FOLK ARTS RAJASTHAN
    Spring Disperses Light

Twenty-Eight Book Titles Pack Library Shelves
Saina sent an enthusiastic Teachers Week report telling us about one popular title recently purchased from Pratham Books. Main character Gadbad Das resourcefully uses singing, his secret power, to bring rain addressing dire water scarcity while encouraging essential conservation. 
 
"My current needs are met having Pratham books to teach reading"
 -Saina Khan

Thanks to many of you, Merasi School is filled with new books.

Nawab reached back to share from his class that Tela liked the books he read because it provided a good moral to better himself by.
Gopi said he was drawn to a book that had a cover full of color and talked about learning and school. 

                                                            Saina spotlights one of so many 

Mother-Daughter Advocacy Creating Improvements
During her 20th week, Banyan Fellow Sai Sireesha Kavuri continues from South India, aided by her mother Survana, an experienced educator.

       
          Together, two generations upgrade English, Hindi & Math materials

From Chicago Whitney Anderson returned, also remotely, to walk Merasi School teachers through USA classrooms. She offered insights and counsel on the similar challenge she herself faces teaching. 
 
       
    Merasi School teacher training in 2019 folded Whitney into our FARmily

Contemporary Merasi History
FAR proudly highlights the achievement of prominent Master Musician Ghazi Khan Barna. This Spring in New Delhi, Ghazi was presented the esteemed National Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu for outstanding contributions in the field of folk music. 
a
His son Sartaj, Merasi School alumni, shared this family news of excellence. Sartaj himself is one of two child artists who became stars overnight after lending their talent in Dangal, a biographical drama by Director Aamir Khan. Many of you met Sartaj's brother Salim during the "We Are Merasi" USA Tour 2016. 

FAR congratulates the Ghazi Khan Barna family for their part in bringing the Jaisalmer Merasi Intangible Cultural Heritage to the forefront of both national news and the global eye.

  
Esteemed Jaisalmer Merasi promote cultural health 

The Merasi were happy to share April in Jaisalmer with Photographer Adventurer Linda Cortright. Matching their enthusiasm, our first western visitor since Feb 2020 Covid lockdowns has pledged her summer return to be of service at Merasi School.

Linda reflects, "Better than tigers, swear. It's true, the Thar desert isn't everyone's idea of a good time when the temperature reaches 112 before noon and promises to get hotter, but when you're surrounded by a village of happy children and friends that protect your heart more than their own, it's downright impossible for a tiger to compete."

                                Cultural bridges renew-Thanks Linda for your stunning photos

          Ongoing food scarcity necessitates kitchen packets
                  continue to be given to student families

                                    The Next Gen must be healthy to continue Growing Strong

 
Like Us and Follow Us
     
 
Folk Arts Rajasthan
314 E 84th St #11 New York, NY 10028
+1 646.436.2210 (on the go)
+1 212.628.7210 (office)