Hamsafar Meet at Golden Palms Bangalore
The lush greenery and beautiful landscapes at Golden Palms in Bangalore played host to one of the most awaited event in the Down Syndrome Calendar of India – the Humsafar meet. Humsafar, which literally means co-traveler is an apt name for our event as all the 330 people who attended are related to Down syndrome - 130 children and 200 adults! Traveling in the same boat fighting societal norms and battling it out for an inclusive society for our children, this meet was as expected – full of fun, laughter and of course learning.
The programs included yoga, Dance, Drama, Art other learning activities and of course fun activities like Dance and Antakshari for the kids. The mood was one of gaiety and abundant laughter. Everybody took home something that is precious to them – Hope. The hope that their children can do many things and hope for a brighter future for them.
They say a picture speaks a thousand words. CLICK HERE to view a few of those beautiful memories…
Humsafars Speak:
Their experiences and their heartfelt messages after the meet from many of those who were a part of the 3 days of togetherness.
Enjoyed a lot Bangalore Team and Rekha Mam.Felt like we are with our relatives friends brothers and sisters. Thank you for d entire Team who have worked behind to make this event great success.
Thank you Rekha maa, Nina Mam, Tejal, Kajal, Anilji, Deepa n all humsafar team for making this event memorable n enjoyable... I met so many new parents and gained a lot of information
Bangalore team. ..please accept our heart felt thanks and a big hug..❤❤❤🙏🏻🙏🏻.rekha mam...you are the sun of our little DS universe 😘😘😘 this was one of the most memorable trip and it was possible because of all of you. Thanks once again and looking forward to meet each one of you in Delhi in September
Thanks to Rekhaji And her super Cool Team Kajal&kushal Tejal& Vikas... Hat's Off to your fantastic &immaculate arrangements..HAPPY to have met many Humsafars.🙏😍😍😘😘 Tejal & Vikas 💐💐 Kajal & Kushal💐💐 Thanks a ton for organizing such a wonderful getogether !!!!👌👌👌👍 It was a wonderful celebration of grand togetherness of Humsafars . No words to appreciate you efforts 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😘😘🤗. It was AWSOME meeting all our cute Bacchas 😘😘🤗🤗and parents . Rekha Maa what should I say about you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 being with you always give us a feeling of Almighty being with us 🤗💐
This is my first meet with humsafars it was a fabulous meet... Back with full energy... Thank you Nina Mam, Deepa Mam, Anil ji for your most valuable inputs... Rekha maa you are the biggest inspiration to me we always love you.... Looking forward for September and Pune meet...thank you Bangalore team for making all the arrangements.. Special thanks to Tejal,Kushal nd Kajal...
What a wonderful trip it was ! Thank u Tejal , Kajal and Kushal for organising this . Thank u Rekha Maam for being the best 😘see u all in Delhi ! Before coming to this meet ,i was bit hesitant that how my typical daughter will react to the meet and after seeing so many children with DS.But to my surprise she was very comfortable and made many friends.she had respect and a sense of happiness in her eyes.I thought she will spend most of the time in room but she was in the hall and park most of the time.she enjoyed thoroughly.And this made me so proud of her.Really now i feel she's turning out to be a good human being. I was so much happy that my daughter made her friends.she was very happy and always wanted to go and play.I was amazed to see her being friend with kiana with ds.both of them were very happy with each other.I saw in this trip that nothing is different about our kids.They are same as typical and inclusion makes them more confident and independent. My daughter is missing kiana ,Aadya and Bangalore a lot.she was saying that mamma kiana knows everything .She dance brilliantly,plays every game brilliantly.when we will meet Aadya and kiana again.
Back home..but home sick! Stupendous meet! I think we're the luckiest DS community in the world for we have Rekha ma'am..you just know how to get people come together, stay put and rise together! We just have no idea how much we love you..all I can say is we will be there for each other..whenever need arises..thats the best way to reciprocate your love!!
1.i do intend to come back every year..with family. 2.both my children were quite comfortable..given the size of gathering. 3.it was a great reinforcer..much needed. 4.husbands were taking care of the kids..AT WILL! 5.Siblings were more relaxed with the fact that there siblings have a 'diagnosis'.
