Arya Samaj of Greater Houston, DAVSS and AYM Youth Celebrate Annual Day

HOUSTON: Sunday, May 13 morning was filled with sheer joy for 125 children of the Sanskriti School, managed by Arya Samaj Houston. It was their Annual Day that was eagerly awaited, preceded by their strenuous practice. Their elders in the Arya Youth Mandal (AYM) were in attendance to bid farewell to seven graduating seniors, about to join reputed universities. They, with their parents and siblings were the Yajmaans in the morning Havan, followed by Acharyaji’s message that they can carry with them for lifetime. A large number of AYM youth were given the President’s Voluntary Service Certificate by the guest of honor Joseph and Christina Emmett, for the services they rendered within the Arya Samaj campus or outside. The graduating students displayed confidence as they narrated their long years of experience at the Arya Samaj.

Once the Sanskriti school (the Sunday School of Arya Samaj Houston) children took over, it was non-stop showcasing of their skills they had earned in arguably very efficient manner, within bare two hours a week. Besides their learning of Hindi and Naitik Shiksha (Moral Instruction), they learn electives such as music (vocal and instrumental), Tabla (beginners and advanced), Yoga, dance, orchestra, Hindi R&W, Vedic Math, public speaking, etc.

The Annual Day began with a song by the vocal music group of children. The dance was found to be a new experiment with four groups performing together, culminating in a fusion signifying unity of the humanity in its diversity. Tabla players made it very interesting when the teachers’ phonetic sounds were replicated by tiny fingers of little children on their instruments. Orchestra was a special ensemble by its teacher Aakash Gupta training five youngsters playing diverse instruments. It must have been an emotional moment for Aakash that he would now leave for Harvard after so many years at the Sanskriti School, first as a little boy then as a youth and its full-fledged teacher.

Yoga performers gave the message to stay healthy, so much important for the Indian community reporting serious health issues related to heart, diabetes, etc. Instrumental performance on keyboard by multiple players was a new feather in the cap as a new elective and was very well received. Everybody patiently waited for the signature school song that sees all the children, teachers and volunteers on the stage, the glowing finale dedicated to the pioneering contributions of Maharshi Dayanand (1825-’83), the founder of Arya Samaj. Due to the shortage of time Hindi conversational skills and Naitik Shiksha component didn’t find place. A new addition was the Multimedia Art that was displayed outside, 20+ art work created by 5 to 13 yo. Some of them were sold on the spot, proceeds donated to the Sanskriti School.

The entire event was being live telecast via streaming and can be watched by anybody anytime on the youtube channel of Dayanand Arya Vedic Sanskriti School. Interspersed within the program was the annual report, presented by its director Dr. Kavita Vachaknavee. It kept away from the usual statistics and restricted to a long list of new developments in the year 2017-18. Even the list required three slides, endorsing the phenomenal advances Sanskriti School makes on a continual basis. It reflects in the record registration by this time of the year. Acharyaji’s message for the parents highlighted the need of harmony among the parents at home so that child develops holistically under the love, warmth, and security provided by the parents. Patanjali Yoga Meditation holds the key in this regard to inculcate genuine and pure love, simultaneously washing away stress of the modern life.

Write to davssgm@gmail.com for any query or call 832.874.3376. The new year in DAV Sanskriti School will begin from August 19. Registration is now open and online at http://www.davss.org/, more information is available at https://www.facebook.com/AryaSamajOfGreaterHouston