As the mesmerizing winterline festooned the hills surrounding Purkal in Dehradun on Christmas Eve, the small sleepy hamlet was brought alive by the mirth of a celebration organised specially for underprivileged children from poor rural families by a local NGO. Over two hundred children indulged in day-long frolicking in traditional X'mas style, decorating trees, singing carols, dancing, relishing special cakes and sharing stories of thanksgiving. Adding to the joy were gift stockings given to each child and a concert by the band, 'Amen,' in the evening.
"The revelry began by children being divided according to their age and volunteers telling them the story of Christmas, of Jesus with the children seated in a circle. The message of Christmas was explained to them and that in the West, the day is also celebrated as Thanksgiving. All children then shared something they were grateful for in the year gone by and something good that they had done for others," informed Rachna Rawat, Dean, Academics, PYDS' school.
The grand finale was a concert by a local band in the evening. In what made the celebrations even more touching, among these excited girls and boys were a group of children who were brought to Doon after they lost their homes and families in the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster.
Aged between 8 and 13, these seven children are natives of villages in the State that were the worst affected by the floods. Three of them got orphaned in the calamity that many claim was man-made. Hailing from Paroadi, Uttarakashi and Pujaldee, they were adopted by PYDS in June this year and have been housed in flat donated by Tata's charity wing. Studying in Government schools back in their villages, these children had almost nil learning levels despite being as old as 13 years and are now undergoing a bridge course to make them capable of being mainstreamed.
Coming to terms with their new life in the two-room flat, these children are happy that they are getting better education but families are missed sorely. As they spoke to 'The Pioneer' on Christmas Eve, they recalled the frightening night they got hit by the floods and the days of no-food, no- shelter that followed soon after. Against this backdrop, these Christmas celebrations they were enjoying donned a whole new meaning. But for a few like eight-year old Parvati, the grief of being orphaned has stolen away a beautiful part of their childhood.
"Parvati was a very outgoing, fun-loving and exuberant child. But in the months following the flood devastation, she has become a different person - always quiet, sullen, not talking to anyone and disconnected. Initially, she made excuses to cover her behaviour but she later confessed that she misses her mother too much," said Harwant, principal of the school run by PYDS.
Overcoming their personal loss as these innocent minds twinkled in the festivity, one remembered that Christmas, in fact, is not a day or a season but a state of mind. To be thankful for what we have and to be at peace is what the spirit of Christmas epitomizes.