Ritual & Foods for the kids

In These month Spanish group they came for Volunteering work and we organize for ritual program for wellness of all kids and upcoming all volunteers for better life, In these pooja as you can see also in the pictures we organize for each kids + each voluIteer for 10 minute ritual, It was good experience for all of us and we will do it continue in near future too...

Food is very important for everyone and good food is useful for human bodies so this reason we are providing all kids now Rice+ dal + Chapati + Vegitable curry ( we call sabzi ). In a day one time we provide healthy food, In their"s hard life strong food is important to fighting whole day"s tough work.

All kids are feeling very happy after these programs at ngo of Varanasi, We will do it continue, Just you all pray for happiness of children and Varanasi volunteering organization.

July month's activities

July in Varanasi was a very rainy month and the Ganga's water was at an extremely high level. This meant that many of the children who attend our project were unable to sell postcards and candles on the Ghats as they would usually do in order to support their families financially. During July we had a volunteer from Spain named Sandra come to visit. Sandra spent 2 weeks with us and during this time shared many new ideas, lead various activities and the children loved having her around.

Last week, Akash who is deaf was seriously ill, however, after seeking treatment from a doctor the good news is that Akash is now well and we pray that he continues to be in good health.

With the Ganga's water now decreasing and the weather in Varanasi getting cooler we are now hoping that there will be many more volunteers to visit us during the months to come.

Last 2 weeks we did Hygenic program at our society, In this work volunteer from Belgium has also given her full support. First week we taught all the kids importancy of cleaning. We have explained them we should to keep ourself clean every time it is good for us in 2 way first we will get good health & people will like. Mostly children come at our center from slums/ poor background family and there is no value of hygenic. In this way we try to send the message from kids to families also.

In these pictures kids are learning how to clean our body everyday. We taught them in day two times morning and the evening time we should to take shower and clean the teeth from toothbursh with paste.

For giving them support we have distributed 65 pieces of brush, toothpaste, soap, Dettol liquid for each kids. It was good experience for all of us and we hae enjoyed it.

May month....

first picture is kids with volunteers.
2nd I have published my Father"s picture
May month was not good for my personal life because i have lost my father he was suffering Asthma problem and 12th may evening time he died after these accident school was close for few days he was head of department in family and also school we all want to give him condolence so that his soul could get peace. Today i am Somit ( a man who is helping for social project ) the reason is my father"s has given me good education of life....
About School kids they all are coming again in the school last month USA college student group came and they have given their"s best energy with the kids... and support also for the cleaning the school and played with the kids also. At morning season and same evening season kids group also...

Volunteers activities with health camp

In the past few months we have had many international volunteers offer their time, energy and skill-sets to our school and children. Volunteers from the UK, Germany and Canada have all traveled far distances to stay with us ... and the kids have been learning a great deal!
Our German volunteer, Nicolai, who is a surgeon back in his home land, provided each student with their own physical health check-up, which was a wonderful treat for all of us.
We had plenty of time playing games and learning English from our UK volunteers; and all the kids were taught yoga & value of trees by our Canadian yoga teacher, Kate!

As you can see it has been a busy time here at Saraswati Education Center, filled with much growth, excitement and help. We are so thankful for all of our volunteers and anticipate the next round of helpful hands as we continue to work towards building a better life for all children.

Banaras in March

07-03-2011, The students and volunteers from the Saraswati Education Center went to play a game of football. Since there is no play space in Varanasi to play a physical game, the leaders made a plan to use the sand across the ganga. We took a boat across the ganga and played for two hours. The students had a great time and learned the game of football. There were volunteers and visitors from France, Japan, and USA. There were a lot of videos and photos taken of the day. In all the pictures you can see how much fun the children and volunteers are having. You can also see the real children of Varanasi come alive while playing in a “real” play space. Our volunteers and children really enjoyed seeing the city of Varanasi from the other side of the ganga; it was the first time for the children of the center to take a boat across the ganga. The city looked beautiful and spiritual in the morning light. We also explained them why we call Varanasi by two others name Kashi, Banaras,

lucky children at the pooja ceremony

The literal meaning of Puja (Pooja) is adoration. It is an all-purpose term used to denote the many stages of ritual action that compose worship in Hindu culture. The derivative meaning is thought to be from Pu-chey, 'flower-action,' and refers to the act of offering flowers to the deity.

Puja is the ceremonial act of showing reverence to a God or Goddess through invocation, prayer, song, and ritual. An essential aspect of Puja is communion with the Divine. The worshiper believes that through this contact she or he has established direct contact with the deity. This contact is facilitated through an image: a sculpture, painting, or print. Through this Puja and the image, a Hindu worshiper invites the presence of the deity with his or her cosmic energy. And thus, in the eye of devotees, the icon then becomes the deity, whose presence is reaffirmed by the daily rituals of honoring and invocation.

The principal aim of any Puja is the feeling of personal contact with the deity. Generally, special communication with a deity is made through the intervention of a Brahmin Hindu priest during a strictly regulated ritual in the temple or home. During Puja, the Divine presence is invoked by which the devotee obtains blessings.

At the 8^th of March, we were celebrating this day with the children with a big and colorful buffet of fruits, vegetables and sweets. All the children, especially the girls, wore beautiful dresses and enjoyed the day.