Week 1 @ Chinmaya Vrindavan

Week 1 saw a flurry of activities

The kids learned the Kanakadhara stotra and did yoga to keep both mind and body flexible

They learned about the brave heroes of yore - From Chandragupta Maurya to Chhatrapati Shivaji ....and decided to make crowns to see what it felt like to live life in their shoes.

Stories were told and theatre shows were put up. Watch as they show one of Panchatantra's most famous stories: The Brahmin's dream

Battles were waged and ships were sent through stormy seas. Who would win, and who would loose? 

But soon they discovered that success was often in the race run and never in the trophy won 

In Chinmaya's story books they soon discovered a secret treasure map that would help them discover a very special treasure. Teams were made and clues were cracked

Challenges conquered

The lords name written for good luck 

Oh what a week it was! Nonstop mayhem and nonstop fun.  Come join us for a week of love, laughter and learning at Chinmay Vrindavan

Summer Camp 2015 - Registration & General Information

June 22 – August 14

Summer Camp Registration

Camp Fees

$250 (per week) for the first child

$200 (per week) for the sibling(s)

Registration for "Morning Session ONLY"
$150 per week for the first child

                                                 $125 for the sibling(s)

Early Drop off:

$25 (per week) for the first child

$15 (per week) for the sibling(s)

Morning Session

Week 1 
June 22 – June 26

Week 2
June 29 – July 03

Week 3 
July 06 – July 10

Week 4 
July 13 – July 17

Week 5 
July 20 – July 24

Week 6  - NO CAMP 
July 27 – July 31

Week 7 
August 03 – August 07

Week 8 
August 10 – August 14

________________________________________________

Afternoon Session

Arts and Crafts for children of all ages. (all 8 weeks)

SriRamaraksha Stotram

asya śrīrāmarakṣāstotramantrasya | budhakauśika ṛṣiḥ | śrīsītārāmacandro devatā | anuṣṭup chandaḥ | sītā śaktiḥ | śrīmān hanumān kīlakam | śrīrāmacandraprītyarthe rāmarakṣāstotrajape viniyogaḥ ||


|| dhyānam ||
dhyāyedājānubāhuṁ dhṛtaśaradhanuṣaṁ baddhapadmāsanastham || pītaṁ vāso vasānaṁ navakamaladalaspardhinetraṁ prasannam | vāmāṅkārūḍha sītāmukhakamalamilallocanaṁ nīradābham | nānālaṁkāradīptaṁ dadhatamurujaṭāmaṇḍalaṁ rāmacandram ||


caritaṁ raghunāthasya śatakoṭipravistaram |
ekaikamakṣaraṁ puṁsāṁ mahāpātakanāśanam ||1||


dhyātvā nīlotpalaśyāmaṁ rāmaṁ rājīvalocanam |
jānakīlakṣmaṇopetaṁ jaṭāmukuṭamaṇḍitam ||2||


sāsitūṇadhanurbāṇapāṇiṁ naktaṁcarāntakam |
svalīlayā jagattrātumāvirbhūtamajaṁ vibhum ||3||


rāmarakṣāṁ paṭetprājñaḥ pāpaghnīṁ sarvakāmadām |
śiro me rāghavaḥ pātu bhālaṁ daśarathātmajaḥ ||4||


kausalyeyo dṛśau pātu viśvāmitrapriyaḥ śrutī |
ghrāṇaṁ pātu makhatrātā mukhaṁ saumitrivatsalaḥ||5||


jihvāṁ vidyānidhiḥ pātu kaṇṭhaṁ bharatavanditaḥ |
skandhau divyāyudhaḥ pātu bhujau bhagneśakārmukaḥ ||6||


karau sītāpatiḥ pātu hṛdayaṁ jāmadagnyajit |
madhyaṁ pātu kharadhvaṁsī nābhiṁ jāmbavadāśrayaḥ ||7||


sugrīveśaḥ kaṭī pātu sakthinī hanumatprabhuḥ |
urū raghūttamaḥ pātu rakṣaḥkulavināśakṛt ||8||


jānunī setukṛtpātu jaṅghe daśamukhāntakaḥ |
pādau vibhīṣaṇaśrīdaḥ pātu rāmo'khilaṁ vapuḥ ||9||


etāṁ rāmabalopetāṁ rakṣāṁ yaḥ sukṛtī paṭhet |
sa cirāyuḥ sukhī putrī vijayī vinayī bhavet ||10||


pātālabhūtalavyomacāriṇaśchadmacāriṇaḥ |
na draṣṭumapi śaktāste rakṣitaṁ rāmanāmabhiḥ ||11||


rāmeti rāmabhadreti rāmacandreti vā smaran |
naro na lipyate pāpairbhuktiṁ muktiṁ ca vindati ||12||


jagajjaitraikamantreṇa rāmanāmnābhirakṣitam |
yaḥ kaṇṭhe dhārayettasya karasthāḥ sarvasiddhayaḥ ||13||


vajrapañjaranāmedaṁ yo rāmakavacaṁ smaret |
avyāhatājñaḥ sarvatra labhate jayamaṅgalam ||14||


