This article comes a bit late, as I was very busy in the last 2 months with exams. But I wanted to write this for long. So here it goes on… My Visit to Pasumai Illam….
On the 24th of February 2016, me and my parents visited PASUMAI ILLAM at Kovilambakkam in the evening. The organizer, Arjunan Anna had invited me as a guest at the the painting competition being held for the kids there. Before going I had bought some gifts for each of the little artists there.
Arjunan Anna introduced me to the 22 children of Pasumai ILLAM. Then the distribution of sheets of paper, crayons, colour pencils, sketches, pencils, erasers, sharpeners were done. Then I distributed the exam pads.
The painting competition started. The children were given two hours of time to finish their cute drawings. All of them started drawing, colouring. Many of kids tried to colour inside the boundaries sincerely. I really felt happy among them.
Some of them called me and asked ‘Akka, what colour should I give for this face?’
There were children who were colouring printed pictures and a few were drawing on the sheet. At last the organisers told that the time was over and they collected the sheets and sorted them as juniors and seniors.
I noticed that there is respect and discipline in all of the children at Pasumai Illam to everyone around them, which I have not seen in many children’s gatherings.
Arjunan Anna told me and the other Akkas to judge the pictures. While we were judging the cute pictures, they all cut a cake to celebrate an uncle’s birthday and they distributed cake to everyone.
Then the prize distribution started. First they gave a gift to each of the participant. There were many types of gifts. Balls, cricket bats, badminton rackets, Rubik’s cubes, dolls for the girls, board games, skipping ropes, toy phones for the small childrenetc..
I was gifted with a beautiful glass memento. Then the prizes were announced and the winners were so happy to get their medals and certificates and gifts.
I could see that they were so happy for whatever they won, whether it was a participation gift or a winner’s gift. I felt so happy that the children were not feeling sad at not winning any prize. They just congratulated their winner friends and felt happy for them.
Arjunan Anna told them not to feel sad at not getting the gift they wanted. He told ‘You have got gifts for sharing and playing. Don’t refuse to share your gifts with your friends. You can all play together.’
Then we had to go because it was already late and we had to travel far to reach our home. Arjunan Anna told we can take photos and leave. We took group photos.
It was a great experience for me. I never had been with such a group and it was a real learning experience for me that it is very essential that we share and care for the people around us. Thanks a lot for Arjunan Anna for inviting me.
❤❤