Traditionally, all over Tamil Nadu, the festival of Dussera is celebrated with the display of dolls along with the Navrathri prayers. It is a ritual to invite friends and family to come and visit the Kollu and share the festival spirit, traditional home made prasad and also return gifts. Families get ready to put together this Kollu every year and take time to invite near and dear one's and share the joy of Dasara.
As part of this process, the last 30 years, Ayodhya Mandapam in West Mambalam is renowned to display the biggest kollu with support of children from local school and the trust and its patrons. Many school children come in groups to visit this place and learn about our heritage, our culture and significance of various hindu dieties and festivals.
As part of this heritage, we at South club thought of taking underprivileged children (children of HIV infected parents but children are negative and healthy) and are at the care of Child Home in Kolathur. The joy and happiness of these children and also the much conservative trust showing their happiness of having the children brought our objective have its meaning. Usually dominated by the orthodox community in the area, these children were welcomed with open arms and the trust members was so happy to entertain them and they ensured that children do not leave without having the prasad from the mandap. This is the best of our culture. Best of our value system and best of acceptance of each other in this society. We explained the children the significance of the festival dasara and also told them stories from history showing each deity and answering their curious questions and were glad as they could identify most of the display deities.
Children also enjoyed home made tamarind rice and sundal and guava fruits given by our members. We also gave all of them one set of toothbrush and pastes. Children thanked us with gratitude, asked us to visit their home and hugged us in thanks. Spending few hours with these wonderful children makes you feel warm and happy. If every house can invite one home with children to come and enjoy a normal day during Dasara, I guess the real meaning of the festival is taken forward. God bless. :-)
Now the pictures will speak for themselves:
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