I have been a member of the Taal Inc. family for 4 months now, and these months have been the most challenging and fulfilling four months of my college life.
I had no idea as to what I was getting into when I applied for this internship, but it definitely gave me more than I could ever hope for. In the beginning, the thought of working for 4 hours almost every day terrified me, but once I met everyone at the office and my fellow Intern Aanchal, work became fun. We seldom realized when it was time to go home. I started to look forward to working even on the weekends because I eagerly waited for the Kids In Rhythm and Jr. Djembe sessions the Djembe Drum Lessons for Beginners. I couldn’t wait to meet the kids, hear them describe their week and their opinion for every new rhythm that we taught them. Seeing the children smile, always brought out the child in me and made me immensely happy to be doing what I am doing.
As a part of our training, we were taught how to play the djembe in the Drum Classes and that in itself, was a completely different and wonderful journey. I always had an inclination for percussion, and learning to play the djembe was something that changed me as a person. Never before had I seen or played an instrument that was so simple yet so complex, and so communal, yet able to stand out with such ease. How can the instrument, whose name itself comes from a saying ‘We gather together to drum for peace’ not inculcate a sense of togetherness and joy with those around you? The djembe has the ability to make the person who is playing it, and the one listening to it, equally happy; not many instruments can do that.
Thus, learning to play the djembe and also facilitating Djembe Circle for children, both with and without special needs, humbled me and made me realize that very few people in this world have the opportunity to do what they love and in the process make other people happy too, and I am fortunate enough to be doing just that. The internship, under Varun’s and the Djembe’s guidance, has helped me discover the joy of rhythm, in addition to teaching me strength, perseverance, determination, patience, organization, optimism, attention to detail and how to simultaneously focus on the bigger picture. But most importantly, I learned that if one has the right intention, one can achieve whatever they want in life and so much more; and this I have seen in each and every person who is a part of the Taal Inc. family.
As a student of psychology, these past few months have taught me more than my textbooks ever could and we continue to learn every single day in the most unexpected of ways. However, as a human being, this internship has taught me lessons and values that I know will help me at every stage in my life and this I hope I can keep with me forever.
Wassa Wassa!
Written by – Buneshte Hakhamaneshy
Varun is the founder and director of Taal Inc.
The visionary behind the motto
Come. Drum. Be One.
To read more about him Click Here