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Summer Camp: A Summer of Values, Virtue, and Yoga Bliss
By Danielle Santola,
8 hours ago
Credits: Namaste Heritage School
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Children ages five to 12 are invited to unleash their inner warrior this summer by joining Namaste Heritage —a Livingston-based nonprofit with a vision of nurturing young minds with a rich tapestry of Hindu heritage and inclusive values by providing kid-friendly holistic educational experiences that instill a deep sense of pride and understanding in the hearts of the next generation—for its first Bala-Bhagvatam Summer Workshop to be held from Aug. 12 to Aug. 23.
The two-week youth program, which is aimed at fostering a lifelong connection to the kids’ Hindu roots as they embark on an adventure of yoga, music, crafts, stories and more, will be held on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sai Sewa Asthan in West Orange. Aftercare is available for those who need it. Registration is now open to kids from Livingston and surrounding communities.
Vini Melwani, who will lead the program along with Namaste Heritage founder Falguni Pandya, president Shivani Baijal and vice president Sumi Pillai, explained why the upcoming program is a unique opportunity for local parents to infuse confidence, values, and heritage pride in their kids.
“As parents, we have a myriad of summer camps to choose from each year to help our children enrich themselves outside of the traditional classroom setting,” said Melwani. “What makes Namaste Heritage unique is that our curriculum is designed to imbibe our culture by immersing our children in our rich traditions, values and practices through engaging activities like storytelling, arts and crafts, music, dance and rituals, children will learn about the significance of festivals, scriptures and moral values.
“This hands-on experience will help them understand and appreciate their heritage, fostering a much deeper connection and respect for their cultural identity through immersive experiences, such as participating in traditional ceremonies, practicing yoga, Meditation, engaging in cultural crafts and learning through interactive stories and games, children not only hear about their heritage, but actually live it. This active participation helps them internalize the values, the practices and traditions, making the culture a more meaningful part of their daily lives.”
In addition to participating in yoga classes, arts & crafts, music and skits and more, children attending the Bala-Bhagvatam Summer Workshop will be guided through powerful mantras and prayers, learning not only how to recite them, but also the proper pronunciation, meaning and significance of each phrase.
According to Melwani, exploring the context in which these mantras and prayers are used will help the children “appreciate their spiritual depth and relevance.” She added that gaining a deeper understanding will foster a genuine connection to the practices and ultimately enhance their spiritual growth.
Pandya explained that the upcoming program’s fun and engaging methods of teaching the stories of Bala-Bhagvatam will also help the young participants develop critical thinking skills and build the moral compass that they use throughout their lives to “navigate the gray areas of life” and “guide them towards the path of kindness, empathy, inclusivity and being rooted in their inner confidence.”
“Bala-Bhagvatam is a group of stories, and the stories are meant to be lessons,” said Pandya. “Namaste Heritage teaches Hinduism with this contemporary context and in a modern way. Many of the traditional schools that teach the civilizational knowledge take a very traditional route of teaching a deeper, deeper scripture. We talk about the application of the scriptures, and we teach through stories because we believe that stories inspire and touch you in a way that you don't forget the lesson. It makes it more engaging.”
She also stressed the integration of yoga and meditation as part of the summer workshop, stating that yoga is “a proven and accepted tool all around the world” to create inner balance and to promote physical health, mental clarity and spiritual growth.
“Hinduism is the oldest-surviving religion in the world, and it has contributed immensely to many, many fields—spirituality being one of them, but also many fields like math and science and architecture and astronomy,” she said. “When you know your past, you are proud…So, yes, we are teaching children about this and that, but the outcome is that we want our children to have pride in their civilizational identity, and that comes from knowing their civilizational lineage or their past and that ancient wisdom.”
Praising both Pandya and Melwani for their extensive knowledge of the heritage and culture that will be taught through these activities, Baijal was enthusiastic about the group discussions that will occur as part of the curriculum and the bonds that the students will form as a result.
“The way the program is designed, it's not going to be a lecture where we just tell the story and then do arts and crafts and we're done for the day,” said Baijal. “With every story that we do, there's going to be a brainstorming session, there's going to be a Q&A, and there is going to be a live discussion with these kids. Then when they are working with their peers together, they will question each other or question the teacher and there is a certain kind of debate that happens and a learning that eventually will happen…
“When these kids are together with the same age group or a little bit older, there is a kind of bonding that happens naturally. We are inculcating that bond that will happen. Whether you are accepting the idea or refusing the idea, whatever it is, you still form a bond, and there will be friendships that form.”
Baijal emphasized for all families interested in registering for the Bala-Bhagvatam Summer Workshop that the program is intentionally designed to cater to all learning styles.
“That was very important to me as a teacher,” she said. "Every child is different, and every child has a different learning style. We have kinesthetic learners, we have audible learners, we have visual learners, and so we are trying to do all these activities in that format.
“For example, if there is a story that is being shared, but related to that story, there is also a song that one of the teachers knows and can teach that story through song. Eventually, they might enjoy the song more than the story…So we are trying to implement all these little bits and pieces to make this a very multi-intelligence kind of a program.”
In addition to the expert teachers who will lead the dynamic curriculum, local volunteers ages 14 to 18 will also be on hand to assist with the program and participate in activities. Volunteer visitors will also appear throughout the two weeks for special lessons in dance, music and more.
At the culmination of the two weeks, the children will be invited to showcase all that they have learned throughout this journey during a celebratory event.
“We will strive to motivate each and every child to embrace these lifelong practices and cultivate an understanding which promotes mindfulness, inner peace and a sense of purpose—enriching their lives beyond the camp experience and helping them carry these benefits into their everyday lives, all while building lifelong friendships with children who share similar backgrounds,” said Melwani. “We look forward to welcoming you and your family into our family at Namaste Heritage.”
Registration for Namaste Heritage’s inaugural Bala-Bhagvatam Summer Workshop is now available at an early bird rate of $175 per week per child.
Interested parents are invited to drop in for an informational Q&A session with Namaste Heritage via Zoom between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturday, July 20 using the Zoom link and passcodes shared below:
Those with additional inquiries who are unable to attend can also contact the Namaste Heritage team at NamasteHeritage@gmail.com or 973-369-5282.
The Bala-Bhagvatam Summer Workshop will be held from Aug. 12 to Aug. 23 for ages five to 12 at Sai Sewa Asthan, located at 23 Laurel Avenue in West Orange. CLICK HERE to learn more about this upcoming program, or register now at www.namasteheritage.org .
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