Oct 04, 2026 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om,

Week 4 – BalaRamanaya 

Today was another beautiful and joyful day with our dear little ones! 

We began our session, as always, with our beginning prayers:

• Om Sahanavavatu

• Vakratunda

• Saraswathy Namastubhyam

• Guru Brahma

• Sri Rama Ramethi

Ramayana Story

We started with a quick recap of the Ramayana story we have covered so far. We then continued with the next part of the story, learning about the schooling of Rama and his brothers.

The children learned about the unique qualities of each of the four brothers and were introduced to the Gurukul system of education.

We then moved on to the arrival of Sage Viswamitra in Ayodhya. Sage Viswamitra came to see Dasharatha and send Rama Lakshamana to forest with him so that he could continue performing his Yajnas without being disturbed by the Asuras.

From there, we explored the inspiring story of Viswamitra—how a powerful Kshatriya king transformed himself into a Brahmarishi through intense perseverance, discipline, and mastery over his senses. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about determination and self-control.

Coloring Activity

The children then spent some time coloring Lesson 4 from the Ramayana coloring book.

A few children did not have their coloring books. Parents, please make sure to get the Ramayana coloring book from the Chinmaya store so that the children can participate fully in the upcoming activities.

Fun & Activity Time

We had lots of fun with our “Rama Says” game! Each child got an opportunity to take a turn as the leader and guide their friends.

We also practiced the Tree Pose (Vrikshasana) and had fun seeing how long each of us could balance and stand like a tree! 

Navarathri

We then spent a little time learning about the beautiful festival of Navarathri and its significance.

Following this, we sang our House Devi Bhajan together. 

Gita Chanting

It was then time for our Bhagavad Gita chanting. The children listened carefully and followed Anjanaji’s instructions as they practiced their chanting together.

Temple Arathi

We concluded our session with the ending prayers  and going into the temple for Arathi, bringing our day together with prayers and devotion.

Important Reminder

Our next Balavihar class will be on October 25th.

There will be no classes on the next two weekends.

We wish all our families a beautiful and blessed Navarathri season filled with devotion, joy, and togetherness. 

We will also record and share the Devi Bhajan in the WhatsApp group.

Happy Navarathri! 

Communication & Weekly Updates
•⁠  ⁠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.
• Please make sure children bring their handbooks to class every week.

Sep 27, 2026 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Week 3 – House Inaugural Day
Hari Om!

Welcome to another fantastic week!

Today, we had a short and meaningful class filled with shlokas, stories, and excitement as we prepared for the House Inaugural Ceremony.

Beginning Shlokas
We began our class by chanting the following shlokas:
Om Sahanavavatu
Vakratunda
Saraswathi Namastubhyam
Guru Brahma
Sri Rama Rama Ramethi
We went around the class discussing the meanings of the names and verses. The children were encouraged to find out the meanings themselves if they were unsure.

Ramayana Recap
We then quickly recapped what we had learned about the Ramayana last week. The children were very excited to participate and eagerly raised their hands to share their answers. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and how much they remembered!

 Preparing for the House Inaugural Ceremony
We briefly introduced the children to what they would be doing during the House Inaugural Ceremony.
We spoke about the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri and the annual Rath Yatra, when Lord Jagannath, along with Balabhadra and Subhadra, travel in their magnificent chariots to visit their aunt.

We also began singing our House Bhajan dedicated to Devi before heading to the Ashram Main Hall to help design and decorate the chariot for Jagannathji.

Chariot Decoration
The children enthusiastically listened to the stories and learned about their House Missions, which were explained by the volunteers.
Our group actively participated in decorating the chariot. The children helped color the four wheels and the parrot that adorns the chariot.

It was especially wonderful to see the parents join in enthusiastically. They sat alongside the children, participated in the activity, and encouraged them throughout.

Fun Before the Assembly
While we waited for the assembly to begin, the children gathered together for a fun game, with the help of their high school seniors. Their energy and excitement made the time even more enjoyable!

Jai Jagannath!
Once the chariot assembly was complete, all the children enthusiastically participated in pulling the chariot around the main temple, joyfully chanting “Jai Jagannathji!”
The children were eager and excited to be part of this beautiful temple procession. It was a wonderful experience filled with devotion, teamwork, creativity, and lots of enthusiasm.

A truly memorable House Inaugural Day! 🙏

Sep 20, 2026 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

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!

Sep 13, 2025 - Grade 1 (Sunday AM)

Hari Om,

First Class of the Year

Today was the first class of the year. In spite of the heavy rain, everyone made it to class, which was a wonderful start to the new year.

After the teachers’ introductions, we accompanied our lovely laddus to their respective class. We quickly greeted and introduced ourselves to all of them before settling down.

Opening Prayer and Getting to Know the Children

Divyaji began the class with the opening prayer, followed by chanting Vakratunda.

We then went through the attendance list, which gave us an opportunity to childrens' name. We also spent some time getting to know them and understanding what they enjoy doing.

Ganesh Chaturthi

We had a quick discussion on Ganesh Chaturthi, including the stories and rituals associated with the festival.

We were very encouraged to see how much these little ones already knew. They happily shared several stories and participated enthusiastically in the discussion.

We followed this with a small Ganesha Bhajan.

Introduction to the Ramayana

We then slowly began our introduction to the Ramayana, with our discussion focusing on Sage Valmiki.

The story of how a thief was transformed into a Sage, who later went on to write the Ramayana, was narrated. We also shared the story of the two birds that inspired Valmiki and gave him the idea of expressing his thoughts through poetry.

Our House – Durga’s Daredevils

We then spoke about the house we belong to — Durga’s Daredevils.

Going forward, we will be doing the House Devi Bhajan every week, giving the children an opportunity to come together and participate as a house.

Meeting the Parents

Towards the end of the class, we had the opportunity to meet most of the parents. We discussed the important events and activities planned for the year.

Overall, it was a wonderful beginning to the new year, and we were happy to see the enthusiasm, curiosity, and joyful participation of our little ones.

Best practices to be followed:

• Make sure kids eat their breakfast at home and are well rested.(this will help them sit comfortably during the class)
• Make sure kids get their water bottles, so that frequent trips to the water fountain can be reduced.
• Make sure kids use the restroom before coming to the classroom.
• Kids can wear Indian attire if they prefer to the class and also weather appropriate every week.
• Make sure kids bring their bag with Ramayana coloring books and crayons, to help with the activities in the class. 

Welcome to Gr 1 - Sunday AM Session

Please look out for regular updates from 

the teachers 

soon after the session starts.