Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Diwali is a festival of joy. However, there are some children in our society who don’t grow up without their parents. In the city , Diwali was celebrated with great enthusiasm at institutions like Sakar, Bharatiya Samajseva Kendra, Yuvagram, and Bhagwan Baba Balika Ashram. During the holidays, children built forts, helped the caretakers with rangoli, and the older kids even assisted with Diwali cleaning. For some children, this was their first-ever Diwali.
At Bharatiya Samajseva Kendra, six children celebrated Diwali for the first time this year. One baby, admitted only a few days ago, experienced the festival for the first time. The staff prepared wholeheartedly for the children’s joy. Treats like chakli, laddoo, and karanji were made. Together, the children built a fort, and the traditional rituals, including ‘utna’ (ritual bath), were conducted in the institution, said Chhaya Pawar.
Diwali as an opportunity
At Yuvagram, young men and women above 18 reside. Before Diwali, they organized an exhibition showcasing items they had made themselves. Some made lanterns, others painted decorations, and some displayed handicrafts for sale. This experience taught them lessons in financial self-reliance. The institution was beautifully illuminated for the festival.
‘Sakar’ celebrates Diwali
At Sakar, dignitaries came to celebrate Diwali with the children. Sweets, clothes, and fireworks were donated by the community. To make the children feel at home, they themselves handled decorations, rangoli, and fort-building during the festival. Nilima Pande says, “For these children, the institution is home. We try to ensure that every child experiences love and care, and feels this is their family.”
Excitement at the girls’ orphanage
After the holidays began, all the girls cleaned the premises together. They prepared traditional sweets like shev and shankarpale, said Kavita Wagh, director of Bhagwan Baba Balika Ashram. The girls received clothes of their choice and joyfully prepared for the festival from nail polish and mehndi to ritual baths with moti saban and utna, culminating in bursting fireworks.