One of the lega­cies of the late Sat Ma­haraj, for­mer Sec­re­tary Gen­er­al of the Sanatan Dhar­ma Ma­ha Sab­ha (SDMS), was the re­vival of Chow­taal singing in SDMS schools as part of the Baal Vikaas com­pe­ti­tion.

This year, stu­dents from 43 pri­ma­ry schools took part in the 40th edi­tion of the an­nu­al Chow­taal Sam­me­lan. There were al­so spe­cial guest ap­pear­ances by stu­dents from five col­leges last Sun­day at the SDMS head­quar­ters in St Au­gus­tine.

Chow­taal is an in­te­gral part of Phag­wa, a colour­ful cel­e­bra­tion of the be­gin­ning of the In­di­an spring and the Hin­du New Year, which takes place to­mor­row.