The latest from India – October 2020!

Written by our India Team.

Program updates.

In month of October, we have been working with our partners to evaluate education worksheets which we had earlier distributed to the students. One of our partner schools has also requested for us to run computer workshops for students in Grades 4 – 8. As a result we are now planning and designing these workshops to run via whatsapp. Nowadays, a computer is a basic need for students. With computer skills or workshops students can adapt to modern approach to learning. It improves the chances for students to get better jobs in the future due to the essential skills they develop.

Students sitting on the school ground and preparing for their test

In the month of October, the students of higher grades from 9 to 12 have started coming to school on regular basis to prepare for their upcoming board examinations. The lower grades are still unsure about when they will be returning to school, so we have been planning and organising remote learning activities for them. Last week, Neha visited one of our partner schools and saw that they were adhering well to Covid-19 guidelines and students were very happy to be back to normal classes at school!

Students sitting far away to sit their tests

Covid-19 update.

In India, Covid-19 cases are still increasing day by day .On Tuesday 3rd November India reported 38,074 new cases. The national recovery rate for the disease sits at 90%. Last week, in Himachal Pradesh the highest number of cases were recorded in a single day at 711 new cases. Kangra, the biggest district in terms of population, has been the second-worst hit district with a tally of 2874 infections and a fatality rate of 2.1%.

Festive season in India.

In the month of October, the India festival season has started. The most important festivals during October are Navratri and Dusshera. Navratri is the Hindu festival that spans nine nights and is celebrated every year in the autumn. This festival continues for up to 10 days by worshipping goddess ‘Durga’. On that day people meet with their relatives to collectively pay their respect to Almighty. During these days, the devotees from India and abroad visit different temples in Kangra district of HP to pay courtesy to Maa Durga. Most of the people keep fast for nine days. While some people keep fast only during the first two or the last two days of the Navratri. On this day people worship small girls on the eighth and ninth day of Navratri festival. The worship of nine girls, representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga. As per Hindu philosophy, these girls are considered as the manifestation of the natural force of creation.

The other festival is Dussehra, and is an important Hindu festival which signifies the victory of good over evil. This annual festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour by Hindus across the world on the tenth day of the Navratras. On that day, people also hold outdoor fairs (melas) and large parades with effigies of Ravana (a mythical king of Srilanka). The effigies are burnt on bonfires in the evening. Many people dress up and come together to spend time with their families by eating good food and watching fireworks and huge gathering of people would have happened at an open space. However, this year things were entirely different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The government prohibited large gatherings and people were advised to stay home for their own safety and others as well.

You Might Also Like