As part
of 59th Birthday of Parama Pujya Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda
Swamiji, the yearly convention of students known as Vidyarthi Jnana
Bodha Sabha was held from 13th to 20th May at
the Ashrama. Around 700 students from all over India as well
as abroad participated in this convention.
Within
the framework of its objectives, the course contents for the students
included:-
- Essential
skills in personality development
- Ethical
and spiritual base in personality development with special reference
to learning of Guru Geetha, Devotional Music, Yoga and Pranayam
- Cleanliness
drive
- Drawing
competition among children
- Healthy
group games for different age groups in order to promote sense of
group togetherness, fellow felling and group leadership
A very
important input, introduced for the first time in the programme, was
personal counseling of around 400 students (High school & college
students) by His Holiness Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji.
In these sessions the, students had face-to-face individualised interaction
with Pujya Sri Swamiji, during with they had the opportunity to open
out their hearts regarding their personal problems. The students
had immense sense of relief and joy and felt rejuvenated through these
sessions.
Sri Swamiji consuling one of the students
To conduct
the above sessions, Pujya Sri Swamiji devoted 3 hours in the morning
and 3 hours in the evening consecutively
for two days. It was indeed a very
fortunate and proud moment for all the children who had the benefit
of the counseling sessions.
Another
special dimension of the programmes was Music for Meditation and Healing
conducted by Sri Swamiji exclusively for the children students.
Sri Swamiji played different melodies based on different ragas and
joyfully explained to the listener students the value of these musical
melodies in improving one's ability to concentrate and also in enhancing
one's faculty to memorize.
The valedictory
function of the programme held on 13th May was presided
over by Her Excellency Smt. Ramadevi, the Hon'ble Governor of Karnataka.
She extolled the efforts of Pujya Sri Swamiji in organizing such a
convention and expressed great appreciation and satisfaction that
she could see a worthy example of value-based education in the entire
programme.
On behalf
of Avadhoota Datta Peetham, the Hon'ble Governor also handed over
a letter of sponsorship to Master G. Vijaya - a ten year old student
of Mysore and an awardee of the millennium 'Balasree' award from the
President of India, to attend the forthcoming International Children
Conference at Istambul (Turkey).