Over 160 children in the age group, 3 to 17 years took part in a beautiful performance of the Ramayana at the Meadowcreek high school in Norcross September 9. For over 100 minutes, the children performed to a packed auditorium of over 1000 Hindus and non-Hindus, who enjoyed the play and broke into thunderous applause when Ravana was killed by Lord Ram, signifying the victory of good over evil.
The event was part of the grand Hindu Sangam celebrations in various cities of the US.
Apart from the play, the cultural festival organized by the Atlanta chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) also included a group Ganesh puja by 300 children, an exhibition on Hindu culture and the inaugural address by the chairman of the Gwinnett County Commission, Charles Bannister. The event was organized to commemorate the birth centenary of Shri Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar fondly known as Shri Guruji.
The event started at 2:30 pm with the Ganesh puja for children, with participants gradually trickling in with their families. More than 300 children collectively performed the Puja with their individual Ganesh murtis and puja material that were provided at the venue. Priests from the Sanatan Mandir (Smyrna, GA) and the Hindu Temple of Atlanta (Riverdale, GA) guided the children with the Sanskrit slokas and a step-by-step instruction on the performance of the puja.
The chief guest of the event, Charles Bannister, delivered the inaugural speech after a welcome by the president of HSS-Atlanta, Chandulal Patel. Bannister, after greeting the audience with a 'Namaste', appreciated the hundreds of Hindus living in Gwinnett county for "being responsible citizens contributing immensely to the wealth of this country". He compared Hindu values with American values and pointed out the commonality of the principles of freedom embedded within both of them. Mr. Bannister concluded his speech urging the Hindu-American community to continue to add to the diversity of Gwinnett by organizing events such as the Hindu Sangam.
The keynote speech delivered by Shri Ravi Kumar, the joint international coordinator of HSS, showcased the achievements of Hindus and the Hindu resurgence that is occurring throughout the Hindu world. Hindus, and in particular the youth, said Ravi, are asserting themselves unlike their previous generation. He stated that the entire program of Hindu Sangam was organized by the youth and all activities had taken place as planned and on time. An exhibition titled 'Hindu Culture and Dharmic traditions of India' was put up on the occasion showcasing various aspects of Hinduism such as Yoga, Ayurveda, basic concepts, the arts, dances, and contributions of Hindus to the world, etc. The exhibition provided a bird's eye view to the vast cultural and dharmic heritage of India.
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