The big crowed, which had entered like a storm, suddenly got
disappeared within no time. But, some of them stayed back. They were asked
whether they would like to be here. They nodded. Now, the crowd was of around
thirty odd people. Subodh asked jail personnel, “Can we start now?”
As I said earlier, it was a huge open hall. Approximately
five to six hundred people can sit at a time. Up to human waist height, walls of
hall were cemented. After that the entire hall was covered with iron grill up
to ceiling. Sunlight was coming in the hall. My theatre instinct told me, how
good this hall would be, if it would have been a covered hall. Later on, I express
my thought to Mr. Dhamne. He laughed- “You civilians! Nothing could be closed
in jail. What time one will take what kind of step, who knows?”
One stage or dais was there to conduct the programs. One
gate was near the dais and one was just opposite of dais, where length of hall
was ending. It was clear that entrance near the dais is for the entry and exit of
dignitaries and other one was for the entry and exit of inmates.
One table with a table cloth and a vase with fresh flowers,
plucked from the jail garden only was already on the dais. Four to five chairs
were also kept. Mike was ready. Assistant jail superintendant asked us, whether
we would like to speak before starting the workshop. I found, no one was
willing to speak anything. Subodh wanted to start workshop as early as possible.
Design of the workshop was in his mind and thus he had an idea of time, for
taking the workshop. Incomplete workshop would not give any result. The
official welcomed us and spoken about the program.
We all came down from the dais to the floor of the hall. All
participants were given a white sheet along with sharpened pencils. Subodh
asked for an additional table, which was not there. So we shifted the table
down from the dais. On a big cardboard, he pasted a white sheet and scribbled
it from one corner to another with the pencil and said to participant to follow
the same. Initially, they did not understand. We all helped them. Within no
time, their pencils started dancing on their sheets. Some were very fast, some
were slow. But everyone scribbled his pencil from one corner to another.
After completion of rolling
pencils up and down, Subodh gave scissors to them. It was basically a frame,
which was made of black paper. Subodh explained to map out a figure from the
white sheet, which were now turned out grey, due to scribbling, with the help
of the frame. He showed his scribbled paper. He started fixing frame here and
there on his paper. Soon, he figured out a fish. He said to do the same to the
participants. Again, initially, all found it very difficult. They were thinking
that since Subodh is an artiste, it is very easy to figure out the drawing from
him. But how can they? But this illusion was lasted just for some moments. One
participant screamed, “Aai ga! (Oh my mother!) I god one Deepak (Lamp)!” These
words had instantly triggered others. Everyone started trying to find out some
pictures, lines etc. No sooner voices started coming from all corners, “I got
fish.” “I have dolphin.” “I got my house.” Excitement and happiness started
blooming on the faces of participants. They
were not artists, but they were shining with the feel to get a pot of joy. Eureka!
(Contd.)
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