BIS #2143 DON BOSCO BAL MELA

GUJARAT, NOVEMBER 23, 2010: On November 14, 2010, as is our custom every year, this year too, we celebrated children’s day as our tenth Don Bosco Bal Mela. Besides the ninety boys residing at Snehalaya, there were many other children from different railway stations in Gujarat who had come precisely for the mela celebration. A number of children joined the celebration from some of the NGOs in the city and from the neighbouring basti near Snehalaya. Some of our platform boys came in the previous evening. Quite a few of our old boys came forward to give us a good helping hand in getting things ready.

The cultural programme which started off the day began with a prayer dance followed by the lighting of the lamp and garlanding the portraits of Jawaharlal Nehru (it was Chacha Nehru’s birth anniversary), Don Bosco (our Father and Founder) and The Painting of a marginalized platform youngster in whose honor we were actually having the Mela. Soon after, the Director of Don Bosco Snehalaya gave a warm welcome to the Chief Guest and all the guests and children who were present. The MCs of the day---Masters Suraj Molvi Maherban and Chand Sheikh…two of our own Snnehalaya boys----then carried the programme forward very well. The children put up various beautifully-orchestrated dances and a meaningful skit based on the theme of Child Rights which states: “Children are our Hope, Children are our future. Let them live and grow with dignity and respect.” The Chief Guest for the day was Mrs. Neelam Kodnani, the chairperson of the CWC --- Child Welfare Committee. In her speech she congratulated the performances of the children and felt that they would be able to achieve lots of wonderful things in their life for which they would need to study well and work hard. The children and the guests enjoyed the programme very much.

After the programs the children, guests, volunteers and the staff all headed towards the sumptuous lunch with a variety of delicious food on service. At last the time came for the children to play at the different games stalls put up on the grounds. Games coupons were distributed to all the children. The children were told that the more coupons they had d bigger gifts were in store for them. So the children played with excitement putting all their hard efforts in winning coupons. They were lost in their own childhood days, and the joy and happiness they experienced was surely something which they could never have had while they were on the platforms of different railway stations. At the end of the day, there was a DJ system put up for the boys so that they could dance and spend all their energy on the floor. This went on for a good hour. The children had lots of fun, while the DJ played beautiful songs. He ended the day as a beautiful and most enjoyable Bal Mela.