Hari Om Parents,
Below is the update from our class grade 6 Sunday AM this week. Due to the on going Corona threat and to maintain social distancing, we started e-balavihar sessions through zoom. A lot of homework has went behind and teachers were trained to accustom the virtual classroom set up. With Almighty, our Poojya Gurudev and our dear Swamiji's blessings the first session saw a smooth sail. We hope for betterment in every way in the virtual classroom set up until we meet in person.
We strongly believe "this too shall pass"
At His Service.
22nd March 2020 / 9:15AM
Shlokas
We started with regular opening prayers. We chanted the first 6 verses of Guru sthothram and concluded with tvameva mata verse. Then we chanted 3 verses of Mahisasura mardhni sthothram and learned the 4th verse.
Our lesson- India the sacred land
We saw a quick recap of the Guru sishya Parampara.
Devarna, Rsrna, Pitrna, Nirna and Bhutarna. We should live by values which are given by our elders, teachers, ancestors and nature.
Topic: The Traditional games of India.
Paramapatham- the Moksapatha, meaning the path to the salvation. The game of snakes and ladder (the chutes and ladder) The good path of living has harder moral values of life and one has to be very vigilant while taking; while the other path is easy, implying it is easy to fall a prey to wrong values. "Live by the moral values" is the takeaway from the game. The squares of virtue (climbing the ladder) are Faith, reliability, generosity, knowledge, asceticism.
The snakes which eats up are squares-disobedience,vulgarity,theft,lying,drunkenness, debt, rage, greed, pride and lust.
Personal experience story- Once we did not follow the detour and wanted to take a shortcut thinking we would reach faster. Little we knew the shortcut could bring disaster and we reached our destination much, much later than one could ever expect. We fell easily as prey to the snakes rather missing the path to climb up the ladder.
Why are games played?
1. Fun activity/ pass time / Pleasure.
2. Reflects the Tradition
3. Growth of a child
Games teaches Leadership, how to win and lose with dignity, management skills, team building (team work), provide great exercise.
Games originated and appreciated worldwide- Chess, snakes and ladders, kalari, polo, playing cards.
Indian origin games not transmitted outside India- Kabaddi, khokho, marbles (goli), malkhamb, gillidhand, dayakattam, pallankuzhi.
Story on marble game- there is a temple named "Ashram Krishna temple" in the city of Kollam is south Kerala. It is believed that the Lord Himself came as a small boy to play marble games with the local boys and was severely punished with getting hit at knuckles and knees for not playing proper. The melsanthi or the head priest tells the devotees this as she shows deepam at the sanctum sanctorum.
Traditional Grains/lentils/spices and food and Gunas
We have given as a homework activity to identify the grains,pulses, lentils and spices of our Traditional Indian cooking all from our home pantry. This way kids can learn the native language terms for these items and also their medicinal values. Few kids have done a great job and others are working on it. It's a home activity and they can have fun with it.
The Gunas- Food designed in an adequate proportion is typically shown in a thali set-up.
The food we eat- makes you the person you are.
The finest form of food (sooksmaroopam) reaches the brain cells.
1. Satwik- Clean, nutritious wholesome food. Fresh and healthy.
2. Rajasik- The food which gives passion- but should maintain focus. Food that makes ambitious.
3. Tamasik- stale food- Food makes you intoxicated- leads to laziness and bad thoughts.
Gita time- we reviewed Gita verses from 11-20 from our Dear Swamiji
Homework-Please have children complete a page of likhita japa (Om namah sivaya, Om sree mathre namaha, Sriramajayam, Sreekrishna saranam mama, Hare Rama Hare Krsna) at home and bring in the likhita japa notebook to the class, thanks.
Geeta Chanting:
- Registrations for Geeta Chanting Yajna are closing on 3/22/2020. Please hurry up if you're catching the bus. Also,please note the competition is postponed to May (date will be announced later)
Requirements for class
*We start at 9.15 with opening prayers and it will not be nice if kids (walk) log in while the chanting is going on. Kindly please be inside the Virtual classroom at 9.15 or a couple minutes prior to the start.
*Please (send in) have a notebook and a pen or pencil and kindly remind them to note down important pointers which are written on the smart board as we explain.
*Noting on a solid notebook is optional (kindly no loose papers, please. If yes, please file them accordingly then and there) Please remind kids to make a good choice.
Please keep ourselves clean by washing hands frequently, using tissue papers while sneezing and coughing and making sure about keeping our place sanitized to avoid viruses being spread. Live healthy both mind and body.
Next class is on 03/29/2020 at zoom
Please write back or text with questions or queries you may have.
Thank you all.
Grade 6 teachers Sunday AM
Latha Kakani and Vidhya Aiyer
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