News kashmir Desk
Today, on February 8, 2021, a women’s group, Kashmir Women’s Collective, Kickstarted their two short courses of learning basic Arabic calligraphy and learning to paint by beautifying pots. These courses are a part of Project Wand’e (Winter) themed as winters can be fun by learning something new. 9 short courses are offered and registrations are open for the same. They are teaching basics of scooty repair, crocheting, MS Word, skin care, and photography.
Calligraphy and Painting courses will be taught by two young instructors, Batool Fazili and Shafia Shafi. Batool is a trained Calligrapher and is excited to teach participants calligraphy using bamboo pens (kalam) and some black ink, whereas Shafia is a self taught artist who has done murals and grafiti as professional assignment in various restaurants across the city of Srinagar.
Batool says that calligraphy has Turkish origin and is a great hobby to pursue. Even holding a pen and practicing a straight line requires one to be practising it and it requires a lot of patience. Any hobby that we pursue helps us grow in addition to making us creative.
Shafia says that painting has thereapitic value and helps in balancing emotional and mental upheavals. “I can paint anything from fabric to walls – any surfaces and it releases my energy”.
Mantasha Binti Rashid, the founder of the women’s collective who is also a Kas officer said that they want youth, especially girls to spend their winters meaningfully, by learning something new and by having a sense of development of personality and growth. Youth has a lot of energy and to channelise it in meaningful ways is important for the individual and the society too. “In winters, there’s plenty of free time, ask anyone abroad, what are you doing in free time, they will say learning French or learning yoga etc. Our Women’s Collective team wanted to create a buzz of learning and growth among youth and that’s the whole motive..
Mahroosh Banday, who helped launch this project, said that in the next week, they will be teaching Paper Mache and Self Defense. “Both shall be taught by award winning instructors and where will our youth get such a platform where they can learn a hobby for free? I request people to register in our project Wand’e and pick up an exciting hobby or skill from among 9 courses. Make the most of it as our team has worked hard for it”.
Participants will be given participation certificates by the end of the course and a validection shall be held around women’s day. Suhuliyat Kashmir and Kashmir Motors training institute and collaborating with Kashmir Women’s Collective to organise project Wand’e (winter).
