Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh1Bala-Gokulam

Bala-Gokulam

Inside …

  • Introduction
  • Welcome to Bala-Gokulam…….. 1
  • Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh…….. 3
  • Starting a Bala-Gokulam…….. 4
  • Time Table for 90 mins…….. 4
  • Other Activities…….. 5
  • Plan for a Year …….. 6
  • Sample flier
  • Activities for the parents…….. 9
  • How children learn…….. 9
  • Skills
  • Story telling…….. 12
  • Conducting Discussion…….. 12
  • Teaching Shlokas…….. 13
  • Teaching Songs…….. 13
  • Conducting Games…….. 12
  • Effective Shikshak…….. 14
  • Sustaining Systems
  • Sankhya Sheet…….. 15
  • Database…….. 15
  • Volunteer Sheet…….. 16
  • Planning Baitak…….. 17
  • Planning Chart…….. 17
  • Gata Paddhati…….. 17
  • Sampark…….. 17
  • Knowledge - Baudhik
  • Festivals…….. 18
  • Sample Skits…….. 49
  • Topics for one year…….. 57

(See Page 6 for Index)

  • Resources on WWW…….. 221

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA

Welcome to Bala-Gokulam

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh1Bala-Gokulam


Gokulam is the place where an ordinary cowherd boy blossomed in to a divine incarnation. It is here that Krishna's magical days of childhood was spent and his powers came to be recognized.

Every child has that spark of divinity within. Bala-Gokulam is a forum for children to discover and manifest that divinity. Bala-Gokulam will enable Hindu children in US to appreciate their cultural roots, learn Hindu values in an enjoyable manner and make good friends. They will also develop a sense of Sewa, Service to humankind.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh1Bala-Gokulam

Our Goal Is …

  • To facilitate children to appreciate, learn and practice Hindu way of life.
  • Instill pride and confidence in Hindu children about their identity.
  • Raise Hindu awareness in the society around.
  • Develop social awareness and leadership skills among children.

Activities In Bala-Gokulam

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh1Bala-Gokulam

Children will have lots of fun while they learn. Activities are planned for their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development. Weekly activities include:

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh1Bala-Gokulam

Games / Yoga
Arts / Crafts / Stories / Bhajans / Shlokas

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh1Bala-Gokulam

Special Events

Festivals

Hindu Festivals like Ganesh Pooja, Raksha Bandhan and Guru Pooja are celebrated with a special focus on children's participation. Children will perform the pooja themselves and the meaning behind the festivals are explained.

Hindu Heritage Camp

Vacation can be magical. That's the time to explore, enjoy and make more friends. Hindu Heritage Camp of HSS conducted during vacations or any other weekends has been a favorite event for the children.

Community Service

Sewa or service is the best way for us to realize the divinity in all and serve the needy. Children from HSS Bala-Gokulam have visited elderly people in convalescent hospital, volunteered at Hindu Mandirs, actively participated in Human Race and have worked with other voluntary groups in serving the community.

"I make it a priority" - Seema Shah (16), Houston,TX

As a Hindu teenager living in America, I make it a priority to participate in cultural or religious activities. The society in this country has a great deal to offer whether it is in education, careers, or recreation. However, it does not give the spiritual and cultural guidance that Hinduism encompasses. Hindu children should realize the importance of their heritage.

The activities offered in Bala-Gokulams are excellent ways for Hindu children to learn about their culture and incorporate the teachings and values in their everyday lives. Furthermore, Bala-Gokulams fosters a productive learning environment that is different from schools.

The breadth of activities from games and exercise to education encourages the children to improve a variety of skills. They also motivate the children to stay committed to the regular Bala-Gokulam classes and partake in the Hindu community events. Thus, Bala-Gokulams are instrumental in providing the necessary cultural and religious education to Hindu children so they may retain and be proud of their Hindu identity.

Starting a new Bala-Gokulam

If you have the desire and the inclination to conduct one such Bala-Gokulam in your town, there is a strong team of dedicated and experienced people in HSS, who are always there to provide training, material and any support necessary.

Steps to start a Bala-Gokulam

The Hindu population in each town is different. Hence, you will have to figure out the best way for your town. Here are some of the standard things that have worked.

