Hari OM Dear Families,
Here is this week's update.
Week : 9
23rd Nov 2025 / 9:15AMShlokas-
We all chanted OM 3 times followed by shloka
"Om Saha Navavatu" (page 8 in My Prayers book)
"Sarawathi namasthubhyam" (page 12 in My Prayers book)
"Guru Brahma" (page 61 in My Prayers book)
Letter J, which stands for Japa.
What is Japa? Japa is the repetition of the Lord's name with devotion. We can take the Lord's name while doing any activity and keep chanting. And by chanting God's name, we can strengthen our mind and improve our concentration. Naama Japa or likhita japa is a password for the God to enter our hearts.
Japa cleans our mind. It's like a soap used to clean our inner body.
OM represents all the words, and everything in the world. OM is the universal prayer sound. We explained how to chant 'Om' and we need to chant it three times before starting any work to help us focus better.
Naama Japa activity- we sat in a circle and chanted naama japa - Om, Rama, Krishna by touching the next person's right palm.
Likhita japa activity- we also wrote OM 20 times in our likhita japa notebooks and earned sticker rewards.
Valmiki story- There was once a thief called ratnakara who stops the passers in a forest and snatches their goods. Once sage Narada was walking when he was stopped by Ratnakara. Narada said he had no money or gold to give ratanakaraHe asked Ratnakara why he is snatching people's goods? Ratnakara said to feed his family. Narada said by taking others' stuff and feeding his family is a sin, because he was not feeding his family from his hard work. Narada asked him to check with his family if anyone could take his sin, Ratnakara made Narada wait in the middle of the woods and ran to his hut to check if his wife, children or parents took his sin. But no one was willing to. Ratnakara came back to Narada and understood what he was doing was not a good thing. Narada then asked him to chant "mara mara" which is "Rama rama" as we repeat. This Ratnakara is the sage Valmiki who wrote the Ramayana.
J for Joy- Joy is a happy state of mind. It is a feeling of great pleasure. More lasting feeling of contentment, joy is deeper. It gives a peaceful mind.
Memory game- We spread some 15 items on the table and made the children observe and then we closed the items. From memory, they tried to recollect what they saw. They spotted and observed every single item on the spread.
Making a japa mala- one more hands-on activity done today, making a japa mala. With much focus and chanting OM the children did a wonderful job in making a small japa mala. It was sent with them home. (packed in a small ziploc)
Next balavihar class is Sunday 12/14 and the kids can be dropped off in the class directly before 9.15 am.
No class on 11/30 (Thanksgiving weekend) and No class on 12/7 (Swamiji saptaham weekend)
Class Rules and requirements:
1. Children should bring their notebook for likhita japa and writing alphabets. Balavihar handbook, pencils and erasers and crayons. ( Please bring your own items if kids are allergic)
2. Children may bring their own "spill proof water bottles"
1. Children should bring their notebook for likhita japa and writing alphabets. Balavihar handbook, pencils and erasers and crayons. ( Please bring your own items if kids are allergic)
2. Children may bring their own "spill proof water bottles"
NO snacks please. Please give them a good breakfast before coming to Balavihar. Also make sure they use the bathroom before going into the class.
3. Please bring the children to balavihar a few minutes before 9.15. We want to promptly start by 9.15. Please make sure the student is not late and may come latest by 9.20 and not later than that.
3. Please bring the children to balavihar a few minutes before 9.15. We want to promptly start by 9.15. Please make sure the student is not late and may come latest by 9.20 and not later than that.
Links and Reminders:
Please join the class WhatsApp group if you have not already- the invite link sent in one of the earlier emails, from KG class chinmaya vrindavan domain.
Please join the class WhatsApp group if you have not already- the invite link sent in one of the earlier emails, from KG class chinmaya vrindavan domain.
We will update the class blog for the parents through an email and at the parent portal - Parent Portal 2025-26 (cmnjparentportal25-26.blogspot.com)
Please refer to the Balavihar Handbook- for the various House contests and Geeta Chanting Yagna information. (Handbooks have been distributed in the class)
Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have.
Hari OM
Veda Rajamony and Vidhya Aiyer
