Dear Friend,
On behalf of the children and staff of Sri Arunodayam, I wish you a very happy Pongal!
This festival fulfils a unique purpose, highlighting the importance of gratitude and of preserving the many wonderful natural resources that we are blessed with. Especially in these times, when the world is battling severe environmental problems on account of man’s greed, let’s make a decision to honor Mother Earth and be truly thankful for everything she gives us – the sun, fertile land, life-giving water, cattle to help till our fields that produce crops to feed millions of hungry mouths each day, and so much more!
Our home – the Earth – is essentially a closed system. Therefore, there is a finite amount of matter on our planet and in its atmosphere. As humans, we have mastered the processes of change and reorganization of much of that matter. We can modify it for our own purposes and that’s where the danger lies, because Mother Earth can provide enough for our need but not for our greed! Pollution, deforestation, over-harvesting and many of the other things we do can irreversibly damage our only home – the Earth!
This Pongal, I urge you to explore the purpose and significance of these special days. Try to raise an environmentally conscious generation by teaching them and building in them a respect for Mother Earth, so that they may become her worthy ambassadors and powerful agents of change.
And just as your pot overflows this Pongal, I wish that your life will overflow with everything that is good!
Iyyappan Subramaniyan
Founder, Managing Trustee
