his age. “I died twice- once when I was pulled out of my mother’s safe womb. The other was when I was separated from my village to pursue schooling.  I write for the 12 year old in me.”

 The appeasing of the 12 year old in him has not only resulted in writing and giving thousands of drama performances all across the globe.  So far he has performed all the plays he has written. The only exception being Maalumi, a play about a boy who loses everything in Tsunami and later becomes a ship captain. The horror in his book came to life when Chennai was hit by a Tsunami. He was commissioned by UNICEF's  Building Back Better program to conduct theatre workshops for  children affected by the natural disaster.  

Son of an agriculturist, Velu did his schooling and college education in Puducherry. Indira Paratharsarathy, noted Tamil writer and playwright, mentored him in the early years. He supported his wife and two children by performing plays for over 200 days a year.

  “Theatre is not a lucrative profession,” he says. It is only 6 years ago that he started working as the Assistant Professor of Drama and Theatre art at the Pondicherry University.   Weekends, public holidays, winter and summer vacations are reserved for performing plays and conducting workshops through his Aazhi children’s theatre group.

Though he is fluent only in Tamil, Velu manages to conduct workshops in over eight languages including Dutch and French. Everywhere he goes, children translate his plays into the local language.  He is in constant demand by schools in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

He has done extensive workshops with child labourers.  Support from generous sponsors helps him to spread happiness wherever he goes. Kadal Bhootham (Ghost of love) has been one of his most popular plays with over 3000 shows.

                                   

 Velu is disillusioned by the current education system.  “Everything is work for children today.  Their natural learning process has been affected. Ears don’t listen.  Eyes don’t see. Children are forced to shut up and listen in the classroom.  Living shouldn’t be a chore.  Children should be able to lead a quality life. A parallel, active method of learning should be introduced in schools.”

  He hopes the government considers adding Dramatics as a part of the school curriculum. “The world is a stage. Children see beauty in everything.  Dramatics will help children to view the world from different perspectives and mould them into confident individuals.”

 To view Dr Velu  Saravanan’s  promo video click here.

PS: Thibulaan Vaaraathy (an elephant and a fox) is his forthcoming book through Coimbatore based Kaala Chevadu.