Shubharambh- A new beginning

Kuch accha karne se pehle Kuch meetha ho jaye? (How about some  sweets before an auspicious beginning?)The ad says and we smile happily at their happiness.

A wedding is a special occasion, a shubharambh or a new auspicious beginning and a new beginning should have some equally auspicious way to welcome it.

A chocolate bar sounds nice and sweet. Prayers to your family diety isn’t bad either. A feast for the brahmins, alms, donations? All sounds so noble and heartwarming and the blessings and good wishes that follow – things just couldn’t be better. Or is it?

We do not know if you ever have visited an orphanage before, but if you do then you will find the experience totally overwhelming.  Abandoned children, orphans, children who have run away from abusive families, all of them who had just one thing in common and that is they had no where to go.

Innocent children who could have had a life like yours and ours , but who due to some quirk of fate found themselves on the other end of the spectrum of fortunes.

You see them and what strikes you the most are their eyes- innocent, wide eyed , curious, expectant and hesitant just like that of any chldren, except their eyes don’t smile even when they smile.

We have tried to bring before you a part of their worlds, their imaginations and creations through some of their poems and drawings.

Maybe you can feel their hidden feelings in them, their dreams , aspirations and laughter in them.

These works are by the children from Arya Anathalaya Delhi in Daryaganj. They house around a thousand children and they provide both education and lodging  and other basic necessities to them in the campus along with medical facilities. They also provide vocational training when they are old enough in a bid to help them settle down in life.

The orphanage is adequately staffed with caretakers, wardens and security guards and teachers for the school.

They accept donations, both cash and kind like clothes, blankets , heaters , geysers, books  etc  (of which they have always a regular requirement)and sponsorships of individual students by the donors. You can even sponsor a feast or meal as a part of your religious ceremonies and arranging one is totally hasslefree.

Most importantly you can sponsor a child and become their guardian and take an active interest in him and her and shower the child with the much needed time, attention and love.

Sponsoring a student doesn’t cost you the earth and they have different brackets  as per your preference.

So this wedding season, when you fill up your new home and life with new found happiness, how about beginning  by giving a little innocent child a reason to smile?

Now wouldn’t that be the best “Subharambh”?

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