-Rohini Kalbhut
When we talk about the Bharwad community, this community is known for living a migratory lifestyle. They take care of their cattle and constantly move from one place to another in search of water and grazing land.
Because of this, they cannot celebrate festivals and special occasions much throughout the year. But this year, the scenario was different. We decided to organize a week-long event called “Diwali Week Celebration” to celebrate the joy of Diwali with the children.
All the children participated in this event with great enthusiasm. During the Diwali week, new activities and competitions were organized every day, such as Rangoli competitions, Diya decoration, making sky lanterns, and more. Their genuine excitement, as they asked, “What are we doing today? What competition is today?” created a unique energy in the atmosphere. The children took part in each activity wholeheartedly. Some children were playing with the colors of Rangoli, while others were decorating diyas with old beads and paper flowers. The items created by their little hands reflected immense creativity and pure joy.
On the last day of the week, prizes were distributed for all the competitions. The children had beautifully decorated their school’s B.Ed. center with colorful ribbons and flowers. Each child wore new and colorful clothes. The program began, and everyone participated enthusiastically. Those who had done excellent work in diya decoration, sky lantern making, and drawing competitions were awarded prizes. The children sang songs and performed dances. After the program, all the students were served delicious snacks and sweets.
In this way, celebrating this year’s Diwali with the children, filled with joy, colors, and enthusiasm, became an unforgettable experience for me.