Often refered to as the oldest living city on earth, Varanasi is a colorful but impoverished metropolis overflowing with cultural significance yet haunted by the many hundreds of thousands of untouchable children. Children who are forced to beg, living their lives in poverty, ignorance and abuse. Buddha’s Smile School (BSS), founded and directed by teacher Read More…
Visitor Stories
NY artist brings joy through art to BSS students
In January of 2012 Brooklyn, NY artist Erica Harris was welcomed to Buddha’s Smile School in India to teach art classes and take photos of daily activities at BSS. Thank you also to Erica and her friends who raised over $6,000 for BSS middle school scholarships. We invite you to take a look at Erica’s Read More…
Baby Steps Lead to Big Changes at BSS
It was a great privilege to return to BSS this February 2011. I first visited in April 2010 with four friends, and returned ten months later with a group of seven. What a difference a year has made to the children of Buddha’s Smile School.
Christof Glaser: My Story
2005 bat mich eine Kommilitonin, während meiner Indienreise doch mal in Sarnath, einem buddhistischen Pilgerort in einer armen Gegend Nordindiens, eine Schule für kastenlose und unterprivilegierte Kinder zu besuchen. Sie wußte, daß ich Webseiten gestalte, und die Schule benötigte dringend eine, um für Spenden zu werben. Im März 2005 war ich dort und hörte die mitreißende Geschichte von Rajan und ihrer Schule.
Myself, Priya Saini
It’s very difficult to find someone like Rajan, my aunt. It’s like opening a 1,000 shells under the sea to find one pearl. Anybody can love a rosebud it takes a great deal to love a leaf! It’s very easy to love someone who is beautiful, but love the one who can make your life beautiful…
Visiting Buddha’s Smile School an Amistad Intl project
The following is part of an informal trip report by Karen Kotoske, Executive Director, Amistad International: Buddha’s Smile School (BSS) is located in Sarnath and is only a short walk from the historical site where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha delivered this first sermon. Amistad International has been the primary sponsor of this school since 2004 when BSS had only 60 students. 239 now attend this free school for the poorest of the poor children in the area.
Liane Fahr: My Story
With brightly shining eyes the children say goodbye to Rajan and the other teachers at the end of the day. And with brightly shining eyes they wave back when leaving in the rikshaws Rajan has organized to bring them home. Home means those places where they had been picked up, the places where the poorest Read More…
Vipin Kothari
My wife, Gita and I had the pleasure of meeting Sukhdev and Rajan during our recent visit to Varanasi. They were kind enough to guide us in the prayers that we had to perform for my son’s final rites before his ashes were immersed in the holy Ganges. In fact, they took time to be Read More…
Forrest Fleischman
Our first morning in Sarnath, my travelling companion and I walked into a small cafe next to the Tibetan Institute where our host was studying, and begin conversing with a kind Australian man. He told us that he had come there as a volunteer, to help build a website for the school that the cafe Read More…
Angela-Claire Cole
After experiencing such poverty in both Bodhgaya and Sarnath, Buddha’s Smile School was a completely enriching and perfect experience. Meeting Rajan, we spoke of love and in her I saw a heart too big to fit in her chest. Sure enough her generosity of spirit and deep love for all the children (including her desire Read More…