Long but beautiful post warning :) Somebody has rightly said "When there is kindness, there is goodness and when there is goodness, there is magic'' and magic happened in its truest and purest form. When 92 families with 135 children came together to meet in Bangalore the time stopped and goodness prevailed! The positivity, care, smiles, laughter and love filled the air. We danced till our feet hurt, we cried and we laughed till our stomach hurt. And we made companions for life. Put faces to Facebook friends and made them companions for life. I was choked with emotions on several occasions when parents who had never met each other hugged, held hands and quietly made bonds which was beyond social status and biases. Where all everyone cared was if the other one was OK and how can they extend their helping hand! The sense of belonging to this even expanding group was extra ordinary. We all felt a part of something much bigger than all of us. A big salute and shout out to all amazing people who I met in this meet. You all made me a better person. I've returned more humble and filed with gratitude. Rekha mam you have no idea how many lives have you transformed. You are the force behind thousands of us. Nina mam...your ever smiling face and ever helping nature is making this world a better place everyday. Rashmi mam...your smile and care can take away all the worries and troubles. Anil sir...your perspectives, guidance and knowledge is something we all need Tejal Vikas Shah Kajal Shah Kushal M Shah Vikas Shah You guys are the reason this meet happened so so wonderfully and why there were hundreds of people smiling and crying at the same time leaving Bangalore. Parul Singh love you with all my heart Aswathi DS and Dinil Sanker you guys are our strength. we love you and will always look forward to spend time with you. Amita Singhal you are a gem of a friend. love you Monesh Jain and Deepika Golchha Jain thanks for all the pictures and fun. Shweta Runwal Pranay Ranka you guys are my role model for the best parents...lots of love and hugs to your beautiful girls. Nidhi Gupta Anurag Gupta thanks for being around. Reena Vashistha you are a strong and wonderful woman...keep it up. and a big big hug and lots of love to everyone that I met. Just want to let you all know that you made a huge difference. I am so so happy that now I have family all over India and no matter where I am, I can reach out to my family whenever I need. Lots of love
Great moments.🌈 Excellent arrangements🍌.👍 Credits to the organisers🌽 and respects🙏 to our Rekha mam.🍎 We're so blessed and the 🥒entire gathering 🍇came to a reality because of BABLI 🍒, I believe. 🙏🙏
Good Morning Humsafars &Rekhaji This was my 1st experience of meeting so many fellow parents from different parts of India ...that too all young parents and majority with below 10 year olds...who are all well informed ..not like us who had little resources and knowledge about DS... This meet was enriching for me to get guidance from Rekhaji who really is A stalwart in her knowledge about Down Syndrome .Thank you🙏Rekhaji I am happy to have bonded with you and feel that I can reach you whenever I need.😍 The sessions with the experts were also very enriching . 🙏Thank you Anilji for giving us information about the right's of DS community and Personally supporting us in Ashritha's Niramaya settlement...🙏 The foursome kushaal&Kajal Vikas&Tejal ...your cool and composed way of organising so meticulously ..hat's off...and want to Learn from you guys. Finally All dear humsafars whom I bonded in this meet ...🙏😍....
We all are the most blessed people to have a maa like you and also a family of hundreds of Humsafars and kids who only know one thing: to love unconditionally! Thank you so much for everything maa...I don't think anyone of us would have been what we are as parents and humans without your blessings and guidance 🙏🙏🙏
Hugs Deepa!!! Means a lot coming from someone like you.... I am getting too emotional reading all the comments.
Rekha ma I have to have to tell you You are kindest women I have ever seen, and our kids are lucky to have a grandmother like you. We reached Pune yesterday and since then my girls have been insisting lets go to Bangalore for party. So many emotions right now, I am overwhelmed. I have learned a lot from the trip. My babaji ka potla is now full of positivity, laughter, hope and inspiration. Love you all.... 😘😘😘😘
The take home msg for me is to get a certified course of Yoga done by Palak & then send her to Ms Saumya for one month training in ' Yoga for Special need children'. I got a direction as we were feeling that though she is working very efficiently her potentials are much more & she can still do much more. Yes, we would come every year & now onwards all of us. The most exciting was the Yoga session by Saumya then comes the session on Dance movements. Dramatics & morning Raga by Sangeeta. Palak served as sibling of all the children present. Few things I would like to add in next meeting I have already mentioned.
This event has become the most important part of our calendar. We can miss any event but cant dream of missing this one. Looking at all the older kids, it gives us hope and makes us work harder towards achieving higher goals. Each time the bar is pushed higher and energy is doubled. I am more focused to work with Dhriti now looking at all the efforts and results in front of me. It was a nice to sit with anil sir, nina mam, deepa, and get their insights on a topic (what after us?) which gives us sleepless nights. Vicky, Roshni, Sumeet, Anurag, Nidhi, my partners in crime, its always good to catch up with you guys... Avinash, Deepa, Dinil and Ashwati my new TEACHERS. 😝 All in all an event that cant be missed for anything!
My take home from this Trip is to use all my potential to give her good future.
Yes, Pranay...I totally agree wid u.. We can climb unimaginable heights wid our children..they are the catalyst for making a revolutionary change in our beings.. N together we can do...only Rekha Mam cud do this... Bring us together under one roof...away from all the worries...salute to all the humsafars n Rekha Maa..