Mumbai: Ashok Towers residents turn Diwali into Daan Utsav

The Parelbased highrise Ashok Towers has decided to make this Diwali brighter for its 230 support staff including security guards gardeners maids drivers garbage collectors and cooks by celebrating the festival with generosity and gratitudeResidents of Ashok Towers celebrate Daan Utsav a festival of giving dedicated to their 230 support staffTo raise funds for Diwali gifts residents organised a series of cultural programmes art workshops and food fairs within the premises for a week A special flea market was also set up where staff could buy festive and household items for just Rs 10ndashRs 20 each The organisers have managed to collect Rs 55 lakh till nowResidents cook and serve homemade food to fellow residents with all proceeds going toward staff welfare PicsBy Special ArrangementAshok Towers comprises four towers housing about 500 families Residents have been participating in fundraising events under the banner of ldquoDaanUtsavrdquo contributing their time talent and resources toward the initiativeThe flea market proved to be the biggest draw Stalls overflowed with donated items such as sarees childrenrsquos clothes jewellery bags menrsquos wear kitchenware toys and shoes all sold at token prices to make the staffrsquos Diwali shopping affordableStaff buying clothes at the Diwali UtsavAdding a personal touch the society introduced a ldquoWishing Treerdquo inviting every staff member to choose between a mixer or a wallmounted fan as their Diwali gift ldquoMost of them wished for mixers and they will receive them before Diwalirdquo said one of the organisersStaff share their joyThe initiative brought visible happiness among the staff ldquoI bought bangles and a saree for myself Irsquom so happy this Diwalirdquo said housekeeping supervisor Madhuri Bhandare Ashish Pawar also from housekeeping said ldquoI bought a saree for my wife It feels good to celebrate Diwali like thisrdquoHousekeeping supervisor Madhuri Bhandare bought bangles and a saree for herself right Security guard Aditya Maske bought a sketch colour box Vijay Kamti purchased two sarees for his wifeDriver Ravi Astivkar picked up a pair of jeans for himself while cook Lalita Acharya bought a saree and necklace ldquoIt feels like Irsquove already received my Diwali giftrdquo she saidFrom leftTushar Kamble Sukhie Vohra Meera Agarwal and Mayur Chavan at Ashok Towers Parel Tushar and Mayur are from the facilities team PicsSayyed Sameer AbediSecurity guard Aditya Maske purchased a colour sketch box for his nephew and Vijay Kamti picked up two sarees for his wife Another staffer Padma Kadam said ldquoI bought a suit and shirt for my son Irsquom so happy that hersquoll get a Diwali gift from merdquo Apart from the flea market the society organised several communityled events to raise fundsJoy Mela a funfair featuring games by children with proceeds donated to the staff fundBook Sale Mela donated books sold for Rs 50 eachKhau Gully a food festival featuring homecooked dishes by residentsWorkshops reflexology vegan cooking and drama sessions with participation fees contributed to the causeDonation drive an organ and blood donation camp where 18 residents pledged to donate their organsldquoWe wanted this Diwali to be about giving not just celebratingrdquo said residents Sukhie Vohra a former banker and Meera Agrawal a corporate professional who volunteered for the initiative ldquoOur managing committee fully supported us every rupee raised came from residentsrsquo effortsrdquo