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
