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PEARLAND: I was on my way back from Sri Meenakshi Temple last Saturday, January 23. Mrs. Sreedevi Menon’s words were rumbling in my mind over and over. “Do you know how lucky you are?” asked Mrs. Menon, to the roughly one hundred parents who were proudly watching the presentation by their young children attending the Vedic Heritage School (VHS). The event was a demonstration of one of the many things their children learn at this special place they drive their children religiously to every other Sunday.
Even though children were the main players on stage during the ‘Slokathon 2010’, I wish to write about the audience, because they stole my heart. Many of them were with their cameras and camcorders to record the treasure they would cherish for many years to come. Also seated in the front row were Smt. Vyjayanthi Vivek and Smt. Kiran Parthasarathy who trained the lower assembly in the presentation of this program. Smt. Chitra Kumar, the volunteer team leader appeared seated with a composed state of mind.
While waiting for their turn to go to the stage, many young children were sitting with their parents rapidly swinging legs, and uncontrollable hastiness in raising their hands to answer questions. Most of them may have to wait for three or more long years for their 12th birthday.
Slokathon 2010 gave an opportunity to the beginner level students of VHS to recite Nama Ramayanam that was memorized in their classes. The organizers kept the expectation from the students at a modest level, however, with a rigid emphasis on the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit words, enthusiasm level and the melody. All these factors undoubtedly contributed towards bringing out the best from each child. The merit of the composition of Nama Ramayanam is that it tells the story of the entire Ramayana in 108 names brilliantly written by Pandit Lakshmanachar in the late 1800s. From the children’s recital and from the attention to correct pronunciation of Sanskrit words given by Sri Chandra Raghu, the director of VHS program, the audience felt that their children are on the right track for learning their heritage.
Supporting the words of Mrs. Menon, living in a foreign land and instilling in children values important to the parents was extremely difficult in the past. VHS is the result of a vision of a few Indians who realized the importance of passing on the values of the great civilization to our young generation. Now, 10 years after its inception and with 300 enrolled students VHS teaches what “Hinduism and Hindu way-of-life” are, and helps develop practical means for spiritual growth and happiness. The parents are fortunate to have an institution like this to which to take their children. At VHS, they are assured that their children will find it an interesting place of learning. The dedicated and enthusiastic teachers motivate the children to learn many topics of Hinduism, based on a recognized curriculum. Early VHS lessons are designed in such a way as to be learnt with ease, like nursery rhymes.
I left the event with a feeling that enrolling their children in VHS is one of the best investments parents can make for their children. More information about the teaching program is available at http://www.mtsvhs.blogspot.com/.
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