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Community Activities:

Chariot festival

The George Foundation has brought local village communities together by organizing activities relating to their spiritual, religious and recreational interests, and for community-centered activities. These include temple renovation, revival of the chariot festival that includes dismantling and rebuilding of the chariot each time the festival is celebrated, and prasadam or food for the poor, children and elderly in the community.

The Chariot Festival was hosted and celebrated for the third time in the neighboring village of Deveerapalli . The festival had not been celebrated for 14 years due to in-fighting and village politics. The George Foundation got the people together and convinced them that land-grabbing politics should not obstruct religious functions of the village temple. The George Foundation has committed to maintaining the living expenses of the temple priest including food and accommodation. The foundation has encouraged the local priest to take responsibility for the temple and to conduct morning and evening prayers and periodic religious ceremonies such as the naming of a newborn, marriage or death rituals, prayers for rain in this drought-stricken area, and whatever will contribute to the spiritual wellbeing of the community.

The temple has a rich history of tradition dating back to 300 years when the stone idols were installed in its sanctuary. The idols are of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. The chariot for the idols is carried in procession in a circle around the village.

For photos of the festival, click here

Recreational Activities

In order to encourage healthy pastimes and to promote talent in sporting activities, the foundation has instituted cash awards and trophies for the best cricket teams. These include individual cash prizes for best bowler, batsman and fielder. The foundation will also sponsor one aspiring rural cricketer each year for a training program conducted at the Kanteevara Stadium by the Sports Authority.