Dear Parents,
Hari Om!
It was wonderful to have the children back in class! We had a joyful and engaging session as we continued our journey of learning about the beautiful qualities of Lord Hanumanji.
Class Highlights:
Opening Prayer – Sahana Vavatu
We began our class with the Sahana Vavatu opening prayer. We had the children repeat the prayer together several times so they could become familiar and comfortable with chanting it.
Recap – Hanumanji's Strength and the Invisible Backbone
We briefly reviewed our previous lesson on Balam – strength, and how both physical and mental strength help us build a strong "invisible backbone." We discussed how Hanumanji demonstrated both physical and mental strength through His noble qualities and actions.
This Week – Hanumanji's Buddhi (Intelligence)
This week, we learned about Buddhi – intelligence, the next virtue of Hanumanji. We discussed how our intellect helps us distinguish between right and wrong and make thoughtful choices.
To make the lesson relatable and fun, we learned the story of Akbar and Birbal, where Birbal used his intelligence to answer the king's question about the number of crows in the kingdom. The children enjoyed Birbal's clever response and learned the importance of using their intellect to think through situations and solve problems.
Hanuman Chalisa
We also began learning the Hanuman Chalisa in class. The children started with the first doha:
Shri Guru Charana Saroja Raja,
Nija Mana Mukura Sudhari,
Baranau Raghubara Bimala Jasu,
Jo Dayaku Phala Chari.
We encourage you to practice this doha with your child at home so they can become familiar with the words and rhythm of the chanting.
Why is Hanumanji Often Represented in Orange?
We also talked about why Hanumanji is often represented in orange (sindoor) in many temples. The children heard the story of Hanumanji seeing Sita Mata applying sindoor and learning about its connection to her devotion to Lord Rama. Inspired by Sita Mata's devotion, Hanumanji covered His entire body with sindoor as an expression of His deep bhakti and devotion to Lord Rama. This story helped the children understand the significance of the orange color associated with Hanumanji.
Activity – Jai Hanuman Flags
Inspired by our discussion about Hanumanji and the significance of the orange color, the children made their own orange-colored flags with “Jai Hanuman” on them. They had a wonderful time creating and decorating their flags!
Please send the completed flags with your child to the upcoming Bala Vihar session.
Warm regards,
Aastha Vasavada & Roopa Byrichetty
Grade 2 Sunday PM Teachers
Contact:
Aastha: aashupicean1@gmail.com
Roopa: roopab77@yahoo.com
