Tanur, 15 August 2013
We celebrated India’s 66th Independence Day on 15th August 2013. Sri Jaffer, the famous councilor from Janamaithri inaugurated the function. He spoke about the values of real independence and motivated the children to become good citizens. Kumari Sneha from X STD and Rechana P Shaju from IX talked about freedom fighters and free India. Bri Pushpa ma enlightened the whole staff and students with Amma’s message. In this message Amma says, external independence is definitely of great value, but it is dependent on time and place. Therefore we should understand when, where and how to use it. If we don’t have this awareness, then external independence can lead us to danger. We have to follow a middle path for everything. For example, food is essential to sustain the body, but if we overeat, we will become ill. Likewise we need to control our thoughts also. Uncontrolled thoughts may lead to mental illness. Therefore freedom from unnecessary thoughts is very important. However our greatest misfortune is that we have failed to make practical use of this knowledge and therefore even though we attained independence on the 15th of August 1947, our minds and intellects are still enslaved and in chains.
India has given three great teachings to the world:
‘If we protect dharma, dharma will protect us. It will protect the whole world.’ This is the first teaching. ‘Whatever action we undertake, it should be done for the benefit of the whole world. It should be done as an offering to God.’ This mental attitude of selfless offering should be underlying all our actions. That is the second teaching. ‘Everything is an expression of the one Atman. No one is separate from us. God pervades all of creation.’ This is the third teaching. If we are able to imbibe these teachings in our lives, it will bring about an end to all wars. Peace and contentment will spread throughout the world. We will be able to experience supreme peace and bliss in our lives. We will become a source of light to all others.”
As part of the celebration, we also conducted patriotic song and national anthem competitions. The colourful display of our students made the function a grant one.