Hari Om Parents,
Below is the class update:
Today's class was focussed on what it means to be an Indian and introduced them to a famous Indian Saint- Swami Vivekananda.
We started the class by spending a lot of time understanding from the kids' perspective "what does it mean to be an Indian, especially in the US?" The kids enthusiastically participated sharing their views which were bucketed as positive and "not so positive experiences" ranging from:
Positive being: good food, culture, clothes, scriptures, festivals etc.
Not so positive: being treated differently because of clothes we wear or food we take to school
Then we shared a story about a family of beggars who were unaware of a treasure chest that they have had in their house for generations that would have stopped the family from begging, due to their ignorance and lack of curiosity. We used that analogy to get the kids to start thinking of the treasure we all possess that we dont know about and what that could be? The kids, when asked, said that the treasure we all possess is knowledge of God!
Using that as a segway, we introduced them to India in the 1800s and how Indians then had lost connection to that knowledge and the story of how a small boy Naren who was curious and persistent in obtaining that language, then came under the tutelage of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, was able to share that knowledge, use that to unite Indians and then ultimately came to be called Swami Vivekananda. We also shared with the kids how his speech in Chicago united the world when he started with "my brothers and sisters".
We ended the class with a video on Gita Chanting. This week was focussed on pronunciations. Once we get back after Navarathri, we will resume Mahabharata and India.
Few points to note:
1. There will be no Balvihar Oct 11 and Oct 18. We will meet Oct 25.
2. If you havent joined the whatsapp group, here is the link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gt5ixuiIL8v24Inj2Vh6rZ?s=sh&p=a&mlu=4&ilr=4. Please tag your name with your student's name
3. Class presentation is May 23, 2027. Please MARK your calendars.
As always, please let Shiv or I know if you have any questions.
Happy Navarathri!
Hari OM,
Shiv & Nithya
