Auxilium Snehalaya - Ashalayam is an Indian NGO run by the Salesians of Don Bosco, working with the street children in Calcutta, irrespective of race, religion or gender. Ashalayam means “The Homes of Hope” in Sanskrit. Ashalayam gives these children the means to build their own future, by allowing them the access to the education or to the vocational training. Auxilium Snehalaya ia missionaries' school in Dwarka, India. It is a hostel run by the sister's of Don Bosco.They are dedicated to "Girl Education" together there are 40 girls from age group 5yrs to 18yrs.
We planned for a Christmas Celebration at the Auxilium where we organised Christmas Tree Decoration competition, Cultural competition, Games and Drawing comp-craft making for the residents of Ashram.
It is not possible for me to jot in words the wonderful experience of being a Santa for a day. A chance to make them smile, a chance to make a difference to their Christmas, a chance to make a difference to their life.
Peek in to see some of my wonderful moments with them...
Monday, December 18, 2006
Friday, December 15, 2006
Packing for skiing experience
Our next adventure spot decided....
I have done mountain climbing, trekking, diving and now "High Altitude Adventure Sport - Skiing". My family is cooking up plans for our next adventure sport. Though, it is still in booking phase, excitement seems to have mounted as high as Mt. Everest :)..
We shall be going to Auli, a famous skiing spot in India. I am sure it is going to be a scintillating experience for all of us.. Auli is a hill top in the state of Uttaranchal.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....shivering already..Yeah..gonna have great fun..
Auli Skiing course is a 7 day snow bed course..will update after coming back..Right now, I am all tuned and set for a rocking time in snow..
Shhh..zzz.....zz...Hurrrraaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....
I have done mountain climbing, trekking, diving and now "High Altitude Adventure Sport - Skiing". My family is cooking up plans for our next adventure sport. Though, it is still in booking phase, excitement seems to have mounted as high as Mt. Everest :)..
We shall be going to Auli, a famous skiing spot in India. I am sure it is going to be a scintillating experience for all of us.. Auli is a hill top in the state of Uttaranchal.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....shivering already..Yeah..gonna have great fun..
Auli Skiing course is a 7 day snow bed course..will update after coming back..Right now, I am all tuned and set for a rocking time in snow..
Shhh..zzz.....zz...Hurrrraaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....
Monday, December 4, 2006
Family Marathon, Sunday 3rd December 2006
Huh Huh Huh Huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
We were panting..We were falling..still running :)
Adventure runs in the blood...Winter break started and my cousins were back home from their boarding..Yes, my 9 and 11 yr old buddies came from Welham's Boys School for their winter vacations. They were all set for the fun and adventure at home. And, they can't possibly enjoy without their Naha di (long story in a line..the kids somehow never called me Neha di..dunno if thats outta love or just a pronounciation error..Whatever it be..I love being called Naha di :))..
Our first adventure spree..
We decided to have a Family Marathon..Noone would be spared. All have to RUN. From grandpa to dear Sahej (youngest of all), all have got to participate..
Gearing up: A day before, Saturday 2nd Dec '06 Everyone got on their feet, preparing for their sportswears - head gears, joggers, track suits, bandanas..and what not..Enthusiasm was overflowing..
Participants: All family members
Time : 5:00 am
Day: Sunday, 3rd Dec '06 Mid Winter Day
Routes: We decided to have 2 tracks and distinguished it by age group..Kids and oldies one group and rest in the other..hehe..guess what? where could I fit in..Well, well, well..If all oldies/kids fall down on their way..there needs to be one at least, to get them onto the vehicle (We had a vehicle running for the drop outs :))..one caretaker for all and that was ME...
Route 1: 5 km, round the colony inner circle
Route 2: 8 km, round the main road to the inner circle to the colony welcome gate
RULE: All will be timed..No Cheating..:)..No short cuts..
Reward: Right, thats what we were all waiting for :P..What for are we running! Gifts were decided by the oldies and they dint tell us..deliberately..As if they were to cheat and keep them anyway..hush hush..Anyway, to get it, we were to run..run..run..
