2023 - 2024 Balavihar schedule
Balavihar schedule every Sunday
● 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Bhajans, children’s slokas & Aarti in the Temple.
● 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Bala Vihar classes
● 1:30 PM Lunch
All times listed are in the US Central time zone.
Changes in the class schedule will be communicated via email and Remind messages.
Sign up on the Remind app
To join the Remind messages:
- Text the phone number 810-10.
- In the message type: @balaviharp
Balavihar class closures
Classes are conducted every Sunday except for the major holidays listed below.
First day of class for the 2023 - 2024 school year is 6th August 2023.
There will be no classes on the following Sundays:
● 09/03/2023: Labor Day weekend
● 10/08/2023: Fall Break
● 11/26/2023: Thanksgiving Break
● 12/24/2023: Christmas Break
● 12/31/2023: New Year's Eve
● Classes resume on 01/07/2024
● 03/10/2024: Spring Break
● 03/31/2024: Easter Break
● 05/23: TBA
Balavihar classes curriculum and teachers for the 2023 - 2024 school year
KG – 1: Bala Ramayana
Teacher: Ganapathy Subrahmaniam
Grades 2-3: Bala Bhagavatam
Teacher: Shanthy Tivakaran
Grades 4-5: P.O. Box Mr. God, My 24 teachers, In Hindu Culture - Why do we…
Teacher: Deepa Vasoya
Middle School: Mahabharata
Teacher: Manish Dhawan
High School: Srimad Bhagwad Gita
Teacher: Sanjeevi Tivakaran
Co-Teachers:
Pratibha Anne, Richa Dhawan, Vahini Kondapaka, Sanjay Menon, Ashish Modi, Shrunuti Singh and Mansi Shah.
Contact us
Balavihar curriculum overview
Curriculum
The teachers at Balavihar, serve voluntarily from a sense of commitment to our children’s future, which they want to brighten by imparting the rich tapestry of our culture and religious heritage. Lessons and activities are tailored to different age groups to make the content understandable and engaging.
● In the first 4 years of Balavihar, children learn to identify Gods. By listening to the stories of God, and understanding the glories of Bhagavan develop a love for God.
● In the next 2 years, they learn the symbolism of Hinduism, and the significance and meaning of the traditions and rituals.
● In middle and high school, students tackle philosophical questions and lessons from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, and Bhajagovindam. Students have a chance to learn from a Chinmaya Mission youth-written literary work called DROP, a novel applying Hindu values in our lives. These classes promote introspection about the deeper questions students have at this age: What is the purpose of life? How do I best live my life? What are my innate tendencies? Exploring these questions with the guidance of the scriptures, students can learn how to build their character and be the best versions of themselves.
Classes and curriculum
Students are grouped into different classes based on their school grades: Grades KG-1, grades 2-3, grades 4-5, Middle School, and High School.
Below is a list of topics that have been taught over the years:
● Alphabet Safari
● Bala Ramayana
● Sri Hanuman, the Super Superman. Sri Hanuman Chalisa
● Bala Bhagavatam
● Krishna Krishna Everywhere
● Introduction of different gods
● P.O. Box Mr. God, In Hindu culture, why do we…
● My 24 teachers
● Symbolism in Hinduism
● India, the sacred land
● Key to success
● Mahabharata
● Yato dharma tato jayah
● Hindu culture
● Ramayana
● DROP
● Yuvagovindam – Bhajagovindam for yuva
● Life lessons – teaching Sanatana dharma for self-development.
Donate towards Balavihar activities
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and fund our mission.
Purpose of Balavihar
Learning through Hinduism
● Balavihar provides an opportunity to learn about the Hindu religion and the lessons from the scriptures.
● Children connect with Hinduism by learning about the symbolism and significance behind the deities, shlokas, rituals, and traditions.
● Children develop a love for God by hearing the glories of God.
Moral and Ethical development
● Impart the eternal values from Sanatana Dharma.
● Inculcate the fundamental values for right living: kindness, compassion, forgiveness, ahimsa, honesty, and righteous actions. Inculcating these qualities at a young age gives children a strong moral foundation for the rest of their lives, and the courage to always live by these values.
Community and Belonging
● Develop a strong connection with their heritage and religion, providing a sense of identity, purpose, and social support for our children.
● Being part of a community all on the journey to live by the values of Sanatana Dharma provides encouragement and support to live righteously.
● Balavihar greatly complements and reinforces spiritual practices followed at home.
The uniqueness of Balavihar
Learning at Balavihar is distinct in that it not only imparts knowledge but also fosters character development, instills cultural values, and encourages a sense of community among the students. Balavihar is a unique and special environment where children do not have to compete with one another; they are competing against themselves to be the best version of themselves. The distinctive atmosphere and seva spirit that characterize Balavihar's approach are unmatched by any other institution.
History of Balavihar
Since the early 1980s, Balavihar was born out of the desire to educate children about their roots and to teach Hindu culture and our way of life. Local families started meeting on Sundays for prayers in their homes. Following the prayers, Late Dr. Kundan Manocha told the children stories from our scriptures and stories of right moral values. Dr. Manochaji was doing this for several years.
From local families meeting in their homes, our present form of Balavihar was started in 2004. Parents who volunteered to teach went to Chinamaya Mission in Houston for training. Under the guidance of Dr. Meena Patel Balavihar classes began. Classes were originally conducted at the temple site on Olive Street in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 2004, Balavihar classes moved to the new (current) temple location on Jefferson Paige Road.
The first two years of classes were conducted in the main hall. To accommodate the growing size of Balavihar classes, through the support of community members and major support from Drs. Manohar and Bharti Manchandia, a separate building was constructed for Balavihar classes, temple library, Sai Baba room, and meditation room.
An interesting fact regarding this new building: Balavihar students were the yajamans of the havan performed for the building inauguration under the guidance of Inder and Arun Kalra.