Ringing in an auspicious start

CHANDIGARH: Puthandu or the Tamil New Year comes as a fresh start for 250 students of classes IX and X from economically weaker sections of Chandigarh. They will not have to face uncertainty and hardship because of lack of books and uniforms. Members of the

Chandigarh Tamil Sangam

will provide these students with free books, textbooks, uniforms and stationary. They will also help them with fees. The students study in different government schools of Chandigarh.

“We have identified around 250 students who live in peripheral areas of Bapu Dham Colony, Dhanas and Mauli Jagran. These are students of classes IX and X. It is seen that they often they drop out of school as they can’t afford expenditure on books and uniforms. They do not face problems till class VIII as they are given free books and uniforms. But thereafter, it becomes a problem,” said

S Rajasekaran

, general secretary of the Sangam. He has been living in the city for more than 20 years.

“We have already bought books. On Saturday, which is the Tamil New Year, we will take these children with us to the market to buy uniforms for them,” he said.

Sangam members have made sure their children are involved in the task. “Festi vals are all about sharing and we want our children to know that life is not as good for everyone. Sharing is the real blessing and so it’s the children who are gathering books and stationary. They will distribute these to children during the function at Bharati Bhavan in Sector 30 on Sunday.

Although the Tamil New Year falls on Saturday, they will celebrate on Sunday as it is a holiday. On Saturday, the celebrations will take place at the Sri Karthikeya temple in Sector 31, apart from individual puja at everyone’s home, informed Rajasekaran.

Around one lakh Tamil residents of the city will celebrate the festival with traditional fervour. “Community members will gather at the temple in the morning to invoke divine blessings for the coming year,” said T Sivagnamam, a Tamil resident.