Annual Prarthana Shibir at Khar Anandashram Math. by Smt ...

Annual Prarthana Shibir at Khar Anandashram Math.
by Smt Shantala Trasi
A day all our Prarthana children look forward
to – The Annual Shibir at Khar Math - to
celebrate Parama Pujya Parijnanashram
Swamiji's birthday - arrived with the promise
of lots of fun filled activities.
The morning of 7 th June 2009 saw children
rising early from their weekend slumber and
filling their bags with materials they were
instructed to get for the Shibir. Children
started arriving at Khar Math as early as
9.15 am. Soon the hall filled with
enthusiastic children waiting to participate in
the various activities. The registration desk
was (wo)manned by Smt Mohini Bailur and
Smt Heema Rao. The final count of total
number of registrations showed 82 children
and 33 adults.
The day began with Sabha Prarambha
prayers and children reciting the
Parijnanashram Trayodashi. In an apt tribute
to the Sun God, the children performed the
Surya Namaskar under the guidance of Smt
Ranjana Hosangdi. Ketki Mavinkurve
demonstrated each position as Ranjana
pachi explained the significance of each
position and the benefits of performing
Surya Namaskar regularly. After the rigorous
exercise session and having extracted
promises from the children to do Surya
Namaskar everyday (just as regular as the
sun!) the children were in for a delicious
snack of yummy pizza and tomato wafers
followed by a thirst quenching orange drink.
The post-snack session included an Art
demonstration by Smt Geeta Koppikar and
her daughter Smt Dhanashree Ubhaykar.
They taught the children various aspects to
be kept in mind while drawing the human
figure viz. the proportion of head to body in
an adult and a child, the placement of
figures the sequence to be drawn etc.
Accompanying parents and teachers too
added to their drawing skills even as they
were encouraging their children to let their
creativity flow. Tips were given by
Dhanashree to add emotional expressions
to their figures. They then showed how
profiles can be drawn using numerals. Quick
ideas to draw animal figures using basic
shapes, and finally how a storyboard is
created were also taught.
[Geeta pachi explaining the nuances of
story-board]
[Children engrossed in discussing their
drawing with their Prarthana teacher]
A sumptuous lunch with noodles and
Manchurian followed. The Vanilla Icecreams
were a welcome treat to beat the hot
and humid June weather.
Post lunch the children were given drawing
books and sheets on which they had to use
the story-board technique to illustrate a
happy moment they experienced during their
recent summer vacations. Children spent
the next one hour deeply engrossed in their
work as they relived the happy moments
while they drew on their art sheets. Archana
pachi announced that the completed
drawings were to be collected and sent to
Parama Pujya Swamiji.
Next in store was a value based session
conducted by Divya Naithani. The children
were split into 10 groups. Each group was
given a situation which had to be enacted.

Annual Prarthana Shibir at Khar Anandashram Math.
by Smt Shantala Trasi
come together on this auspicious occasion -
our beloved Parama Pujya Parijnanashram
Swamiji’s 62 nd birthday. The delicious cake
was brought in and instead of blowing the
candles out, the children lit a Diya to
observe the divine occasion- to bring in light
on a special day instead of snuffing it out.
Children once again recited the Shree
Parijnanashram Trayodashi and settled
down to gobble the yummy chocolate cake.
[Divya pachi with the children during
the session on Values.]
The groups had to ensure that each group
member was involved in skit. The ground
rule set was that while one group performed
the other groups listened and paid attention.
The groups were given 15 minutes to
discuss how they would present their topic.
After each group performed based on the
situation given to them, Divya pachi
questioned the young audience about the
lessons they had picked from the skits they
had watched. As the children responded,
Divya pachi wrote them on the board and
used the values to summarise the session.
The values that got dramatized and
discussed are as follows:
1. Not to hurt anyone
2. Not to tell lies
3. Not to cheat
4. Control
5. Not to be greedy
6. Cleanliness
7. Being happy with what we have
8. Hard work
9. Self improvement
10. Do your best without worrying about the
results
This thought provoking session was
followed by a talent show. Many children
came forward to showcase their talents.
The participants took great pleasure in
performing for the audience as Archana
pachi gently encouraged them for taking the
initiative to come on stage. Indeed this was
a unique platform for our children to
perform who otherwise maybe feeling shy
and awkward in their schools.
[Cake cutting ceremony]
Children dispersed after the Sabha Samapti
Prayers and Deep Namaskara. Promises
were made to meet again next year with
even more participants. All through the
programme Archana Savnal pachi, Sujata
Haldipur pachi, Shantala Trasi pachi,
Mohini Bailur pachi and Heema Rao pachi,
the people behind the day’s planning,
worked relentlessly to make the programme
a success. Sandhya Nayel Pachi, who
inspite of being unable to join was
constantly coordinating among all the
organizers and teachers to ensure
maximum participation. Thanks too, to Shri
Sandeep Trasi for recording the event on
his camera.
Our Koti Pranams to Parama Pujya Sadyojat
Shankarashram Swamiji Whose vision for
our children forms the very basis of
inspiration for planning and implementing
such cultural and educational events. Jai
Guru!
Finally it was time for the much awaited
activity, the very reason to celebrate and