Bal Vihar of St. Louis celebrates Diwali

ST LOUIS: President Obama (the first president to light a Diya in 2009) in his Diwali greetings to the community here and at large said, “Doing good to others is Merit and causing pain to others is Sin.” And to a great extent that is the integral theme of Bal Vihar of St. Louis

At Bal VIhar, students not only learn the teachings of our scriptures but also practice that as well. Students participated in Donate a Diya project again this year. The project serves a dual purpose – the students get to make/decorate a beautiful diya that they use during the Diwali puja and it remains as a keepsake that can be used year after year.

The project asks students to donate money to a noble cause. Each year Bal Vihar picks two charities and donates to them any money collected through this initiative. This year Bal Vihar raised $1800 for “Sankara Netralaya” and “Asha for Education”.

For over 23 years, Bal Vihar of St. Louis has been celebrating Diwali with great pomp. This year Diwali had a record attendance of 700+ attendees. The priests led the prayers and students participated with great devotion.

Food is a major part of most festivals and Bal Vihar was not going to be left behind. While the prayers were in full swing, a group of about 50 volunteers were busy packing boxed dinner for all present.

Another group of volunteers were preparing for the fire crackers distribution that they had packed a few days earlier.

After the puja was over, students came back. Soon, the place was lit with sparkles and the joy was in the air.

The happiness and joy was very visible as everyone enjoyed the evening. When the day was over, you could see some young students asking their parents when they will get to do it again. Boxed dinner made it easy for parents to head back home after the fireworks and enjoy the delicious food in the luxury of their homes.

Center for Indian Cultural Education – Bal Vihar of St. Louis is a non-profit organization. Since its inception in 1992 it has been serving the Metro St. Louis Indian community. The primary focus of this organization is to provide Indian cultural education to students age 5-18, its application and integration with the global multicultural and multifaceted society.

Over last 20+ years Bal Vihar has helped groom a breed of multi-cultural global leaders of next generation that have been shaped by the best of the cultures from east and west. These youngsters understand the need and value of the cultural values that have been instilled in them through the rigorous program. Students are also taught discipline, tolerance and devotion in their daily routine.

Raj Iyer