Enthusiastic Start to the New School Year

On Sunday, August 24, all roads led to Chinmaya Rameshwaram as the Bala Vihar community gathered for the first day of the 2025-2026 school year. Teachers, students, and parents exchanged warm greetings before assembling for the opening day event, which began with the customary puja invoking Lord Ganesha’s blessings. The crisp recitation of shlokas by a member of the puja team set the perfect tone of auspiciousness, joy and devotion, providing a spiritual foundation for learning.

The Swaranjali choir then took center stage, singing the beloved Marathi Ganesh bhajan “Jaya Deva, Jaya Deva, Jaya Mangala Moorthy”, celebrating Ganesha as the remover of obstacles. The melodious chant concluded with the Chinmaya Pledge, uniting the community in a spirit of dedication and focus.

Next, the teachers for the school year were introduced. They performed the Mangala Aarathi before guiding their students to classrooms, signaling the start of a new journey in learning and spiritual growth.

Parents were then offered an overview of CMLA, including its history, leadership, and focus on spiritual teaching, seva, culture, and community. Mahadevanji addressed the parents, highlighting the importance of prioritizing “standard of life” over “standard of living” — emphasizing that values guiding our lives are far more important than material possessions.

Brahmacharini Sandhya Chaitanya then introduced herself and spoke about the importance of simplifying life for children, helping them navigate a complex and cluttered world with clarity and purpose.

Swami Ishwarananda then welcomed the parents, explaining how Bala Vihar provides foundational knowledge and frameworks for vibrant living. He shared teasers for Chinmaya Mission’s 75th anniversary (Amrit Mahotsav) in 2026, including 108 recitations of the Hanuman Chalisa on September 5th, 2026 and the International Gita Chanting Competition (Chapter 12).

Swamiji also encouraged every CMLA community member to memorize and learn the significance of five key Gita verses (Gita Panchamrit) over the school year, fostering spiritual growth alongside academic learning.

This opening day also marked a leadership transition. Dr. Shashi Acharya stepped down as President of the CMLA Board and was honored with the Distinguished Lifetime Seva Award for his decades of dedicated service. Reflecting on his tenure, Dr. Acharya fondly recalled moments such as attending yagnas with Guruji and building lasting bonds within the community.

Dr. Acharya then introduced Ms. Nimmi Raghunathan as the first female president of CMLA, to rousing cheers. Nimmiji, selected for her two decades of contributions — especially in parent engagement — spoke about her journey as a sevak and expressed gratitude to the community, generating excitement about her vision to further advance the mission.

The day concluded with new parents being called on stage to receive blessings and welcome gifts, followed by updates on upcoming events and classes. The session ended with the distribution of prasad, leaving everyone with a sense of spiritual fulfillment, unity, and anticipation for the year ahead.

--Gangadhar Ramesh