On the joyous occasion of Dusshera, the festival that represents the victory of good over evil, Staford School decided not to just tell the children about the festival, but also celebrate the festival so that children can feel its true spirit.
So, a fifteen foot effigy of Ravan was built and fitted with crackers. Children from all classes assembled on the grounds eagerly, to witness the symbolic victory of the good over evil.
Children have often heard about Dusssehra celebrations or read about it in texts, some may have even witnessed it on television, but very few have actually had a first hand experience of seeing the Ram lila and witnessing Ravan dahan. For a majority of the Stafordians, this was their first opportunity to witness the event and understand the relevance and significance of celebrating Dusshera.
The children stared with wide-eyed joy at the towering and monstrous Ravan. At last, the moment for which everyone was waiting eagerly arrived and the sports teacher Mr. Vivek set fire to the effigy. Ravan blazed and crackled, amid loud booms of the firecrackers and a still louder cheering of the children.The children were thrilled to watch the Ravan- symbolic of all evil- slowly being consumed by fire.
Back in class, the children and teachers lauded the efforts of the sports and dance teacher Mr. Vivek Prajapati in making this event successful. The teachers took the opportunity to explain to the children the real significance of the entire process. They told the children that this effigy of Ravan symbolizes the inner demons, the vices and malicious intent within individuals which grow and thrive if care is not taken to curb them. Burning the effigy of Ravan, the ten headed one, the embodiment of vices and arrogance, is symbolic of destroying the innate evil tendencies that surface in human nature from time to time. The festival is all about conquering those evils within ourselves and getting rid of the evils in society by making a conscientious effort to first acknowledge the evils and then working towards eradicating them. The children were made to understand that only by leading a disciplined and conscientious life, and by quitting bad habits can we truly burn the Ravan hidden inside us.
Staford School wishes all the children and the parent community a very happy Dussehra and a very happy festive season!
