“The Bal Vikas is the primary basis of the great movement to restore dharma (righteousness) in the world. The elders are far gone in their ways, and it is difficult to expect change in their habits and attitudes. Children have to be led into good ways of living, into simplicity, humility and discipline.”
- Divine Discourse, Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Gurus Training Camp, 6-6-1978
The Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas is an integral facet of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s divine mission and vision. With a futuristic approach towards nurturing young talent, Bal Vikas Gurus across the country and Delhi-NCR are teaching Bal Vikas classes to hundreds of children and transforming their lives through holistic education.
Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas in Delhi-NCR: Objectives
- A strong value-based, futuristic character building approach.
- Raising a generation of boys and girls with a clear conscience.
- Cultivating the essential five human values - Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa - through stories, enacting plays, understanding real life scenarios that test values, learning and imbibing the priceless lessons from Bhagawan’s teachings especially from His own life.
- Bringing forth intrinsic transformation in the Bal Vikas children, helping to nurture a mindful way of living and value-centric life embracing all five aspects of holistic well-being such as - Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual.
Every Bal Vikas student’s participation, performance and results are not viewed through the conventional scoring system of progress cards and assessment sheets; contrarily, the results are for life - precious, intangible and transformative. Bringing an inner transformation is the most beautiful and lasting legacy that the divine Bal Vikas education has imparted across all children who have been blessed to have been a part of it.
Bal Vikas: The Ultimate Educare Experience
Like the tender bamboo shoot that develops roots for many years before its growth, Bal Vikas classes nurture children in terms of imbibing moral values that are essential for social harmony, emotional resilience and spiritual transformation. Even many years after Bal Vikas children graduate from the program, their thoughts are inspired by human values and their actions are intuitively aligned with their own highest potential, while being compassionate, caring and naturally selfless.
The ultimate impact of Bal Vikas is the unique and personal experience it crafts for each and every individual as an outcome of their dedicated efforts towards self-transformation and most importantly, Bhagawan’s divine guidance throughout the entire duration and beyond.
Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas, Delhi-NCR Statistics
Centres:
Group 1: 100
Group 2: 47
Group 3: 42
Total: 200
Students currently enrolled: 5795
With Bhagawan’s abundant blessings, Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas in Delhi-NCR has witnessed remarkable participation from children and their parents across the national capital region. With Bhagawan’s abundant blessings and grace, the progress of all Bal Vikas students has been holistic, value-based, growth-oriented and futuristic in terms of selfless endeavours and creative initiatives.
Bal Vikas Program in Delhi-NCR: Enhancing Education Through Human Values
The three pillars of the Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas program comprises the Guru, the Parents and the Students; this holistic partnership and collaboration between the three stakeholders pave the way for an intrinsic transformation in the students.
Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Delhi-NCR: Structure of Bal Vikas program for children
The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Delhi-NCR’s Bal Vikas course is based on two principles:
Existence of God
Divinity inherent in man
The implementation of the Bal Vikas curriculum lays stress on using the Five Teaching Techniques as ordained by Bhagawan’s divine teachings.
Prayer | Group Singing | Storytelling | Group Activity | Silent Sitting
Nine years of the structured program are spread over three groups:
Group 1 – 5-7 years - “Start Early, Drive Slowly, Reach Safely”
Learning through Doing and Making
Group 2 – 8-10 years – “Education is for living, Educare is for life”
Learning through Making and Thinking
Group 3 – 11 to 13 years – “Service to Mankind is Service to God”
Learning through Thinking and Creating
Designed to enable children to learn and practise basic human values such as Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanthi (Peace), Prema (Love), and Ahimsa (Non Violence).
Education must aim at providing the child, not livelihood, but, a life worth living. For this, the acquisition of skills in doing or reasoning is not enough. Faith in one-self and in the Divinity of one-self are absolutely essential. That is the precious treasure of wisdom, stored in our ancient scriptures and in the experience of the Saints and Sages of all countries and faiths. - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 12)
Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Summer Camp 2024 in Delhi-NCR - Highlights
The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Delhi-NCR’s Education wing witnessed an exciting and fully packed hall comprising enthusiastic and joyous children from across different schools. Around 250 enthusiastic children and 75 Bal Vikas Gurus - all were geared up for the Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Summer Camp, 2024 at the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre on the 24th of June.
The theme for the long anticipated and awaited summer camp was Bhagawan’s 4 F's:
“Follow the Master,
Fact the Devil
Fight to the end
Finish the game.”
Starting with lighting of the lamp and children’s bhajans, the joyous energy soared higher as the tiny tots sang with utmost devotion and love, in tune and in one voice, for Beloved Bhagawan.
Bhajans, an integral part of the Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Program, evokes in the children devotion from a tender age and establishes with firmer faith in their hearts that God is their only true friend.
