Bharathi Vidyashram Celebrates Six Years of Service

பெறுமவற்றுள் யாமறிவது இல்லை அறிவறிந்த
perumavatrul yaamarivadhu illai arivarindha
மக்கட்பேறு அல்ல பிற
makkatperu alla pira

There is no greater blessing in life
than children of wisdom and character
 (Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural 7(61))

Bharathi Vidyashram, the cultural education wing of the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire,  held a grand sixth annual day celebration spread over four weekend days – on May 13^th, June 3^rd, June 4^th and June 10^th, 2017. The celebrations this year were held at the temple’s newly inaugurated extended premises, basking under the divine grace radiating from the recently installed Guru sanctums of Sri Medha Dakshninamoorthy and Sri Kanchi Paramacharya in the adjacent Temple.

The energetic children entertained and impressed the audience with thought-provoking debates, plays full of colorful costumes, and dance and music in Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and English.

BALA GOKULAM

Students of Bala Gokulam, a joint program between Bharathi Vidyashram (which can be translated as “Institute of Indian Wisdom”) and the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire, who showcased their grasp of Indian wisdom and culture through performances with themes drawn from Indian and Hindu culture, range in age from pre-K to grade 12. The students in this school are divided into 4 age-based groups this year, named “Dhruva” (pre-K and kindergarten), “Nachiketa” (grades 1-2), “Prahlada” (grades 3-5),  â€œShankara-Sharada” (grades 6-8), and “Vivekananda” (grades 9-12), after revered icons of Hindu culture. The school curriculum spans various aspects of Indian culture including Indian languages (Sanskrit, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu), Hindu culture, values and epics, knowledge of India, and shlokas, bhajans and Carnatic music. One can often spot students of Bharathi Vidyasharam performing at special events at the Hindu Temple of New Hampshire, and at community events such as “Vishwa Samskrita Dinam” conducted by cultural organizations in the Boston community.

As a new extension to Bala Gokulam, a “Sathsangh” program designed for adults has been introduced this year under the guidance of Dr. K. Subramanian, fondly known as Subbuji. This year’s annual day included a presentation from the Adult Sathsangh group as well.

ANNUAL DAY PROGRAM

The annual day program this year was spread over four days and was held at the school’s newly extended premises to mark the completion of the building extension project. The stage was smaller this year, but the level of excitement, energy and enthusiasm of the students and teachers was no less than previous years. The directors of Bharathi Vidyashram Sri Premanand Rao and Sri Raidu Rayasam, and all the dedicated teachers and energetic volunteers, through their untiring efforts are focused on taking the school to the next level.

Here is a narration of the various items in the annual day program in the very words of the Culture and Value Education teachers, the creative forces behind the annual day program.

Dhruva (pre-K and Kindergarten children): 

“The Dhruva kids, the youngest of all Bala Gokulam children, were dressed as little Krishnas. With their mischievous grins and adorable gestures they performed 2 bhajans. 

The first bhajan was 'Come Here My Dear Krishna Kanhaiyah', a playful song that invites little Krishna to play with them. The other bhajan was 'Happiness and Sorrow' a beautiful song that teaches kids that God is always with them in all circumstances of life. 

Their happiness and enthusiasm was very contagious and gave the program a lively start!”

Nachiketa (Grades 1 & 2):

"The Nachiketa group learnt about Lord Shiva this year. The kids sang Shiva Panchakshara Stotram which was composed by Sri Adi Shankara. The rendition was mesmerizing and melodious. They talked about the Pancha Bootha Sthalas of Lord Shiva, where each temple represents the manifestation of the five elements. They virtually took everyone to all the five sthalas explaining each element and the location of the temples. The kids took the proud parents to another virtual tour of Dwadasa Jyotirlinga temples. Each kid narrated the name of the presiding deity and the location of each temple. It was a beautiful sight to see the little kids showcase their amazing talents. It was an enriching experience to all the talented children, proud parents and the audience."

Prahlada (Grades 3, 4 & 5):

"The Prahlada group's chanting of Mantra Pushpam was truly enchanting and divine. They also did a visual walk-through of Shri Rama's journey through India to Sri Lanka and back. This map overview was an educational and insightful experience for everyone. The team also conducted a very engaging and fierce debate on two topics from Ramayana - the first about whether Lakshmana was right in leaving Sita Devi behind during Sri Rama's encounter with Maricha in the form of a golden deer. The second was about whether Vibheeshana was right in switching sides during the crucial war between Ravana and Sri Rama. Besides the children's knowledge of the topics, parents and audience were awe-struck by the children's insightful discussion on one's duties, dharma, impact of karma, etc. during the debate."

Shankara-Sharada (Grades 6, 7, & 8)

"The Shankara-Sharada group presented materials on various characters from the Mahabharatha epic.  The students were well-prepared and presented their materials well. Their goal was to present the various players and their roles and how it relates to all of us in the current world.  They saved their best for last, reciting a Rama shloka and getting the audience involved."

Sathsangh (Adults)

“The Sathsangh group’s presentation began with a brief speech by its mentor Sri Subbu ji highlighting the importance of adults understanding the fundamentals of their heritage, especially to help guide their children as they grow up. Each of the participants then shared their personal experiences at the Sathsangh and the impact it has already had in their lives. It was truly inspiring to hear Subbu ji’s speech and the sathsangh’s impact directly from the participants.”

SOCIAL OUTREACH

In addition to cultural education activities, Bharathi Vidyashram volunteers are involved in  various social and educational outreach activities including helping feed the poor (by participating in and raising funds to support the Walk for Hunger), heal veterans (through the Bike for Dharma effort), supporting the Harvard Tamil Chair initiative (by being a co-organizer of the Harvard Tamil Chair Walkathon), conducting a Food Drive to support the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, hosting music concerts (including recent concerts by Vidwans Sri R.K. Padmanabha, Sri M. Vaithialingam and Sri M. Kodilingam), participating in the World Yoga Day, World Sanskrit Day, etc.

Bharathi Vidyashram welcomes both new students at various levels as well as volunteers who would like to contribute to the growth and success of the school. Bharathi Vidyashram is registered as a 501c(3) non-profit organization, and will be grateful for your support through tax-deductible donations. Please contact the organizers at staff@htnhbv.org or visit www.htnhbv.org for more information.

PICTURES: Pictures from this event captured by various volunteers may be viewed at this link: http://tinyurl.com/bvannualday2017.

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