Pareekshith Shet
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Sep 5: Sri Krishna Janmashtami happens to be a grand festival in the town, home for world famous Lord Sri Krishna temple. Janmashtami and Vittal Pindi festivals bring out enthusiasm hidden within the youngsters of the district. This is the festival for which lacs of people from the country and abroad throng the town. This also is the occasion for several teams of youngsters to make money by dressing and making up as different characters or animals, dance to music, and collect money from the people. There are scores of 'Huliveshas (tiger dance groups) which mint money, by taking advantage of the fan following this kind of artistes have in the district.
This festival provides an opportunity for these artistes to earn good money. There are people who gift garlands made from currency notes to the artistes of their choice, and many a time, even the Swamijis of Maths place garlands of currency notes around the necks of these people. Several of these groups also conduct house to house visits and demand money after presenting tiger dances. As soon as the festivities are over, these artistes can be seen spending their earnings in hotels, bars, shopping complexes, and other personal needs.
Among these artistes, an artiste, Ravi from Katapady, stands out. Along with his friends, he has been using the occasion to pool money and gift it for poor, sick people, to get treatment. Ravi, who together with friends, Santosh, Arun, Pramod, and Sujit, formed a group called 'Ravi Friends' six years back and came before people dressed as Spiderman, Avatar, and others, decided last year to use the money so earned for noble purposes. During the last Sri Krishna Janmashtami, he donned a unique character, earned lot of appreciation from the people, and donated the entire amount of Rs 1,80,000 so collected for the surgery of a girl from Ellampalli Deepan Gudde.
Considering this large-hearted gesture, Ravi got free treatment for the injury he suffered to his eye when performing during Krishnashtami, from Prasad Netralaya.
The team has decided to continue with its philanthropic activity this year too. 'Ravi Friends' have planned to provide treatment to four children, whose families are helpless because of financial crunch, this time around. During this year, the team will appear before the people with an altogether new concept. They plan to raise a fund of over three lac rupees to help Pratheek, eight-month-old baby of Prakash and Sujatha Acharya from Heroor Brahmavar, which is suffering from deformed leg since birth, and as per estimate, two lac rupees would be required for this treatment. Four-year-old Akshita Poojary, daughter of Sridhar and Leelavati couple from Kalasa, who is suffering from diabetes, requires Rs 7,000 per month towards treatment. Avinash (9), son of Shankar and Shanta Poojary from Keelinje in Saralebettu Havanje needs Rs 7,000 every month because of physical handicap since birth. Nishita (12), daughter of Jaya and Usha Poojary from Indira Nagar Katapadi does not have control over both her legs, and is in need of Rs 6,000 per month towards medical expenditure. All these four families live in utter poverty and work as coolies. 'Ravi Friends' wants to ensure that these families are able to provide treatment to these children without having to go begging or borrowing from others, and as such, has targetted to put together not less than three lac rupees this year.
The initiative undertaken by Ravi and his friends is worth emulating and appreciating. If more youngsters follow this lead, it can bring lot of changes in the society. My their breed increase.