Donations to Be Distributed to Old Age Homes, Orphanages, and Institutions for Hearing-Impaired Children
Surat: Uttarayan, also known as Makar Sankranti, is not only celebrated for the joy of kite flying but also holds great significance for charity. Keeping this tradition in mind, 56 students from V.N. Godhani School decided to celebrate this festival differently. Instead of flying kites, they devoted their day to collecting donations, which will now be distributed to an old age home, an orphanage, and institutions working for hearing-impaired children.
According to Hindu beliefs, the Uttarayan festival is considered one of the most auspicious days for donating. People, irrespective of their financial status, contribute to gaushalas (cow shelters), religious organizations, old age homes, and orphanages as per their capacity. Inspired by this tradition, the idea of collecting donations for mute animals, old age homes, and orphanages was proposed to the students of classes 9 and 11 of V.N. Godhani English School. The students wholeheartedly welcomed the idea and decided to act on it.
Typically, children enjoy Uttarayan by flying kites from early morning, dancing to DJ music, and spending quality time with family and friends. However, the 56 students of classes 9 and 10, along with their teachers, dedicated their day from 8 AM to 2 PM to collect donations. Wearing their school uniforms, they stationed themselves at four locations, including Sunday Hub, Dabholi Char Rasta, Singanpor Char Rasta in Katargam, and Swaminarayan Temple in Katargam, to accept donations.
The collected donations will now be handed over to old age homes, orphanages, and institutions for hearing-impaired children.
Expressing his pride in the students’ efforts, the school’s chairman, Govinda Kaka, stated, “The idea behind this initiative was to make students understand the importance of collecting donations and its purpose. By instilling the value of giving at this age, we aim to integrate social responsibility into education.”
School director Bhavesh Lathiya remarked, “Uttarayan is a festival with traditional significance for charity. To highlight the importance of collecting donations and delivering them to the needy, the school undertook this unique experiment. It is a step toward preserving this noble Indian tradition for the next generation. Through such activities, we aim to plant seeds of compassion, social responsibility, and a desire to help others in the minds of children. These values will inspire them to stand by society and contribute to old age homes, orphanages, and other institutions in need as they grow into responsible citizens.”
