Article by Lim Yee Wan  |  Photographs by Gan Jia Cheng

Nalanda students bowing deeply to their parents in appreciation for their love, care and sacrifices.

On Sunday 9 February, Nalanda Dharma School (NDS) organised a traditional “Tea Ceremony” at Nalanda Centre in conjunction with the Lunar New Year.  The purpose for the ceremony was for children to express gratitude towards their parents.  It was indeed heart-warming to see children bowing reverentially to their parents and hugging them, showing much gratitude and appreciation for their parents’ love, care and sacrifice.

The session was later enlivened by performances by NDS facilitators and a spirited lion dance performed by the students.  The large crowd marveled at the stunts and nimble moves of the lion dance!  There was also a cheerful ‘sing-along’ session with the congregation joining in the renditions of ‘恭喜恭喜’ and ‘梦想动起来’.

Nalanda Dharma School students performed a lively Lion Dance with nimble moves and great stunts!

After the performances, everyone tucked into lunch prepared by kind devotees, while some tried their hands in Chinese calligraphy, writing auspicious words with brush and ink on red paper.  It was a truly memorable day for all of us at NDS, when our families develop even deeper bonds with mettā (unconditional love) and karunā (compassionate care)!