January 26th is
celebrated in India as a National holiday called Republic Day.
That was the
date on which the constitution for the newly Independent
India was formally adopted in 1950.
School children
and organizations have flag ceremonies and in Delhi there is a large parade of
the armed forces and cultural displays.
In Gajapathinagaram, the village or small town where Brighter
Future’s Prem Nivas children’s home is situated, the High School children went
to school for a couple of hours in their
special occasion white uniforms for a flag ceremony and talks by local dignitaries.
At Prem
Nivas we too made it a special day, not only for our Primary aged children, but
for all of our children.
Victor
asked me to arrange something and luckily I was able to liaise with Ramya – a very talented and newly trained teacher who often visits Prem Nivas children. She happened to be visiting the children on the Sunday
before Republic Day so we discussed how to make it special for the children.
We
agreed to buy little things for the prizes – biros and pencils, necklaces and
such like. Ramya came on Monday evening and organized a drawing competition and
games for the children so that we could have prize winners on Republic day.
Each child was given a little paper Indian flag to pin to their uniform and some children were busily practicing a special song.
At Prem
Nivas we do not have a flag pole so we had to improvise. Sampath cut the spikes
off a large bamboo stalk that the boys use to get shuttlecocks and balls off
the roof. There was a joint effort in sticking strips of crepe paper to the
bamboo attached to a netball post. The
foot was disguised with an orange towel of mine and strewn with petals.
Ramya arrived at half past nine, with friends from the teacher training college, wearing a beautiful orange and green sari.
The bamboo pole was tied to a disguised netball post.
Ramya made
a lovely drawing of Mother India and the national bird, the peacock, in front
of the flagpole and the children were fascinated watching it appear from a
little circle.
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| Mr Venkat |
Mr. Venkat, the
teacher of class 4 and 5, took charge of tying the rather small flag into a
bundle filled with blossoms and secured it to the ‘mast’.
All the children and
staff, college students and Ramya’s friends gathered to sing the national
anthem, and sing a song composed by educationalist and poet Rabindranath
Tagore, It is virtually another national anthem (and is much more tuneful) and
sung by school children every morning all over India. Prayers were said and a
group of 4th and 5th year children sang another special
Republic Day song.
Then came the time to unfurl the flag and as I tugged at the
string, petals floated down from the flag.
Ramya told
the children about Republic day and that they should go and sit in the old
dining area for treats and prizes. We had bought pens and pencils, trinkets and
such like. Ramya’s friends gave the children sweets and biscuits.
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| Prabhas had a little car |
We made sure
that each child had something as a prize for some reason or other.
After the photography the friends produced mobile phone with the favorite songs that the children like to dance to. Some children sang a little song and Ramesh seemed to be doing acrobatics.
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| Sai took the team volleyball prizes |
Little children did dances and sang songs
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| College friends of Jyothi and Suneetha |
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| Prem did a cance |
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| Sunitha and Madhavi sang and danced |
.
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| Gowri Teacher |
All in all the children enjoyed their Republic Day holiday.
