Being a country of many different religions and traditions, from time to time our festivals tend to overlap. With Ganesh Chaturthi and Ramzan overlapping last year and now again with Ramzan, Dasara and Navaratri coinciding, the city has been in a festive mood.
St. Andrews High School celebrated a week-long session of understanding and appreciating culture of current festivals. With bulletin board displays that showed the blend of the two cultures, the students and teaching faculty highlighted subtly the role of schools in spreading brotherhood.
Ms. Theresa, a teacher of Std. VII feels, "Students these days are exposed early on to so much violence on television. It matters how we as staff must guide them." Similarly, Ms. Mary Washington says, "By doing our little bit and ensuring they learn to see all religions as one is our primary motive here."
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Togetherness
Chrisanna of Std. X feels that these bulletin boards, class assemblies and other programmes where they spread this feeling make them responsible individuals. Kevin from Std X feels that taking part in all the activities makes it a learning curve for all those involved.
School principal Shomitha Bhattacharya says, "Whatever we do, we do together as a school. The teachers and students work together as a team to put forth their ideas on the issues. The things they do together like the entire school making and displaying 'diyas' for Deepavali, matter in the long run."
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The tiny steps which are being taken by the schools in the twin cities to show the importance of acceptance of other religions, helps in instilling the feeling and promoting of love and brotherhood.