Know Your Neighbour or KYN, a Kolkata-based initiative that aims at promoting communal harmony in West Bengal, is holding a series of events this winter to promote the knowledge of history and celebrate India’s diversity.
These events will be held across Kolkata mostly in collaboration with colleges, to motivate the young and educate the young about the diversity that is India. The chain of events will begin with the ‘Diversity Utsav — Song, Dance & Discussion’, to be held on Sunday in association with four colleges.
“As polarisation increases in India today, it has become more important than ever to ensure that human rights are ensured for all. Through this programme, we want to spread the message that violation of human rights was not, is not, and never will be acceptable,” Sabir Ahamed, convenor of KYN, said.
“Our students will participate in various categories of competitions. To portray the canvas of diversity, they will also perform a dance choreographed on the song ‘Mile sur mera tumhara’ celebrating the beauty of unity that our nation cherishes and the institution practices,” Sharmila Mitra, principal of Behala College, one of the institutions that will participate in Diversity Utsav, said.
This will be followed by a ‘Port Walk’ on December 17, and a ‘Beyond Park Street Walk’ (in association with the English Department of Maulana Azad College) on December 19. Kolkata Port is one of the oldest ports in South Asia and it was from here that indentured labourers, mostly from present day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were sent to work in other British colonies, including Guyana, Trinidad, Fiji, Mauritius, and Surinam.
The Park Street walk, according to Mr. Ahamed, will focus on areas and people “that are often glossed over when we talk about Park Street, the city’s nerve centre”. “Just behind Park Street is the area where Kazi Nazrul Islam spent a significant time of his life and wrote his famous poem Bidrohi. It is the same place where Begum Rokeya started her Sakhawat Memorial School. This is also the area where Warren Hastings established the Calcutta Madrasah. The hostel where Mujibur Rahman spent his college life is also here,” Mr. Ahamed said.
The first week of January will see a Science Heritage Walk in the neighbourhoods of Taltala and Entally. The science walk will be open for all, and will highlight the contribution of Bengali scientists and their workspaces like laboratories, some of which have been destroyed. The main attraction would be a visit to places associated with Jagadish Chandra Bose—places where he stayed, worked and where he was cremated. End of January there will be a study tour to Murshidabad.
“I am very happy they are collaborating with academic institutions, making the younger generation aware of submerged histories and heritages which are neither part of their syllabus nor lifestyles. I hope, someday, academic institutions would consider such activities as their Best Practice as stated in the NAAC guidelines for assessment. This could also lead to designing of add-on courses, such as Heritage Studies,” said Antara Mukherjee, a professor of English at Durgapur Government College and a life member of KYN.
