Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle…..and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness and smiles never decrease by being shared.
While we may be rejoicing with friends and family at yet another Diwali party this festive season, there are millions of children who are not even certain of their next meal.
Underprivileged children hardly get an opportunity to enjoy festivities as they have to work to support their families and lose their childhood in oblivion.
Diwali the festival of light
Along with the rest of the country, Diwali, the festival of light, is celebrated in Meghalaya with equal grandeur, amidst COVID19 pandemic. The festival symbolizing triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and new beginnings, is celebrated with lit diyas, or oil lamps, devotion and hope.
This Diwali, SPARK, an organisation bringing light to the less fortunate ones, organized a special programme for the underprivileged children, who were invited to enjoy and celebrate the festival, like any other child.
“As Diwali signifies the festival of lights, through this little initiative we intend to bring light into the lives of these children and provide them a platform where they can enjoy to the fullest and forget the burdens on their tender shoulders”, said Shima Modak, founder and president of SPARK.
“Diwali also signifies the end of evil and rise of goodness. SPARK hopes that this Diwali ends all the evil and brings goodness and positivity in the lives of all, especially these underprivileged and distressed children,” Modak added.
Coinciding with Children’s Day
This year, Children’s Day brings a moment of pause. Usually celebrated in myriad ways in schools across the country, the celebrations in 2020 were muted. The fact that it coincided with the festival of lights adds significance to the importance of children and the role they have to play. SPARK celebrated Children’s Day in a special way at their Bara Bazaar Slum and Rangmen Centres, where more than 200 children merrily participated.
“Children’s Day was observed where children were empowered and sensitized about child rights thereby building up their capacity to protect themselves from any kind of abuse, especially at this time of crisis due to COVID19,” Modak said.
SPARK distributed soap and masks to the children of the Indian Red Cross Society. The MakeSomeoneSmile Team too came together and had a real blast with the children who joined the celebration in great numbers, making the event a real festival.
The celebration
During the celebration, lamps were lit by the children with a strong belief that its light will bring brightness to the life of every child. Children also offered a prayer.
Thereafter, Shima Modak, of SPARK narrated the essence of Diwali and the purpose of celebrating the same inclusively, without any kind of discrimination or individual differences.
The essence of protecting the environment was also explained to the children thereby motivating them to celebrate Diwali in an Eco-Friendly way.
Other attractions of the programme were games, dance performances and recreational activities. The children also made colourful rangolis. It was totally an eco-friendly Diwali celebrated by children. The programme was indeed a successful one because it brought real happiness among children which is indeed a great achievement
