‘Prarthana Varga’ Today
An update from some dedicated teachers on this sensitively-crafted, global, all-round development programme for children initiated by Pujya Swamiji Here is what two ‘offline’ teachers from Bharat- Deepa Sirur from Pune and Jyoti Rao from Bengaluru have to say: (October 2025)
Prarthana Varga is a medium for the all-round development of every child. Good samskara-s develop slowly but very effectively, enabling a child’s personality to be well- rounded, thus helping him/her to grow into a happy and confident adult.
Jyothi pachi reminisces about the time when she began her seva as a Prarthana teacher …
“It was in 2013 that we drove down from Goa to Bangalore after visiting our Kuladeva – Mangesh - Mahalakshmi temples and then halted in Hubbali. Our happiness knew no bounds when we heard that Pujya Sadyojat Swamiji was camping in the Shivakrishna Mandir! It is then that Gurukrupa graced me with this opportunity to offer seva as a teacher for the Prarthana Varga On coming back to Bangalore, I began my joyful experience in Jayanagar.”
Deepa Bankeshwar Sirur pachi got the opportunity to offer seva as Prarthana Varga sanchalika from 2010, about a year after her family moved to Pune. She says... “Initially I used to feel quite unprepared to conduct these classes. But gradually, with the Blessings of Pujya Swamiji and guidance of my senior sanchalika -s, the onward journey made me realise how it gets smooth and effortless the moment we remind ourselves that we are just a medium through which the Divine ensures that the job is well done.” She adds “We had a very enthusiastic group of parents who always pitched in and helped, whether it was to prepare props for stage shows, or volunteer to take the children out for kite flying, nature walks and so on.”
When children join the Prarthana Varga, they are initially very reserved and need the first few classes to open up! Soon, they blossom into confident, happy children and imbibe the good samskara-s which are introduced in every well- planned- out session.
With the introduction of the new curriculum in 2024 under Pujya Swamiji’s Guidance, the Prarthana Varga content became more structured and at the same time interesting and engaging too. An audio-visual presentation has a lasting impact on the tender growing minds. Anulekhana gives the children time to recollect what they have understood from the videos and the write about it in their personal Prarthana journals. Children are given various opportunities – bhajan- singing, stotra- chanting, inculcating healthy habits with physical exercises and a very positive mind with Brahmarpanam.. with the shloka chanted before partaking food, for example.Stage performances are given by confident children as they slowly transform into sensitive and stable - minded adolescents. Quiz time, Kalakriti (different activities) enhance the have-fun as-you- learn approach !
Vimarsha helps children to get a deeper understanding of our Math and our revered Guruparampara, our traditions, rich heritage, culture and values. The importance of physical fitness is instilled through physical exercise and simple breathing techniques. Little- by- little good samskara-s get embedded into impressionable young minds, helping them to become more self-disciplined, responsible and independent. At the same time, a sense of gratitude is also generated for being blessed with this treasure of knowledge and the Anugraha of our revered Guruparampara that is being bestowed upon them. Prarthana also provides children that very important safe space wherein they can express themselves without being judged.
This year for Chaturmasa, each child has taken his/her own simple sankalpa-s for every week like- I will finish whatever is served in my plate, or I will keep my bag and shoes in place after coming back from school and more... Each child has been given a sankalpa sheet in the form of a calendar on which they mark everyday with a tick after completing the sankalpa for that day. Further, each class has taken a Varga-sankalpa to chant Deepanamaskara in every session. That is also marked in the sankalpa sheet. Children get diya points on their sankalpa sheet from their teachers on honestly completing their sankalpa in that week!
Festival related hands-on activities like making jackfruit leaf ‘khotte’, flower garlands, torans add another fun dimension to the Prarthana experience.
Not just the children, the teachers and the parents too are benefitted!
During a Vimarsh session where children were asked- “How can we ensure we do not get over-confident” this is what children had to say... “Don’t compare with others. Do your best! We can practise our skill again and again and overpower our over-confidence!”
After every class, parents are informed about what was covered in the session and a suggested parent-child activity is also sent. One parent whose youngest child is in our Prarthana Varga and older boys are in Yuvadhara has this to say... “ Wonderful, and full FOMO (Feeling of Missing Out) moment for me! Wish my boys had joined Prarthana classes too when they were younger!”
With reverence and gratitude, we offer our seva at the Lotus Feet of Pujya Swamiji, our Guruparampara and Lord Bhavanishankar.
Which are the children who benefit from the much-needed Online classes of Prarthana Varga?
Sanchalika-s Shreya Mavinkure of Mumbai and Smita Baljekar of Bengaluru report -
“We, the Online Prarthana teachers, feel truly blessed by Pujya Swamiji to be part of the Online Prarthana Family. July 2022 marked the beginning of the Online PV (India) Centre—the only centre dedicated to children in remote areas of India with no access to a physical session. A parent–teacher meeting with members of the CPO was held during the launch. Parents expressed gratitude that their children could now be a part of the Prarthana Family. Some, whose children had earlier attended online classes during the COVID period (from Varanasi, Gokarn, Vishakhapatnam, Nasik, Kalburgi, Mysore), shared how much their children enjoyed the sessions and imbibed values, especially from lessons based on our Guruparampara. This feedback gave us renewed inspiration and gratitude towards the Guru Shakti.
Over time, children from across India—including very remote areas—have joined Online PV. For many of them, this is a golden opportunity to learn about festivals, rituals, values, our Math and the revered Guruparampara. Regular participation helps them feel connected to our Chitrapur Math, while also building pride about their cultural heritage, plus confidence at a young age. These children enjoy reciting stotra-s, joining bhajan seva, and look forward to meeting fellow Saraswat children offline at samuhik events like the Rathotsava or Navaratri Utsav.
Parents have also shared that Online PV has benefitted not only their children but the whole family, by making them aware of Math activities and bringing them closer to our community. Many grandparents too sit through the classes and enjoy the sessions. Children often say that Online PV classes make them feel fresh and joyful—they eagerly wait for the next class and even remind their parents about it! Their enthusiasm is visible when they spontaneously volunteer to chant stotra-s, raise thoughtful questions during Child -Speak sessions, and showcase their artistic and musical talents in Janmotsava celebrations, or on stage during HH Swamiji’s camps and videos of Kavyakatha Dwitiya.
For us teachers, every class is an equally enriching experience. The children’s contributions during Vimarsh spark fresh perspectives and inspire deep reflection long after the session ends. To keep classes engaging for young learners, we have adapted our content, embraced technology and used well-designed videos to simplify concepts. Through all of this, we continue to feel the constant presence of the Guru Shakti, guiding and inspiring us every step of the way.
