Hari OM All,
This week we started our class with prayers. After reviewing the Balavihar calendar for the rest of the academic year, we continued our discussion from last week on how to reach the main goals of human life (Purusharthas) including attaining Moksha. We discussed how Puja, Prayers, Temple worship, Religious rites and Pilgrimage help one to purify the mind and thus lead us towards God.
We then discussed how by going on a Pilgrimage to holy places where Gods/Saints have appeared we can absorb their grace and attain peace of mind. Pilgrimage could be:
•Rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari etc.)
•Mountains (Himalayas, Vidhyachal etc.)
•Temples (Tirupathi, Rameshwaram etc.)
•Sacred sites (Govardhan Hill, Kashi, Kurukshetra etc.)
We then discussed some of the popular Pilgrimage routes/circuits followed by devotees in India:
•Chota Char Dham (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath)
•Char Dham (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri, Rameshwaram)
•Ramayana holy sites (Chitrakuta, Panchavati, Rameshwaram, Sri Lanka etc.)
•Subramanya Swamy Temples (Palani, Swamimalai, Tiruchendur, Tiruttani, Thiruparamkundram, Palamuthirsolai)
•Pancha Bhoota Lord Shiva Temples (Kanchipuram, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruannamalai, Kalahasthi, Chidambaram)
•Ayyappa Temples (SabariMala etc.)
Finally we explored the Chota Char Dham Yatra in order: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. We discussed the significant facts of each of the locations including geography, historical facts, temples associated with a specific God, special prasad at each temple, famous Saints who visited these places etc.
We then chanted Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2, verses 54-55 followed by Arati. After this everyone joined the Grade 8 Presentation where we also recited the Pledge.
Pranaams!
Krishna and Sachin