Family Marathon begins..the Sunday morning ..4:30 a.m...no sunshine and chilly weather.. WAKE up alarm..ringing..eyes tight shut :)
Noone got up..My grandpa..first one to get up..inherently devoid of sleep due to old age.. ringing around everybody's ear..Get up! Get up!.. Anyway, the second one to get up..Sahej..He to0k the torch and now everybody off the beds :)..Literally poured glasses full o' water to wake everybody...naughty boy zzzzz...zzzz...every body awake..out of their beds..
Time: 5:00 am. 5 mins to get set and go..That's all, thats the time line and and all had to abide by it or out of the Marathon..Everyone was actually wondering who could be the LUCKY ONE :)
Anyway, On your marks... Get Set....Gooooooooooooooooo.....
Route 1 runners:
All started from the house front gate. Oldies, kidz, TATA Indica (car for all drop downs over the way..) and me..Everybody, was actually deciding when to drop down to be seated comfortably in the car thru the Marathon :P ..A few like Nakul were also planning to take their known short cuts to get back home earlier..
Started..running..huh..huh..huh..Sahej was the fastest of all running at hare pace and slowest...hmmm..not to wonder..grandma..she was not running..she was taking baby steps..knew when everone covers lil more distance, she could take her seat..Well thats what happened..hehe..Naniji (we call her nanni too) dropped first..So 1 wicket down.. Next, Nakul..mottu..dropped and then grandpa..Sahej, Shruti, Swati and me..actually completed the route..Yeah..Mission accomplished...
Sahej - 26:05, Neha - 28:50, Shruti - 31:56, Swati - 34:45, Nanaji - 35:05
Drop outs - Nakul and Naniji
Route 2 runners:
Mom, Dad, Mamaji, Mamiji, Neeta di, Navneet, Jiju, Masi, Masa, Gaurav, Ankush
They started, dont think any one dropped but they seemed to have taken ages getting back..We were all waiting at the welcome gate for their arrival. Sahej decided to time them.
Gaurav - 56:04, Ankush - 1:02:09, Mamaji - 1:02:14, Navneet - 1:04:56, Jiju - 1:05:23, Papa - 1:09:53, Masa - 1:13:23, Masi - 1:13:26, Mom - 1:20:21, Mamiji - 1:20:24, Neeta di - 1:21:02
Finally, all reached..driving force..each other..hehe..ya we were actually looking at each other to run better and earlier..Nakul never got a chance to cheat thru his short cut..dropped the second.. So, was our Family Marathon...full of fun, tiresome and enjoyable..
After Marathon, we were all so tired..drank lemon water and all dropped back to our beds :)
We were panting..We were falling..still running :)
Adventure runs in the blood...Winter break started and my cousins were back home from their boarding..Yes, my 9 and 11 yr old buddies came from Welham's Boys School for their winter vacations. They were all set for the fun and adventure at home. And, they can't possibly enjoy without their Naha di (long story in a line..the kids somehow never called me Neha di..dunno if thats outta love or just a pronounciation error..Whatever it be..I love being called Naha di :))..
Our first adventure spree..
We decided to have a Family Marathon..Noone would be spared. All have to RUN. From grandpa to dear Sahej (youngest of all), all have got to participate..
Gearing up: A day before, Saturday 2nd Dec '06 Everyone got on their feet, preparing for their sportswears - head gears, joggers, track suits, bandanas..and what not..Enthusiasm was overflowing..
Participants: All family members
Time : 5:00 am
Day: Sunday, 3rd Dec '06 Mid Winter Day
Routes: We decided to have 2 tracks and distinguished it by age group..Kids and oldies one group and rest in the other..hehe..guess what? where could I fit in..Well, well, well..If all oldies/kids fall down on their way..there needs to be one at least, to get them onto the vehicle (We had a vehicle running for the drop outs :))..one caretaker for all and that was ME...
Route 1: 5 km, round the colony inner circle
Route 2: 8 km, round the main road to the inner circle to the colony welcome gate
RULE: All will be timed..No Cheating..:)..No short cuts..
