Gayatri Gyan Kendra of Long IslandYEAR BOOK

A Unique Bal Sanskar Shala

h_ gwYa|Jo`wJ gwYaoJm

When we change ourselvesThe World will be Changed

h_ ~Xb|Jo`wJ ~XboJm

When we transform ourselvesThe World will be Transformed

Gayatri Teerth, ShantikunjHaridwar (Uttarakhand) 249411 INDIA

• • Birth Centenary of Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya - The Architect of Thought Renaissance

Ph. - 91-1334-260602, 260309, 261328 FAX - 01334-260866

Website: www.awgp.org Email: shantikunj@awgp.org

Gayatri Gyan KendraLong IslandUSA

Date: April 28, 2014

Dear children,Greetings from Shantikunj. Today we are living in a scientific age of 21st century, where we have everything; except an

exemplary life like Bhagat Singh, Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lokmanya Tilak and Swami Vivekananda. The

global population is increasing day by day but we do have very less people with noble character. Our personality is

always referred to our ‘Thought, Character and Action’. The Bal Sanskar Shala is an initiative to infuse fearlessness,

cheerfulness and self confidence in your lives. We hope, this program will make you cognizant of your duties towards

parents, teachers, elders, society and the nation and world at large.

The purpose of Bal Sanskar Shala is to encourage your own inherent talents. Also explore, enrich and enhance your

hidden potentials to help you understand the noble art of living and educate you about our glorious culture to

illuminate your inner lives. This is what we cherish and yearning for. Also we are aspirant to make you courageous to

deal with emotions. You can showcase your creativity & innovative ideas here. Bal Sanskar Shala is the need of today’s

world; mainly because we live in depleting society and schools lacking moral education and money making

educational practices due to competitive pressure.

This gives us immense pleasure to know that soon we are going to commence this year’s Bal Sanskar Shala program at

Gayatri Gyan Kendra Long Island (GGKLI). The initiative of GGKLI for nurturing the future generation as per our

ancient Gurukul tradition with determined pledge and contribution of each GGKLI parijan is highly appreciated.

Since its inception in 2006 GGKLI is highly committed on spreading the vision and wisdom of Pt. Sriram Sharma

Acharya and bringing divinity among children. We are delighted to note that a good number of youngsters have been

enrolled for this session. Our New Jersey, Stamford, Chicago, California, Texas centers also running very successful

Bal Sanskar Shala program. We appeal to all parijans to come forward and take initiative to run this program in other

parts of USA.

The idea of taking admission in Bal Sanskar Shala is highly appreciable. We welcome all new comers and their parents

as our own family member and invite kids of new generation. May Gurusatta shower their subtle blessings on all of

you for running a very successful program of this year. Accept loving remembrance from me and Jiji.

Bal Sanskar ShalaExplore! Enrich!! Enhance!!!

May 1, 2014

Dear Parents,

is a unique Bal Sanskar Shala (Sunday school) run by Long Island Chapter of AA

World Gayatri Pariwar. GGKLI is offering unique teaching program to young generation on the basis of scientific spirituality. Students

also learn Yoga, Meditaion, Pranayam, Indian Culture, Vedic Math, Hindi and Gujarati Languages. GGKLI is not merely a school. It is a

unique Bal Sanskar Shala on Long Island, which is modeled on the ancient principles of the “Gurukul” system run by the great Rishis and

Sages of the past. GGKLI is working towards unleashing the immense potential of the younger generation and directing it onto a righteous

path. It is committed to providing an excellent moral, cultural, and spiritual environment for our youngsters. GGKLI’s broad based

teaching curriculum includes Development of Sanskars (Character Building), Health (Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation), Art of Living,

Service to Society, Sanatan Dharma, and Divine Rishi Indian Culture. Focus is given to developing faith, compassion, devotion and

prudence in children. Another important component of GGKLI is fostering family life by nurturing five basic code of conduct in children

like industriousness, orderliness, serenity, cooperation and wise spending habits. The entire teaching program is framed with a view to

teach more spirituality based on science rather than rituals. The students in GGKLI also learn two Indian languages –Hindi and Gujarati

besides the above subjects. The Indian Cultures and scientific Spirituality class is divided into 7 levels depending on the school grade level

and age of the student. Hindi and Gujarati are also taught at 6 and 5 levels respectively. Students from Kindergarten(5 years) to High

School level (15 Years) can register for the program. GGKLI started in 2006 with only 20 students. Today within GGKLI has an

enrollment of 180 students for the year 2013- 14 school year. In order to accept all of our incoming students we have rented 12 state of the

art classrooms and one big Gymnasium of St. Anthony’s High School, South Huntington, New York for the year 2014-15. We expect to

reach more than 250 students enrollment in the next school year. GGKLI is projecting enrollment of 500 students in coming 5 years and

also planning to cater to each and every deserving youngster of Long Island in future.

Some of the achievements and highlights from our Balsanskarshala include students’ commitment for the social services and environment

of this planet. They donated $ 2,011 for tree plantation in India, planted tulsi plants/pine trees, and donated their time in beautifying

grounds of St. Anthony. Over the years, our students have raised funds for many charities and natural disasters by collecting money,

clothing, food items, and books. Our students collectively have sponsored two students in India to go to college. Our youngest student who

is 5 years old earned money by doing extra chores and collected $5 which he donated for students in India. To us this is more than rich people

donating millions of dollars. We have shaped his future and the love of giving at this young age. Another student asked all his family and

friends to donate money to his charity rather than gifts for his birthday and thus donated $360. Our students volunteer countless hours to

various charities, Asian American Associations, Gujarati Samaj of NY, and Shanti Fund organization. They take part in numerous

performances at various places in NY and NJ to promote pride in Indian Culture. Highlight of GGKLI can be seen in student motivation

to donate their time, talent and resources for their younger peers. We have students from Group 6 who initiated before school clubs such as

Drama club, Art club and Newspaper Club. One of our alumni student offered to be Yoga Instructor for all the students this year. Students

have also played key role in presenting workshops, Power Point presentations, Exhibitions on Sanatan Dharma, Swami Vivekandand,

Vedas, and other scriptures, along with participation in Jeapordy Quizz balls, debates, speech competitions.

