Classes
Please note that all classes are taught by volunteers & made available whenever possible.
Status on January 14, 2024:
Spoken Samskritham classes are suspended until further notice.
Upanishad class is not active due to low enrollment
All other classes meet on a weekly schedule
Please email education@ssvt.org for further information
Balavidyalayam is dedicated to educating children about Hindu practices, distilling essential Hindu values and teaching children to incorporate them in their everyday life in the US. While teachers strive to maintain the integrity of Hindu teachings, their dedication is to foster a child’s curiosity & interest in an ancient tradition – a way of life that follows an eternal code of dharma, Sanatana dharma. Using a strong program built on Samskritha verses, Indian mythology, music, arts & games, teachers inspire students to inquire into their cultural & social relevance. The emphasis is on an engaging & responsive teaching style that encourage children to learn traditional practices while concurrently developing a clear individual culture that embodies Hindu dharma.
Class Timing: Sundays, 10am - 12pm (Eastern US)
Location: Zoom + 1 monthly meeting at SSVT
Class fee: Donation to SSVT
Registration: balavikas@ssvt.org
Ages: Pre-K - Grade 8
TAs: Grades 9 - 12 (SSL hours provided)
The curriculum focuses on four components with age-appropriate content:
Shloka & Stotra
Yoga for concentration
Understanding Dharma through stories
Seva - community service projects
Based on Patanjali's Yogasutra and ashta anga concepts of yoga, each class focuses on the following:
Gentle stretches of minor muscles (example: eyes)
Gentle stretches of major muscle groups (example: back)
Pranayama incorporated in all stretches
Vinyasa movements towards suryanamaskar (as appropriate)
Building an experiential vocabulary of various asana (example: seated, standing, twisting, etc.)
Concentration through fixed eye gaze (dhrishti)
Culminating in meditation
The teacher will modify asana to suit each individual's physical ability and experience with yoga. Classes are suitable for beginners and intermediate level of experience. In-person and Zoom classes are available. Please email for further information & try a class!
Spoken Samskrtham classes are for beginners and intermediate levels designed for adults and children. Classes are taught over Zoom on weeknights and weekends - please email for further details.
Bhagavad Gita is set in a narrative framework of a dialogue between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide and charioteer Krishna. At the start of the war between cousins - Pandavas and Kauravas, Arjuna is filled with moral dilemma and despair about the violence and death the war will cause. He wonders if he should renounce and seeks Krishna's counsel, whose answers and discourse constitute the Bhagavad Gita.
In modern life, the war can be understood as conflict between what is right and what we want, and the Bhagavad Gita offers counsel on how to discern the right path that gives us the strength to take action. The Gita also offers us four ways of practicing dharma:
Path of knowledge (jnana)
Path of faith and devotion (bhakti)
Path of selfless service (karma)
Path of meditation (dhyana)
Weekly classes are in a group discussion format where there is recitation of select verses followed by explanation and discussion by participants.
