Away from the rat race, children learn values of life at this camp

Parents are demanding that such camps be held in more areas

A joint initiative by the Hindu Religious Charitable Endowments Department and the Rudhra Shanthi Yogalayam to impart value-based summer session at Sri Akilandeswari-Jambukeswarar temple in Tirvanaikovil has evoked a positive response from a large number of parents who have admitted their wards to the seven-day “Aanmeega Araneri training programme”.

Spread over three hours from 9.30 a.m. at the dance auditorium of the temple, the free training aims at not only showing the right path to the children but also in improving their skill in the field of their interest.

The seven sessions commence with yoga followed by Surya Namaskaram, meditation,

Tirukkural , slokam, vocal, and moral sessions. So far, nearly 50 children have joined the camp and the enrolment is on.

“We are prepared to make extra efforts during the summer holidays for teaching values to our wards,” say J. Priya and Punithavalli who have admitted their daughters J. Ranjana and Devinagalakshmi to the training.

P. Krishnakumar, founder of Rudhra Shanthi Yogalayam and coordinator of the programme, points out that apart from parents in and around Tiruvanaikovil, a large number of visitors to the temple camping in Tiruchi during the summer have enrolled their wards. “We have students from Madurai too. People have been appealing to us to hold similar camps in centres such as K.K. Nagar and Woraiyur,” says M.R. Asokan, principal of Yogalaya, appreciating the efforts of parents in moulding the character of their off springs through these value-based programmes. K. Jagadeesan, a parent, hopes that his daughter J. Poojadevi will come out a wiser girl after learning the morals and ethics propagated in the Tirukkural and verses of Vallalar.

A batch of resource-persons handle the sessions.

P. Amalageetha, resource-person for slokam session, says a child-friendly technique is adopted. T. Sampath, a Tamil teacher, explains the ethics stipulated in Tirukkural .

Masi, another resource person, delivers a lecture on the life of Vallalar and his contribution in the form of Agaval .

Pazha. A. Kannaiah, Executive Officer of the temple, said a certificate would be issued to the children.

Mr. Krishnakumar says it has been planned to organise the session every week-end as a follow-up to the summer coaching. “Many parents are more interested in honing their wards’ skills on a sustained basis,” he says. Those interested can call 9790138198 for details.