The entire GGKLI is a non-profit organization that is run by the teacher and parent volunteers. GGKLI is where it is today due to the

dedication and countless hours put forth by the many volunteers of the Gayatri Pariwar of Long Island. As we enter the 9th year of our

existence, we are expecting more challenges ahead in the future. The road ahead is not an easy one, but certainly achievable with hard work

and cooperation of all of our parents, students and volunteers. We see your support as the key catalyst to this endeavor and it will be even

more important in the future. Let us all work together to impart the best knowledge and cultural gems to our future generation, and make

the 21st Century into a bright century.

Best Regards,

Volunteers of GGKLI

Gayatri Gyan Kendra of Long Island (GGKLI),

2

Pandit shriram sharma acharya’s Promise to Mould Children:

We have everything in our country; except a

real person. As it is, we have a lot of people.

The population is also increasing day by day

but we do not have people with good charac-

ter. In today’s world, we do not have Gandhi or

Subhashchandra Bose or Lokmanya Tilak or

Swami Vivekananda. That is OK. I will mould

them and I will do that after I quit this physi-

cal body. There is nothing to worry about. I

will get it done by you. You won’t have to do

anything. I will bring kids of new generation

to you. You will sit with them, tell them good

stories, make them do sadhanas. I will do the

rest. You fix the physical and I will fix the sub-

tle. As it is your responsibility to correct the

physical activities, so is it my responsibility to

correct the subtle.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION :

When we transform ourselves, The World will be transformed

Difficulties are opportunities for inner growth. 3

About Acharya Shriram Sharma

Acharyashri started a monthly magazine “Akhand Jyoti” in Hindi on Vasant Parva, 1937 which has now a circulation of more than 5

million in Hindi and various other Indian languages. Besides translations of and commentaries on Vedas, Upnishadas, Smritis,

Darshans and Puranas, he wrote four volumes of Pragya Purana, thousands of books and booklets on all aspects of upliftment of

human life. Although true evaluation of Acharyaji’s greatness has to be left to the historians, one can have a glimpse of his divine

personality by going through the stupendous corpus of his writings which is being published in 108 volumes, titled “Vangmaya”

(Complete Works of Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya), seventy of these have already been published. The Brahmavarchas Research

Institutes of Shantikung, Haridwar is a living testimony to Acharyaji’s pre-eminence as a great teacher, combining in him the

Ever Since the beginning of Vedic Era chanting of Gayatri Mantra, Gayatri Sadhana and

Yagya have been considered the most potent means of invoking divine energies, latent in

the deeper consciousness of human beings, for the refinement, upliftment and wellbeing

of individuals as well as the society. However, with the passage of time, especially during

the dark medieval ages of feudalism and foreign domination, their came about a general

all round decline of ethical, moral and social values. As a result, Vedic rituals, modes of

worship and prayer underwent gross distortions at the hands of the priestly class. It was

sought to be made out through these percented interpretations that Gayatri Mantra.

Gayatri Sadhana and Yagna were the exclusive prerogatives of the male members of one

particular caste, the Brahmans. Women were strictly forbidden to take up Gayatri

Sadhana. They pronounced that Gayatri Sadhana, according to the scriptures, was a

secret doctrine and Mantra could not be chanted audibly. Such retrograde orthodoxy and

the pomp, pelf and ostentation which were introduced into the modes of worship led to

the undermining of faith in Vedic Dharma.

It was against this book-drop that there appeared on the scene a pioneer of spiritual

renaissance and the guiding spirit behind the reformation programme for a resurgent

society, the seer-saint scholar, Yugrishi Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. He was born on

September 20, 1911 in village Anwalkheda, District Agra (U.P.) He was formally initiated

into Gayatri Sadhana at the tender age of eight, by the great nationalist leader, Pandit

Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Benaras Hindu University in 1926, at the age of

fifteen, when he was doing Gayatri Mantra Jap in the early hours of the auspicious Vasant

Panchami day, the great Himalayan Yogi, Swami Sarveshwaranandaji, who is living in his

astral body for the past many counturies, appeared in Acharyaji’s room of worship as an

apparition of dazzling light and revealed to the latter glimpses of his three earlier

incarnations and the mission of present birth. Intuitively recognizing this great Yogi as his

divine Guru, Acharyashri totally surrendered himself to him and unquestioningly and

scrupulously carried out his biddings throughout his life.

As instructed by the divine Master Acharyashri performed twenty-four

Mahapurashcharans (each of 2.4 million recitation of Gatatri Mantra) in twenty-four

years in front of an incessantly lit lamp (Akhand Deep), which has been kept so lit ever

since and can be seen in Shantikunk in his Sadhanasthali. During this period he strictly

observed prescribed devout austerities.

He was actively involved as a freedom fighter, spent some time at Gandhiji’s Sabarmati

Ashram as a volunteer and went to jail a number of times as a political activist. He visited

his divine Guru’s retreat in the high Himalayas four times for intensive tapsaya and

Sadhana for self-transformation under the master’s direct guidance.

penetrating vision of a seer and a superbly refined intellect of an original scientist. With a view to

accelerating the process of transformation of human consciousness from the astral plane this great

worshipper of Gayatri, after leading an illustrious life of 80 years voluntarily shed his physical sheath

on Gayatri Jayanti day on June 2, 1990.

