Sports & Culture Activities 2012-13

Promotion of Rural Sports

Context

Established  in  2010,  Shamayita  Sports  Academy has  been  engaged  in  developing  the  potential  of sports  and  games  among  the  rural  youths, especially  in  football.   Throughout the year about 30 trainees in junior section and about 35 in senior section have taken regular coaching. In athletics 20 youth including girls have been mentored. The Shamayita Sports Academy (SSA) is located in Bankura district of West Bengal.

Training of rural children at the Academy-

Highlights of Shamayita Sports Academy in 2012-13

·         3rd  annual  day  was celebrated  on  24th  July 2012,  when  a  two  day football  tournament  was organized  in  Shamayita Krirangan  involving  the local  football  teams.  Eight local  football  teams participated in the tournament and the team from SSA  became  the  champion. 

·         On  24th  August,  two exhibition  matches  were  held-  one  SSA  vs Mohun bagan SAIL Football Academy and another exhibition match of women teams- Jharkhand XI vs Bangla XI.

·         A football match was held for the junior team - SSA vs Pragati Sangha of Bankura.

·         During the annual  day  celebration  on  24th  July,  2012,  the retired football player of Mohun bagan-East Bengal  , Mr. Mihir Bose was present as  the chief guest.

·         SSA  also  participated  in  other  exhibition matches held  on 5th August, 12th August and 28th August, 2012.

The team lined up for the tournament-

·         SSA  participated  in  nine  tournaments  in Bankura  and  Purulia  districts  of  West Bengal  and  Ranchi  (Jharkhand)  during 2012-13.   In  Ranchi,   Jharkhand  SSA participated in the final match   with Orissa and  became  the  Champion    along with  a prize money of Rs 22,000/-

·         In District  School  State  Selection Meet  on 18th December, 2012, four students of SSA from Athletics Division attained positions  in events like long jump, 100meter, 200 metre, 600 meter  race  in  junior,  sub  junior  and senior groups. Out of these one was selected for state level and participated in the State Level Meet.

·         In 'All Bengal University Meet' held on 22nd November, 2012, one sportsman from SSA got 3rd position and participated in State  level.

·         Like every  year  the  rural  sports  was organized by Shamayita Sports Academy on the 14  Dec, 12. The sports were organized  in Bankajuria  Football   Ground  near  Shiulibona  where  900  rural  children  and women  participated  in  the  sports.  Active participation of the rural girls all belonging to the disadvantaged ST/SC category, bare-footed  and  without  any  formal  sports attire revealed  their  potential  in  games  and sports.

Village sports for village children-

Kherwal Tukou - Annual Tribal Program

Among  the population  for whom Shamayita Math has  been  engaged  in  different  developmental activities,  tribal  community  occupies  a  very important place. The simple and innocent life of the tribals, their  undemanding  ways  of  life,  their backwardness  have  attracted  the  organization  to work with them closely and intimately. Throughout the year programs are carried on with  the  tribals aiming  at  their  secured  livelihood.  Inspite  of  the  dispossession  and  deprivation,  the  tribals  have  a rhythm  of  life;  they  draw  immense  pleasure  in festivals, music and dance. Throughout the year the tribal brothers and sisters celebrate their seasonal festivals  inspite of  their  limitations but once  in   a year and that  is on 1st  January every year Shamayita Math organizes a  tribal meet   on a mega scale  in village Shiulibona at the foothills of Susunia hills in Chhatna Bankura district. The first day of the year is symbolic  as  this was  the  day when  the  Founder President of Shamayita Math, Sri Sri Prabhuji first stepped  into  the  village  in  the  year  1996.  The celebration  was  held  for  two  days-  on  31^st December,  2012  and  1st  January,  2013  and throughout  the  two  days  the  air  was  filled  with reverberations of  the beat of drums and  tunes of typical tribal songs.

A performance at the Kherwal Tukou-

Teams  from  local  villages performed Rinja, Lagreand    Latbalang  dance.   The  program  was inaugurated  with  tribal  dance  performed  by  the students  of  Marang  Buru  School  of  Shiulibona

An acrobatic performance by the local villagers-

Main Cultural attractions presented through the day

·         Lohuk dance  from Ranibandh (South Bankura)

·         Raibeshe from Murshidabad district of W.B

·         Bahurupi from Birbhum district of W.B

·         Boul / Bengali folk songs

·         Singhi Cham dance from Sikkim

·         Sambhalpuri  from Orissa

·         Chhow dance  from Purulia

·         Kaarate and Marshal Art show

·         Santhali  film

·         Fireshow at  the end of  the cultural program

Another performance-

Other special  features  of the day included -

·         Open air  lunch  for all  the 16000  tribals gathered

·         An exhibition on  tribal community  - origin, administrative and social systems, culture,musical   instruments,  festivals, etc.

·         Village  fair

·         Distribution of blankets  to 200  tribals

The festival of the local people gathered -

Throughout  the  two  days  function,  the  tribals  of Bankura expressed their deep respect and sincere love for Sri Sri Prabhuji or 'Dharti Baba' as they call through  their  periodic  slogan  'Johar Johar Dharti Baba' meaning  'Our regards  to you O Lord'.

Annual Bastradan (Donation of Clothes)

With an objective to provide the basic needs of life, Annual  Bastradan  Utsav  is  organized  every  year during  Durga  Puja-  the  Autumn  Festival  of West Bengal,  when new clothes are distributed  to the  poor  and the destitute.

During  Bastradan  Utsav  on  an average  20  -30 persons   are  selected  from each  village  as benef iciaries based  on  their socio-economic condition.  Special  focus  is given to the old men and women  and  distressed women. Bastradan Utsav started in a very humble way in the year 1996 where beneficiaries were  from the  nearby  villages  only.  Gradually  with  the expansion and scaling up of the rural development projects,  this  festival  also  gained  new  dimension with beneficiaries coming  from  remote backward villages  located within an a radius of 20 km from the Math headquarters.    A  set  of  new saree/dhoti  are  distributed  to  about  1300  poor men  and women  and  new  dress  to  500  children coming  from  about  65  villages .  Besides  this,  in winter  woolen  garments  (sweater ,  muffler,  and scarves) are provided to about 200 school children 300  blankets  and  300  woollen  shawls  are distributed to  the poor specially to  the old people, to lessen  their sufferings  in biting cold of Bankura.