Balvihar Hindi
School, an educational program of World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), is one
of the longest running culture and language community programs in North
America. Balvihar, a shining example of this tradition, recently celebrated its
25th anniversary. The two day event was attended by alumni,
students, former and current volunteers, and especially, some of the volunteers
involved since the inception Balvihar.
The celebration
took off on March 19th, with a gala dinner for alumni, and former
and current volunteers at Tadka Restaurant in Alpharetta,
GA. The venue was tastefully decorated
with flowers and candles, a memory tree displayed photographs of Balvihar
students and volunteers over the period of last 25 years. The old pictures of
picnics and cultural programs brought back sweet memories for many of the
guests. Also playing in the background was a video chronicling the 25 year
journey of Balvihar; a compilation of photographs of past events, messages from
alumni and feedback from Balvihar parents. Attendees enjoyed the social hour as
they caught up with old acquaintances and made new ones. The formal anniversary
celebration opened with a welcome address by Kusum Khurana, VHPA President Atlanta
Chapter. Manju Tiwari, a dedicated volunteer of Balvihar and VHPA since 1992,
introduced the chief guest and keynote speaker Sanjay Mehta, VHPA General
Secretary, himself a veteran Balvihar volunteer in Pittsburg, PA. In his
keynote address, Shri Mehtaji applauded the noble goals of Balvihar and the
efforts of all volunteers to achieve them. He stressed the need for immigrant
communities to stay connected to their roots, even as they actively take part
in and contribute to mainstream society. Knowledge of Hindu traditions and
values, and Hindi language, helps kids growing up in the US appreciate their
own unique identity in a culturally diverse society.
After the
keynote address, the alumni were extended a special welcome and some of them
were recognized for their outstanding contribution to Balvihar as volunteers.
These young volunteers continue to serve as great role models for their peers
as well as younger members. Balvihar alumni Nihit Tiwari and Amruta Houde were
congratulated for their initiative to start a Hindi language course in Georgia Tech
in 2012.
Among the guests
were some of the VHPA volunteers who were instrumental in starting the Balvihar
program in Atlanta 25 years ago. In early 1990, the VHPA Atlanta Chapter with
the help of volunteers conceptualized the very idea of teaching Hindu culture
and Hindi language to children, and the seeds of Balvihar were sown. Among them
were Prakash and Madhur Gupta, who continue to volunteer in Balvihar till date.
On this occasion, Shri Guptaji was felicitated by the chief guest for his
invaluable seva. He took the audience down memory lane, sharing their initial
struggles to find a venue, teachers and a curriculum. The dedication and
determination paid off; Balvihar flourished and evolved into a successful
language and culture school. Today, Balvihar has two branches, in Gwinnett and
Cobb, with more than 200 students and a large team of committed volunteers.
Guptaji’s
reminisces were followed by photo sessions and a delicious dinner. Sabitha
Ragunathan, a Balvihar and VHPA volunteer, conducted a few games for the
attendees, especially alumni, including building castles with a pack of really
slick playing cards. The concluding vote of thanks was given by Madhav Katdare,
coordinator of Gwinnett Balvihar, followed by the VHPA Prarthana. The event
resembled a large family reunion, a family of young and old volunteers, some
active, some retired, all bound together by a commonality of value systems,
belief and purpose.
On the second
day of the silver jubilee celebration, current Balvihar students presented a cultural
program and mela, at Berkmar High school.
Every year, Balvihar students participate in a theme-based cultural
program, with every single student performing on stage. This year, to
commemorate the 25th year of Balvihar, students presented both a cultural
show and an exhibition showcasing the multi-dimensional learning that students
experience in Balvihar.
The cultural
segment commenced with the traditional lamp lighting by chief guest Sanjay
Mehtaji and prayers by students. The MCs for the program, students of the
graduating class of Balvihar, took charge of the program from here, introducing
the first show “Bharat kee Jhaanki”. The
youngest group of students presented a colorful image of India, dressed in
regional attire and greeted the audience in regional languages. This was
followed by a Hindi reading competition. Every year, Balvihar celebrates Hindi
Diwas by organizing various competitions to encourage students to read, write
and speak Hindi. This year, students participated in a reading competition,
reading a given passage in one minute, and were judged on their diction and
reading skills. The winners of the semi-final round, Roshan Desai and Nimay
Patel from Cobb Balvihar and Rohan Desai and Roshni Desai from Gwinnett
Balvihar, competed on stage and were judged by a panel of three judges. Rohan
placed first, winning the trophy, while all other participants were awarded
medals. The Hindi Diwas competition was managed by Neetu Sharma, coordinator of
Cobb Balvihar.
Next, a group of
students performed a string of songs and poems based on the motivating theme – with
strong determination, any goal can be achieved. The kids sang the famous Nanhe-munne
bacchae teri mutthee mein kya hai,
followed by a group recitation of two inspiring poems “Lakshya hamesha bada
rakho” by Yogi Saraswat and “Koshish karne vaalon ki kabhee haar nahin
hoti” by Harivansh Rai Bacchan. The fluent rendering of the poetry was
testimony to the efforts put in by the students and the teachers, and the
audience appreciated it with a hearty applause.
This year,
Balvihar parent volunteers conducted a series of interviews with parents and
alumni to get feedback on the Balvihar program in a bid to evaluate and improve
it. The feedback was very positive, along with a few suggestions for changes.
Highlights of these interviews were presented to the audience in the form of a
short video clip.
The cultural program
was followed by a mela in the school cafeteria which was decorated to create
the ambience of a village fair. Students of the three highest grades of
Balvihar manned eight stations where they explained the various goals of
Balvihar and the activities undertaken to achieve them. With the help of
posters, quizzes and games, students presented the cultural, social and
academic activities they participate in. They talked about the various
festivals celebrated in Balvihar, the Graduation ceremony “Guru Dakshina” and
the academics and language related games such as spelling bee and reading
competitions. The students also highlighted the importance of volunteering and
the fact that all Balvihar graduates return as volunteer teaching assistants
for at least one year.
As the audience
moved around different stations, interacting with students and learning about
Balvihar, the last group of performers took their positions. In keeping with
the mela atmosphere, a large group of students performed a medley of six fast
paced dances. Since no village fair can be complete without food, at the end of
the show, all attendees were treated to snacks and mithai (sweets) and
hot chai.
The 25th Anniversary celebration of Balvihar was an occasion of
great satisfaction to all who are involved in this program. The goal of
Balvihar, since its inception, is to teach Hindu culture and Hindi language,
and help students appreciate their rich cultural heritage. Most of all, build
confident young men and women who are proud of their roots, and who respect all
different cultures and religions, which is the basic tenet of Hindu
religion. The success, and indeed the
very existence of such programs, is heavily dependent on the convictions and
values of the participants, on both sides of the aisle, the provider as well as
the user. As Balvihar grows and evolves, it is staying true to its goal, and it
is in step with the growing Indian American community. While the world has
changed phenomenally in the past two and a half decades, it is probably safe to
conclude that the fundamental goals of life are here to stay and will endure.
Additional photos can be viewed at this link: https://goo.gl/photos/2nD3JCbeasPyYqZz6