EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION THROUGH CELEBRATION
The day at Arvind Foundation, the school for Special Needs Children and Adults at K.K Nagar usually starts with the morning greetings. This pleasant habit today took a welcome change as ‘Pongal O Pongal’ greeting resonated in the air when each and every student of Arvindniketan and Arvind Institute of Vocational Excellence entered the school premises this morning. The cheerful banter, yellow costume all around, the aroma of sweet pongal cooking in the Chulha, Colourful rangoli at the entrance, tamizh pongal songs, karagam dance by staff, the essence of pongal celebration brought out through the form of a story- all marked the festive gaiety of our Special Needs Children’s Pongal Celebration. The preparation offered scope for the Special Needs student to interact with each other, greet, to come forward and help the other physically challenged children in putting the rice in the pot. Many children on their own accord tried to make the non-verbal children utter Pongal.
The process of Pongal started a year ago when we planted turmeric and ginger saplings in our School campus along with our children. They nurtured it the whole year and harvested it now for the celebration. A fun filled aspect of Pongal was witnessed when the students tried their hand in the traditional game “URI YADI”. This is a great healing process for our Special Needs Students where they are involved in the whole process of sowing to reaping.
Thus, Pongal is not only a time for festivity but also a time for learning and healing for the special needs students of Arvind Foundation.
Arvind foundation is located at:
No, 387, 27th street, 6th sector, K.K. Nagar, Chennai -600 78
PH: 72999 11022, 98416 15333, 98410 34234.