HYDERABAD: The Japanese art of folding paper and creating pretty objets d’art using the same is known as Origami. There are several takers for the same. While there are communities and clubs in Delhi and Mumbai, Hyderabad, unfortunately, doesn’t have popular platforms. However, there are Origami enthusiasts and teachers determined to create more awareness on the same. Come January 30 and a batch of children will be learning to make the three wise monkeys using Origami. There’s Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan, which at its entrance has the three monkeys as relief sculpture. The same was created in the 16th century by the sculptor Hidari Jingoro. The shrine is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for 250 years. The wisdom of the proverb associated with the monkeys are known across Asia.
Mahatma Gandhi had received a statuette of the monkeys as a gift from Nichidatsu Fujii, a Japanese Buddhist monk, who met him at his ashram in Wardha in 1933. Gandhiji always kept it at his work table. School children are often taught about the wisdom of the three animals of not seeing evil, not speaking evil and not hearing evil. January 30 marks Gandhiji’s death anniversary and Kalyani Voleti, the visual arts teacher at Global Edge School, Kokapet, will be teaching them about him using Origami to create the three monkeys using the paper art. She informs, “I am the project facilitator for Japan Art Mile Foundation, a mural exchange project. The foundation is in Osaka, Japan and connects us to partner schools over there. This is part of the school project.” She adds, “I will teach students how to create three monkeys using Origami. During my workshops, I even ask them to follow the principles and they can share the same on their social media. Children need to know about the country history and live the values. I present this as a tribute to Mahatama.” The kids are in the age group of 8 years onwards.
Kalyani is connected with Origami groups across the world. She stayed in Kobe, Japan during 2004-2008. She adds that learning Origami is a helpful art form and makes learning deeper. “It helps in anger management, improves motor skills,” she shares. She’s conducted Origami workshops virtually to classrooms in countries like Russia, Georgia, Taiwan, Greece, Turkey, Malaysia among others. As a member of Origami Oritai, Delhi, she is the collective recipient of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation Award, presented by the Japanese Government, for promoting Japanese art and culture in India. Currently, she’s working on creating an All India Origami Forum called ‘Increase’; this is to bring Origami enthusiasts under one platform. She signs off, “We will have our first session on January 30 and will have an Origami rally as well.”
— Saima Afreen
saima@newindianexpress.com @Sfreen