Nearly a century ago, Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards, suggested that one day in early August be celebrated as Friendship Day. She had two reasons to suggest this. The first was that there were no festivals or events in August in the United States and the second was that celebrating friendship in this month could increase card sales. Since then, the idea of celebrating friendship has taken root and grown.
In 2011, the United Nations declared July 30 as International Friendship Day. Do you know who the official Ambassador for Friendship to the World is? Why, Winnie the Pooh, of course!
This Friendship Day, Young World peeks into some friendships.
Aakriti Arora (12) and her grandma, Champa Bhatia (65),Bangalore
For Akriti her naani is her best friend and partner in crime. Whenever her naani visits, they have fun teasing her mom, messing up the house and eating junk food. Aakriti says her naani is the coolest. “She taught me to swim. While swimming, I wore floaties and thought I knew how to swim. She slowly removed the air from my floaties and taught me how to stay afloat without them. I didn’t even realise she was teaching me. And in two days, I was swimming easily!”
Matri Pal (9) and Abhilasha Daftuar (9), New Delhi
They met in Nursery. On the first day, Abhilasha sat next to Matri. Abhilasha admires Matri’s drawing skills. “Last year, during activity week in school, both of us won the drawing competition. When I did not come to school the next day, Matri called my mom and found out that I was unwell. She made me a ‘Get Well Soon’ card,” says Abhilasha. There is never a day when they do not talk to each other
Konokangshi Nandi (6) and Busky (12), Kolkata
Busky has been Konokangshi’s best friend since she was a baby. She loves the fact that Busky never bites anyone, plays the best cricket and football, and knows when to wake her up from her afternoon nap. Busky usually wakes up Konokangshi up by licking her face and making her giggle. “Despite being a doggy, Busky is a scaredy cat. Whenever there is a noise like crackers during Diwali or thunder, Busky just jumps onto my lap for safety!” says Konokangshi.
Nandini J. Palissery (8), Safa Haneef (8) and Marwa Haneef (8), Kochi
Best friends from LKG, Nandini and twins Safa and Marwa are inseparable. “I love how helpful Safa is and admire Marwa’s stubborn streak,” says Nandini. Last year they cemented their friendship by writing their names on a stone and burying it behind a football goal post in school. “Let’s not forget this place ever,” Safa instructed the others. “This is our place and will symbolise our friendship.”
Sarah Webb (24) and her students (ages 7 to 13), Anaikatti, Coimbatore
Sarah came to Anaikatti from Montana, U.S., in 2012 to teach at Vidya Vanam, a school for tribal children. “One day, I said I was feeling hot as the Anaikatti heat and humidity were a lot to take after the Montana cold. My students came up to me, and felt my forehead and my arms. “No akka , not hot”. “No, akka . You are not hot.” Later, I learned they had understood ‘hot’ as feeling feverish,” she says. While a teacher-student friendship is different, she says, “they have taught me more about the world we live in. They have taught me the truest meanings of empathy, dedication, and compassion.”
Tauqeer Raza (13), Bilal (15) and Mohammed Irshad (16), Mumbai
Irshad, Bilal and Tauqeer have been friends for as long as they can remember. They cycle around Lal Maidan in their free time, play football, cricket, and carrom, and go swimming. Irshad quit school when he was in Std. VII because his parents could not afford to pay his fees. He wants to be a mechanic. Bilal is good in Hindi and Marathi and makes nuts and bolts for trains in his spare time. Tauqeer knows four para s of the Quran by heart and works at a shop that repairs ladies’ bags.
“We are like brothers,” says Bilal, “We live in a slum and protect each other whenever necessary.”
“We have been together since childhood. We will stay together and become big men someday,” says Irshad.
Winnie the Pooh:
“We'll be Friends Forever, won't we, Pooh?” asked Piglet.“Even longer,” Pooh answered.