Maths can be fun, students realise during Odissi dance drama

Maths can be fun, students realise during Odissi dance drama
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Mumbai, December 15: Most students greet the subject with the enthusiasm of approaching a three-headed monster. Teachers are known to have tried a number of strategies, but the ratio of success has been dismal. So when the students of Jasudben M L School were asked to attend a unique maths-based dance ballet, they merely shrugged and expected no revelations.

However, barely had Smitalay's Odissi ballet, Leelavati, burst on to the stage and the yawns and slouches vanished. Parents and private individuals, who also attended the performance at Rang Sharda on Thursday evening, were left spellbound. This was one c-o-o-l way to deal with maths.

Leelavati, directed by Jhelum Paranjape, is based on a mathematical treatise by the famous 12th century mathematician and astronomer, Bhaskaracharya, and lists the questions he asks his daughter, Leelavati. With zeal bordering on obsession, Bhaskaracharya quizzes Leelavati on arithmatic, algebra and geometry, using complex fractions, square roots, equations, the properties of triangles and the Pythagoras theorem. Leelavati answers all the mind-twisters. As the day draws to an end and Bhaskaracharya shows no sign of relenting with his mathematical riddles, Leelavati indicates that she has had enough. She can only think of sleep.

Unfortunately, her father's quizzing does not cease even in her dreams and she wakes up with a start, puzzled over yet another question she is confronted with. This bit in particular, provided comic relief for the students, who are only too familiar with the single-minded fervour that their parents and teachers display on occasions.

During the dance drama, Bhaskarachrya asked his questions in Sanskrit (translated copies of which were available with the students, who were of course encouraged to solve the problems before Leelavati did) and his daughter provided the answers and her explanation in English. Leelavati had to grapple with questions on the number of lotuses offered to the different gods and goddesses of the temple and the permutations of the hands of Shiva and Vishnu. If that was not enough, Bhaskaracharya had problems relating to streams, flowing at different rates, filling the same well.

The concluding shloka of the ballet says the person who studies the treatise will be ``blessed with bountiful wealth and happiness''.

In the original treatise, Bhaskaracharya asks Leelavati 251 mathematical problems. The ballet presented 11, giving glimpses of the scholastic standards prevailing centuries ago. If students think they have it bad now, they need only recall Bhaskaracharya's passion for maths and consider themselves spared.

Thursday's performance was part of the Math Funtasia organised by Jasudben M L School after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation declared the year 2000 as the Year of Mathematics.