Week 2 - Bala Ramayana
Beginning Our Class
Today, we began our class by greeting each other with “Hari Om.” The children had thoughtful questions about why we greet one another by saying Hari Om, which gave us a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the meaning behind the practices we follow every day.
We then sat comfortably, crisscrossed our legs, folded our hands, closed our eyes, and chanted Om three times.
We followed this with our opening prayers:
Om Saha Navavatu
Vakra Tunda
Saraswathi Namastubhyam
Gurur Brahma
We also learned a new shloka, “Sri Rama Rama Ramethi,” and discussed its significance.
Recap & Introduction to Ayodhya
We began with a brief recap of what we learned last week and then continued our journey into the Ramayana by learning about Ayodhya.
The children imagined what Ayodhya might have looked like in those days, what forms of transportation people may have used, and how life might have been different from today. We also talked about how there were no Patels or Patidars in those days!
We learned that although Ayodhya was known as a happy and prosperous city, its king, King Dasharatha, was not completely happy. He was concerned because he did not have an heir to his throne.
We discussed King Dasharatha’s three wives and how they approached Guru Vasishta for guidance. This led us into a brief but meaningful discussion about the importance of a Guru in our lives and how a Guru guides us on the right path.
Name Tag Activity & House Bhajan
The children participated in a fun name-tag coloring activity, and we also took attendance.
We then continued with our House Bhajan on Devi, which will be a regular part of our class each week.
Continuing the Ramayana
We then moved on to the next part of our Ramayana story.
Sage Vasishta asked Sage Rishyasringa to perform the Putra Kameshti Yagna for King Dasharatha. We discussed what a Yagna is and why it is performed.
At the conclusion of the Yagna, a divine being emerged and gave King Dasharatha Payasam/Kheer to share with his queens.
King Dasharatha gave the Payasam to Queen Kausalya and Queen Kaikeyi, who then shared it with Queen Sumitra.
This part of the story gave us a wonderful opportunity to talk about the importance of sharing and how sharing with others is an important value in our lives.
Bhagavad Gita
We chanted 2 verses from Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita.
Next week, we will spend a little more time discussing the Bhagavad Gita and learning about the chapter 6 that we will be studying this year.
Homework for Next Week
Please have the children color Page 5 (PutraKameshtiYagna) in their Ramayana Coloring Book before next week’s class.
Important Parent Information
Communication & Weekly Updates
• Parent WhatsApp Group:
Join the Parent WhatsApp Our whatsapp group for our communication with parents.: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FO5VJV6hgyO16cH3k7cq0z?mode=gi_t
• Please do get Ramayana coloring books from bookstore in Ashram if you have not.
• Weekly Class Updates:
Every week updates will be posted into https://cmnjparentportal26-27.blogspot.com/
• If you have not already done so, please purchase the Ramayana Coloring Book from the bookstore at the Ashram.
Best Practices for Class
To help the children have a comfortable and meaningful experience each week, please keep the following in mind:
Please make sure children have breakfast at home and are well rested before class. This will help them sit comfortably and participate fully.
Please send children with their water bottles to minimize frequent trips to the water fountain.
Please have children use the restroom before coming to the classroom.
Children are welcome to wear Indian attire if they wish. Please also ensure that their clothing is appropriate for the weather each week.
Please make sure children bring their class bag with their Ramayana Coloring Book and crayons so they can participate in all activities.
Please have children arrive by 9:20 AM so that we can begin our prayer session together without interruptions.
Handbooks were handed out today. Please make sure children bring their handbooks to class every week.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us create a joyful and meaningful learning experience for the children. 🙏
Hari Om!