ādiṣṭavānyathā svapne rāmarakṣāmimāṁ haraḥ |
tathā likhitavānprātaḥ prabuddho budhakauśikaḥ ||15||


rāmaḥ kalpavṛkṣāṇāṁ virāmaḥ sakalāpadām |
abhirāmastrilokānāṁ rāmaḥ śrīmānsa naḥ prabhuḥ ||16||


taruṇau rūpasampannau sukumārau mahābalau |
puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau ||17||


phalamūlāśinau dāntau tāpasau brahmacāriṇau |
putrau daśarathasyaitau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||18||


śaraṇyau sarvasattvānāṁ śreṣṭhau sarvadhanuṣmatām |
rakṣaḥkulanihantārau trāyetāṁ no raghūttamau ||19||


āttasajjadhanuṣāviṣuspṛśāvakṣayāśuganiṣāṅgasaṅginau |
rakṣaṇāya mama rāmalakṣmaṇāvagrataḥ pathi sadaiva gacchatām ||20||


sannaddhaḥ kavacī khaḍgī cāpabāṇadharo yuvā |
gacchanmanorathānnaśca rāmaḥ pātu salakṣmaṇaḥ ||21||


rāmo dāśarathiḥ śūro lakṣmaṇānucaro balī |
kākutsthaḥ puruṣaḥ pūrṇaḥ kausalyeyo raghūttamaḥ ||22||


vedāntavedyo yajñeśaḥ purāṇapuruṣottamaḥ |
jānakīvallabhaḥ śrīmānaprameyaparākramaḥ ||23||


ityetāni japannityaṁ madbhaktaḥ śraddhayānvitaḥ |
aśvamedhādhikaṁ puṇyaṁ samprāpnoti na saṁśayaḥ ||24||


rāmaṁ dūrvādalaśyāmaṁ padmākṣaṁ pītavāsasam |
stuvanti nāmabhirdivyairna te saṁsāriṇo narāḥ ||25||


rāmaṁ lakṣmaṇapūrvajaṁ raghuvaraṁ sītāpatiṁ sundaram |
kākutsthaṁ karuṇārṇavaṁ guṇanidhiṁ viprapriyaṁ dhārmikam |
rājendraṁ satyasaṁdhaṁ daśarathatanayaṁ śyāmalaṁ śāntamūrtim |
vande lokābhirāmaṁ raghukulatilakaṁ rāghavaṁ rāvaṇārim ||26||


rāmāya rāmabhadrāya rāmacandrāya vedhase |
raghunāthāya nāthāya sītāyāḥ pataye namaḥ ||27||


śrīrāma rāma raghunandana rāma rāma śrīrāma rāma bharatāgraja rāma rāma |
śrīrāma rāma raṇakarkaśa rāma rāma
śrīrāma rāma śaraṇaṁ bhava rāma rāma ||28||


śrīrāmacandracaraṇau manasā smarāmi |
śrīrāmacandracaraṇau vacasā gṛṇāmi |
śrīrāmacandracaraṇau śirasā namāmi |
śrīrāmacandracaraṇau śaraṇaṁ prapadye ||29||


mātā rāmo matpitā rāmacandraḥ |
svāmī rāmo matsakhā rāmacandraḥ| sarvasvaṁ me rāmacandro dayāluḥ |
nānyaṁ jāne naiva jāne na jāne ||30||


dakṣiṇe lakṣmaṇo yasya vāme ca janakātmajā |
purato mārutiryasya taṁ vande raghunandanam ||31||


lokābhirāmaṁ raṇaraṅgadhīraṁ rājīvanetraṁ raghuvaṁśanātham |
kāruṇyarūpaṁ karuṇākaraṁ taṁ śrīrāmacandraṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye ||32||


manojavaṁ mārutatulyavegaṁ jitendriyam buddhimatāṁ variṣṭham |
vātātmajaṁ vānarayūthamukhyaṁ śrīrāmadūtaṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye ||33||


kūjantaṁ rāmarāmeti madhuraṁ madhurākṣaram |
āruhya kavitāśākhāṁ vande vālmīkikokilam ||34||


padāmapahartāraṁ dātāraṁ sarvasampadām |
lokābhirāmaṁ śrīrāmaṁ bhūyo bhūyo namāmyaham ||35||


bharjanaṁ bhavabījānāmarjanaṁ sukhasampadām |
tarjanaṁ yamadūtānāṁ rāmarāmeti garjanam ||36||


rāmo rājamaṇiḥ sadā vijayate rāmaṁ rameśaṁ bhaje |
rameṇābhihatā niśicaracamū rāmāya tasmai namaḥ |
rāmānnāsti parāyaṇaṁ parataraṁ rāmasya dāso'smyaham |
rāme cittalayaḥ sadā bhavatu me bho rāma māmuddhara ||37||


rāma rāmeti rāmeti rame rāme manorame |
sahasranāma tattulyaṁ rāmanāma varānane ||38||


iti śrībudhakauśikamuniviracitaṁ śrīrāmarakṣāstotraṁ sampūrṇam ||

Pictures from Week#5

Pictures from Week#4

Pictures from Week#3

Pictures from Week#2

Week 2: Day 5!

