Making Deepavali special for all

Indira, a domestic help says, “Festival or not I must go to work. With the meagre amount, I earn I got clothes for my children but nothing for myself.” We are here to lend a helping hand for people like her, says Vinodhini Sudhindran, who is the president of Aneu India. It is an NGO committed to uplift women from underprivileged groups of society through various programmes.   

Vinodhini wants to add some cheer to the lives of women like Indira along with  some friends. They plan to visit a slum in Vyasarpadi with biryani, crackers and lots of sweets. “I want the kids there to enjoy what I enjoyed as a child.” Revathy Shanmugam, who used to take up orders for Deepavali sweets till last year, does a service of a different kind. “Definitely not all who place  orders collect the sweets. I used to distribute the extra sweets to fisherfolk near my house. 

This year too though I have not taken orders, I would like to share whatever I make with people in the nearby areas.”   Shreeilatha Narayanan, who is the national president of the organisation Soroptimist International, Chennai, wants to spread the cheer around with her culinary skills. Though, she has transformed the lives of many women and girls with the help of Soroptimist, she wants to go the extra mile by contributing her might individually. 

“I make good payas ams . I am going to ask my maid to distribute it near her home. It’s going to be Paal Ada this year. May be the distribution will involve just a litre or two of the delicacy, but the joy it would give me is unmeasurable,” she says.        

The volunteers of Something for Society (SFS) took to the streets a day before Deepavali to spread joy among those who struggle to get basic amenities.  “We have formed groups that would cover different areas. On Thursday, we gave away sweet boxes in Padi, Mogappair and Anna Nagar. On Friday, we covered the Marina Beach, Adyar and Besant Nagar. On Deepavali, we will cover the rest of the city. We are approaching those who live on footpaths and who barely manage to get one square meal,” says Floran Jayraj, founder of the NGO.