Annual Function at Junior High School
Omkarananda Surkanda Vidya Niketan,
Dev Darshani, Kanatal, Distt. Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
on 2nd January 2010
Report by Shri Munnesh Agnihotri

One of the many beautiful Omkarananda Himalayan Hill Schools is the Omkarananda Surkanda Vidya Niketan, Dev Darshani, Kanatal, in District Tehri Garhwal. This Junior High School was founded almost 20 years ago. It is situated at a breath taking, most beautiful, divine and enchanting place in the Himalayas, at the height of ca. 2000 metres above sea level, near the famous Devi Temple "Surkanda Devi".

On the request of the Management Committee Members of Omkarananda Surkanda Junior High School, Kanatal, to grace the Annual Function of the School, as Distinguished Guest, on 2nd January 2010, H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati, Paramadhyaksh (President), Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust, accompanied by Kumari Somashekhari, General Secretary of the Trust, Shri G. Sukumar, Shri Shantilal Patel, Shri P.C. Malhotra and other prominent Members of the Omkarananda Ashram, had been to Swami Omkarananda Surkanda Junior High School, Kanatal.

This Omkarananda Hill-School is situated at Chamba-Mussoorie Road, on the crest of a Hill amidst greenery and natural beauty of a Himalayan Valley. On reaching this place, one really finds oneself in the lap of nature. In the North, the beautiful and majestic snow-capped Himalayan mountain range is visible and in the West, at the height of over 3000 metres, there is on a high mountain top Surkanda Devi, a famous Siddha Peeth. The area is famous as Fruit Belt and surrounded by mountains and rich forests of rhododendron trees.

For the last fortnight the Committee Members, Teachers and students were busy in preparation to make the Annual Function of Omkarananda Surkanda Junior High School a grand success and they were eagerly waiting for 2nd January 2010, when they would have a chance to realize their long cherished dream of having Reverend Swami Vishveshwaranandaji Maharaj amongst them.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda, President of Omkarananda Ashram, Shri Kishore Upadhyaya, MLA, and other honourable guests are nicely welcomed by the school students.

Ultimately, the great day came, when the delegation, led by Swamiji, reached the School site at 11:30 am, on 2nd January 2010. The car drive from the Headquarters of Omkarananda Ashram, in Muni-ki-reti, Rishikesh, till Omkarananda Surkanda Vidya Niketan, Kanatal, takes about 4 hours' time, one way. The Members of the Management Committee and other prominent people of the area warmly welcomed the Delegates of Omkarananda Ashram in the traditional manner by performing Arati and playing on traditional Garhwal Dhol (drums). Swamiji, along with Shri Kishore Upadhyaya, local MLA, and others were taken to the dais. Both sides of the school entrance passage, the students of the school queued up and were throwing flower petals on the passing crew. Having found Swami Vishveshwarananda and Kumari Somashekhari amongst them, they were all extremely happy. Joy and Happiness were evidently reflected from their faces. They were shouting "SWAMI OMKARANANDA KI JAY! SWAMI VISHVESHWARANANDA KI JAY!" very loudly. The whole atmosphere echoed with it. While en route to dais, Shri Shantilal Patel, a disciple of Gurudev, from Omkarananda Ashram Switzerland, along with Swami Vishveshwarananda, Shri Kishore Upadhyaya and others, cut the ribbon and made the auspicious inauguration of new additional computers for the already existing Computer-Lab.

On the way to the Computer Lab	Inauguration of new computers for the school by Shri Shantilal Patel

Thereafter the Annual Function of the School started. The event commenced with Saraswati Vandana, sung by the students. Shri Narendra Singh Negi read the Congratulatory Address. Kumari Ankita, a very talented and actively engaged school student read out a welcome address for all honourable guests and participants of this function in an excellent English. Afterwards small and big Students presented joyous, cultural programmes, one after the other. They also sang a special song in honour of the visiting dignitaries. The Solo-Dance Performance by an outstanding school-student, Kumari Ankita, was a thrilling moment. Ankita, who already had impressed everybody with her good English speech, was spontaneously awarded with a gift by Kumari Somashekhari, for her beautiful dance-performance and her other great contributions to this function.
On the request of the eminent personalities, parents and students, Kumari Somashekhari sang a Garhwali Song. As a matter of fact, the song put all people, present on this event, into a great surprise. It was highly appreciated. The way clapping was made, it surcharged the whole atmosphere. Mr. Jagdamba Prasad Bhatt, who was conducting the event, told spontaneously: "If there had been a Competition and Somaji had participated in it, I am fully confident, she would have got the 1st position." Besides he called on the Garhwalis to take a lesson from Kumari Somashekhari and not to shun from their own Garhwali culture and run too much after Western culture.

The dignitaries at the Dais

School Teachers sang a beautiful Welcome-song and Saraswati Vandana	A huge crowd of school students and some of their parents had assembled on the ground in front of Omkarananda Surkanda Vidya Niketan

On this occasion, Shri Kishore Upadhyaya, local MLA, highly appreciated the contribution of Omkarananda Ashram in the educational field, and that too, in the remote areas of Garhwal Himalayas. He told that Swami Omkaranandaji is retaining the old tradition of imparting education (Ashram Paddhati), as in ancient times education was imparted by Ashrams only.

Many other eminent dignitaries like Block Pramukh, Jila Panchayat Head and others highly appreciated Gurudev Swami Omkarananda and also Swami Vishveshwarananda for his devotion and dedication in realizing the vision of his Gurudev.

On this event Swami Vishveshwarananda highlighted the activities being performed by Omkarananda Educational Society.

Omkarananda School Students presented skillfully local Garhwali dances on the school ground, under the brilliant blue sky.	Kumari Somashekhari addressed the students and sang two Bhajans in the local Garhwali language.

Soma rewards a talented school student, Kumari Ankita Saklani.

On the request of the local School Management Committee and other local people to adopt another Branch of the Omkarananda Kanatal School, at Thangdhar village, near Kanatal, which has been running successfully for the last two years, Swamiji out of his love for Garhwal and the Garhwali children, accorded his kind approval for the adoption of the 3rd Branch of the Omkarananda School in Kanatal. On this announcement the public shouted happily: "Swami Vishveshwarananda ki Jay!" With the adoption of this new Omkarananda Hill School, the total number of Omkarananda Hill Schools is nearing 55.

In the end Mr. N.S. Negi expressed his sincere thanks to Swamiji, Kumari Somashekhariji and others for having come to them to participate in the annual school function and make it a grand success.

On this occasion, all the school students, teachers and guests, who came to attend this memorable event, were invited to a sumptuous meal, arranged by the School Management Committee.

Swami Vishveshwarananda thanked all of them for their kind hospitality and then the delegation resumed the 4 hours journey back to Omkarananda Ashram.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda blesses and encourages all school students, teachers and parents.	Somashekhari distributes sweets to the students.

	MLA, Shri Kishore Upadhyaya, Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda and Kumari Somashekhari at the school ground before sunset. In the background the beautiful Himalayan snowpeaks are visible.