Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

Deepalaya’s event Abhinaya (”Acting”) is an attempt to sensitize the children from public schools in Delhi about the life of their counterparts in the slums. Children from two totally different strata of society come together on a common platform through play and performances. This year’s Abhinaya was on 14th February, Valentine Day. At a time when the world is threatened with mindless violence and destruction, the children conveyed the message “Love Your Fellow Humans”.

Children from the American Embassy School, Meera Model School and Deepalaya School participated in the event, held at the Theatre of the American Embassy School at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. The Chief Guest was Mr. Kazuo Kodama, Minister of the Japanese Embassy, and The Guest of Honour was the famous Kathak dancer Padmashree Shovana Narayan.

The American Embassy School children presented group songs based on the central theme of Abhinaya - Love and Harmony. Students from Meera Model School presented a Puppet Show and a small skit which seeked to spread the message of universal brotherhood and peaceful co-existence among fellow humans. Last, but not the least, the Deepalaya students presented a dance item on the theme of ‘Peace and Solidarity’ alongwith a vibrating and lively Gujarati ‘Dandia’ dance. In all, the audience was enthralled by the performances of the children.