Bala Vihar was born as a collective response to Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda’s appeal to empower the child and build an inspired future.
His clarion call was, “Mold the child, Mold the future”! The purpose and goal of the Bala (children) Vihars (recreation) is spelt out in this catchy phrase coined by Guruji, Swami Tejomayananda –
To help children learn values with fun,
To delight like the moon and shine like the sun.
Bala Vihar programmes are designed for children between the ages of 5 and 12 years. Held once a week for one and half-hours in different homes, community spaces or mission centres, it is entirely run and managed by sevaks (volunteers).
The classes follow a structured pattern. They include:
- Chanting Sanskrit shlokas
- Singing bhajans or patriotic songs
- Story time – value based stories
- Values through games
- Art and craft
We Run a Family Program
Parent attendance is critical to our aim of having families grow spiritually together in the vision of our ancient and great culture. Therefore, at least one parent is required to attend the Adult Class while the children are in Bala Vihar.
Our Beloved Teachers
Bala Vihar teachers are our most valuable and unique resource. Our teachers are totally fully dedicated and committed volunteers who are well versed in the teachings and values of the Vedantic tradition, keep with the the true spirit of the ancient guru-shishya parampara. They promote discourse and dialogue between students, encourage enquiring minds and promote self-discipline in life and studies. Our teachers are spiritual seekers and practising role models who continue their own learning while they inspire their students to do the same
Our program is run entirely by seva!
Sevaks (inspired volunteers) are critical to the operation of the program. Chinmaya Mission is a volunteer-run organization. Selfless dedicated service is the foundation for spiritual growth. Every member is highly encouraged to serve the mission in their area of interests, based on their skills and expertise. Any amount of time and commitment offered in seva is welcome!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO NOTE PRIOR TO REGISTRATION
Families are requested to be punctual. The Bala Vihar Family Program starts promptly. Children should not be taken home before 12:30pm unless it is a family emergency.
Every family will be expected to offer seva (setup and cleanup) 1-2 times a year, and will be encouraged to offer bhiksha to our acharyas
After Bala Vihar, we enjoy prasad together as a family. This is a community initiative, and we seek your support in its continued feasibility. We encourage every family to sponsor lunch once a year on special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries etc. To get your preferred dates of sponsorship, we encourage you to sign up early!
Click here to watch video on Balavihar
