The Rotary Club of Singapore celebrated Deepavali with residents of Sree Narayana Mission at the Indian Heritage Centre through music, food, and fellowship. A heartwarming afternoon of shared memories, cultural connections, and the true spirit of service.
Deepavali with Sree Narayana Mission: An Afternoon of Light, Music and Belonging
On 27 October, the Rotary Club of Singapore joined residents of Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore) at the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) for an afternoon of culture, music, food and fellowship.
The IHC gave the day added meaning, with stories and traditions of our community all around us. Our youth volunteers filled the hall with melodious songs, and before long residents were singing their own favourites too. Some sang songs they grew up with, and you could see old memories come alive on their faces. It stopped being a performance and became a sing-along among friends.
Good food brought everyone to the table, and Deepavali door gifts gave residents a little something to take home in remembrance of the day.
We were also delighted to have eight visiting Rotarians from Kochi, India, join us. Their warmth was a beautiful reminder of how Rotary connects people across borders through a shared commitment to caring for others.
Every resident wore a broad smile, and we volunteers were grateful to have been part of it. What stayed with us was simple: sitting beside someone, listening to their story, and being glad to be there.
To Rotary, this is the heart of service. It isn’t the event or the gifts. It is sharing in one another’s joy and building connections that last beyond a single celebration. We came to give, and we left with far more.
Our heartfelt thanks to Sree Narayana Mission, the Indian Heritage Centre, our youth volunteers, fellow Rotarians and our friends from Kochi. Above all, thank you to the residents for sharing your songs, smiles, and company with us.
May the light of Deepavali inspire us to keep showing up for one another.