April 22, 2012

Beginning Prayers

• Om Saha Navavathu
• Vakratunda Mahakaya
• Saraswathi Namastubhyam
• Ramaya Ramabhadraya
• Buddhir Balam Yashodhairyam
• We learnt a new sloka this week - Krishnaya Vasudevaya.

Bhajans:

We reviewed some of the bhajans we learnt this year. 

• Rajathi Rajaya
• Vigneshvara Vinayaka
• Rama Lakshmana Janaki
• 
  

Stotram:

• Lingashtakam:

   We reviewed the first six verses. We learnt the seventh and eighth verses this week.

Story:

Vibhisana shares with Rama the preparations that are being made in Lanka for the war. But the immediate issue was to cross the sea.  Rama undertakes a fast for three days but no help seemed to be coming.  Rama is outraged and asks Lakshmana for his bow and arrow.  He shoots at the ocean with anger, the waves are in turmoil, the animals are dying, the Sea God shows himself to Rama and pleads with him to stop.  he tells Rama that it is against the nature of the ocean to be shallow and part to give way for the army to cross the sea, instead he recommends that Rama appoint Nala (son of Visvakarma) as the chief engineer to build the bridge and promised to hold it together for the vanara army to cross.  Rama does so and the the vanara army under the leadership of Nala worked without any rest and the bridge is completed in 5 days.  They use boulders, massive trees and hills to build the bridge and the Sea God holds it together for them.  They write 'SriRama' on every materials and their devotion is the cement that holds the bridge together. Rama, Lakshmana along with the vanara army cross the sea and reach the shores of Lanka. 


On seeing the army Ravana's grandfather advised Ravana to do what is just and return Sita to Rama. He tells Ravana that his luster has gone down with Rama setting foot on Lanka.  Ravana gets angry and refuses to listen to reason.  He says that even if the whole world is against him he will fight with Rama.  Rama sends Angadha as a messenger to try to reason with Ravana one last time. But Ravana tries to attack Angadha, Angadha uses his might to rise int he air and flies aways but not without breaking the turrets of Ravana's castle.  Ravana considers this an ill-omen and tries to resort to tricks.  he thinks that if can convince Sita to be with him then Rama will return a dejected man.  he get a magician to make a head like Rama's and takes it to Sita saying that Rama has died in the battle.  sita cries bitterly but in the meantime Ravana's generals come for him as te vanara army has started attacking Lanka. As Ravana leaves sita the false head goes up in flames as for it to maintain its appearance Ravana's presence was needed.  A good raksasi named 'Sarama' explains Ravana's deceit to Sita; sita is overjoyed to hear that Rama is alive and well just as the trumpets blare and the drums of the vanara army sounds. Sita is glad but the hearts of the citizens of Lanka tremble with fear. 

Activity:

The children colored a picture of the vanara army building the bridge.  

Games:

We played 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 have a practice session on Saturday, April 28th at 4.00 pm.  Details will follow in an email.  For those who are participating attendance is a must.  Samaskriti is on May 20th and we have only a few more opportunities to practice.  Every child must be present to make this a decent performance.  Even if one child is missing it throws our routine as each child has a part to play. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.  We will have a stage rehearsal on Saturday May 12th from 2.30 to 3.00 pm.  We get only 30 minutes for practicing on the stage so attendance is a must and please be on time.  This will be the stage at the Bridgewater school.  We get only this one chance to practice on stage before the May 20th show.