It is possible

to reform a

person not by

ridicule but by

giving him an

opportunity to

think afresh and

change himself.

4

All World Gayatri Pariwar – At a Glance

Forget the past, be vigilant of the present, and await the bright future.

Aims & Objectives:

• Rise of divinity in man, descent of heaven on earth

• Individual, familial and social upliftment

• Healthy body, pure mind and civilized society

• Atmavat sarvabhooteshu (all living beings are soulkins), Vashudhaiv kutumbkam (Entire earth is our family)

• One nation, one language, one religion, one government

Declaration and initiation of the Yojana (Plan) by:

• Yug-rishi (Seer-sage of present era), Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya

• Vandaniya Mata (Revered Mother) Bhagwati Devi Sharma

Three Pillars of Strength:

• Plan and power of God

• Guidance and Protection of Rishis (Seers)

• Active cooperation of virtuous people

Two Rules for Self-refinement:

• Noble deeds flow out of noble thoughts

• Simple living- High thinking

Basic Programs:

• Moral, intellectual and social transformation

• Public education through various media, using the religious platform

• Dissemination of Gayatri (collective wisdom) and

• Yagya (cooperative virtuous demeanor)

Our Declaration:

• Twenty-first Century- Heralds advent of Golden age will lead to global refinement.

• Love humanity – Serve humanity

Our Emblem:

• Red Torch – Power ful collective effort for Era-transformation

Our Manifesto:

• 18 pledges for individual and collective refinement

Four Formulae for Fulfilling Life:

• Sadhana (Self-refinement)

• Swadhyaya (Study of enlightening literature)

• Sanyam (Self-control)

• Seva (Service)

Three Means of Spiritual Awakening:

• Upasana (Worshipful prayer)

• Sadhana (Self-refinement)

• Aradhana (Service of society as embodiment of Cosmic Divinity)

Four Virtues Needed for Purposeful Life:

• Prudence

• Honesty

• Responsibility

• Courage

Four Pillars of Powerful Life:

• Control of Senses

• Judicious use of Money

• Judicious use of Time

• Focused Thoughts

Four Steps for Soul-growth:

• Self-introspection

• Self-refinement

• Self-development

• Self-realization

Five Codes of Conduct for Nurturing a Family:

• Industriousness

• Orderliness

• Serenity

• Cooperation

• Frugality

Refine the Three : Physical, subtle and causal bodies

Devoutly Practice the Three:

• Gyanyoga (Attainment of true knowledge)

• Karmayoga (Selfless per formance of duties)

• Bhaktiyoga (Selfless surrender to Divine Will)

Integrate the Three : Emotion, thought and action

Develop the Three : Faith, prudence and devotion

Improve the Three : Habits, deeds and nature

Abandon the Three:

• Greed, attachment and egoism

• Passion, longing and arrogance

• Desires for progeny, wealth, name and fame

Acquire and maintain the three:

• Ojas (Vigor, vitality)

• Tejas (Splendor)

• Varchas (Effulgence)

Pay due respect to the three: Saint, social reformer and martyr

Seven Campaigns:

1. Sadhana; 2. Education and health; 3. Self-reliance;

4. Women’s empowerment and awakening; 5. Environmental protection;

6. Deliverance from addictions; 7. Eradication of evil customs.

Our Campaign:

• Vichar Kranti Abhiyan (Campaign for Revolutionizing the Thought Process) through a three-pronged approach:

• Advertising campaign: To send the message of ‘Ushering in of New Era’ to the masses

Creative campaign:

To get active cooperation of intelligentsia in the process of new creation

Combative campaign:

To overcome the obstacles coming in the way of achievement of our aim.

5

Vedic Sanatana Hindu Dharma

Poster presentation by our Culture Group V Students onVedic Sanatana Hindu Dharma

Vedic Hindu Santana Dharma, the world’s oldest religion, is based on the Vedas. Sanatana denotes that which is eternal, without beginning or end. Dharma is to exist and defines a code of conduct encompassing righteousness, harmony and compassion. The term Hindu refers to ancient settlers by the river Sindhu that practiced this culture.

Chandni Patel Poster by Kreena Totala

Kushi Patel Mr. Prakash Totala and Rithika Narayan

If God gives pain to somebody, it is only for a good purpose.

6

CULTURE CLASSES

Culture, Gujaratiand Hindi KG GroupTeachers: Ms. Anjali Awasthi, Ms. Sharada Patel, Ms. Ranjan Desai

Zill Acharya,Krisha Amin, Eesha Butani, Kanisha Dass, Anayah Desai, Saanvi Gawde, Arnav Jain, Jaya Lauricella, Shlok Parekh, Aadi Patel, Aarushi Patel, Aditya Patel, Ananya Patel, Anjli Patel, Uma Patel, Nandini Ramesh, Khoshal Rametra, Anyaa Mahtani, Rishika Surana, Reva Surjan, Anjali Tooley, Ariana Mascarelli, Sohan Tailor, Anushka Dass, Diya Mahtani.

Culture Group 1Teachers: Ms. Purnima, Ms. Deepa Totala

Arjun Airen, Rish Bansal, Soham Dalvi, Pankti Gala, Jhanvi Gambhir, Kareena Khahera, Aadi Mehta, Tirth Mehta, Natasha Mishra, Krish Modi, Aryan Patel, Pratham Patel, Prina Patel, Sanjay Potluri, Aesha Shah, Akshan Shah, Mantra Sharma, Krish Totala, Aneira Vundecode, Mohit Mehta, Anusha Shah.

