1. Bala Vihar Hindu Vedic Society

2. Bala Vihar-A Community Resource A place for our children to learn about our identity, culture and religion in an American context.  What does it mean to be a Hindu?  One God or many Gods?  Gandhiji, Republic Day, Constitution, Equality, MLK Jr.

3. Bala Vihar-A Community Resource A place for our children to learn about our identity, culture and religion in an American context. A place where our children reinforce, through peer interaction, the values and traditions taught at home.  Why do we do a puja?  Why do we take our shoes off at the temple?

4. Bala Vihar-A Community Resource A place for our children to learn about our identity, culture and religion in an American context. A place where our children reinforce, through peer interaction, the values and traditions taught at home. A place where our children (and all of us) can extend our understanding of customs, cultures and beliefs across various regions of India, the US and the world.  What is Rakhi? What is Onam?  Why do many Indian festivals happen at about the same time?  What is similar about Indian and Western music?

5. Bala Vihar-A Community Resource Instill pride in our Heritage Develop an Indian-American Identity Provide a Peer Group Impart a baseline understanding of Hinduism Link the Ancient to Modern Develop and reinforce a Philosophy and Value System to grow up on and live by

6. How Does Bala Vihar Work ? Modeled on the Chinmaya Mission Bala Vihar in Houston Volunteer team of Teachers-Children-Parents Baseline topics Curriculum is constantly evolving Hinduism Bhajans, Shlokas Indian History Festivals Epics, Literature Art, Architecture Science, Achievements Values

7. More Details Sundays at 10:30 – 11:30 am (EBR Parish School Year)  10:30–10:45Shlokas and Bhajans  10:45–11:29 Level Specific classes  11:29–11:30Quiet Time  11:30 –11:40 Arati Four Grade Levels  KG – Grade 2  Grades 3-5  Grades 6-8  Grades 9-12 $100 per child per semester, $50 per semester for each additional child

8. Enrollment this Year 31 students????  14 in KG-Grade 2  6 in Grades 3-5  5 in Grades 6-8  6 in Grades 9-12 21 families 10 teachers  R.Vaidyanathan  Sudha Raval ….. 5 new teachers this Fall  Nirav Bhatt  Shobha Menon  Shalaka Kulkarni  Subhashini Rajagopal  Nisha Valsaraj

9. How Can You Help ? Help Build a Critical Mass  Enroll your children Volunteer  As teachers  As sponsors Help improve Bala Vihar  Provide suggestions and feedback

10. Questions? Call or e-mail  Sudha Rawal –  R Vaidyanathan  Satyajit Verma  Indu Gilman  Raju Hingorani …..or any of the teachers listed on Slide 8…