Janmashtami Celebrations: Pre-Primary & Primary

The magic of Kanha’s child-like presence touched our little ones in Pre-Primary as they immersed themselves in songs, stories, and experiences around ‘Janmashtami’. Feeling a oneness with नटखट नन्दलाल, they explored making ‘मक्खन’ and licking it merrily off their hands and fingers, painting colourful ‘मटकी’, while also imagining the simplicity of Kanhaiya’s ‘Gokul Nagri’ - “कृष्णा हमारी तरह स्कूल नहीं जातेथे”, “कृष्णा tree climb करतेथे, मेरी तरह”, “कृष्णा के पास water bottle नहीं थी, वो river से पानी पीते थे”.

Children created their colourful ‘बांसरुी’ and then pretending to play it helped them embody Krishna to the hilt. Role plays on stories related to Kanhaiya, enacting sometimes ‘गैया’ and sometimes ‘मय्या’ while also singing songs like ‘छोटी छोटी गैया...’ brought them closer to their favourite friend Krishankanhaiya.

On the day of celebration, each child was a little ‘मदनगोपाल’ as they joyously sang songs and danced happily in the hub area. They were overjoyed to have Neha Didi, dressed as Krishna, sing along with them. The story of the ‘magical forest’ narrated by Seema Didi further added to the allure of Kanha for them.

Children in Primary School began their celebration arriving in groups playing Djembe and Tambourine, singing songs to explore the ‘झाँकी’ set by didis and bhaiyas. They kept the festivity alive and decorated ‘matkas’ symbolising the butter that Lord Krishna loved. Children took turns singing and rocking the swing with the Krishna idol. They enjoyed enacting playful scenes from Krishna’s early childhood.

Didis shared the significance of Janmashtami, talking about Krishna’s mischievous nature and how everyday we can relate the experience with the children. The celebration was a blend of reverence and joy, reflecting the cultural significance of Janmashtami. Through these experiences, the children embraced the spirit of togetherness and celebration.