Nagpal, Sana
Heritage School
31 May 2024
P.A.N.K.H started as an ideology to provide accessibility to music to all children in the community. This was recognized as a problem in our local communities where 90-95 percent of children attended government schools where music is not prioritized or considered of any importance in the upbringing of a child.
P.A.N.K.H aspires to teach basic life skills to children through music and various activities. This way of learning keeps children engaged and helps them retain the information in their memory for longer. These life skills are divided majorly into 3 categories which help connect children to themselves, their peers, and to the community.
The founders of Manzil Mystics wished to pursue this path when it realized that music could be utilised as a catalyst to transforming individuals and their communities. They attempted to provide music to children coming from low-income backgrounds by working in government schools and NGOs that are helping such individuals.
Upon stepping into the classroom they realized that through music a happy and safe space was created where children were able to express themselves freely. They were able to share their problems and ask questions that they generally did not share or ask the teachers present in the classroom. Children upon listening to music were able to creatively learn different life skills such as confidence, teamwork, creative thinking, etc. The students started showing the ability to intelligently express emotions and thoughts they were unable to put into words before.
Himanshu Arya had initially come to Manzil Mystics as a student 3 years ago. He had faced many issues with family superstitions and disappointments regarding pursuing a career in music. This affected his mental health and focus towards his studies, giving him a growing amount of stress. Through learning guitar, he developed a dedication to creating a path for music as a career. This brought about a shift to his nature as he went from a mischievous kid to a calm, mature, career-minded individual. Through music, he was able to build a more lovable and caring nature where he could connect with others and create a comfortable environment with the people around him. He loved the environment present at Manzil Mystics whether it was the connection he felt through music or the caring nature of people that surrounded him increased his desire to help others. Himanshu impressed Manzil Mystics so much that he became a P.A.N.K.H. Program Coordinator for two years.
Now Manzil Mystics wishes to expand P.A.N.K.H into 50 schools across Delhi in the hope of providing music education to more children. They are collaborating with DOE (Delhi Directorate of Education) to provide music education to children studying in government schools in Delhi. In 2023 they also collaborated with small organizations and started short-term workshops known as ‘happy hour’ wherein they would come and engage children from economically marginalized areas in musical-related activities. At first, the number of children reached was around 1700 but with the help of more networking and mobilizing they reached 4000-5000 children while receiving more offers from several organizations. Now they perform at workshops where a team of fellows trained in the P.A.N.K.H curriculum, go and perform songs that connect to the topic of the day and afterwards instigate discussion of the topic.
Manzil Mystics wishes to expand this curriculum globally and provide education to millions of children around the globe who are yet to be touched by the power of music.