Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

The onset of the rains last week indeed brought much relief to all Delhiites. Was it the monsoons or was it the influence Deepalaya students had on the rain Gods!! Confusing isn’t it. Read on for clarifications.

At the invitation from the Dalhousie Public School 57 students accompanied by some parents, teachers and staff spent an exciting 5 days at Dalhousie, the enchanting hill station in Himachal Pradesh. This trip had been made possible thanks to the efforts of Mr. A J Philip, the President of Deepalaya, who had a chance meeting with Dr. Capt. Dhillon, the Principal & owner of the school. A brief about Deepalaya made Capt. Dhillon extend this warm invitation. The residential co-ed school is over three decades old and caters to students from different parts of India - and also from other parts of the world - thus providing an atmosphere of cultural diversity

It was indeed a fun packed trip. The group took a train to Pathankot from where began the breathtaking ride uphill. Initially mango groves welcomed them along the roads, and were it was taken over by endless mountains covered with lush blanket of oak, pine and conifers. The organizers had left no stone unturned to make this exchange a memorable one. The learning’s and interactions with the DPS students was adequately interspersed with sightseeing trips. Significant were the visits to Subhash Baoli (a memorial to Subhash Chandra Bose who is believed to have visited the place secretly!! All children drank from a natural spring flowing inside the memorial, known to have medicinal & curable properties), Panchpulla,another pretty spot with a small waterfall ) and Khajjiar (a saucer shaped meadow fringed by trees; which Swiss authorities have certified as mountain topography similar to that of Switzerland). The children went into the woods and had great fun plucking apples from trees. Each day ended with music and dance and ‘masti’ to it’s fullest.

Needles to say the journey back to Delhi was the least bit exciting. All wanted to stay back, but then as they say All Good Things come to an End. But it’s the learnings, which have to be kept alive.

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