  • For few days, keep discussing this idea of Bala-Gokulam with your friends and find out who is more interested and committed.
  • Make a flier for Bala-Gokulam. A sample flier is attached here. Soft copy is available from and you can modify that. Keep these fliers in Indian grocery stores, Hindu mandirs, or any other place where Hindus meet. Make use of special events like Diwali, Janmashtami, etc. to reach out to more people at one time.
  • When people call for details, take down their phone numbers, email, etc. and also check out if they are interested in volunteering.
  • Once you have a team of 2 or more people, you are ready to start.
  • Contact one of our coordinators and schedule a training session for volunteers and meeting with the parents.
  • Find a place to start and get going

Duration, Frequency and Time

  • Bala-Gokulam duration can be from 75 minutes to 90 minutes.
  • To have the expected impact, it should be held at least once in a week.

Majorities of Bala-Gokulams are held on Saturday or Sunday. However, depending on the convenience of children and parents, they can be conducted at any time and any day of the week.

Time table for 90 minutes

Cheerful, enthusiastic and cordial atmosphere is at the heart of a successful Bala-Gokulam. Physical fitness, knowledge and pride of Hindu Dharma, ability to work together in team and social awareness are being inculcated through various programs. The activities can be broadly classified as ‘Sharirik’ and ‘Baudhik’ - the physical and intellectual activities.

The programs depend on the available floor space and number of children. Following is a suggestion for 90 minutes session.

Assembly5 min

Exercises5 min

Games30 min

Surya Namaskar5 min

Shloka,Bhajans20 min

Story/Discussion20 min

Prarthana5 min

It is better conduct the activities in different groups based on their age.

Other activities

There can be a variety of activities to bring out the creative power within the children and Shikshaks and also to make them good team players. Here are some ideas that have been found successful. Please experiment and come out with new activities and share with us so that other Bala-Gokulams can benefit from your experiments.

  • Clay Modeling - Especially for Ganesha pooja, children can make murti of Ganesha themselves.
  • Rangoli - Demonstration and some hands on training.
  • Projects on modeling temples with cardboard, foam, sticks, etc.
  • Teerth Yatra or Pilgrimage (Visit to temples in your town).
  • Sahal (Picnic) with all the families to build family level bonding.
  • Seva: Visit to convalescent hospitals, children’s wards in hospitals, soup kitchens, etc.
  • A presentation by social workers group or teenage counselors about challenges facing American society today.
  • Sports Day
  • Competitions in reciting shlokas, singing songs, speaking, etc.
  • Art of Skit writing and acting
  • Hindu Jeopardy/Quiz
  • Dialogue between parents and children (For teenagers)
  • Celebrating Hindu festivals in schools.
  • Teaching how to read and write Devnagari script
  • Preparing posters on different topics: Can be group projects

Support System for Bala-Gokulam Shikshaks:

  • is a good resource place for Shikshaks.
  • People, who have been successfully conducting Bala-Gokulams for many years, will be available to conduct training sessions for volunteers or to provide any other assistance required.
  • Annual training camp for children and youth volunteers.
  • Pravasi Karyakartas will be visiting various places and their trip can be made use of for improving the caliber of Shikshaks.
  • Join . The purpose of this list is to exchange ideas, experiments, experiences and material related to conducting Bala-Gokulams.

How To Use This Handbook

  • This is a handbook for the Shikshaks (Teachers). It is best used after attending a training session for Bala-Gokulam teachers.
  • Shikshaks package include:
  • This book (Teacher's Handbook)
  • Bala-Gokulam Book (That is given to children)
  • Games and Yogasana Book
  • A suggested month-to-month plan for one year is given here. For each topic listed here, detailed material is provided and also the reference web sites.
  • At the end of one year, the Shikshaks should be in a position to make their own plans with the resources available at
  • Constant Self-development is the key to becoming a good Shikshak. One has to study to improve one's knowledge, practice to improve one's skills, take up organizational responsibilities to become competent and try new experiments to become more capable.
  • Sustaining a Bala-Gokulam and maintaining the growth require a strong organizational system. Please read the section on 'Systems to Sustain' to get some idea about how to expand volunteers team, make collective decisions, plan and execute the activities with precision.
  • Involve the parents. Vast talent pool among the parents can add to the quality of programs.
  • The topics from the following categories are covered in this suggested plan.
  1. Hindu Dharma
  2. History of Hindus and lives of Great People
  3. Festivals
  4. Social Issues
  5. Organizational
  • The plan is given for two age groups (5-9) and (10-15). You may make the plan most appropriate to the children and a particular age group in your place.
  • One weekend in every month is devoted to talk about and if possible collectively celebrate the festival of the month. The festivals should be covered in the weekend closest to the festival day. Lives of inspiring people can be covered closest to their birthdays. Here is an approximate timing for the festivals:

