Hari Om Parents,
Below is what we covered in the class.
Shloka Chanting:
We started the class with our opening prayers.
We chanted verse 9 of Mahishasuramardini Stotra from My Prayers book - Page 48
Lesson:
India the Sacred Land: Temple presentations by kids
This year our students are learning about temple architecture, various temples, and Theertha Kshetras. To deepen their understanding, we started an activity where each student is presenting on this subject by adding the following aspects in their presentation. We also encouraged the students to choose a temple from their home state or one they frequently visit or plan to visit. This way, the exercise becomes more personal and meaningful, helping students form a deeper connection with the temple and the deity when they visit in the future.
- The temple's architectural style
- The legend or story behind the temple and its deity
- The temple's cultural or spiritual significance
This week the following students did the presentations:
- Aanvi Rajput - Kedarnath Temple
- Aarav Mehta - Ramesvaram temple
- Dhruv Navalpakkam - Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu
All the three students did a great job in learning and presenting. They used all possible effects like animation, fancy fonts, picturesque images, bullet points to convey their presentations. The kids put in so much effort and also had fun with the activity 👏
As mentioned in the Whatsapp group, please sign up for the activity and help your kids to form deeper connections with their Ishta Devata and Kshetra!
India the Sacred Land: Introduction to Rangoli with dots
In this section, students learned about the significance of Rangoli. They were told how, in earlier times, Rangoli was traditionally made using flour, serving the dual purpose of decoration and feeding birds. We also reminded them about the intricate Rangoli at the temple entrance, which was created using a dot pattern.
We watched two videos on Rangoli, and the students did an excellent job recreating the designs on paper. Some even took it a step further by adding their own creative patterns. Photos of their Rangoli artwork were shared in the WhatsApp group.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/S4PP_gPOZ9Y
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g9R4CIbC88Q
Mahabharata
Arjuna Kills Jayadratha
- Arjuna attacks the Kaurava army and fights Drona but is encouraged by Krishna to find Jayadratha.
- Krishna uses his powers to create darkness, tricking the Kauravas into believing the sun has set.
- Arjuna shoots a divine arrow at Jayadratha, decapitating him and placing his head on his father's lap.
- Jayadratha's father dies from the shock, fulfilling a curse that causes his own head to split.
Death of Ghatotkacha
- Ghatotkacha, Bhima's son, gains strength at night, causing fear among the Kauravas.
- Duryodhana orders Ghatotkacha's death; Karna uses his special weapon, Shakti, to kill him.
- The Pandavas mourn Ghatotkacha's death, but Krishna rejoices as Karna's weapon is now lost to Indra, saving Arjuna.
Drona's End
- Drona fights fiercely, breaking rules of war and causing massive destruction to the Pandava army.
- Krishna devises a plan to deceive Drona by claiming his son Ashwattama is dead.
- Yudhishtira reluctantly lies, causing Drona to lose interest in battle and meditate.
- Drishtadyumna, born to kill Drona, beheads him, fulfilling a long-standing enmity.
Regards,
Sachin and Sirisha
