Our Auro Navkriti School in New Delhi had a wonderful day-long Winter Wonderland mela on December 9, 2017. The uniqueness of this mela this year was the overwhelming presence and participation of children.
From the time invitations were sent out, requests started pouring in from children, mostly Navakriti alumni and their friends in Mirambika and a few neighbouring schools, for putting up stalls. Children in the age group 6 and 13 years became the prime focus of the mela; from making the poster to choosing their own tables and time slots – for them it was an exercise in art, culinary skills, conceptualization, organization and collaboration.
There was paperwork in the form of keeping craft corners in which lamp shades, bookmarks, Christmas and New Year cards were made; and a range of cookies, cakes, pasta, bhel puri, fruits skewers, popcorn, makhana, idli and nimbu pani and juice were made and sold with love and generosity. From cards on handmade paper to printed cards from drawings and fridge magnets, a fresh imagination sparkled through the rich drawings. Older children came up with various beautifully coloured pottery items. The students brought with them their culinary skills and served cakes and cookies, burgers, pastas which they baked. There were also a few game corners such as hoopla, knock down and basket the ball.
The Art Gallery was yet another novel feature of the mela. The gallery showcased paintings on canvas, paper and crayon and pencil sketches by four of the school’s alumni students. Each had a note about the art. Meanwhile, the school’s current students also had their free-hand drawings displayed on walls for everyone to see.
Similar to previous years, parents also participated enthusiastically by putting up stalls exhibiting their talent in organic farming, handmade learning aids, block-printed kurtas and hand-embroidered T-shirts, handmade earrings and jowar bajra laddos, healthy golgappas and mathris. A few activity corners were set up by parents like block printing on cards and pasting on recycled paper bags.
A parent also showcased her collection of bespoke cotton quilts and clothing for children. As she happily told everyone who visited her stall, she buys almost no clothes/bedspreads, etc., from the market as she stiches everything at home; this was the first time she displayed her creations. Meanwhile, Sociology professor parents from Delhi University had also set up a game-cum-research module on curating early childhood. Yet another dentist parent set up a corner for dental check-up and an allied fun activity on the theme ‘sad and happy teeth’.
A stall displaying hand-knitted woolen wear and indoor plants by a Society member was also set up. Lastly, our former friends, Holy Cow and Beejom were there with farm produce and a food stall. There was Vastra, with their collection of ladies wear, and Likhawat, with their calligraphy on sarees, and the stalls made the mela an annual reunion of a deepening relationship.
Aarambh Waldorf School participated, like previous years, with their finger knitting; this year, they added Mandala weaving and doll making to their display.
Songs and keyboard playing by parents and children made for a beautiful offering as the evening wore on.
Nine diyas – Bhawna, Sanyukta, Neha, Tripti, Lata, Jyotirmoyee, Jyoti, Sunita, Rangabati and Vijesh of the school and five didis, Bimala, Sonia, Meethi, Pooja and Poonam didi – worked ceaselessly for eight hours at the all-time favourite painting corner, clay modelling, origami and pasting corners having to also deal with their huge fan following of children through the years; giving them quiet moments in beauty and concentration while the mela gradually reached a crescendo.
An AuroNavakriti stall sold organic plants from its garden and books on the wisdom of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo besides candles, key rings, agarbattis and diyas from SABDA. A longtime devotee, Ushaji, donated socks knitted by her for sale at this stall.
Last but not the least, the food stalls set up by the Navakriti alumni and extended families offered delicious home-cooked regional snacks, meals and desserts. From Jackfruit biryani and Vegetable chops, jhal muri and ghughni in Bengal to Makki ki Roti, Jalebis and Medhu and dal vadas from Rajasthan and Kerala – the aroma of these delicacies drew everyone to the stalls.
Auro Navkriti School extends its heartfelt gratitude to Rajvanshi Sir and Shama Ma’am for inaugurating and attending the mela hoping to meet all the respected executive members in the next one.