FESTIVAL / MONTH / PAGE
Makara Sankranti / January / 19
Shiva Ratri / February / 20
Yugadi / March / 21
Ram Navami / April / 22
Hindu Sanghatan Diwas / June / 23
Guru Poornima / July / 32
Raksha Bandhan / August / 35
Ganesha Chaturthi / September / 38
Janmashtami / September / 41
Vijay Dashami / October / 45
Deepaavali / November / 46
Geeta Jayanti / December / 48

Six festivals that are in bold letters are to be observed in every Bala-Gokulam of HSS.

Refer the web site for the exact dates of the Hindu festivals.

SUGGESTIVE PLAN FOR GROUP 2 (10-15 Yr.)

TOPIC / PAGE
1st Month
Purpose of Bala-Gokulam / 1
God in Hindu Dharma / 57
Bhagini Nivedita / 58
2nd Month
Raising Hindu Awareness in our Schools (Churcha) / 70
What is Hindu Dharma / 70
Story of Hanumanta / 72
3rd Month
Meaning of Prarthanaa and abhyas –1 / 82
Meaning of Prarthanaa and abhyas –2 / 82
Hindu Scriptures / 84
4th Month
Meaning Behind Rituals … (1) / 87
Life of Doctorji / 90
Art of Story Telling / 104
5th Month
Reincarnation and Karma ; Hindu Dharma - Video games / 105
Life of Swami Vivekananda / 111
Swami Vivekananda's Speech competition / 121
6th Month
Qualities of a Swayamsevak/Sevika / 124
Story of Ramayana -1 / 125
Story of Ramayana -2 / 125
7th Month
Ashramas / 144
Hindu’s Contribution to the World of Sports and Games / 145
Prithviraj Chauhan / 150
8th Month
10 Avatars of Vishnu - Part 1 / 155
10 Avatars of Vishnu -Part 2 / 155
Hindu Values / 161
9th Month
Meaning Behind Rituals … (2) / 164
Life of Moushiji / 167
Duties of a Hindu / 168
10th Month
Hindu Jeopardy/Quiz / 170
Durga-Lakshmi-Saraswati / 170
Jhnasi Rani Lakshmi Bai / 171
11th Month
Hindus Contribution to the world of Mathematics / 181
Story of Rani Padmini; Sati system and Child marriage / 185
Poetry and essay writing skills / 189
12th Month
Perfection in God’s Creation; Discussion on Sewa / 190
Hindu Family / 193
Tanaji Malsure - Commander of Shivaji / 195

SUGGESTIVE PLAN FOR GROUP 1 (5-9 Yr.)

TOPIC / PAGE
1st Month
Heaven and Hell / 197
Elder Brother / 197
One God, many forms / 57
2nd Month
Shibi, the compassionate / 201
Story of Hanumanta -1 / 72
Story of Hanumanta -2 / 72
3rd Month
Prarthanaa and abhyas / 82
Dhruva, the firm / 203
Panchatantra hindukids.org/grandpa/index_panchatantra.html
4th Month
Meaning Behind Rituals … (1) / 87
Overview of Hindu Deities / 207
Qualities of a Swayamsevak/Sevika / 124
5th Month
Panchatantra Stories / www
Life of Swami Vivekananda / 111
Swami Vivekananda's Speech competition / 121
6th Month
Story of Ramayana -1 / 125
Story of Ramayana -2 / 125
Story of Ramayana -3 / 125
7th Month
Panchatantra Stories / www
Markandeya / 210
Story Telling Competition / 211
8th Month
10 Avatars of Vishnu - Part 1 / 155
10 Avatars of Vishnu -Part 2 / 155
10 Avatars of Vishnu -Part 3 / 155
9th Month
Panchatantra Stories / www
Prithviraj Chauhan / 150
Story of Sudhama / 211
10th Month
Everything happens for Good. / 213
Hindu Jeopardy/Quiz / 170
Durga-Lakshmi-Saraswati / 170
11th Month
Arts and Crafts / 214
Krishna's stories -1 / 215
Krishna's stories -2 / 215
12th Month
Story of Ranti Deva / 215
Story of Bhasmasura / 217
Tanaji Malsure - Commander of Shivaji / 195

There are many short stories for small children on

and

Please visit these two sites and collect more stories.

