CHILDREN’S DAY IN INDIA

CHILDREN’S DAY IN INDIA

Pandit Jawharlal Nehru loved children and believed that they were the future of the nation. A safe and loving environment with equal opportunities for all children was' chacha' Nehru's dream. He was also instrumental in innitiating various reforms and plans promoting education which he believed was instrumental for India's progress. His love for children was what led to his birthday November 14 being fondly celebrated by youngers across the country as children's Day

The children's Day has a magic which children will be proud of Chacha Nehru had a hope that children will be the heroes of the future but the people of independent India hurt the children in many ways like through child labour, child marriage and so on. this makes the child keep his dreams aside and start work to support his poor family and this is unfair. It is the ordinary citizens who have to show the force of the independent nation for these children who have many dreams. there are many hildren who work for food, cannot go to school,not have anybody to care for them.

 Children’s day is special day for the children. Universally, Children’s Day is celebrated on 20th November every year.But in India it is celebrated on 14th November, because the date marks the birth anniversary of legendary freedom fighter and independent India’s first Prime Minister – Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru.As a tribute to Nehru and his love for children, Children’s Day is celebrated on his birth date.This day reminds to each and every one of us, to renew our commitment to the welfare of children and teach them to live by their Chacha Nehru’s quality and dream.

Children's Day is to celebrate "childhood". On Children’s Day tribute is payed to all children in the world. Children are loved by one and all. They win over our hearts with their angelic eyes and innocent smiles. It makes one realise that maybe that’s the way God wanted us to be.

India's first prime minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was born on November 14. After his death in 1963, his birthday has been celebrated as children's Day in India.Children's Day is not just a day to let the future generation have its say. It is a day to remember a leader who, in his quiet but determined way, laid the foundation to convert a nascent nation into a world power. But why Children's Day? Apart from being known for his skills as a statesman, Nehru was also immensely fond of children. The more popular and famous of Nehru's pictures show him with children. In all the photographs Nehru's joy at being with children is apparent. When he is not sharing pleasantries with them, the expression of intense concentration as he listens to them reveals his commitment and attitude to children. Children to Nehru were little adults in the making.Nehru, to children, is never the Indian political leader and prime minister. He is always Chacha Nehru - Nehru Uncle.

Children's Day is celebrated all over India, especially at the school level. There are also community activities with stress on children's involvement. The story also goes that he started to wear a rose on his jacket after a child pinned one on it.The national children's centre, Jawahar Bal Bhavan, is also named after Jawaharlal Nehru. Children's Day is literally that. It is the day when children all over the country are pampered with goodies. From the schoolchild's point of view, the best thing perhaps is that it is a special day at school - they need not wear uniforms and are given sweets. Most schools have cultural programmes for the day, with the students managing it all. All over the country, various cultural, social, and even corporate, institutions conduct competitions for children. Children's Day is a day for children to engage in fun and frolic. Schools celebrate this day by organising cultural programmes.Teachers of the school perform songs and dances for their students. Various competitions like quizzes, fancy dress competitions, elocutions are organised on this day. Children are also treated to a movie and lunch.Television networks have in the recent years started to air special programmes all day long for kids on November 14, making this day a special treat.

Children's Day in Japan:
National Children's Day in Japan is known as Kodomo no Hi. It is celebrtaed on May5. The family celebrates the festival with Kashiwamochi (rice cakes filled with red beans and wrapped with oak leaves) and Chimaki (rice cakes wrapped with bamboo leaves). According to the Kodansha encyclopedia, the origin of the festival was from China in 839. On May 5, Chinese people hang medical herbs from the eaves of the roof in order to repel disease. When the custom came to Japan, people used Shobu (irises) instead since irises were believed to repel evil spirits. During twelveth century, the custom was influenced by the warrior class. Since another meaning of Shobu is victory or defeat, the practice of giving little boys kites with pictures of warriors on them were spread in Japan. In the Edo period (1600-1868), streamers with pictures of carp were presented to boys. Recently, many families live in apartments not houses. They display samll carp streamers or Kabuto at their homes because of limited space.

Universal Children’s Day is celebrated on 20th November, every year.In the year 1954, It was recommended by the United Nations and UNESCo's charter that every year 20th November will be observed as Children's Day which will be symbolic representation of a day of worldide fraternity and understnding between children. It was rcommended that the day will be observed to promote the welfare of the children of the world. In India this date has been changed to 14th November to celebrate as Children's Day. Even other countries have strated observing the childrens day at days other than 20 th Novemebr.

                                                                  Prof. John Kurakar