Culture Group 2Teachers: Ms. Tejal Raval.Ms. Deepa Panchal,

Ved Acharya, Ayush Desai, Rishabh Dholakia, Riddhi Jain, Krish Jaiswal, Dahlia Jhaveri, Bhavana Kakumanu, Aneira Kalahasti, Agastya Malhotra, Arya Mehta, Dhruv Modi, Kshan Pandey, Alisha Rametra, Pariket Raval, Siddharth Reddy, Sidharth Rojinedar, Rhea Shah, Roma Shah, Rachna Singh, Arya Tooley.

Forget the past, be vigilant of the present, and await the bright future.

7

Culture Group 3Teachers: Mr. Bharat Kakumanu, Mr. Mafat Patel

Vedanti Amin, Samir Batheja, Kaustubh Benkal, Viti Chandra, Maya Cook, Nikita Cook, Prisha Dass, Shivam Datta, Rishi Gill, Nikhita Kapoor, Varsha Kumar, Tasmey Makwana, Mahek Parekh, Anuj Patel, Krisha Patel, Samaira Pawa, Sruthi Potluri, Tara Sheth, Kartik Singh, Priyansh Singh, Diya Vasani, Vedant Vyas, Arnav Hak.

Soar high, you will see great depths.

The whole school is so cool. The classes are fun and awesome. My teacher is the best.

Prina, Tirth, Aneri

I like GGKLI because I learn about Hindu Culture, Yoga, Vedic Math, Yoga, Ramayana, Hindi and Gujarati and the school is lots of fun.

Risha, Pankti, Mantra,Jhanvi, Natasha, Mahek, Aryan,

Arjun, Pratham, Tasmey,Krish, Shivam,

Viti, Maya, Nikita.

I learned about not being greedy. It taught me that if you are too greedy, nobody will like you and you will not feel good about getting the stuff. You will feel good only of you earned it.Mansi Airen

In culture 4, I learned that all the principles of Yama and Niyama are all about controlling your mind, senses, body, words, actions, or desire. Controlling them will also get you closer to the God. It was fun learning about all these principles this year.

Ruchita Channapatna

Culture Group 4Teachers: Ms. Bhavana Makadia, Ms. Hina Shah

Mansi Airen, Prisha Arora, Ruchith Channapatna, Suchitha Channapatna, Pranav Dendukuri, Sanjit Gunasekaran, Shreya Makavana, Himani Mattoo, Aman Mistry, Julia Mody, Sara Mody, Sahil Parikh, Avinash Patel, Deep Shah,Neil Shah, Nandini Singh, Neil Singh, Shreya Sriram, Arnav Surjan, Anika Varma, Ankitha Vinod.

Sin is what separates man from God.8

Culture Group 5

Teachers: Ms. Gopi Udeshi, Mr. Pravin Kapadia

Aarushi Basmatkar, Shriya Bansal, Mansha Bhatnagar, Aaryan Chandra, Anoushka Dalvi, Dev Dokania, Yash Gupta, Vikram Kakumanu, Mansi Kothari, Smit Kothari, Sagar Makavana, Aashi Mehta, Arjun Mehta, Jalaj Mehta, Parth Merai, Laura Mody, Rithika Narayan, Ikshu Pandey, Aryan Patel, Chandni Patel, Ishaan Patel, Khushi Patel, Shivani Patel, Gokul Ramesh, Tanay Rametra, Sneha Rawat, Parth Shah, Rahul Shah, Ria Shah, Vyom Shah, Aneesh Sharma, Neel Sheth, Neeya Shetty, Kunal Singh, Roshni Singh, Dhanush Sivasankaran, Neil Sridhar, Shubh Thaker, Kreena Totala, Diya Varma, Arpitha Vinod, Isha Vyas.

This year in culture Class, we learned about Vedic Sanatana Hindu Dharma. Vedic means coming from Vedas. Sanatana means eternal or never beginning and never ending. Hindu is the name of our religion. Dharma is much more wider than religion. Practice reflects Dharma. Your Dharma is your way of life. We also learned that one who is born must die. Nothing is forever except God. Something that interested me was that our body is both real and not real. Life is like a dream. What you see with your eyes is relatively real. The only thing that is real is our soul because it is a part of God. God is in us. We have ever y power that God has! We can awaken our inner powers through meditation and yoga. We learned about 5 tenets of Vedanta Philosophy. One quote we learned was: “You cannot believe in God unless you believe in yourself” This means that since you have a soul in you and the soul is a par t of God, if you don’t believe in yourself, you don’t believe in God.

Ikshu PandeyCulture Group 5

In culture Group 5, I learned many things. I learned Vedic Sanatana Hindu Dharma. I learned that there are four Vedas. I also learned Vedanta Philosophy. I learned that Brahman is the ultimate reality. Our bodies are not real, only our souls are real. Everything that is born has to die. We have a very nice teacher. We learn many things in Culture Class.

