Peace Run in India started on the eve of 10th Jan 2016 at the footsteps of the peace statue of Sri Chinmoy in Goa. Sri Chinmoy is the founder of this run who has inspired many people around the globe to carry the message of friendship, love and harmony. This statue was erected at the Kala (Art) Academy at Campal, Panjim, Goa. This academy plays the role of being an apex body to develop music, dance, drama, fine art, folk art, literature, etc. and thereby promote (the) cultural unity of Goa.
We were very greatful to have the company of our fellow runners from Europe.
We were fortunate to attend a cultural festival at the academy that showcased performances from many cultures across India.
The best one is the performance by young artists from Orissa.
The very next day we had our first early morning meeting at the Sharada Mandir School near Miramar beach, Goa. Our local Coordinator, Ashok addressed the students at their morning assembley.
Our European runners were amazed to see the eagerness and discipline of Indian students.
Atul continued the presentation explaining the motto of the run and other peace run activities.
The first being a minute of silence to find peace within ourselves.
and then some running aterwards.
Soon after we visited another school called Our Lady of the Rosary High School at Dona-Paula in Goa. The students were preparing for their sports acitivites. So we decided to do some warmup session with our World Harmony Run song and gestures as part of our presentation.
A quick break to enjoy one of Goa's favourite drink, Coconut Water.
We then went to Saraswat Vidyalaya High School at Mapusa in Goa.
It was great to experience our peace excercise for five minutes with these students.
The limited space in the classroom added a lot of fun during our World Harmony Run song and gestures.
Now its time to do some running.
first girls and...
..then boys.
Peace begins with me.....
This proves that our pre-historic ancestors were chimps....
This was our last school for the day and it was a great experience.
No we did not visit any k9 (dog) school....
...it was a quick stop over at our Coordinator, Ashok's relatives to say hello and grab some refreshments.
We then visited the Aguada fort in Goa.
Many locals were curious and happy to see and learn about our event.
A selfie in India is not just about ourselves it also include the whole family.
another most popular drink in India is raw sugarcane juice.
This was a great surprise. Atul accidently bumped into Anil (holding the torch) who is a supporter of Peace Run in Australia.
We came to the Calangute beach, north Goa to relax and watch the sunset.
Punjabi suits, Sarees and .....
... cows at the beach...It can only happen in India.
A toast to our host and coordinator for a wonderful first day in India.
