Recap of Yesterday’s Exciting Marathi Shala Session and Independence Day Celebrations
Yesterday’s Marathi Shala session was a memorable one, brimming with engaging activities and vibrant celebrations. Here’s a detailed look at the day’s events:
Batch 1 Highlights: The session for Batch 1 began at 10 AM PST, and most of our young scholars arrived promptly by 10:10 AM. We kicked off with a warm-up activity led by our lead teacher, Sucheta Ji, who demonstrated the “Sure Namskar” exercise, which the scholars eagerly followed. This was followed by the singing of “Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu” and “Guru Vandan,” both with the teacher and individually.
Our focus then shifted to revisiting Marathi Swar (vowels) and Vyanjane (consonants). Teachers encouraged students to use new words they had learned. Amita teacher enriched the session by narrating the story of Nag Panchami in an engaging and meaningful way. The class was interspersed with a small game conducted by our high school volunteers, adding a touch of fun to the learning experience. We had 34 scholars present in Batch 1, and their homework includes reviewing the Swar and Vyanjane PDF shared in previous blogpost: https://mhshala.org/empowering-marathi-learning-at-home-new-content-for-mh-marathi-shala-students/
Batch 2 Highlights: Batch 2’s session began at 11:05 AM, with 23 scholars in attendance. The session started on a spiritual note with the recital of “Manache Shlok” (instructions to the mind), where both scholars and teachers sang together, creating a memorable experience. Puja teacher encouraged new scholars to share their summer experiences, fostering a sense of community and personal connection.
The significance of Nag Panchami was discussed next, followed by a recap of Marathi Swar and Vyanjane. The session concluded with an interactive activity led by Puja and Smita teachers. Homework for Batch 2 includes reviewing the Swar and Vyanjane PDF shared shared in previous blogpost: https://mhshala.org/empowering-marathi-learning-at-home-new-content-for-mh-marathi-shala-students/
Independence Day Celebration: Due to the Independence Day celebration at MH Central Park, our Shala session was shorter than usual. However, our Shala kids and parents made a significant impact with their participation. The highlight of the celebration was the performance showcasing our core festivals, including Shiv Jayanti, Gudi Padwa, Aashadi Ekadashi (Wari), Narali Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), Mangalagaur, Krishna Janmashtami, Makar Sankranti, Holi, and Ganesh Chaturthi. This performance was a standout in the Independence Day festivities.
Additionally, our parents and teachers performed the Lezim Maharashtrian folk dance, which was a crowd favorite and received enthusiastic requests for an encore. A huge thank you to Trupti Ji for orchestrating this wonderful performance, with support from Pradnya, Vaishali, and Puja.
A heartfelt thanks to all our Shala kids, parents, teachers, and volunteers for their incredible support and contributions.
Your enthusiasm and dedication continue to make our Marathi Shala a vibrant and thriving community.
Stay tuned for more updates and exciting activities at MH Marathi Shala!
-Balasaheb.