The ‘Dipavali Special’ Parijna Activity Workshop at Puṇe, on 12th October, 2025
Report by Vaishali Heblekar, with inputs from Deepa Sirur
Close on the heels of the successful Parijñā Activity workshops held in Mumbaī (Sāntācruz and Grānṭ Road sabhā-s) a few months ago, it was decided to conduct similar workshops for children in Puṇe and other cities. Ably guided by Chetanā Kaḍl̃e pāchī, Jyothi Divgī pāchī and Deepā Murḍeshwar pāchī, the Prārthanā teachers (Deepā Sirūr pāchī, Shruti Shirūr pāchī, Vars͟hā Kaḍl̃e pāchī, and Vaishālī Hebl̃ekar), along with a few Puṇe local sabhā representatives, Prīti Pāṇemaṅgl̃or pāchī, Leenatā Rāo pāchī, Sheelā Bijoor pāchī and Lalitā Amlāḍī pāchī, started the planning for the activity workshop to be held in Puṇe.
It was decided that the workshop would be held on a Sunday just before Dīpāvalī, so that children could usher in the festive season with a fun-filled workshop that would include story time, art and craft, games, snacks, books and so much more. The workshop was scheduled to be held on Sunday, October 12th, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, at the New Ajantā Avenue Club Hall. A creative poster was designed by Vars͟hā Kaḍl̃e pāchī, which was circulated widely over WhatsApp and registrations started pouring in. The organizing team had to stop receiving registrations after 30 children had registered, owing to the limited capacity of the hall. Preparations were on in full swing, and the organizing team caught up over regular online meetings to discuss updates and plan the finer details of the event.
Finally, the day arrived. Sunday truly became a Funday as children trooped in with their parents by 9 a.m., all geared up to have fun. The hall bore a festive look with a large carpet and beautiful toraṇa-s (sent by Ajay Shirālī mām from Kārlā), raṅgolī-s placed at the entrance, the glow of the diyā-s and the fragrance of incense sticks.
The workshop started with the lamp-lighting and Sabhā Prārambha Prārthanā led by Deepā Sirūr pāchī. This was followed by a quick ice-breaker activity where everyone was asked to sit in a circle and as a soft toy got passed around, each child had to share his/her name along with what he/she likes the most about Dīpāvalī and the festive season. This was followed by a wonderful session on Kolam Art taken by Vars͟hā Kaḍl̃e pāchī. Vars͟hā pāchī explained the multiple ways in which Kolam-s can be created and the children enjoyed trying their hands joining the various dots and making different line designs. The session concluded with the children drawing a nice Kolam on a small card paper, which was then laminated by the teachers at the venue itself. Participants could later, at home, attach magnets or display them as they wished as mementoes of the workshop.
Kolam Art session in progress
Children trying their hand at Kolam art
After a short refreshing drink break where the children were served lemon juice made by Prīti pāchī and Leenatā pāchī, the children were divided into two smaller groups. While the younger group (aged 5-8 years) sat with Deepā Sirūr pāchī to learn how to make a beautiful vertical diyā toraṇa, the older group (aged 9-12 years) sat with Vaishālī pāchī to learn the horizontal toraṇa with the cut mango leaves and lovely marigolds made from kite paper. Both these activities were from the Parijñā Activity book.
This was followed by the brain gym activity conducted by Deepā Murḍeshwar pāchī and Jyothi Divgī pāchī for all the children. The children whole-heartedly participated in these brain gym activities and enjoyed themselves.
After these activities, the children went to wash their hands, all ready for the exciting storytelling session that was waiting for them. Shruti Shirūr pāchī narrated the story of why Dīpāvalī is celebrated and how Ayodhyā celebrated the return of their Prabhu Shrī Rāma along with Sītā Mātā and Laks͟hmaṇa after their 14 years of exile. All the children heard enraptured, as the story was narrated with sound effects of cows mooing, birds chirping, and people celebrating.
The conch being blown to announce the arrival of Rāma-Laks͟hmaṇa-Jānakī at the gates of Ayodhyā was truly a magical moment in which everyone participated whole-heartedly.
The beautiful idols of Rāma-Laks͟hmaṇa Sītā-Hanumān were unveiled and all the children offered flower petals and welcomed them amidst cheers of “Rāma Laks͟hmaṇa-Jānakī, Jai Bolo Hanumān kī”. With the Divine Vāṇī of His Holiness Shrīmat Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī chanting “Shrī Rāma Jaya Rāma”, playing softly in the background, the children went around in a big circle, chanting the soothing melody and creating an atmosphere of deep serenity and devotion.
The story ended with the children all ready to welcome their beloved Shrī Rāma with prasāda in the form of crushed peanut and jaggery laḍḍū-s made with ghee. Tiny fists poured their love for Prabhu Shrī Rāma as they made laḍḍū-s and offered them as naivedya to the vigraha-s. The children were given six laḍḍū-s each as prasāda to take back with them for their family members.
The children then washed up and cleared the area, all set to wrap up the workshop. The workshop concluded with the Sabhā Samāpti Prārthanā and a Closing Circle where children shared their feedback about the workshop and what was the one thing they had enjoyed the most. The children enjoyed eating chutney cheese sandwiches, potato wafers and butterscotch ice cream, thereafter. Truly an energetic and fulflling ending to a wonderful workshop, the children went back happy and excited to share all that they had learnt during the workshop with their parents.
The display of Saṁvit Sudhā products for sale at a table outside the hall received a good response from the parents and children who had come for the workshop. Sheelā Bijoor pāchī and Lalitā Amlāḍī pāchī had undertaken the responsibility to manage the Saṁvit Sudhā stall at the venue. Lalitā pāchī was also the official timekeeper to ensure that all the sessions planned were going on as per schedule.
Donations were received from the Puṇe Local Sabhā as well as some well-wishers like Jyothi Divgī pāchī, Deepā Murḍeshwar pāchī, Deepā Sirūr pāchī, Leenatā Rāo pāchī, Prīti Pāṇemaṅgl̃or pāchī, Shruti Shirūr pāchī, and Vars͟hā Kaḍl̃e pāchī.
The Puṇe Local Sabhā offers this workshop activity based on the Dīpāvalī theme as a sevā at the Lotus Feet of our Beloved Guru H.H. Shrīmat Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī, and our revered Guruparamparā.
Photo credits: Tanushrī Shirūr, and Jyothi Divgī pāchī