Olympic Games in Mumbai
The Tridha Waldorf school now has the fifth class. What is the experience of the 11-year-old child, when it perceives a different world to which it at first can´t establish a relation? If it feels the challenges it is not yet equipped for? What would help?
I could notice, how the behaviour and the perceptions of the children changed and felt the need to have some kind of “initiation”. The Indian epic “Ramayana” is full of “initiations” – Rama is constantly being tested till through dozens of challenging rites he becomes the master of his own destiny.
Our school also reached a turning point: We will start the middle and upper classes and soon we have to prepare ourselves for the exams of class 10 – and we are not yet equipped for it.
The class 5 children and we were facing a similar situation – so why not an initiation which would challenge all of us? At that moment, I remembered a conversation I had with the sport teachers at Emerson College (GB). They told me about the Olympic Games they organise each year. And so I took the decision that this has to happen in Mumbai, too.
The pentathlon stimulates Harmony and Strength – and it awakes the desire to discover the other. And for the first time in India one Waldorf school invited another Waldorf school. 24 children of Sloka Waldorf school in Hyderabad made the 17 hours train journey to Mumbai! Meeting the big world: a bit like the feeling of a class 5 student confronted to the world of adults...
Two schools, 44 children, divided into four “cities”. Long jump, discus, javelin, long distance running and short race. A day, when no one cried, no one complained, no one shouted; a day where we made friends and met with grace our present and visualised our future. Each competitor and each winner was – a friend.
Most of the schools in the mega-city Mumbai have no open space for play. We at Tridha had some place and decided not to rent a sports ground, but to change our own school ground into something wonderful. Parents and friends in the centre, the athletes ran and sweat at the periphery – what a beautiful image! Strength at the centre and movement and meeting at the peripery.
Games are an entry into the world and a way to overcome fears and anxieties. Through games we can meet each other without prejudices or shyness, can reach each other with laughter and warmth...
Today there is no need to spend a night into the wilderness surrounded by beasts and inner demons to demonstrate our capabilities. A fair day with Olympic spirit leads to a deep meeting with oneself, the other – and may be the Creator. We hope that it will also strengthen the bond between the Waldorf schools in India.
Patrick Brillant
To top Stand / Update: 09/2005
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Bhuta High School
Shahaji Raje Marg, Viel Parle (E)
Mumbai 400 057
India
Tel.: +91 22 2682 7258
tridha@hotmail.com