Ria ShahCulture Group 5

Listen to what others say but have the courage to make your own judgment and walk the righteous path. 9

Culture Group 6

Teacher: Ms. Pragna Patel

Shimona Agarwal, Jahnavi Arora, Selvi Chhabra, Nandita Gandhi, Sucheta Gandhi, Kushagra Jaiswal, Hemani Kapoor, vishrath Kumar, Vineet Malhotra, Priyanka Mehta, Simran Mistry, Yash Modi, Shreya Parikh, Kanan Patel, Roshni Patel, Priyansh Raval, Vishal Rawat, Nikita Shah, Shrey Shah, Kinjal Sharma, Tannya Singh, Sudhakar Sood, Tania Sood, Shrey Thaker, Sunil Yadav, Neil Issacoff, Shriya Patel, Dhwani Patel,Rehan Hak.

iL

et i

I l ke GGK I b cause i s an

ingpp rt

y o ea

amaz o

o unit t l rn

bo tr

e n whe e y

a u you cultur a dr ou

ce f

.e so m

r e d

om rom I m t any f i n s

from d t i

mn

GGKLI an i s so uch fu

to b w h h mally

e

e it t e . I re lov Yoga

cs

lasse

an M

a

Priyka

eht

2014 culture class in GGKLI was truly astonishing. What it has taught me is truly applicable in life. One can feel the success coming out of the class room. Priceless knowledge comes through Devine minds of out teachers. It is not knowledge I have attained, but I have learned truth.

h e Tha a

S r y k rSh ey Parikhr a

I lear d he t r e l ws

ne t

h ea

of

arm s an thave y

Ka

dt e

r

mt is new

cae

mo en

beus

e eryng c

ge T e

vthi

hans. h

werP ntese t i

t

Pooi pr

n at ons le

e t ke thi gs ere i

ma n

to nsu n my

lif .e

Be busy like a bee, be discriminative like a swan and be patient like a crane.10

HINDI CLASSES

Teacher: Ms. Rekha Rawat, Harinath Mishra (not pictured)

Shimona Agarwal, Shriya Bansal, Ruchitha Channapatna, Suchitha Channapatna, Anoushka Dalvi, Shivam Datta, Ayush Desai, Vikram Kakumanu, Hemani Kapoor, Nikhita Kapoor, Yash Modi, Ikshu Pandey, Ikshan Pandey, Gokul Ramesh, Tanay Rametra, Dhanush Sivasankaran, Neil Sridhar, Kreena Totala, Anika Varma, Diya Varma, Ankitha Vinod, Arpitha Vinod, Varsha Kumar, Aneesh Sharma, Shruthi Potluri, Kartik singh, Rachna Singh.

Hindi Group 3 e e wri e s f w r sI njoy d ting the lett r and orming o d

i .in H ndi

-Ankita Vinod

Teacher: Ms. Deepa Totala, Mr. Prakash Totala (not pictured)

Arjun Airen, Rish Bansal, Aaryan Chandra, Soham Dalvi, Jhanvi Gambhir, Rishi Gill, Rehan Hak, Riddhi Jain, Krish Jaiswal, Bhavana Kakumanu, Kareena Khahera, Himani Mattoo, Natasha Mishra, Sanjay Potluri, Alisha Rametra, Siddharth Reddy, Sidharth Rojinedar, Neel Sheth, Tara Sheth, Reva Surjan, Anjali Tooley, Arya Tooley, Krish Totala.

Hindi Group 2

my i ss e o en t r n sta i gIn Hind cla I hav g tt a be te u der nd n of i l ua o n e s t aHind ang ge, w rds a d l tter . The e chers have ta g e so tho hl a so m I a m r

u ht m roug y nd uch. have le rned o e e o d jo he c r than I ev r w uld if I id not in GGKLI. T tea he se n w o sta i e i o a u und rsta d ho t e blish a w d r Hind v c b lary for a the . I w l i tha my r u r the ll students ou d l ke to nk Gu fo e n n l v g e n e .

i m m s e k o w e d g e t h e y h a e i v mi tt o-H mani Ma o

Teacher: Mr. Ruchi(not pictured) & Anuj Airen

Eesha Butani, Maya Cook, Nikita Cook, Kanisha Dass, Prisha Dass, Pranav Dendukuri, Pankti Gala, Saanvi Gawde, Arnav Jain, Khoshal Rametra, Aneira Vundecode, Arnav Hak, Anayah Desai, Diya Mahtani, Anishka Dass, Ariana Mascorelli, Nandini Ramesh.

Hindi Group 1I liked the vi eo we w tched in H ndi c ass wh c

d a i l i h

h l d e earn the v g table name in ind .e pe m l e e s H i

- Pr n v Den uk ria a d u

Prayer is a movement from mastery to mystery. 11

Teacher: Ms. Anita Chabra

Mansi Airen, Selvi Chhabra, Dev Dokania, Yash Gupta, Neil Issacoff, Anjali Mishra, Sneha Rawat, Vishal Rawat, Neil Shah, Nandini Singh, Neil Singh, Roshni Singh, Tannya Singh, Sudhakar Sood, Tania Sood, Rohan Surana.

Hindi Group 6 I ik e w l arned a o t poem , re dl ed it wh n e e b u s cite

a morize th m. l ked th m b c s ond me d e I i e e au e f

e th o eth rhy m f th m.

Ma s i- n i A ren

Teacher: Ms. Priya Singh, Eva Nyati (not pictured)

Aarushi Basmatkar, Kaustubh Benkal, Mansha Bhatnagar, Viti Chandra, Sanjit Gunasekaran, Vineet Malhotra, Agastya Mittal, Neeya Shetty, Kartik Singh, Rachna Singh, Arnav Surjan.

Hindi Group 4My favorite part about Hindi 4 was learning

fall the names o animals in Hindi.

- Arnav Surjan

Teacher: Ms. Monica Sood(not pictured), Ms.Ila Nigam

Jahnavi Arora, Prisha Arora, Kushagra Jaiswal, Rithika Narayan, Kunal Singh, Priyansh Singh, Shreya Sriram.

