Children's Day is the day to reiterate the role played by children
in society and their importance as future leaders and nation builders
of tomorrow.
It is also the birthday of the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and as
a tribute to his love for children, his birthday is celebrated as "Children's Day". He said that
children were like buds in a garden and should be carefully and lovingly
nurtured, as they were the future of the nation.
November 14, the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is celebrated
all over India with lots of fun and good cheer as Children's Day.
Pandit Nehru was the 'beloved' of all the children who gave him
the endearing name of 'Chacha Nehru'. As a tribute to Jawaharlal
Nehru and his love for children, his birthday is celebrated as 'Universal
Children's Day'.
His great love for roses as well as children is a well-known fact.
In fact he often compared the two, saying that children were like
buds in a garden. They should be carefully and lovingly nurtured,
as they were the future of the nation. He felt that children were
the real strength of a country and the very foundation of society.
It was the same outlook on life which led him to write letters
to his daughter, Indira, on almost every subject under the sun,
from wherever he was - whether on a trip abroad or in the trying
conditions in jail during the independence struggle. He wanted his
daughter to imbibe all that he was seeing and learning through his
varied experiences. It could be said that when his own little girl
grew up to be the third Prime Minister of India, her father's valuble
letters would have served as milestones for her on the often tough
and rough trek through the jungle called politics.
Those very letters -- informative, loving, admonishing at times
- - were compiled into a book titled "From a Father to a Daughter."
The epistolory relationship reflects his philosophical outlook,
the tensions during his days in incarceration, his compassion and
above all, a tender heart.
The architect of modern India, Nehru strove to achieve a perfect
blend of eastern values and western thinking and greatly influenced
our present day social structures. His insight into international
affairs and desire to see India India as a major player on the global
horizon is engagingly chronicled in two books which are a must read
for anybody interested in understanding the man and his vision of
India.
But amidst all the celebration on Children's Day, the real message
of Chacha Nehru should not be forgotten -- providing children with
a safe and loving environment in which to grow and flourish. All
children, whatever strata of society they may belong to, must be
given equal rights and ample opportunities of letting their dreams
turn into a reality.
This day serves as a reminder to all the children to renew their
commitment to the welfare of those who are not as privileged as
they are for only this can be the true realisation of Chacha Nehru's
dreams and vision for children.
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