Reward: Right, thats what we were all waiting for :P..What for are we running! Gifts were decided by the oldies and they dint tell us..deliberately..As if they were to cheat and keep them anyway..hush hush..Anyway, to get it, we were to run..run..run..
Family Marathon begins..the Sunday morning ..4:30 a.m...no sunshine and chilly weather.. WAKE up alarm..ringing..eyes tight shut :)
Noone got up..My grandpa..first one to get up..inherently devoid of sleep due to old age.. ringing around everybody's ear..Get up! Get up!.. Anyway, the second one to get up..Sahej..He to0k the torch and now everybody off the beds :)..Literally poured glasses full o' water to wake everybody...naughty boy zzzzz...zzzz...every body awake..out of their beds..
Time: 5:00 am. 5 mins to get set and go..That's all, thats the time line and and all had to abide by it or out of the Marathon..Everyone was actually wondering who could be the LUCKY ONE :)
Anyway, On your marks... Get Set....Gooooooooooooooooo.....
Route 1 runners:
All started from the house front gate. Oldies, kidz, TATA Indica (car for all drop downs over the way..) and me..Everybody, was actually deciding when to drop down to be seated comfortably in the car thru the Marathon :P ..A few like Nakul were also planning to take their known short cuts to get back home earlier..
Started..running..huh..huh..huh..Sahej was the fastest of all running at hare pace and slowest...hmmm..not to wonder..grandma..she was not running..she was taking baby steps..knew when everone covers lil more distance, she could take her seat..Well thats what happened..hehe..Naniji (we call her nanni too) dropped first..So 1 wicket down.. Next, Nakul..mottu..dropped and then grandpa..Sahej, Shruti, Swati and me..actually completed the route..Yeah..Mission accomplished...
Sahej - 26:05, Neha - 28:50, Shruti - 31:56, Swati - 34:45, Nanaji - 35:05
Drop outs - Nakul and Naniji
Route 2 runners:
Mom, Dad, Mamaji, Mamiji, Neeta di, Navneet, Jiju, Masi, Masa, Gaurav, Ankush
They started, dont think any one dropped but they seemed to have taken ages getting back..We were all waiting at the welcome gate for their arrival. Sahej decided to time them.
Gaurav - 56:04, Ankush - 1:02:09, Mamaji - 1:02:14, Navneet - 1:04:56, Jiju - 1:05:23, Papa - 1:09:53, Masa - 1:13:23, Masi - 1:13:26, Mom - 1:20:21, Mamiji - 1:20:24, Neeta di - 1:21:02
Finally, all reached..driving force..each other..hehe..ya we were actually looking at each other to run better and earlier..Nakul never got a chance to cheat thru his short cut..dropped the second.. So, was our Family Marathon...full of fun, tiresome and enjoyable..
After Marathon, we were all so tired..drank lemon water and all dropped back to our beds :)
Monday, November 6, 2006
A tryst with reality
U ARE INSANE!!
Isn't weird for me to hear from everyone..Living in my own world..
Study..Learn..Teach..Play..Help..I just do what I feel like..
One day I was just walking down to my office (I prefer to walk to office..some 45 mins walk, I take it as a chance to move my body/Exercise)..Tiring..one will say, but I like it thoroughly..Ya, that day, as usual I was walking on the pavement..saw a few kids running around..I walked on..I just thought I could ask them which class they were studying in..and I did catch hold of one kid to ask "Tum kausi class mein padhte ho ? ( In which class are you studying?)"..The boy promptly replied "Hum nahi padhte vadhte.( We don't study )"..Disappointed was I. Don't they want to study or they are among the victims of poverty? I just questioned further if they want to study. They said they would like to, given a chance..
I dint need any trigger to say anything else..I decided that I will teach them..I told them I will get back to them in the evening and so did I..While my walk back from office, I found the kids right where I asked them to be..In the morning there were 4 kids but now only 2 turned up..anyhow, I was happy that at least the 2 kids want to study. I took them to the nearby market - popularly known as Sector-17 Market. Got them one notebook, pencil, eraser and sharpener each. I stay in a rented flat and thought thats an ideal place to start their studies..
