by Father Bosco Carvalho for BISMumbai

The boys at DB Snehalaya fondly remembered and honoured the Father of the Nation on his 152nd Birth Anniversary on 02 October 2021. The theme for the occasion was 'Wearing the Seedha Chasmah of Gandhiji'.

Kanti Chauhan, a staff member, organized the celebrations of this special day. In the morning, he helped the boys to prepare skits focusing either on Mahatma Gandhi or the path of non-violence. Chauhan guided the boys to prepare Gandhi's chasmahs out of craft material. The 03 teams enjoyed making these chasmahs. The four chasmahs symbolized the four principles of Gandhi - Truth, Non-violence, Social Welfare and Peaceful protest (सत्य, अहिंसा, सर्वोदय, सत्याग्रह).

The programme honouring Mahatma Gandhi was held in the afternoon. They began with a prayer moment invoking God's presence. Chauhan invited Father George Miranda-Rector Snehalaya, to pay homage to Bapuji by garlanding the picture frame. Then, Chauhan briefly explained the significance of the day. He spoke about the birth anniversaries of both Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. This was followed by the presentation of the team skits. Team Ironman made a presentation on social responsibility and fighting Covid. Team Hero presented the efforts of the United Nations in bringing peace between nations. Team Thor highlighted the principle of being truthful and avoiding stealing through a mime. The boys were commended for their performance.

A general quiz on trivia related to Gandhiji was then organised. The teams tried their best to answer these questions and win points. The programme concluded with the boys pledging to wear the Seedha Chasmah of Gandhiji and follow the principles of truth, non-violence, social welfare and peaceful protest.