Hari Om!

We welcomed the last day of the second week of camp with Yoga by Ramanathan Mama!

The Keshava and Balarama class learned about the Simhachalam temple located in Vishakapatnam in Andra Pradesh. They saw a display containing Kondapalli style Dashavatara idols - these statues are Andra specialties.

Uma Auntie taught our friends the patriotic song from an old Hindi film, "Vo Bharat Desh Hai Mera". We have recorded our friends beautiful voices here!

And with one last arts and crafts project, the week came to an end!

ॐ

Week 2: Day 4!

Hari Om!

As usual, Thursday started off with our daily Chanting and Yoga sessions.

The Balarma and Keshava classes then split up to each talk about the famous Venkateswara Temple - Tirupati. In addition to learning the story behind the founding of the temple, our friends also learned the significance behind why we shave our heads at Tirupati. In honor of the warm weather, the Balarama Class had class outside!

Thursday ended with Arts and Crafts with Rupal Auntie! The younger kids painted paper mache suns while the Balarama class finished up painting their figures!

ॐ

Week 2: Day 3!

Hari Om!

Chanting and Yoga continued as usual on Wednesday.

In the classes, our friends learned about the Gomatheswara Temple. Uday shares what he learned about this Jain temple found in Karnataka.

Everyday before we eat Snack and Lunch, our friends say the prayer "Brahmarpanam". Usually the didis and bhaiyas lead the prayer and our friends follow - however, they surprised us today by leading us in the prayer instead!

Afternoon time meant arts and crafts with Rupal Auntie again! Our younger friends from the Keshava class decorated and colored flowerpots while our Balarama class friends primed paper mache projects that they would paint the next day!

ॐ

Week 2: Day 2!

Hari Om!

The day started off with chanting again and continued with Yoga.

The Balarama and Keshava learned about the Mookambika temple. Vineeth, our Balarama class friend, said, "The Mookambika temple is located in the town of Kollur in Bangalore. Mookambika is an avatar of Parvati. The story starts like this: Once there was an asura. He was trying to get eternal power by praying to Shiva. He was praying to Shiva because Shiva is the easiest to please. When Parvati heard his prayers she knew he was up to no good. So she asked Saraswati, the Goddess of Speech, to help her. So Saraswati made the asura mute. Now he is called Mukasura, to see that he couldn't talk. He teased some Yogis in the Forest. When Parvati saw this, she took the form of Mookambika and slayed him. Shri Adi Shankaracharya installed the idol of Mookambika."

We ended the day with Arts and Crafts with Rupal Auntie! The children painted various sun and moon magnets :D

ॐ

Week 2: Day 1!

Hari Om!

We welcomed the new week by continuing the chanting of the Ganesha Atharva Shirsham with Nirmala and Puskhala Auntie! We learned that Ganesha has big ears so that he can listen to our prayers as well as to all the good things in the world.

Yoga time included some new poses including the boat pose (first picture below) and Shayanasana (reclining pose - just like Lord Ranganatha).

In the classes, the kids learned about the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple in the state of Karnataka. Hamsini, our friend from the Keshava class, shares with us the story of Kanakadasa in association with the Sri Krishna Temple.

Our friend Nihal, from the Balarama class, writes: "On Monday we had a really awesome lesson. It was about the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. This temple was located in the state of Karnataka and built by the sage Madhavacharya. In the temple there was an idol of Muthu (little) Krishna. We also learned about the caste system. At the top are the Brahmans (scholars) and the Kshatriyas (warriors). At the bottom are the Vaishas (merchants), Shudras (workers) and the untouchables. There is a story that happened at this very temple. A swamiji named Kanakadasa approched the temple and he wanted to pray to Muthu Krishna. The priests however told him that he could not step in the temple as Kanakadasa was a Shudra which was a low caste. Kanakadasa then went to the western wall of the temple. He imagined the idol's picture in his mind. That way he could still chant his mantras and pray. It is said that Krishna turned around from the East to the West and blasted the wall that way the sage could make direct contact to his idol. In the present time they buillt back the wall and left a window called Kanakanakindi which means Kanaka's window which is the only way to give offerings to Krishna. Hari Om."

In the afternoon, our friends made decoupage boxes with Rupal Auntie!

ॐ