I took them home and tried to explain them why they should know "How to read and write?" Then I wrote a few Hindi and English alphabets. It was not difficult for me to handle them as they knew the meaning of every Hindi word I said..unlike a Nursery kid :).. It was over 1 hour and I asked them to go back home and that we shall continue the next day. They were more than excited to learn and happy with the freebies I gave to them.
They must have taken the stuff home and showed them to their parents..Next what happened, was neither shocking nor so easy comprehend..At around 10:30pm, outside my flat was the poor kids' parents... They were banging and they were shouting..I could not understant..why? When I opened the door, a torn notebook flung onto my face. The parents were apprehensive about the kids and thought that I was actually trying to fool the kids to carry them somewhere..
I tried to explain that I was not fraud and that I reside there and that I work in a big company as an engineer and that I like to teach and that I am genuine and that I did understand that the kids were away from home for a while and that they have all the reasons to get angry..They were not ready to calm down. They flew the notebooks over my face and warned me not to get after their kids..
That night, I could not rest in peace..entire night I was thinking what I could do? Mebbe I could give them money, but there was no guarantee that the money would have been used for the kids education. Usually, the men use the money for their pleasure drinks at night at least for all I have read in the newspaper about such cases..Alas, I realised I can't get away with doing just what I want..even if it is for good...'coz I am in a society where changes are not so easily accepted and it is hard to make people understand the meaning of 'Literacy'.
I do belive there would come one day when India can proudly call itself a Literate Democracy..
Isn't weird for me to hear from everyone..Living in my own world..
Study..Learn..Teach..Play..Help..I just do what I feel like..
One day I was just walking down to my office (I prefer to walk to office..some 45 mins walk, I take it as a chance to move my body/Exercise)..Tiring..one will say, but I like it thoroughly..Ya, that day, as usual I was walking on the pavement..saw a few kids running around..I walked on..I just thought I could ask them which class they were studying in..and I did catch hold of one kid to ask "Tum kausi class mein padhte ho ? ( In which class are you studying?)"..The boy promptly replied "Hum nahi padhte vadhte.( We don't study )"..Disappointed was I. Don't they want to study or they are among the victims of poverty? I just questioned further if they want to study. They said they would like to, given a chance..
I dint need any trigger to say anything else..I decided that I will teach them..I told them I will get back to them in the evening and so did I..While my walk back from office, I found the kids right where I asked them to be..In the morning there were 4 kids but now only 2 turned up..anyhow, I was happy that at least the 2 kids want to study. I took them to the nearby market - popularly known as Sector-17 Market. Got them one notebook, pencil, eraser and sharpener each. I stay in a rented flat and thought thats an ideal place to start their studies..
I took them home and tried to explain them why they should know "How to read and write?" Then I wrote a few Hindi and English alphabets. It was not difficult for me to handle them as they knew the meaning of every Hindi word I said..unlike a Nursery kid :).. It was over 1 hour and I asked them to go back home and that we shall continue the next day. They were more than excited to learn and happy with the freebies I gave to them.
They must have taken the stuff home and showed them to their parents..Next what happened, was neither shocking nor so easy comprehend..At around 10:30pm, outside my flat was the poor kids' parents... They were banging and they were shouting..I could not understant..why? When I opened the door, a torn notebook flung onto my face. The parents were apprehensive about the kids and thought that I was actually trying to fool the kids to carry them somewhere..
I tried to explain that I was not fraud and that I reside there and that I work in a big company as an engineer and that I like to teach and that I am genuine and that I did understand that the kids were away from home for a while and that they have all the reasons to get angry..They were not ready to calm down. They flew the notebooks over my face and warned me not to get after their kids..
That night, I could not rest in peace..entire night I was thinking what I could do? Mebbe I could give them money, but there was no guarantee that the money would have been used for the kids education. Usually, the men use the money for their pleasure drinks at night at least for all I have read in the newspaper about such cases..Alas, I realised I can't get away with doing just what I want..even if it is for good...'coz I am in a society where changes are not so easily accepted and it is hard to make people understand the meaning of 'Literacy'.
I do belive there would come one day when India can proudly call itself a Literate Democracy..
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