Hindi Group 5

I can now eak, read and write n Hindi, han s sp i t k to

Hin i lessons t GGKL .d a I- i hika NarayanR t

To make another hold his tongue, be you first silent.12

GUJARATI CLASSES

Gujarati Group 1

Teachers: Ms. Purnima Kapadia, Ms.Sucheta Naik

Ved Archarya, Tasmey Makwana, Aadi Mehta, Arya Mehta, Tirth Mehta, Arushi Modi, Krish Modi, Julia Modi, Laura Modi, Sara Modi, Mahek Parekh, Anuj Patel, Aryan Patel, Aryan Patel, Pratham Patel, Prina Patel, Pariket Patel, Aesha Shah, Akshan Shah, Rhea Shah, Diya Vasani, Vedant Vyas, Shreya Patel, Mohit Mehta, Mantra Sharma, Rajiv Shah, Anisha.

Gujarati Group 2

Teachers: Ms. Deepa Panchal, Ms. Tejal Raval

Shivani Patel, Kanan Patel, Krisha Patel, Dahlia Jhaveri, Rishabh Dholakia, Parth Shah, Vedanti Amin, Deep Shah, Sahill Yadav, Sucheta Gandhi.

It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen. 13

Gujarati Group 3Teachers: Prasun Vyas, Riya Vyas (Assistant)

Smit Kothari, Arjun Mehta, Sahil Parikh, Ishaan Patel, Kushi Patel, Priyanka Raval, Vyom Shah.

Gujarati Group 4Teachers: Ms. Bhavana Makadia, Ms. Hina Shah

Ria Shah, Sagar Makavana, Jalaj Mehta, Rahul shah, Simran Mistry, Nikita Shah, Aman Mistry, Isha Vyas, Chandni Patel, Priyanka Mehta, Mansi Kothari.

Gujarati Group 5Teacher: Mr. Ashok Makadia

Parth Merai, Shrey Thaker, Shubh Thaker, Roshani Patel, Shreya Parikh, Shrey Shah.

I nj y w i ing l e and m i. e o ed r t the ett rs for ing words in Hind

n t -A ki a Vinod

u ng

D ri 2014 Gujarati class has taught me many diverse

p c y t e l e to ics of the diale t. Being m na iv anguag , it was

l n aimperative I earn the language just as I lear Sp nish

t min school. By learning his language, I can express y

u e w l va .c ltur ith this cu ti ting experience

r- By Shrey Thake

God does not ask for success but for effort.14

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Vasant Panchami Celebrations

Gayatri Mahayagna

I loved Gandhiji’s storiesabout “Truth” and “Nonviolence”

. They inspired meto tell the truth and not to

hurt people physicallyor mentally.

-Pranav Dendukuri

Gandhi Jayanti Celebrations

A wise man’s day is worth a fool’s life. 15

Republic Day Celebrations

Vivekananda JayantiCelebrations

Culture 4 class taught me principles, not to be greedy

and be thankful of whatever I have. This class taught me to handle different situations.

-Anika Varma

Brahmacharya means control of senses. I learned about

Brahmacharya and nonviolence. My brother and I used to fight. The next time when we fought I said let

us forgive and forget, let us not fight or hit each other.

-Nandini Singh

The first lesson of spirituality is to ask: Who am I and what am I ?16

Distribution of Certificate of Merit

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Tratak Dhyan at Sadhana Camp Holi Celebrations 2014

When I learned the Yama and Niyama Principles, I learned new ways to step to the land of Gods. I learned to become better person and establish a better personality. I made new friends and learned new things

that I am sure will help in my later life. I am thankful to my guru who taught me these things.- Himani Matoo

If you plant a seed and dig it up daily to see if it is growing, it will never take roots. 17

Holi Celebrations 2014

I enjoyed learning about Tapasya in culture class. I got to put it in practice by fasting on Ramnavami.I learned how hungry I was and how much

I wanted to eat cooked food.- Aman Mistry

Multi-faith prayer

Wisdom is the constant effort to be better tomorrow then we are today.

YOGA CLASS

Children from all groups start the day by doing Yoga. Simple asanas and exercises include Suryanamaskar, Vrikshasan and Pranayam among others. These exercises per formed by our students under the guidance of their teach improves circulation and flexibility while helping them focus on the

upcoming activities for the day. Yoga also builds a sense of unity and discipline.

18

There are three things worth having in the world: Love, courage and fun.

VEDIC MATH

Vedic Math Level 1

In this class students learned about 5 sutras and few sub-sutras. Goal of this class is for the students to

mentally add & subtract at least 2 and 3 digit numbers and multiply 2 digit numbers. This class will also cover

adding , subtracting and multiplying numbers close to a base - along with introducing the principal of division

as a function of reversing multiplication.

Vedic Math Level 2

The goal of the class is to introduce the math subject with different angels and come to the same conclusion

with speed and precision. We compare it with the core-curriculum as students at this age question the

usefulness and importance of the system which could also help with the AMC exams or any other competitive

exams. The students pick up at a faster pace after they are very well prepared at level 1. Students learn all

depth and breath of Multiplication, Squares, Square-root, Division, pre-Algebra and some trigonometry

depending upon the age and ability of the group.

The Vedic Math Class taught by Meghana Laddha, Nayana Mehta and Prakash Totala

Vedic Mathematics is the name given to the ancient system of Mathematics which was rediscovered

from the Vedas between 1911 and 1918 by Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji (1884-1960).

According to his research all of mathematics is based on sixteen Sutras or word-formulae.

19

Ingratitude is a virulent disease of the soul.

