Sri Ma Jayanti observed on 21st February 2024

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Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre (New Alipore, Kolkata) and its wings viz. Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir School, Art Section and Sri Ma Library observed 146th birth anniversary of The Mother on 21st February 2024. In the morning, students of Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir arrived to receive toys and chocolates on the auspicious occasion.

Jayanti meditation was at the Shrine in the afternoon. An art and craft exhibition organised for this occasion was inaugurated by Dr. Abhijit Ray, Professor and Head of the Department of Film Studies, Jadavpur University. Prizes were handed over to students and staff who performed well and were regular during the previous year. The students, ex-students and staff of Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir presented a cultural programme as an offering to The Mother, a dance ensemble on the unity amidst diversity of India and a drama based on Rabindranath Tagore’s “Tota Kahini” portraying the fallacy of the conventional education system and the need to move to a free progress one. Prasad was distributed at the end of the programme.

The observation of the auspicious occasion moved into the following day, 22nd February, when the Art Section with its students and staff joined in to pay homage to The Mother with a cultural programme and a drama subsequent to distribution of prizes and certificates to candidates who had performed well in the previous year. Both evenings saw gathering of parents of students and guests who witnessed the performances.

Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir team visit to Delhi in December 2023

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A team from Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir, during their stay at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi, in December 2023, visited The Mother’s International School, one of the best schools in Delhi as well as Mirambika, a free progress school, both under the aegis of the Delhi Ashram and interacted with teachers and students, saw the conducting of classes and the teaching methods. They also visited L’avenir, a pre-primary school of the Gnostic Centre, had interactions with eminent personalities like Ms. Tara Jauhar and Ms. Amita Mehera during their stay. They also attended a workshop on theatre as a tool for education conducted by Shapno Ekhon, a prominent theatre group of Delhi. The tour was an enriching experience for the team.

Visit of a team from Germany – October 2023

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A team from Germany from Global Social and Marco Polo School comprising of Mr. Axel Brummer, Ms. Iris and Mr. Max Roeder on their visit to India, visited the school Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir on 12th October 2023. Accompanying them were Mr. Kaushik Banerjee and Ms. Suvasri Banerjee of Global Social India. They went around the classes going on, interacted with the teachers and had a glimpse of the effort we undertake at the institution based on the ideas and ideals of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. They sat with the teachers after classes were over when Mr. Brummer shared experiences of working with children in Brazil, Kenya, Uganda and Bolivia and Ms. Iris mentioned some of her experiences as a teacher at Marco Polo school in Germany, while Mr. Max interpreted her talk in German to English. They also showed a video on the importance of saving water which, made here in Kolkata, would perhaps be presented later as a project to the United Nations. The team from Germany expressed their feeling of serenity experienced during their stay at this institution.

Independence Day & Sri Aurobindo Jayanti celebrated on 15th August 2023

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Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre with its wings observed Independence Day and the 151st Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo on 15th August 2023. Hoisting of the National Tricolour took place at 8.00 a.m. by the Principal of Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir cum Managing Trustee of the institution. The students of the institution presented a synchronized drill. The staff members of the institution performed a chorus song led by a member of the Board of Trustees, followed by a choreographed dance recital. All students, including those of the Art Section, who were present were given cakes and chocolates. Meditation was held at the Shrine from 10.30 to 10.45 a.m. There was a cultural programme on the occasion, paying tribute to Sri Aurobindo on the occasion with a fusion musical offering by teams under Sri Biswajit Dutta on western instruments and Sri Sudip Chatterjee on eastern instruments. Prasad was distributed to devotees, guests and workers of the Institution in the end.

An internal workshop for teachers of Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir

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ANTAR -GAMANAM is a journey through one’s own self in search of the true meaning of EDUCATION. A one – day internal workshop was held at Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir on Saturday, 8th July (2023), based on the holistic approach of education as envisioned by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. All the teachers of Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir participated in the discussion, shared their opinions and enjoyed the activities and games which in turn will help to improve the skill of our students.

Visit of Ms. Sabitri Chatterjee at Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir

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Eminent actress Ms. Sabitri Chatterjee visited Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir on Thursday, 27th April (2023). She went around the classes, interacted a bit with the students and teachers. The students handed over to her, some gifts – some crafts made by them and a photo of The Mother. Students of KG-II presented a dance recital for her.

Session by NASA (USA) trainee student – 28th March (2023)

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The students of KG-II at Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir sat for an interaction with Miss Disha Chakraborty, ex-student of this institution and the only student from India as well as Asia to be selected by NASA for a beginner astronaut trainee programme at their Huntsville Space Centre, Alabama, USA. She chatted with the children about her experience during the various phases and modules of her training and her stay at the Space Centre, showing videos and pictures. The children were quite excited to hear the anecdotes and watch the videos.

The Mother’s Birthday (Sri Ma Jayanti) – 21st February 2023

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The Mother’s Birthday was observed with due solemnity on Tuesday 21st February (2023) at Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre, New Alipore, Kolkata. Students of the School – Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir came with parents, paid their respects to The Mother and received gifts. The evening programme began with inauguration of an exhibition of works of art and craft by the Art Section, followed by a talk on integral education by Ms. Deepanwita Sarkar, teacher of biology at St. Joseph & Mary’s School. New Alipore and devotional songs by Sri Sreedeep Mondal accompanied by Sri Sudip Chatterjee on the tabla. Teachers, present as well as ex-students of Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir presented a drama based on the theme of joyful learning and thereafter, a dance recital depicting four aspects of The Mother – Maheswari, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali.

The Art Section of the Centre presented a cultural programme by their students the next day (Wednesday 22nd February) and a drama by the instructors of the same. Parents and guests visited the exhibition which remained open and watched the performance of the students and instructors.

An exploration into the world of pollinators – by Dr. Saikat Kumar Basu

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On Friday, 17th February 2023, Dr. Saikat Kumar Basu, Executive Research Director, PFS, based in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and a columnist, visited Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir and held a session with digital presentation for the children of KG-II, titled “an exploration into the world of pollinators (like bees) and why are they important for us” to establish the idea within them and make them aware to be sensitive towards the environment as responsible citizens of the future.