After the thrilling bhajan session, the children were taught Nila Suktam - initiating them into Veda chanting - A powerful tool to unlock the myriad potentials within oneself aiding in achieving excellence in life.
Then, the State Education Coordinator Smt Srilatha addressed the children on the theme of the ‘4 Fs’. In rapt attention, the children soaked in the invaluable lessons of self-confidence and faith in the indweller who is guiding them at all times from within in this game of life.
Next, the children were overjoyed to watch a Short Play on the Life of Young Sathya Sai. In the hallowed precincts of the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre - a place Swami Himself has graced with His presence - the children imbibed divine lessons from the Sai Bhagawatham. Reading, listening and watching the Life of the Lord can be a heart-touching and transformative experience, leaving a permanent mark on the minds of the children.
Learn to revere your parents, teachers and elders; they have your progress always in view. When you go back to your villages, join the Seva Samithis (service organisations) there and engage yourselves in bhajan, service programmes and study with the members there. - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 12)
The Life Story of the Lord is filled with lessons of empathy, courage, obedience, love, discipline - the ultimate treasure trove of directions on living one’s life. As Swami always said, His life is indeed His message.
The children then witnessed a Nukkad Natak on Discipline, engaging them in a thought-provoking session of dance and drama.
Engaging the children in some physical activity, the next session was a Yoga workshop on the theme Lessons from Nature. Yoga connects and awakens the body, mind and soul, re-energising the children.
Cooking without fire was a big hit as the children very lovingly offered the doll-shaped sandwiches, peanut laddus, Cucumber boats to Swami.
Through this summer camp, children enjoyed the vibrant spectrum of cultural activities including Nukkad Natak on Discipline. Notably, Bhagawan’s life as His divine message has been the guiding beacon for Bal Vikas students in Delhi-NCR.
Children practised Yoga with theme lessons from Nature.
Another much-enjoyed activity was cooking without fire, which was a big hit as the children very lovingly offered the doll like sandwiches, peanut laddus, cucumber boats etc to Swami.
In the Art and craft Session, the Summer caps were made with Swami’s message written on top of the cap and children made mobile stands. All the items were thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed.
A session on the use of mobile phones and finding ways of detoxing from its addiction was very useful to the young children. They were taught mindfulness and to be fully focused on the present activity and to steer clear of checking mobile phones every few minutes.
Next, let us have a quick glimpse of the process to enrol as a Bal Vikas Guru in Delhi-NCR.
Bal Vikas Program in Delhi-NCR:
● Ability to see Divinity in everyone/everything around and to introspect on the essence and purpose of human life
● Strive to seek excellence in life and practise the necessary methodologies towards this pursuit
● Develop social consciousness within, through participation in community seva
● Appreciate the inner significance and the unity/divinity amidst the diverse customs and varied cultural practices of our country
● Ability to practise placing a ceiling on desires
● Develop augmenting skills required to shape up personally, through management of thought, breath & time and properly discharging their duties at school, home and in society
● Developing better problem solving and management/leadership skills
Education is not to be taken as a process of filling an empty sack and pouring out its contents, making the sack empty again. It is not the head that has to be filled through education. It is the heart that has to be cleansed, expanded and illumined. - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 12)
How to become a Balvikas Guru in Delhi-NCR
a. Get in touch with the Samiti /district Balvikas Coordinator.
Start observing and associating with the Bal Vikas guru and assist her during Bal Vikas classes, learn how to take classes using five teaching techniques, and get acquainted with the ways of interacting with children of different age groups and also interact with parents.
b. Attend the State level Gurus training camps held at Sai Centre periodically.
c. Attend the Gurus Training camps, Sadhana Camps held at district levels regularly.
d. Stay updated by studying Sai Literature and read Bal Vikas books and magazines regularly.
e. Read, study and imbibe the content shared on the official Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas website.
I direct that Bala Vikas teachers should hereafter be known by the vastly more appropriate name of Guru, so that you may be conscious always of the spiritual role which you have taken on, and its responsibilities and value. You are the lamps from which their tender hearts must receive Light and Love. By your adherence to truth, righteousness, peace and love, you have to inspire these qualities in the children that come to you and the homes from where they come. - Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 12)
DIVINE QUOTE
Beautiful, fruitful ideals must be planted in the tender hearts of the youth. They are lovely creepers which can yield clusters of fragrant flowers, spreading the fragrance of truth and virtue. They have to be fostered with love and care, by parents, teachers and all those interested-in the progress of the nation. It is a sacred responsibility which cannot be by-passed. The years of student-life must be saturated with cooperative activity, social service, eager search for truth and readiness to sacrifice one's interests for the good of those who are less fortunate. Moral and spiritual values have to be honoured as much as, if not more than, economic and material values. Life must be a harmonious blend of these values with emphasis on moral strength.
- Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 12)
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