GEETA LECTURES

Srimad Bhagwad Geeta

The Nector of Celestial VisionSrimad Bhagwad Geeta was emanated from the Lotus Lips of Lord Krishna in the battle field of Kurukhestra

(Punjab)-India approximately 5000 years ago. Srimad Bhagwad Geeta is Brahm Gyan. Srimad Bhagwad Geeta

is Yog Shastra. It is the juice of all the Vedas, Upnishdhas, Shastras and Purans. It is the fountain of whole

spirituality. Its teachings are applicable to the whole populace of the world, irrespective of color, caste, creed

and/or national origin. It is the GPS of this life and life-after-life. It is an ocean of knowledge. It is the celestial

vision of the Creator. Srimad Bhagwad Geeta is a Divine Wisdom.

Srimad Bhagwad Geeta is a science of [Mind]. Once we understand and digest its mechanism and subtlety, our

perception changes. Every person is [Divine] because Lord Krishna says that [He] is seated in the heart of

everybody. We have to develop profound conviction in this sacred principle. Once we nourish and cultivate this

idea in our daily life, our whole life would be revolutionized. We will stop hating anyone. We will not hurt people

through our speech and action. We will become more compassionate, more empathetic, more helpful and less

selfish.

GGKLI has been conducting Srimad Bhagwad Geeta classes since September 15, 2013 to the parents of

students. The Divine Teachings of Srimad Bhagwad Geeta have also been shared with the senior students of

(GGKLI). It is imperative for the Parents and senior students to continue to attend Srimad Bhagwad Geeta

classes. In order to achieve that lofty goal, the Academic Committee of GGKLI, has envisioned making Srimad

Bhagwat Geeta class a part of new academic year (2014-15).

20

A problem avoided is a blessing deferred.

DRAMA

This year, at Gayatri Gyan Kendra of Long Island, we started a drama club. This club allows kids to perform and have fun with their friends on stage, while creating memories. Not only this, but, a child who participates in the drama club learns public speaking while having fun. Public speaking is an important life skill that will help everyone, and in the drama club, these kids

have the chance to grasp and absorb this skill at a young age. We write scripts that relate to our Indian heritage and our culture, so that these children have an opportunity to get to know our culture more closely. Session 1 was a play on Gandhiji’s Life and Session 2 is a fable from the Panchtantra tales.

Teacher: Ms. Jahnvi Arora

ART

Teacher: Ms.Shimona Agarwal

Pablo Picasso once said that “Every child is an artist,” and he was telling the truth. So this year at GGKLI we started an art club. This art club takes place before classes start and provides an exciting opportunity for kids to learn how to draw and expand their knowledge on art. During each class the kids learn to draw something with step- by-step instructions. They’ve learned how to make the God Ganesha and Diyas for Diwali to Santa Claus for Christmas time. Furthermore, the children learn drawing tips on how to improve their drawings and ways to use shading

techniques in order to create more realistic images. Not only does this class teach students, but it also increases their confidence and self-satisfaction and sense of fulfillment. There’s nothing better than to see the image they are making come true on paper.

21

The biggest enemies of happiness are our obsessive desires.

HEALTH NOTES

This past year we have been extremely fortunate to have a great team of medical professionals who have volunteered their time to GGKLI providing medical knowledge and expertise in a variety of medical subspecialties to our parents and our GGKLI students. We truly appreciate their commitment. - Ms. Nita Mehta

Dr. Makadia gave a presentation about Oral Hygiene. He explained why oral hygiene is important at any age in order to prevent other systemic diseases. Dental care starting from the time baby gets first tooth was discussed. It covered importance of brushing, flossing, healthy diet without sugar and soft drinks, and importance of milk. Dental treatments such as teeth cleaning in a dentist’s office, fillings, braces, implants etc. were discussed. Tips for the dental emergencies at home or school were discussed to educate the students and parents.

Ashok Makadia, Dentistry

Dr. Mehta reviewed the common eye problems in adults including presbyopia, cataracts, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease. She discussed with both parents and children the basics of eye anatomy and function. Tips for good eye care for in adults and kids were outlined including eating well, sun protection, control of medical conditions, and regular visits to the ophthalmogist.

Nita Mehta, Ophthalmology

Dr Shah’s topic centered around Osteoarthritis and related joint diseases. Preventative strategies and pharmacological treatments for symptoms were explained. Moreover, keys to optimizing bone health through lifestyle modifications such as exercise and diet were discussed with the parents and emphasized to the students.

Kamini Shah, Rheumatology

Purpose of Dr. Gandhi’s lecture was to increase awareness of infectious diseases including its history, treatment, and prevention. He outlined common types of bacterial and viral infections, especially for young and old. He provided to our parents useful tips for traveling and the necessary immunizations for the elderly family members. He reviewed with our students safe practices to protect from infections, including the need for effective hand washing.

Dr. Sandeep Gandhi, Infectious Disease

22

Our thoughts hold the power to build, bend, or break our circumstances.

HEALTH NOTES

Dr. Patel’s presentation highlighted the common pediatric problems including colds, allergies, and picky eating. She emphasized things to look out for if your child is ill and when to call your doctor. She stressed the significance of immunizations and protection against injuries. She also discussed with parents the epidemic problem of school bulling and provided a stepwise approach for reporting bullying. She outlined for our children the importance of eating healthy and staying active.

Ekta Patel, Pediatrics

Dr. Doshi reviewed the common medical conditions of diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity as part of the metabolic syndrome. She described each condition with its complications and treatment plan. She went over childhood obesity as a national health issue and provided recommendations to both our students and parents for controlling these conditions.

Tina Doshi, Family Medicine

Priyanka, age 14, certified in CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) reviewed the basic steps in providing CPR to adults and children. She demonstrated to students and parents thru the use of a CPR mannequin the techniques of maintaining proper airway, breathing, and chest compressions and the use the AED (Automated External Defibrillator). Priyanka feels strongly that everyone can learn CPR since this valuable skill can save a life.

