Hari OM Parents,
We are glad to welcome your children to the classroom this year. Happy to see children who are back after the summer break and also good to see some fresh new people joining Balavihar from this year as well. We look forward to a mutually rewarding and exciting experience in Balavihar this year with your children.
The class this week. - we started the class with our regular starting prayers. We then did a quick round of introductions starting with introducing ourselves and then getting to know the youths. Given this was our first session we started the class with a discussion on Lord Ganesha and his role in Mahabharatha. We also did a guided sketch of lord Ganesha. Attached is the sketch by one of the youths. we were very impressed with the drawing skills of the youths. Hope they shared the sketch done my them with you. Attached is a picture of the drawing by one of the 6th Graders. We then briefly discussed a high level overview of the curriculum and the books we plan to use ( see below) and then did a brief introduction to Mahabharatha as well. We finished the class with closing prayers followed by Aarathi and pledge in the assembly hall.
We outline below the course curriculum below and request your help and support to help them learn this better as well.
If you have any questions, or just want to meet us ….we will be happy to meet with the parents before the class or after, You can also reach us via this email or phone numbers below.
Curriculum
1 Mahabharata
"The Mahabharata has molded the character and civilization of one of the most numerous of the world's people. How….By its gospel of dharma, which like a golden thread runs through all the complex movements in the epic; by its lesson that hatred breeds hatred, that covetousness and violence lead inevitably to ruin,, that the only real conquest is in the battle against one's lower nature."
- C. Rajagopalachari
Children were introduced to the Mahabharata part 1 during the 5th Grade. We will start with the quick review of the same and then will be starting an in depth discussion covering Virata Parva onwards. We will be following C. Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata book. Please encourage the children to share the stories with you and discuss the various characters and their actions. There are plenty of free videos available on Youtube and it would be great if you could watch it together at home as well.
2 India the Sacred land
Children were introduced to the Guru Parampara and some Indian saints and sages. We will further expand upon that and introduce our rich Indian heritage to the 6th graders during later part of the year.
Shlokas
We will be learning the Devi Dhyana Shloka – Sarva Managala, Mahalakshmya Ashtakam and Mahishasuramardini Stotram All of these are available in the My Prayers book.
Bhajans
We will be making sure that the children learn to sing the Jaya Jagadisha Hare Arthi and the Chinmaya Arthi this year. Apart from this, we will be teaching them some assorted small Bhajans. They have been learning Amba Parameshwari too as part of the current year curriculum.
Recommended Books and Supplies
1 Mahabharata for children workbook – available in bookstore
2 My Prayers – green book
3 Balavihar Handbook – already distributed to the children
4 Notebook for notes and Likhitajapa
5 Pens, pencils, markers, erasers
We also request you to ensure that the youths were Indian attire when they come to the class. Given that we are learning the Indian heritage it is important then come in that attire too to make the learning complete.
We will send you weekly updates on the progress and topics covered in the classroom to the email that you registered with us.
Welcome to exciting 2019 Balavihar program.
Thank you and Hariom
Harinee Madhusudhnan Ph: 732-491-7862 Email: HarineeM@hotmail.com
Venkatapathy Shankar Ph: 609-233-2821 Email: vshankar01@gmail.com
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Download and Enjoy Chinmaya Bhajans from Google Play , Amazon Music or Itunes Store phones.
