CHILDREN'S DAY

Birthday of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru is celebrated as children’s day. It is a national festival all over India. Jawahar Lal Nehru was born on 14^th November in 1889, at Allahabad. His father Moti Lal Nehru was a rich man and famous advocate. Leaving all the wealth and fortunes earned by his father. Jawahar Lal come to the central stage of freedom struggle for India. He was prison for several years.

But for all the horrifying period of struggle he had kept deep attachment and affection to children. Whenever he got a chance he rushed to the children nearby. He wore a fresh rose in his buttonhole as a symbol of his affection for children.

Actually, as the architect of modern India, he was learning a lot from the faces and talks of little children. After becoming the first Prime Minister of India he fulfilled the long time dream of Indian children by providing free education up to the primary level.

Children of  India remember Chacha on November 14^th and celebrate his birthday as their own day. Children’s day is celebrated in all schools of our country. Special programs and competitions are organized in public too to make the children feel happy and proud of their land and people. It is an occasion to make all aware that the children of today are citizens of tomorrow.

DIWALI

The word ‘Deepavali, means an array of lights (Deep – Lamp, Aavali – Array). It falls on the previous day of the New Moon in between mid of October and November.

The celebration of Diwali is closely related with India’s two classic epics the Ramayan and Mahabharata. According to mythology, this is celebrated to commemorate Rama’s return from exile at the end of fourteen years. It is also in memory of the destruction of the demon called Narakasura by Lord Krishna.

The people of Dwaraka greeted Lord Krishna with illumination and rejoicing in honuor of his victory. The darkness of the Chatudasi night forced them to use many lamps on the occasion, and the illumination became a part of this celebration.

Before sunrise, all have their oil bath and put on new clothes. Sweets are served followed by bursting of crackers. As the light dispels darkness, ignorance is replaced b knowledge. The prayer in the Upanishad ‘Thamasoma Jyothirgamaya’ means “lead us from the darkness to light.”

Deepavali is associated with merchants and the Goddess of weath. It is the practice in south India to consume a preparation of dry ginger and jiggery soon after the oil bath on the Deepavali day. Dry ginger and jiggery from the Niveda (offering) for Dhanwantari, the great exponent of Ayurveda.

Deepavali is celebrated by the lighting of many lamps in every courtyard and bursting of crackers. Sweetmeats and new clothes are part of the celebration. The festival of lights is celebrated all over the world in different forms