Baal Vikaas Vihar Festival
Bala Vihar is a group of children, meeting once a week, at a set venue, for 60-90 minutes, for the sole purpose of learning our precious culture, spiritual wisdom. Bala Vihar classes for various age groups are conducted by trained sevaks and sevikas. These voluntary dedicated workers impart to children, the glory of our rich culture, aiming at character formation and reverence for our ancient heritage. The high ideals and values from our great scriptures are taught in the form of stories, games, quizzes, crafts, bhajans, hymns, shlokas, skits, dances, etc.
The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha is the major Hindu organisation in Trinidad and Tobago. It operates 150 mandirs and over 50 schools. It was formed in 1952 when Bhadase Sagan Maraj engineered the merger of the Satanan Dharma Association and the Sanatan Dharma Board of Control. An affiliated group, the Pundits' Parishad, has 200 affiliated pundits. The organisation's headquarters are located in St. Augustine.
Under the present Secretary General, Mr Satnarayan Maharaj, the Maha Sabha has modernized all 42 schools and built 5 secondary schools as well as 12 early childhood educational centers. Mr. Maharaj has also revived the observance of Phagwa and was instrumental in the creation of the Indian Arrival Day holiday and annual celebrations. The Maha Sabha introduced a Children’s Cultural Festival Baal Vikaas Vihar and the community has been challenged by this leader to enter into the computer age.
Recently Scores of schoolchildren participated in the finals of the Baal Vikaas Vihaar festival organised by the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), and held at the SDMS headquarters, Eastern Main Road, St Augustine.
The festival, now in its 26th year, judged nine schools each in the first two categories.
Dressed in brightly coloured festive wear, the primary school pupils comprising group "B" sang praises to the lord of the wind, Sri Hanuman, with devotion.
Described as "theatre in motion", the competition brings together pupils, parents, teachers and heads of the SDMS every year. It has also laid the foundation for a renaissance in Hindu "dharma" (religious teachings).
The completion begins each year during the month of Phagwa (March) and ends with a grand finale in June. It continued yesterday with students of Secondary Schools in the grade "A" category.
Ref.:
http://esh.edu.tt/SDMS.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanatan_Dharma_Maha_Sabha
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_Theatre_in_motion___at_Baal_Vikaas_...