At AVM, the holistic development of students is ensured through well-planned and well-organized activities. Whether being academically competent, physically robust, culturally sound or spiritually strong, AVM students are incessantly blooming in leaps and bounds. As a matter of fact, the regular morning assemblies as well as house wise creative assemblies are meticulously planned to cater to the cultural and spiritual progress of the students. In the light of this perspective and purpose, Suhradam House team was given the theme and value based on ‘Wisdom and teachings of Gunatitanand Swami ni Vaato’: The spiritual teachings of Aksharbrahm Gunatitanand Swami, known as Swamini Vato, which provide practical guidance on all aspects of human life for devotees of all ages and backgrounds. They elaborate upon the spiritual principles revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Suhradam House members pondered upon selecting a few pearls of wisdom from the life and vaato of Gunatitanand Swami to present them to the students in the most precise way. For the juniors’ day-wise assemblies, a series of short plays were planned by Shreyarthi Ma’am, Renuka Ma’am, Chhaya Ma’am and Vaishali Ma’am; wherein young students of class one to class five were made to perform various activities to explain a few selected Swami ni Vaato in an understandable manner.
In the seniors’ day-wise assemblies, humility, righteousness, good company and attaining state of eternal bliss remained the main themes. These values were presented and explained through anecdotes and events compiled from Gunatitanand Swami’s life and his Vaato. To begin with, on the first day, Prerak Sir gave a detailed introduction and explanation to the students about Gunatitanand Swami and His Vaato. He also explained why students should memorise a few Swamini Vaato to use them as daily boosters for betterment and success in life. Students were made to understand that Gunatitanand Swami ni Vaato can provide them amazing insight on forming convictions, making decisions and resolutions, discriminating upon good or bad and many more aspects of life.
On the following day, Taarak Trivedi and Niramay Patel of grade IX and Malav Patel of grade X brought out a few pearls of wisdom from Gunatitanand Swami’s life and his Vaato. Through an informative and illustrative PowerPoint presentation, they conveyed to all that one should make Gunatitanand Swami an ideal for His habit and concern of constantly remaining in good company. They stressed upon the point that the quality of the company of one’s friends majorly set the course of one’s life. Thus, students understood that they should be extremely careful while choosing their friends.
On the next day, Priyavadan Sir elucidated on the power of positive attitude and faith in almighty God. Through a few examples from the life of Gunatitanand Swami, students were explained that God’s ever flowing grace and love is reflected through His plan for our lives and God’s plans for humans contain both pleasure and pain as well as joy and suffering. Through this assembly, students got a clear message that one’s faith in God and His plan should not waver even while passing through trials and troubles.
On Thursday, which is marked as ‘Guru Diwas’ every week, one of Param Pujya Swamishree’s discourses was explained. On this day, through Swamiji’s video darshan, students acknowledged the significance of leading a goal-oriented life and ways to dismiss whims and fleeting thoughts. The following day was scheduled for mass PT so that the students remain invigorated and more energetic throughout. Then came the most awaited, most looked forward day of creative assembly.
This creative assembly of Suhradam House had an inspiring and motivating theme that was: “આશીર્વાદ સહજ છે, જો ગમતા માં વર્તીએ તો”. It means by simply following our parents’ and Swamiji’s agnas and wishes, we become worthy and deserving to get God’s blessings and grace. This amazing message was conveyed through a small skit where in students and teachers of Suhradam House recreated the incident of Bahauddin Kathiyaro, a poor Muslim woodcutter of Junagadh in the time before independence. Quite convincingly, it was presented how the young Bahauddin follows his mother’s words and goes to Gunantitanand Swami to offer his bundle of firewood to provide warmth to Gunatitanand Swami and saints in a winter morning and asks for His blessings. Students were enthralled to see how Bahauddin’s life takes an upward course after this and he becomes a part of king’s court. The climax of the skit was most captivating and inspiring as students were convinced that Bahauddin received Gunatitanand Swami’s blessings and he became a powerful man just because he was an obedient son.
After this creative assembly, at the time of dispersal students looked inspired and calm as if taking resolutions to firmly believe in the words of their parents and decide to follow their commands sincerely like Bahauddin did. AVM students finally understood that to remain obedient is to remain blessed.
-Seema Ma’am
