Celebrating with the underprivileged

Harkanwar Kaur

Amritsar, February 20

The trend of celebrating birthdays and festivals at orphanages is engaging the do-gooders in the city. The motive behind the celebrations with them is to make them feel privileged and a part of our society. There are many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which provide shelter to the helpless and homeless people. Like the Chief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Trust (CKD) that has a total of 284 inmates, including visually challenged, Bhai Dharam Singh Charitable Trust, which is taking care of around 275 homeless, destitute women, and the All India Pingalwara Charitable Society.

Punjabi writer Ranjit Singh Taksali and his wife Kamaljeet Kaur celebrated the birthday of their son Gurpanth Pratham Singh Khalsa at the All India Pingalwara Charitable Society, Manawala branch, this year as well as last year. They served langar to the inmates and the staff members. “We decided to celebrate our happiness with these people as we wanted to share our grace with the institutions that are working towards the betterment of the entire society and show them the principles of Guru Granth Sahib.”

Similarly, Jasbir Singh, a former merchant navy officer, celebrates the birthdays of his family members at the Chief Khalsa Diwan orphanage. He says, “It’s been more than five years that we are celebrating happy moments with children here at the orphange. We get a peaceful atmosphere by coming and interacting with the children as it gives us immense pleasure.” He added that even his children loved to celebrate their birthdays here.

Sharanpal Singh, house master of Chief Khalsa Diwan Trust, says that many of them now prefer to come and celebrate their special moments with them. “The kids of our orphanage feel special as well as they like to interact with new people. It gives them a sense of belonging and family.”

Sandeep Kaur, trustee of Bhai Dharam Singh Charitable Trust that has around 275 women and girls as inmates, shared, “For many years, visitors come with their families to celebrate birthdays by distributing eatables and gifts among them.”

Two years ago, writer Sarabjit Singh Ghuman and his wife Yashpreet Kaur celebrated their daughter Gurmehar Kaur’s birthday at Bhai Dharam Singh Charitable Trust. They served them snacks, drinks and distributed the stationary items to the students. Last year, they celebrated her birthday with the Smile Care Foundation in same manner by distributing gifts and choclates. Mandeep Kaur, patron of Smile Care Foundation at Tangra, informed that they provide free shoes to the needy school children and also conduct free classes for rural children.

Foreign tourists and NRIs, who visit Amritsar during celebratory occasions, also visit these orphanages for celebration and donation of required goods.