Bharatiya Mandir Bal Vikas starts with fun day!

Bal Vikas, the free classes for community children run by Bharatiya Mandir restarted in the new year with a fun day organised for students and their families at the Cornwall Park on Sunday 11th February. Approx 80 people took park in the outing in the beautiful Auckland weather including 50 children, their parents and Bal Vikas volunteers and teachers. The Education Chairperson of Bharatiya Mandir and Bal Vikas classes in charge, Jyoti Parashar said that it has now become a tradition for many years to start the Bal Vikas classes with a picnic for children and parents. She said this is the best way to familiarise with children and to get to know families in person. At the Cornwall Park outing on Sunday all participants were served drinks and refreshment.
New Zealand’s oldest temple, Bharatiya Mandir was started in 1993 and the Bal Vikas classes started soon after, looking at the needs of young children of community. The main purpose to start these classes was to keep the young generation stay connected with their roots, language, and religious practices. Young generation, especially who are born overseas normally tend to cut off from their culture, language, and religious practices over a period of time mainly due to their surroundings and upbringing. The Mandir management committee decided to start these free classes to inculcate knowledge of Hindu religious practices, language, and culture from a young age into the children of Hindu community. A group of dedicated volunteer teachers run these classes every Sunday at Bharatiya Mandir from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. The classes held here are of Religious, Hindi, Gujrati, Dance and Music, Yoga, and Art & Craft and many parents stay at Mandir to assist teachers to run theses classes. Bal Vikas teachers also prepare children for regular competitions and events happening time to time on different occasions and Bal Vikas children have outshined at many such events.
The Bal Vikas children also perform regularly at the annual Mandir Patotsav (Foundation Day) celebrations every year. It’s always heartening to see the young children performing with elan and mastery at a tender age and getting immersed with their culture in the process. Bharatiya Mandir Bal Vikas children also perform regularly at the annual Diwali festival at Aotea Centre every year and have won accolades for their performances. Jyoti Parashar said the classes got a jolt during Covid lockdown but she along with her team of dedicated teachers continued with many activities online. Jyoti thanked all the parents, volunteers and especially the teachers for their unflinching support to run these classes successfully.
-TIN Bureau