Vasant Uday - Spring Festival in Noida

Vasant Uday - a Spring Festival and Fundraiser was organized on Sunday a day prior to Holi by Ukti - A Waldorf-inspired school at the Community Center of Jal Vayu Vihar, Sector 21, Noida. The Festival, besides showcasing Waldorf system of education, supported the individuals and organizations pioneering in green, organic and Eco-friendly products and services.

Vasant Uday - Spring Festival and Fundraiser at Jal Vayu Vihar Community Center, Sector 21, Noida

The Community Center was decorated with colorful buntings that lent the area a lively and spring-time feel. We were greeted at the registration desk by the cordial staff of the Ukti School. The event had an entry fee of Rs 30 for kids up to 10 years of age and Rs 40 for the older ones. 

Registration Desk of the Spring Festival, Noida

We got Ukti-stamped post registration :-)

The festival had lots to offer to the kids - story-telling with puppets, wet on wet painting, colorful Mandal weaving, banana bread baking party, path of senses and wood art. The main hall was divided in two sections - one part was marked for kids' activities and the rest had the stalls of the participating organizations. The entire event was spun around the Eco-consciousness theme.

The kids area was buzzing with activity, little hands trying their woodwork skills making little houses - rubbing, polishing and finally coloring them. Some of the kids were engrossed in weaving Mandals in rainbow hues. The best part was one could take their masterpiece home as a souvenir!

Woodwork and Weaving Activities at Vasant Uday Spring Festival in Noida

The toy stall had a variety of knitted Waldorf toys made by parents and teachers of the Ukti school. These simple toys were hand-made from natural materials. The woolen balls, in particular, had a charming appeal to them - soft and colorful - ideal gifts for young-ones!

The 'Path of Senses' was another interesting activity that tested your senses of touch, smell and taste. One had to guess the things they had touched in the earthen pots without looking inside it. Similarly your sense of taste and smell was put to test. After pungent garlic, smelling sweet rose odor was such a welcome delight!

The organic products for a healthy, sustainable life were on offer at the stalls put up for the Spring Festival. The Kirana Shop stocked organic crisps and snacks, organic spices, natural scented soaps, organic cotton-wear and fresh produce and potted herbs. 

The Kirana Shop at the Vasant Uday Spring Festival in Noida

Handmade items for children and household by rural artisans were found on the stall by Potli - a bag of wonders. The exciting and informative art and crafts kits at their kiosk aimed to reconnect kids to Indian traditional Art and Craft through simple and fun approach.

Potli - a bag of wonders Stall at Vasant Uday Spring Festival in Noida

The Eco-conscious, organic, designer clothing line from yes OUI care (YOC) for all - men, women and children was  really cool and trendy. The designs on the Tees were creations of the underprivileged children of  orphanage boarding school at Fr Agnel School near Delhi. These designs were reproduced on Tees for the label YOC by the expert team at YOC. We were told 10 percent of the proceeds from the sale of this clothing, manufactured in collaboration with underprivileged women and children, will go to the orphanage boarding school at Fr Agnel School.

yes OUI care stall at Vasant Uday Spring Festival in Noida

Organic, natural and nutritious products ranging from food products to medicinal items to cosmetics were available from the stalls of I say Organic, Nirvaaha,  Green Potli and others.

I Say Organic at Vasant Uday Spring Festival  in Noida

The farm fresh veggies  were not to be missed by Pi naturals who are promoting and practicing farming without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. You can connect with them on their fb page and talk about the produce and the health benefits of such practices.

Pi Naturals selling farm fresh organically grown produce at Vasant Uday Spring festival in Noida

The most interesting piece we found here was a 'Kamba' at the stall of Daily Dump - Compost at Home. On first look it seemed a terracotta lamp, but we were told it is a gadget to manage your household waste into high quality compost conveniently and hygienically. This is a great way of reducing city's dumping contributions to landfills. We feel such green practices should be embraced by the community at large.

Daily Dump for composting at Vasant Uday Spring Festival in Noida

Outside of the hall, a counter selling iktara, lockets, bracelets and other ethnic nick-knacks attracted a lot of kids. These articles were hand-made by rural artisans. The stall had household items too.

Eats were also totally organically grown fruit-chaat and home-cooked snacks. The main attraction was Bajre ki roti and Gatta kadhi cooked in the traditional style on an earthen chulha (stove) served hot and fresh!

We relished the organically-grown farm-fresh strawberry and chikoo chaat. The bananas were on-the-house, yumm!

Strawberry-Chikoo Chaat - Organic and Farm-fresh

Vasant Uday delivered the message of a Green citizenship very emphatically. Green is the Mantra for the day! In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments, there are consequences said Robert Green Ingersol. Grass is GREENer where you water it! There is a Chinese proverb ~ the best time to plant trees was 20 years ago. The next best time is Today!!

Noida residents with their active participation in such kind of events contribute towards a responsible community. Share your experience if you had been to this event in the comments section. Join us on Facebook Noida Diary page for more updates on past and upcoming events in Noida. 

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Permission is explicitly denied for any republication of text or photographs in this post without the prior express written consent of the author, Bushra Muzaffar.