Celebration of the Janmadivasa of H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III
PRĀRTHANĀ VARGA-BeṅgaῙūrū -
Report by Kushal Bailur (Teacher- BeṅgaῙūrū - Malleswaram Junior Prārthanā Varga)
DATE: 4th June 2022
No. of children:
Jayanagar-7
Indirānagar-2
Malleswaram Jr.-14
Malleswaram-Sr-22
NRI-2 (Aanya & Rishi Nāyak)
Teachers:
Umā Trāsi, Umā Savūr, Sādhanā Kāikiṇi, Sudhā UῙῙāl, Rādhikā Niroḍy, Beenā Savkur, Mañju Jamālābād, Bhavāni Nāyel, Sandhyā Nāyel, Smitā NāimpaῙῙy, Smitā Baljekar, Kushal Bailur
The session began with the chanting of the Sabhā Prārambha Prārthanā and Shrī Parijñānāshram Trayodashī. On behalf of all the teachers, Umā Savur pāchī welcomed the children to the first session after the holidays. All the children introduced themselves in Sanskrit and shared how they spent their vacation.
This was followed by telling them the significance of the Amṛtotsava celebrations that were going to begin on the 12th of June in Kārlā. When asked if anybody knew why we were having the celebrations, one child from the junior group promptly said that it was to celebrate H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III’s 75th birthday. The children were then told that just as H.H. Shrīmat Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī visits us at the BeṅgaῙūrū Mat͟h, H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III also stayed here and gave us opportunities to offer Sevā.
Umā pāchī then told them that the Sāmaradhanā of H.H. Shrīmat Pāṇḍuraṅgāshram Swāmījī Sannidhi at Shrī Chitrāpur Mat͟h, Shirālī was observed on 1st June 2022. The children were shown a picture of H.H. Swāmījī and were told how thanks to H.H. Shrīmat Pāṇḍuraṅgāshram Swāmījī we were fortunate to be blessed with the Rathotsava. The incident was narrated.
Umā pāchī also mentioned the Tithi of that day according to our Mat͟h calendar-Shubhakṛt Saṁvatsara, Jyes͟ht͟ha Māsa, Grīs͟hma Ṛtu, Uttarāyaṇam, Shukla paks͟ha, Pañchamī Tithi, Shanivāsaraḥ.
As 5th June is celebrated as World Environment Day, children were told this year’s theme ‘Only One Earth’ and an interactive discussion followed. Kushal pāchī facilitated this interaction. The children very enthusiastically gave responses indicating how we have only one earth and so it is very important that we take care of it. They spoke about how we tend to pollute our surroundings by throwing chemicals in our rivers, littering and using our vehicles even for short distances. They mentioned that wasting water and electricity, and cutting down trees are also harming our earth. And as a result, we are having lots of storms, floods, forest-fires, etc. While discussing how we could take better care of our earth, the children surprised us with some well-though of answers-buying only what we need, and not everything we want; using alternate sources of energy; walking and cycling as much as possible; planting more trees/plants; switching off fans and lights when we’re not using them; waste segregation, etc.
Beenā pāchī, Sādhanā pāchī and Rādhikā pāchī then played a game with the children. A bowl with biscuits in the shape of letters of the English alphabet, numbers and animals was passed around, and each child picked one. Based on what they had picked, each child had to say something in Koṅkaṇī-either the animal’s name or a Koṅkaṇī word beginning with the particular letter, and so on. The kids enjoyed this activity and the Sabhāgṛha was filled with peals of their laughter as they helped each other come up with ideas.
The children were then divided into groups, and each group accompanied by a teacher was taken to the Devā-Kūḍa and Samādhi-Kūḍa.
The last and the much-awaited activity was the cake-cutting to celebrate H.H. Shrīmat Parijñānāshram Swāmījī III’s Janmadivasa. The Mat͟h resonated with the children’s voices singing the Janmadivasa song. After chanting ‘Brahmārpaṇam…’ and ‘Annapūrṇe Sadā Pūrṇe…’, the cake and goodies were distributed. The scrumptious cake and cupcakes were baked by Sandhyā Nāyel pāchī and Smitā Baljekar pāchī sponsored chocolates and ice-cream. The session was concluded with the Sabhā Samāpti Prārthanā.
