For Subid Ahimsa, there is nothing in the world that is waste, and this is something the IITian-turned-toymaker reiterates at a workshop at the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
The IB PYP 4 children, and some art students of Grades 4 and 5 had the good fortune of attending the toy making workshop in Fort Kochi’s Cabral Yard on January 19,2023.
Addressing a session on toy-making using waste material, he told the participants that children have been his teachers, giving him fresh ideas. “In all my workshops, I may not be sure if I am imparting any ideas to the kids, but I always gain something new from them.”
Subid aims at making children understand the importance of waste management. Through making toys from ‘waste’ or low-cost/easily-available materials, Subid is trying to spread the spirit of ‘ahimsa’.
The participants from The Choice School were made to realize that now is the time to learn, unlearn and connect with nature and surroundings. They were told very categorically that they must realize the usefulness of things we throw away. Everything can be useful; Instead of destroying trash, we must think for a while and try and see what we can do to it to turn it into something useful.
Thus we had children make whistles out of empty pen refills and pen holders, Paper fans, magic paper wands, spinning toys using old CDs and flying toys.
It was a day well spent!
