Winning doesn’t matter…celebration of participation does…

SSRVM (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir) Vidyaranyapura, Bangalore North, celebrated its annual sports day on Saturday, November 7, 2009. All parents were invited to be a part of the event, and so I was there.

The Sports Day sought witness to Pujya Guruji Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s message of ‘celebration,’ wherein all the students were encouraged to inculcate the spirit of being a real sportsman, without giving in too much of a heck to the actual results; of course, every child that participated is invariably a winner.

Gyan aside.....the school captain and vice captains dressed in respective house uniforms welcomed the Chief Guest, Ms. Hilda D Mellow, a sports journalist with Mumbai Times. She flew all the way to Bangalore to wish the SSRVM children. Amidst lot of energy and fervor given by band, the torch was lighted and after the motivating speech by the chief guest (who had an interesting background and reason to choose sports writing as her career), all the houses performed a round of march past and gave a deserving salute that the guest deserved.

Then the real excitement picked up.....there was some amazing display of aerodynamics and Taek-Won-do. The synchronized display of self defence moves followed by Taek-won-do dance and tile-breaking feats by children indeed did cast a magical spell on the entire audience.

All parents and teachers watched with abated breaths and children performed stunts at ease. The Taek-won-do display was followed by sizzling stars wherein the first to fifth graders performed some amazing formations and some aerobics holding beautiful properties in their little hands. They were all bublling with lots of energy and the energy infected everyone seated and watched them.

The event was further highlighted by group competitive events including relay, passing the ball, passing through hoop, filling the bottle and dressing the tree for all; from eighth to the first graders. I really appreciated the idea and philosophy behind organizing such group events; first thing they definitely did include participation from all children from the respective grades, then such events will implicitly teach them how cooperation and team spirit and respecting the otherwise less-abled or skilled peers becomes important in their day-to-day lives.

All of the competitions sought to keep up the spirit of Art of Living and parents watched these events with as much enthusiasm as the children exuded while performing. There was a different kind of musical-chairs competition held for all parents. The entire ground reverberated with feverish enthu as the tempo set in with the teachers and the children cheering parents, subtly voicing the spirit of oneness. It doesnt matter who won that, I had lot of fun in being eliminated at the first stop when bespectacled parents were asked to leave the place. The fun was unstoppable until the winner was picked.

And, did I tell about the different student houses at SSRVM? You guys need to know about it. They are Shakthi(might), Bhakthi(devotion), Yukti(astute), and shanthi(calm). I believe all these forces are very much interrelated and essential to make a balanced humanbeing.

So, as regards, the sports event I was talking, all 4 houses won prizes in various events and the prizes were distributed by the Chief Guest. It must have been a precious moment for all those parents of kids who received some recognition. The event came to a close after the Principal, SSRVM Vidyaranyapura, Ms. Mamta rendered her vote of thanks to all those who pooled in efforts to make it as brilliant as it turned out to be.


Not end of it....
There was dance by all students after the prize distribution for a song named 'Vasudaika Kutumbakam' which means world is one family, and it had been a visual treat to say the least to all the spectators.

The winners didn't jeer the losers here. Yes, quite the contrary, the losers took pride they have made the winners .....How nice?

No wonder the beat of the song and the children's dance have been so damn inviting that even the chief guest and the SSRVM trustee (Sri. Ravidra Prasad ji) and a many parents joined in tapping their feet and vocalling the peppy tune of Vasudaika Kutumbakam.

The event came to a close with our National Anthem. It may have ended in just 3 hours, but, I, as a proud parent of SSRVM student, had a great day out not only witnessing the 10th annual sports day at SSRVM, vidyaranyapura but taking something out of it.

I can loudly say that I'd seen a great force in every child there; that can take the future generation to path of peace as well as harmony. In all, I saw all kids celebrating for what they are and that had given some message to everyone of the parents.....I'll cherish these memories for a long time to come and sharing it with you all guys gives me a sense of satisfaction.

To reiterate that, my 6-year-old kid’s answer to 7 wonders of the world: To See, To Hear, To Talk, To Touch, To Feel To Share and To Love! When we don't realize these seven wonders we are blessed with and celebrate them every moment.......we are as good as anything that doesn't have life, ain't?