Welcome at Palra

We had 8 kM to go to Palra. While I and Sh Vinod Yadav went ahead others followed about 10 minutes behind. A wonderful reception awaited us there-even pictures cant tell it all !

The Inauguration

We all proceeded direct to the inauguration site, where pretty school girls in beautiful dresses were awaiting, right behind the ribbon.

You thought that was over?–the village has long procedures of welcome! It was now time for ’tilak’ or ‘abhishek’, as it is called in Sanskrit

Tilak Ceremony

Drawing the curtain

After this, there was Muhn Meetha to be done and everybody got to eat a sweets. Drawing of the curtain covering the inaugural plaques, was the next step.

Worship of the Goddess of learning

Library being the abode of Goddess Saraswati, offering prayers to her came next. Her picture was installed right in front of the Library and one by one we all went there to light a Diya (light) in respect of Her.

Continued to Part 4, Inside the Library…………….

The post Establishment of School Library in Jhajjar, Haryana, Part 3 first appeared on Anand Bhushan.

THE ROOTS

The year 1938 saw the birth of Jayant Narlikar, Astro Physicist; Shiela Dikshit, politician; Shashi Kapoor, Film Star; Dom Moraes, Poet; Girish Karnad, film Director. It also saw the birth of comic hero ‘Superman”. That year, George the VI was the Emperor of the British Empire and Victor Hope was the Viceroy of India. Recession had hit America. Times had put Adolf Hitler on its cover. Theaters were playing “Bazigar”. Prithvi Raj Kapoor was 34 and shooting for “Sikandar”.

It also saw….

…………… my Father, Sh. Rameshwar Dial, PCS (for Provincial Civil Service-like IAS of today), (1906-1986), then a Judge; found a school in his obscure native Haryana village, exclusively to educate and to teach vocational skills (sewing, embroidery) to girls only. In his founding speech, he said: “mother is the prime educator of child, if mothers are educated, India will be educated,” adding that, “emancipation of women is possible only if they become financially independent”-so he taught them skills. He also insisted that his school will not accept donations (called chanda in Hindi) and supported it from his salary. Practice before you preach, he said. There was a provincial essay competition on “Education”. His essay was adjudged the best. In those days, province meant entire Punjab-including the Punjab state now in Pakistan, Punjab now in India, today’s Haryana, Himachal & Delhi (for judiciary).

Hard to believe…

……………………but such a man was he. He did not hit the headlines, possibly because Judges stay aloof & away from press- but sometimes, in a reflective mood, he shared the lines below with me:-

“Many a flower are born to bloom unseen,

 and lose their scent in the desert air”

In 1986, in his memory we-his 7 children-4 IIT-ians- made a room in the school and established a library there in. He loved Libraries, always had one at our home and it was his most prized possession.

The Library………..

…………………in Village Palra, District Jhajjar, had its roots, there. The village itself was selected because of its proximity to a 1000 acre Wild Life Sanctuary-nature being another of his passions, William Wadsworth his favourite poet. My not seeking outside funds, is a tribute I owe to him.

My young friend, Vinod Kumar Yadav, a person devoted to social service, an IIt-ian, did much of ground work and greatly influenced the choice of this particular village. Now the story:

1. Journey Begins from IIT Delhi
2. Stop over at Jhajjar
3. Village Heads Await IIT-ians
4. IIT-ians arrive
5. Welcome at School Gate
6. Ribbon Ceremony
7. Tilak Ceremony
8. Muhn Meetha
9. Frontage
10. Saraswati Puja
11. Inside Library
12. From Library Window
13. The Dias
14. Pagri Paharana
15. Dushala Pahrana
16. Gifts by Village Heads to IT-ians
17. Gifts by IIT-ians to Village Heads
18. Speaches
19. Visit to Nature Reserve.

continued to part 2………………….

The post Establishment of School Library in Jhajjar, Haryana- Part 1 first appeared on Anand Bhushan.