Activities For The Parents

In most of the Bala-Gokulams, parents also have parallel activities planned. This is a suggested format for parents activity.

10 mins - Shlokas Practice

30 mins - Yogasana

15 mins - Simple Games

10 mins - Geet/Bhajan

20 mins - Talk/discussion on Hindu Dharma, Lives of great people, parenting, etc.

5 mins - Prarthana (With children)

Initially we may not have enough resources to conduct all these activities. You can start with Yogasana and study group and gradually cover other activities.

The web sites given in this book can help in providing the material for talks or discussions with parents.

Understanding How Children Learn

In Bala-Gokulams, children should learn good values and leadership skills along with knowledge about Hindu culture.

Shikshaks make the Bala-Gokulam a place where children enjoy coming to or a boring place. It is important that Shikshaks understand how children learn and how learning can be made enjoyable to the children as well as for Shikshaks.

Learning through Role models

  • Children are influenced by the people in their lives — especially the adults who are important to them, such as parents, other relatives, and teachers. Children learn values and habits mostly by imitating their role models. These things cannot be 'taught'. Shikshaks should be like role models in all aspects. If we sing shlokas and bhajans with devotion and shraddhaa, children will also do. If we are punctual, children will be.
  • Children select those people as role models whom they like, whom they respect, admire and adore. We should mold our personalities so that we are 'likeable', we are 'affectionate' and 'friendly' with children while setting up examples. A smiling face and affectionate way of talking to them helps. Playing with them informally after the Bala-Gokulam session brings the Shikshaks closer to the children. Sampark - visiting their houses make the children feel that you are part of his family.

Learning and having fun

Children should have both. They should enjoy leaning as well as the group. More friendship they develop with other children, more they feel like coming back. Games play a very important role in building that friendship and bonding.

Keep it simple and yet challenging

Children enjoy activities that are within their ability to master. Try to simplify, maintain or expand your activities in response to the level of understanding the children demonstrate. A healthy competitive spirit and a sense of achievement are good to cultivate for faster learning.

Each child is different

Each child has different learning ability in different areas. We should recognize the strength of each child and make them feel that they can achieve. Do not compare children.

Children's learning proceeds in predictable directions.

Simple ------> Complex

Known ------> Unknown

Self ------> Other

Concrete ------> Abstract

Exploratory -----> Goal Directed

Inaccurate ------> More accurate

Impulsive ------> Self-controlled

Children of different age groups are different. These are some general observations on different age groups. Each child is different. These are only some general observations.

Early Elementary (Age 6 to 8)

More story telling and visual aids make it interesting to children of this age. They enjoy affectionate Shikshaks. Simple crafts can work but difficult ones can get messy.

Rhythm and repetition are two techniques that work for this group. Teaching shlokas, simple songs should follow these two techniques.

Thinking is very concrete at this time. If they have never seen it, heard it, felt it, tasted it, or smelled it, they have a hard time thinking of it. So more visual descriptions in stories should be used. While telling the story of Puranas, Amar-Chitra-Katha books can be used to make them imagine who a 'rishi' is. Similarly, the idea of palace, king, queen, rakshasa, throne, chariot, etc. needs a visual aid in the beginning.

While teaching Yogasanas or conducting games, rather than simply giving instructions verbally, Shikshaks should demonstrate the activity. Doing is important for both the children and the Shikshak.

Children are just learning how to be friends and may have several "best friends" at a time. Fights, although occurring often, seldom have lasting effects.

Children at this stage like to play games. Rules and rituals become fascinating, but the children are not yet ready to accept losing. Cooperative games in which every child wins can be especially enjoyable at this age. Failures should be minimized, and some measure of success should be found in every experience to ease the blows to young egos. Too much of competition with others is inappropriate at this age.

Middle School (Age 9 to 11)

Activities for the middle school-age children should encourage physical involvement.

Children at this stage are beginning to think logically. They still think in terms of concrete objects and can handle ideas better if they are related to some thing they can do or experience with their senses, but they are moving toward understanding abstract ideas. As they begin to deal with ideas, they think of things as black or white. Something is either right or wrong, fabulous or disgusting, fun or boring. There is very little middle ground.