JOIN US'We should preserve greenery'
It’s pleasantly surprising to see a Japanese lady being concerned about the civic issues of the City. She voices her opinion on various topics like Indian culture, Metro project, environmental issues, street kids to name a few. Mioi Nakayama from Japan is now at home in Namma Bengaluru. Having stayed in the City for eight years, Mioi knows each and every little detail about the City.
Mioi was instrumental in finding the Born Free Art School for street kids along with John Devaraj and has been serving as a volunteer since its inception. She is very active in child labour movements. Her concern for street children from a young age brought her to India. “India is the greatest country I have ever visited. But the sad thing is that the population of child labourers here is even more than the population of Japan. This fact forced me to come here and serve the underprivileged,” she laments. She adds that a fiction book on River Ganges titled Deep River by Sushaku Endo influenced her to come to India.
She is well-versed in Attakkalari, Bharatanatyam, Kalaripayattu, ballet, yoga and other contemporary dance forms. She trains the kids in the Art School in all these dance forms. “These days, most of the art forms are meant only for the upper class people. Though poor children have the desire to learn them, no one comes forward to teach them. So I decided to train street kids,” she quips.
She calls Bangalore a cultural hub of which, dance and music are an integral part. “Many international level cultural festivals are held here. And Ravindra Kalakshetra is the most happening place where the shows are free for all,” she appreciates.
The interesting thing about Mioi is that she speaks Kannada well. “The credit goes to kids in my school who helped me pick up the language. Now, I can read bus boards. I didn’t have much difficulty in learning Kannada,” she beams.
She visits Lalbagh everyday and claims that it is her favourite place. She laments about the numerous trees that have been chopped in the name of Metro project. “We should preserve greenery for our well-being. Due to the imbalance in nature, the City is witnessing scanty rainfall and hot weather,” she expresses her concern.
Mioi, who is against the mall culture, likes the old parts of Bangalore. “It is delightful to see ancient buildings and monuments which have given a majestic look to the City,” she exclaims. Mioi Nakayama, who has her roots in Hiroshima, wishes to spend many more years in the City.