One of the best Diwali of my life!!! Better late than never!!!

One of the best Diwali of my life!!!

How didI forget to post it here:) Chalo better late than never!!!
Nothing was planned well in advance, we didn’t even think we would celebrate Diwali outside our home, but just 3 days before Diwali we planned to celebrate our Diwali and make it special and previleged (for ourselves) at some place where we had never gone, with someone who had hardly interacted with any volunteer, with someone who’s underprevileged ( in terms of financial background fate but are highly and more previleged than any of us due to their challenge facing ability), where we could bring in some light and happiness in their lives atleast for few hours… And I am glad we did it!!! This was personally one of my best diwali where I lighted diyas not only at my home but with many others who made me feel proud, special, great, happy and previleged and infact brought light and colours into my life.
 
iVolunteer Bangalore celebrated Diwali 2009 on 17th October from 5.30 pm to 8.00 pm and on 18th October from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm with around 40 children who are either orphan or slum dwellers or children of construction labours or single parents’ children or migrated from across the state and country (Surabhi Foundation) and 75 Destitute Girls/Women (Government Reception Centre for Women and Children) respectively. The 2 special days  have just occupied a special place in my mind. We started with some games, followed by painting Diya’s then distributing gifts and sweets and then lamping some diyas and finally bursting crackers, those smiles, that happiness on every beneficiaries’, staff members’ and volunteer’s face just made me feel so happy… I’ll always remember, how at the end every child was inviting us revisit their organisation/home, some girls painting my leg after painting diyas and ofcourse how can I forget a little one getting one sweet and asking every volunteer to have a bite from that sweet and the smile when every volunteer ate it, simply memorable!!!! Yes, few volunteers did capture our memories in their camerasJ Also to our pleasant surprise News 9 (TV 9 english version) covered us and featured our event at Surabhi Foundation in short in yesterday’s news at 10 pm… Wanna feel our special memories???? Check this out…… (haven’t added any snaps having destitute girls in it as it’s against ethics to upload their snaps but couldn’t resisit adding their talents (painting), can you believe almost all were first timers in painting Diyas at both places)
 
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/ivolunteer.bengaluru/Special2009diwaliwithlittlestars#
 
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/ivolunteer.bengaluru/IVolunteerspecialdiwali2009withlittleones#
 
http://picasaweb.google.com/ivolunteer.bengaluru/Diwali2009atGovtReceptionCentre#
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFgQp9SVyGU
 
I can go on and on but in short “This was one of theeeee best Diwali of my life”!!! Special thanks to everyone… Enjoy maadi!!!
 
Smiles, Prarthana