March 18th, 2012

Beginning Prayers

• Om Saha Navavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namastubhyam
• Ramaya Ramabhadraya
• Buddhir Balam Yashodhairyam

Bhajans:

We practised the Rama Bhajan this week.

• Rajathi Rajaya

Stotram:

• Lingashtakam:

   We reviewed the first six verses. We learnt the seventh verse this week.

Geeta Chanting:

• We chanted the first 15 verses of Chapter XII.

Story:

We talked about Hanuman's return to India from Lanka.  All the vanaras were excited to hear Hanuman's triumphant shout and started merry-making.  They then made their way back to Kishkindha to give the news to Sri Rama.  Hanuman, being humble, let Jambavan as the elder person to narrate everything to Sri Rama. But Jambavan requested Hanuman to relate everything and so Hanuman did. He also told Sri Rama of 2 little incidents that Sita had disclosed to him to confirm to Sri Rama that it is Sita indeed that Hanuman met with.  So, Sri Rama and the vanara army make their way to the shore and start wondering how they will cross the mighty ocean.  Meanwhile, in Lanka, Ravana is advised by his brother Vibheeshana and his wife Mandodari to give up Sita since it is adharma.  He does not listen to them and asks Vibheeshana to leave him. Vibheeshana decides to go join Rama.

Activity:

None. 

Games:

We play hangman today.

Likhita Japa:
We wrote Sri Rama 11 times today

 

Conclusion:

We concluded with arti and pledge

Comments:

We continued our Samaskriti practice this week and will continue in the next class.  The children did a great job singing the bhajan in the assembly today.  We are very proud of them!  We have planned 2 extra samskriti practices on March 31st and April 14th at 4pm.  More details to follow in email.

March 11, 2012

Beginning Prayers

• Om Saha Navavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namastubhyam
• Ramaya Ramabhadraya
• Buddhir Balam Yashodhairyam

Bhajans:

We practised the new Rama Bhajan this week. We will be singing this in the Assembly on March 18th, 2012

• Rajathi Rajaya

Stotram:

• Lingashtakam:

   We reviewed the first five verses. We learnt the sixth verse this week.

Geeta Chanting:

• We chanted the first 13 verses of Chapter XII.

Story:

We continued the story this week.  We talked about how Hanuman, after meeting with Sita, decides to show his strength to the people of Lanka.  He grew really big and started destructing trees and homes and finally Ravana had to send his son Aksa to fight with Hanuman.  He was killed and so came Indrajit, who used his Brahmaastra to capture Hanuman. Hanuman used this oppurtunity to meet with Ravana as the messenger of Sri Rama.  Vibheeshana suggests to Ravana that Hanuman should be treated with respect as he is a messenger but Ravana ignores him.   He orders the rakshasas to set his tail on fire.  Hanuman grows really big again and they set fire to his big tail.  He suddenly gets too small, wriggles out of the ropes that bind him, and moves from one building to another setting fire to Lanka without touching Asokavanam where Sita is staying.  He flies back to the shores of the ocean in India where his friends and Jambavan are waiting to hear news of Sita.

Activity:

We coloured a picture of Hanuman setting fire to Lanka. 

Games:

We play four corners today.

Likhita Japa:

Conclusion:

We concluded with arti and pledge

Comments:

We continued our Samaskriti practice this week and will continue in the next class.  We will be adjusting our class structure to accomodate the practice as we are trying to get most of the practice done during class hours.  Please make sure to bring your child to class for the next few weeks so that we can have meaningful practice sessions with full attendance.

March 4th, 2012

Beginning Prayers

• Om Saha Navavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namastubhyam
• Ramaya Ramabhadraya
• Buddhir Balam Yashodhairyam

Bhajans:

We continued to practice the new Rama Bhajan this week. We will be singing this in the Assembly on March 18th, 2012

• Rajathi Rajaya

Stotram:

• Lingashtakam: We didnt practice this today

Geeta Chanting:

• We chanted the first 7 verses of Chapter XII. We learnt the 8th & 9th verses this week.

Story:

No story this week due to Samaskriti practice.

Activity:

We did a monkey puppet to represent the monkey army that was helping Rama out. 

Games:

None.

Likhita Japa:

Conclusion:

We concluded with arti and pledge

Comments:

We started the Samaskriti practice this week and will continue in the next class.  We did a longer Samskriti practice session today.  We will continue to practice Samskriti during class hours for the next few sessions.

Parents, please practice the Rama bhajan with the kids so they get familiar with the words.

Monkey Puppet Art Project

Materials:

Monkey Template printed on a card stock
Crayons
Craft stick.

The children colored the monkey template, cut it out and glued it to the craft stick.  It is a simple but fun craft.
Below is a sample moneky puppet