Next class : 8 Feb 09
Aarthi and pledge in the auditorium.
Reminder for parents: Please pick up the children in the auditorium after 11.30am. We will appreciate if you can send in the necklaces that they made last week - we would like to get a group picture.
Today's class - 01 Feb 09
Beginning Prayers:
- Om Sahana Vavathu
- Early morning prayer - Karaagre Vasathe Lakshmi
- Prayer for Lord Ganesha - Vakratunda Mahakaaya
- Prayer for Goddess Saraswathi - Saraswathi Namastubhyam
- Prayer for Goddess Lakshmi - Namasthesthu Mahaamaaye
Ending Prayers:
- Asatho maa sad gamaya
- Om Poornamadah Poornamidam
Bhajans:
- Great God Ganapathy
- My God is so great(click here for audio)
Gita:
- Chapter 9, Shlokas 1 and 2
Story:
- We reviewed the story of Manikandan (Ayyappan) from last week and acted it out. Here is a short synopsis of the story - Manikandan or HariHaraputran is the son of Lord Shiva and Mohini. He is found with a 'mani' (bead) around his neck (hence the name Manikandan) as a baby in the forest by King RajaShekara who has no children and is brought up by him. When ManiKandan becomes a youth, the Queen delivers a child and she along with a scheming Minister decides to get rid of Manikandan. She pretends to be ill and the doctor advises that only Tiger's milk can save her - Manikandan offers to get it and they are happy that he will not come back but a few days later Manikandan comes back riding a tiger with the cubs following him. The King and Queen realize that He is not an ordinary child and they build a temple in his honor in Sabarimala (Kerala) which millions of people visit even today esp during Makara Sankaranti.
Art Project:
- The children made a necklace like that of Manikandan, with a bell and beads.
Comments:
- We started the class as usual with 3 'OM's and then stretched to reach the hearts and stars in the ceiling. We then found out who had pancakes for breakfast and who had idlis :-)
- We did the prayers (we have 4 or more volunteers coming up and leading the class for each prayer) and the Bhajans. Please ask the children to sing the Bhajans to you - they are doing very well with all the actions!
- We reviewed Gita Shlokas 1 and 2. Some of them have already memorized the Shlokas and we hope you can practice it at home with them. Last year our class had the max. no. of registrants for the Gita class and won an icecream party. We would like to win it again this year and Mamta Aunty has also promised the class an extra treat if they all memorize it well!!!
- We then acted out the Manikandan story - we really have some very good budding actors in our class - Keshav played the hero! We had Rohan and Madhi as the King and the Queen. The Queen was a natural actor - you should have seen the expression on Madhi's face when she pretended to be sad because she didn't have a baby and her expression later when she had the baby in her arms!!! We will be sure to bring along our cameras next week :-)
- After that we did the art project and attendance and 2 stickers for everybody. See you all next week and the weather's hopefully going to be great as forecast.
