Mother Teresa once said, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” They have the power to change any situation, for better or for worse, depending on our selection of words.

Sundaram House students conveyed the exact same message through their enactment on Friday, the 10th of August 2018. Education without values produces intelligent fools. However, it is the real human with a strong value system that can become an instrument in the mission of character building, family building, society building and nation building.

Through these creative assemblies, AVM humbly tries to bring the much-needed values and the awareness of the rich Indian culture back to students’ lives. The different themes that the school chooses is an add on to what new things kids can learn in a fun manner. Sundaram House got the opportunity to present the value ‘Taming the tongue’ throughout the week. On Friday, the students enthralled the audience with their performances which carried them back to the ‘Krishna and Arjun Era’.

Once Krishna with Arjun visited the staunch and beloved devotee of God: Raja Janak. Arjun, hoping a grand welcome by the king was disappointed by the rather plain welcoming of the Almighty. Raja Janak on the other hand believed that Bhagwan doesn’t require any grand reception in His own kingdom. On their return, Arjun expressed his opinion about Raja Janak to Shri Krishna. Hearing which Krishna was immensely hurt and fell down unconscious. On Arjun’s pleading for forgiveness, Krishna asserts that the only means of redemption from the sin of bitter words was to apologize to Raja Janak.

This story conveys a powerful message about the unintended consequences, words can have if spoken thoughtlessly. Kabir Das also said:

बोली एक अनमोल है, जो कोई बोलै जानि,
हिये तराजू तौलि के, तब मुख बाहर आनि।

In a nut shell it says, ‘think before you speak.’ But to actually take a pause and think about the consequences of our words requires continuous effort throughout the day. By making a sincere effort to tame our tongue, we can make more friends, have better relationships with our family, and even make good relations around the globe. Power of tongue should never be underestimated. One profound personality who practises this quality on daily basis is His Divine Holiness GuruHari Hariprasadswamiji. Swamiji’s daily life can truly serve as an inspiration for anyone trying to improve their interactions with others.

These creative assemblies are crucial as it provides a platform for the students to showcase their talents and urges the teachers to put their best. It is on this occasion that the children get a chance to step on to the stage and conquer their fear of speaking or performing in front of a large gathering. The stage had been prepared for the occasion. It was decorated exuberantly. It looked very beautiful. Creative assemblies form an integral part of our school activities. They give kids a bigger sense of what their school stands for and show them how every day is an opportunity, both in and outside of the classroom.

The whole program was made possible by the relentless efforts of our students and teachers who worked enthusiastically throughout the week. It also makes the student free from the hectic schedule of the classes and exams. In all it was a fantastic performance with the take home message:

‘ભગવાનને જે નથી ગમતું તે નથી જ કરવું’

Written by: Nirman Jaiswal (Class 9B)