Ryan School Plays Host to Ikeda Worship
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Ryan School plays host to budding artists
By: Pooja Kumar
July 7, 2004
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The Bharat Soka Gakkai, an NGO registered with the UN for its work for
peace, culture and education, recently held an arts, poetry and essay
writing competition for school children across the city.
On July 3, the Ryan International School on Link Road played host to the
prize distribution ceremony.
³A total of 32 schools in Mumbai participated in the competition. The event
kicked off with a 13-day photo exhibition by Dr Daisaku Ikeda, president of
Soka Gakai International, at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Prabhadevi,² says Gita
Rajagopalan, a member of Bharat Soka Gakkai.
³The contest is aimed at spreading awareness among the kids about the
importance of peace. They should be taught to grow into responsible adults,²
she says, adding, ³Though we don¹t hold contests like these every year, we
do try to organise them on a regular basis.²
The one-and-a-half-hour-long prize distribution ceremony was attended by
parents, teachers and students. Students organised cultural programmes,
which included folk dance and songs. The performing arts division of the NGO
also staged two songs.
The competition
The competition was open to students from Class 8 upwards. Students were
asked to express their views on peace and culture through their work.
They were asked to submit their work in three to four weeks. The panel of
judges was formed by members of the Bharat Soka Gakkai group and teachers
from selected schools. The winners were given a gold plated medal and a
book.
Says Manju Borkar, senior supervisor of Ryan International School, ³Soka
Gakkai is a Japanese organisation and Bharat Soka Gakkai is the sister group
in India which believes in spreading peace through education. They also
believe in nature which is important and essential for kids to learn about,²
she adds.
And the winners are...
Anita Reddy won painting competition
Anita Reddy, a Class 10 student of St Augustine School, Highway Road, Nerul
(E), won the first prize for her painting. Says this resident of Shiv Kripa
Apartments, Nerul (E), ³I haven¹t learnt painting but I have been painting
since my childhood. I do spray paintings, oil paintings and sometimes use
water colours,² she adds.
This talented painter wants to pursue a career in computer science.
Kunal Shah won poetry competition
Kunal Shah, a Class 9 student from Ram Devi Shobraj Bajaj Arya Vidyamandir,
Juhu, won the contest. Says this resident of Jeevan Dhara building, Vile
Parle, ³I have been interested in reading and writing since my childhood.
Poetry comes naturally to me and I can even write poem within 10 minutes.²
He adds, ³I also contribute to my school magazine regularly.²
This young poet wants to pursue a career in computers.
Nilanjana Chatterjee won essay writing contest
Nilanjana Chatterjee, a Class 8 student of Podar School, Santacruz, won the
first prize for her essay My Response to Dialogue with Nature. This reporter
was unable to contact Nilanjana.
po...@mid-day.com
Kunal¹s winning poem
Daisaku Ikeda¹s dialogue with nature,
As pacifying as peace can be,
Full of pictures, buildings of huge stature
The rustling leaves of a tree.
Ah! The calm feeling of divine stillness,
Striking enough to make one forget his illness.
A rainbow and its companion arching across the sky,
The huge Mt. Fuji proving its charm from different angles,
Ikeda¹s camera clicking without a focused eye,
A moon peeping from the leaves¹ tangles,
O! what a picturesque capture of the nature
What a scene to prove the talent of the Creator.
The water roaring over the Niagara's edge,
An overhead scene with beauty abound,
A beautiful building's gallery and ledge,
With beautiful railings all around
O imagine! What a loss to would be to lose all this,
I pray for immortality of all this bliss.
The beauty of the natural hurricane,
Caught in the most picturesque view,
The breathtaking sight of the top of the Andes Mountain,
Did indeed my mind chew,
What a man he was who caught all these,
In a pose as if the inanimate were saying "cheese"
The Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis in full bloom,
The tall trees emblazoned and extolled by beautiful white flowers,
In short the whole room,
Made me as fresh as if I had after having fresh showers,
I worship the supreme man for this unique message,
Who directed the play on the nature stage.
Nilanjana¹s winning essay
Title: My Response to Dialogue with Nature, the photo exhibition by Dr
Daisaku Ikeda
A spectacular song of hope that transcends every limitation. The photographs
taken by Dr Daisaku Ikeda conveys such messages. His pictures speak a lot
about mother nature. Dr Ikeda believes that dialogue holds the key for peace
promotion in the world.
His pictures are an inspiration to the people to love, care and save nature
and its precious gifts. His pictures replete with his sense of natural
beauty and love for peace and friendship that touch the viewer's hearts.
The pictures are source of encouragement for the philosophy of life. They
appeal not only to the eye but also the spirit. Dr Ikeda himself says that
his photographs are a struggle to capture truth. Today, mankind has started
destroying nature in such a pace that the day is not far when the earth will
become barren.
There is no evil in the atom, but in man's soul. Only through interactions
with the public like organizing such exhibitions will make people aware of
the gravity of the situation.
His photographs are a very good and authentic source to learn about nature
and its beauty. Only by creating such awareness we mature. I look forward to
such more exhibitions.
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