Date:28/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/28/stories/2008122858150200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tiny tots usher in ‘Season of Love’

Staff Reporter

2,700 children partake of a feast of food, music, dance and games

— Photo: K. Pichumani

COLOURFUL PRESENTATION: Students perform folk dance to entertain children from orphanages and welfare homes at a function organised by Tamil Maiyam in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: Children from orphanages and children’s homes had a rollicking time at the fun festival organised by Tamil Maiyam here on Saturday.

A feast of food, music, dance and games delighted 2,700 children at the St. Bedes’ Anglo Indian School grounds. The event marked the annual ‘Season of Love’ celebrations to rejoice in the festive spirit at this time of the year.

Several entertainment stalls lined the playground in the school, which was decked up for the event. After bouncing on the mini-rubber castles and trying their luck at shooting basketballs through hoops, the children settled down for a music and dance show.

‘Thapattam’ and other folk dances were performed. A set of dances to popular film songs made some of the excited children in the audience break into an impromptu jig.

A group of tiny tots, who are in a transit school for children of construction workers, wore masks and costumes for their first-ever cultural programme. The children from Give Life Transit School did not know Tamil as their parents were migrant labourers. However, they managed to reach out to the audience with their creative expressions and actions. A Salsa dance performance was hosted by Andrea and group.

A. Subramaniam, governor of Rotary District 3230, inaugurated the celebrations. The motto for the festival this year was, ‘Let’s conquer violence with compassion.’

Tamil Maiyam founder Jegath Gaspar Raj said contributions from sponsors were used to give dinner packs, a set of New Year clothes and a gift bag of toys for each child. The team reached out to another 2,000 children, who had not attended the event, by going to the orphanages and welfare homes.