Lighting up lives: Specially abled kids brighten Diwali with candles & diyas

As the festival of Diwali approaches, bringing light and joy into homes across the country, a group of specially abled children in Hoshiarpur are already busy creating that very light with their own hands. At JSS Ashakiran Special School for Intellectually Challenged Children, students are transforming wax, clay and colour into beautiful candles and diyas-turning a festive tradition into a powerful expression of skill, therapy and joy.

At the heart of this initiative lies the school's Vocational Rehabilitation Centre, where nearly 30 boys and girls above the age of 18 are trained in multiple vocational skills. While the centre offers training in diya batti (jot) making, toilet cleaner production, kitchen napkin stitching and crafting of Shagun envelopes, it is the candle and diya-making that truly comes alive during the Diwali season.

"We begin basic wax and gel candle production by July," shares Principal Shelly Sharma, standing beside trays of hand-painted diyas drying under the sun. "The decoration and painting of diyas and lamps continues almost year-round. Wax candles are always in high demand. People especially look forward to our decorative and floating candles as Diwali approaches."

And their creations are indeed eye-catching-colourful, carefully made and full of heart. From June onwards, 5 to 6 quintals of wax are melted and moulded into a variety of candles-gel candles, floating candles, traditional wax sticks, earthen lamps and more. Some items are sold individually, while others are packaged into festive gift sets.

To showcase and sell these handmade items, the school organises exhibition-cum-sale events at public places, colleges, schools and government offices. Here, the children themselves, under the supervision of their teachers, interact with visitors and sell their creations. "As soon as the festive season begins, people start calling us to ask when our exhibitions will be held," Sharma says with a smile. "Our children eagerly wait for these moments-not just for the sales, but for the appreciation and love they receive."

However, the initiative goes beyond mere sales. "This is not just a project for earning or engagement," says Paramjit Singh Sachdeva, Patron of the school. "It's a way to rehabilitate these specially-abled children, to help them connect with society and most importantly, to show the world their abilities and talents. At a time when many are still unaware of the potential that differently-abled children hold, JSS Ashakiran is not just lighting up homes with candles-it's lighting up perceptions."

So this Diwali, when a candle flickers or a diya glows in the corner of someone's home, it may well have been crafted by one of these young hands-a symbol not just of festivity, but of inclusion, empowerment and hope.