“The festival of Baisakhi reminds us of the joy of new beginnings, the beauty of harvest, and the spirit of togetherness.”

The Management, Staff and Students of St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School marked the celebrations of Baisakhi festival with the spirit of bountifulness and community togetherness with the legendary poet Dr. Surjit Patar as a special guest of honour. Dr. Surjit Patar is a Punjabi poet known for his soulful verses that capture the essence of Punjab’s land, people and their struggles. His poems truly complement the true spirit of Baisakhi. The hall was graced by the presence of luminary Heads of Government Schools and School for Bilnd- Ms. Nirmal Sharma, Principal, GMSSS-44, Ms. Asha Rani, Principal, GMSSS-37D, Ms. Gurmeet Kaur, Head Mistress, GHS-Kajheri, Mr. Sham Lal, Resident Manager, JJ Homes, Ms. Seema Grover.. Principal, GMHS sector 45 accompanied by their staff and students – harbingers of cultural appreciation and unity in diversity.

The walls of the school resonated with an aura of piousness as the children shared shabads from the Gurbani.

The Art Department put their heart and soul into curating a wall that mirrored the work and life of the prolific Dr. Patar with an aim to help everyone appreciate the depth and beauty of his poetry. Our talented Josephites etched the essence of his life on the canvas intertwining his life’s narrative and the soul-stirring melodies of his poetry with strokes outlining his portrait. An awe-inspiring sketch of the guest carefully crafted with verses from his life and poetry was brought to life. The entire premises adorned a decorative and festive look with colorful phulkari dupattas, rangoli and floral decorations. The staff and students embraced the spirit of Baisakhi by dressing in traditional attire, adding to the vibrancy of the event. The essence of Baisakhi aligns with themes like community life, social struggles and resilience of the Punjabi community, thus a rendition to Dr. Patar’s poetry is an apt reverence to the values attached to the festival. The teachers and students paid homage to Dr. Patar’s work through recitals of his powerful verses, bringing poetry to life. Captivating enactments of the great poet transformed into characters and breathed life into his words. Our praiseworthy guests indulged in a productive Round Table Rendezvous to inspire the younger generation of writers. The children also got an opportunity to interact with the renowned poet and created a podcast, exploring the themes, verses and insight of the seasoned poet. Our terrific team of educators came forth with two self-written poems in Punjabi, as a tribute to Dr. Patar for his exceptional bestowal to Punjabi Literature, garnering bouquets of praise and thunderous applause. The celebrations ended on a high note as the enthusiastic students donning colorful traditional attire danced to the tunes of dhol and tumbi.

The Management Members Mr. Sukhdeep Singh and Mr. Paramdeep Singh Grewal expressed their joy in celebrating Baisakhi with such enthusiasm and fervor. They shared how important it is for one to stay connected to their roots and embrace diversity. The Principal, Ms. Monica Chawla, who was the mind behind the program, extended warm wishes to everyone and congratulated the entire fraternity for not only commemorating the harvest festival but also adopting the rich cultural panorama that defines India’s identity.