Priyanka Mehta, GGKLI Senior Student

Dr. Jhaveri ‘s upcoming lecture focuses on kidney disease. His talk discusses the function of the kidneys in our bodies and how chronic illness such as high blood pressure and diabetes can lead to long term kidney damage. His goal is to highlight control and prevention of these medical conditions for good health and long life.

Kenar Jhaveri, Nephrology

23

He alone is wise who knows how to repair the broken and heal the wounded.24

GGKLI maintains an extensive library of books and periodicals in multiple languages - Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, English, Punjabi, Oriya, Tamil, Bengali, Nepali and Marathi.

Also available in the library are books written by Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya covering topics ranging from the Gayatri Mantra, Meaning of Gayatri Mantra on a Scientific Spirituality basis, Vedas (explained in lucid language understandable by a layman), Personality Development, Yoga and Health to Spiritual Enlightenment.

For class and registration information, please call:

Gayatri Gyan Kendra Of Long Island

24 Smith St, Deer Park Ny 11729

(631) 254-2749

E-mail: info@gayatripariwarli.org

http://www.gayatripariwarli.org

All World Gayatri Pariwar: http://www.awgp.org

CONTACT INFORMATION

LIBRARY

Pragna Patel 631-940-0959 Ranjan Desai 631-667-2390Anjali Awasthy 516-342-9703 Shipra Agarwal 516-605-1710Purnima Kapadia 631-254-2749 Sucheta Naik 631-242-1890Deepaben Panchal 631-493-0455 Tejal Raval 917-533-8870Mafatbhai Patel 631-377-6326 Bharat Kakumanu 631-656-5325Bhavana Makadia 631-714-4772 Hina Shah 631-424-0075Pravin Kapadia 631-741-1886 Gopi Udeshi 516-827-5936Ruchi & Anuj Airen 631-223-3589 Deepa & Prakash Totala 516-470-1335Rekha Rawat 631-406-7177 Harinath Mishra 516-579-4871Priya Singh 516-802-3599 Eva Nyati 631-482-7628Monica Sood 516-495-9134 Ila Nigam 516-935-3443Anita Chabria 516-586-5083 Pankaj Singh 631-412-5543Sharda Patel 516-921-2621 Ekta Patel 516-802-2044Prasun Vyas 516-794-0159 Sanjay Mehta 631-366-4305Ashok Makadia 631-714-4772 Prakash Narayan 631-486-5054Parul Vyas 718-461-2712 Nayana Mehta 631-805-3179Meghna Jain 516-802-7542 Narinder Kapoor 516-496-3548Jeevan Ramesh 631-539-9247

Nilkanth Patel 631-833-9481Hiren Patel 631-327-3061Ramesh Tejpal 516-851-5599

Shilpa Narayan 631-486-5054Kaumudini Patel 631-868-3237Riya Vyas 516-794-0159Kirit Naik 631-242-1890Varun Mehta 631-805-3179Suresh Udeshi 516-304-9263Chetna Desai 631-667-2390Sangeeta Ahuja 631-940-3033

TEACHERS

VOLUNTEERS

www.gayatripariwarli.org

1. Firmly believing in the Omnipresence of God and

His Unfailing justice, we pledge to abide the

essential disciplines of Divine principles

(Dharma).

3. With a view to keeping our minds free from the

inrush of negative thoughts and emotions, we will

adopt a regular program of study of ennobling

and inspiring literature (swadhyaya) and of

keeping the company of saints (satsang).

5. We will consider ourselves inseparable parts of

the society and will see our good in the good of

all.

7. We will earnestly and firmly imbibe in our lives

the virtues of Wisdom, Honesty, Responsibility

and Courage.

9. We will prefer failure while adhering to basic

moral principles to so-called success obtained

through unfair and foul means.

2. Regarding the body as the Temple of God, we will

be ever watchful to keep it healthy and full of

vitality by adopting the principles of self-

restraint, order and harmony in our daily-lives.

4. We will vigilantly exercise strict control over our

senses, thoughts, emotions and in the spending

of our time and resources.

6. We will abide by basic moral code, refrain from

wrong doing and will discharge our duties as

citizens committed to the well-being of the

society.

8. We will constantly and sincerely endeavor to

create an environment of loving kindness,

cleanliness, simplicity and goodwill.

10. We will never evaluate a person's greatness by

his worldly success, talents and riches but by his

righteous conduct and thoughts.

11. We will never do unto others what we would not

like to be done unto us.

13. We will regularly and religiously contribute a

portion of our time, talents and resources for

spreading nobility and righteousness in the

world.

15. We will actively involve ourselves in bringing

together people of goodwill, in resisting evil and

injustice, and in promoting New Creation.

17. We firmly believe that each human being is the

maker of his own destiny. With this conviction, we

will uplift and transform ourselves and help

others in doing so. We believe the world will then

automatically change for the better.

12. Men and women while interacting with each other

will have feelings of mutual respect and

understanding based on purity of thoughts and

emotions.

16. We will remain committed to the principles of

national unity and equality of all human beings. In

our conduct, we will not make any discrimination

between person and person on the basis of caste,

creed, color, religion, region, language or sex.

18. Our Motto is: 'Hum Badalenge – Yug Badalega',

'Hama Sudharenge – Yuga Sudhrega'. The trends

of our times will transform, when we transform

ourselves. When we reform ourselves, the world

will be reformed.

14. We will give precedence to discriminating

wisdom over blind traditions.

Gayatri Gyan Kendra Of Long Island

24 Smith St, Deer Park Ny 11729

(631) 254-2749

2013-14