The Primary Schools of Sadhu Vaswani Mission Celebrate Sadhu Vaswani’s 130th Birthday by Taking Pledges of Vegetarianism
The little ones of Play n Learn, Shanti Vidya Mandir and St. Mira’s Primary Primary School of Pune gathered together to celebrate Sadhu Vaswani’s 130th birthday celebrations on 17 November, 2009 in the Mission Campus.
Many students have taken the pledge of vegetarianism as a part of the ‘Nuri-Week’ celebrations (November 16-25). 723 students who are on the path of vegetarianism will also show their immense love for other lives by feeding birds and animals during this time. It was a heart-warming sight to see the cherubs carrying placards that said “Birds and animals are our brothers and sisters”. The classes collected different items such as biscuits, bathing soaps etc that were offered to Dada for the poor and needy, the children thus being inculcated with the ideals of compassion and service.
Few skits were enacted giving one a glimpse into the life and teachings of Sadhu Vaswani. One skit showed that as a young child, Sadhu used to be moved by another’s pain and suffering so much that he used to go into a corner and pray for that person, sometimes even for days at end until his prayers would get answered. He was a brilliant child whose love flowed abundantly for all, both animate and inanimate. He always took an unwavering stand on truth. He later took on the motto of “Simplicity, Service, Purity and Prayer” when he started his first school in Sindh.
Rev. Dada urged his ‘very dear little children’ to carry home two lessons –
1. Do a lot of good in their lives. Rev. Dada told the children that service of the poor was indeed the worship of God and that service opened the gateways to heaven. The words, ‘Can I help you?’ should be on the lips of everyone at all times welcoming any opportunity to serve another in need.
2. If one is engaged in something that is certainly noble and good, then one must never give up. One may come across many failures on the onward journey but the obstacles are not stopping-stones, but they are the stepping-stones to success.
The day of celebration concluded with Dada leading the children into singing together - “Krishna, Krishna, tum ho tho kahen mein chinta karun” that echoed through the walls of the Mission.
