Shlokathon is a compilation of more than 250 famous shlokas from the

Background:
Chinmaya Mission Shlokathon Program
Shlokathon is a compilation of more than 250 famous shlokas from the Hindu scriptures in
praise of the Guru and various Hindu deities and is available in the form of a book and an
accompanying audio CD. It also includes texts such as Bhaja Govindam and 100 selected
verses from the Bhagavad Gita.
Shlokathon teaching classes are aimed at teaching children how to correctly chant these
Shlokas so that they will be inspired to understand the meaning and value of these verses
when they grow up.
Program Structure:
Starting with Baalvihar year 2005-2006, the Shlokathon program will be given a well
defined structure, which will address not only teaching but also all other aspects such as
testing and sequencing of the lessons.
Successful completion of Shlokathon program involves, correct chanting of the 39 different
Stotras, in the presence of the designated judges. These Stotras are spread across 9
different chapters. After successfully testing for each chapter, students are awarded
stickers. These stickers are stuck at the designated place on the Shlokathon Plaque. Once
a student earns all the stickers, he / she is awarded a trophy.
For each Stotra, a student goes through 3 distinct steps outlined bellow.
1. Learning to correctly chant the Stotra. This involves Learning the correct
pronunciations & tune. This is the step addressed by the Shlokathon classes at
Saaket.
2. Memorizing the Stotra. This is the responsibility solely of the student. This is
performed at home by the student, with help of the parents.
3. Test for the Stotra at Saaket, on the designated Sunday every month.
The entire curriculum is divided in to 5 distinct groups and covered in a period of 5 Years.
(A student joining in grade 1 can finish by the time he enters middle school and a student
who joins in grade 5 can complete before he/she starts senior high school.)
Curriculum:
Shlokathon book is the curriculum for the program. In future, if any changes are deemed
necessary in this, it may be done only with Swamiji’s approval.
Testing:
Shlokathon testing activities, as they are conducted currently, would continue and are kept
separate from the teaching.
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Venue & Schedule:
Classes at Saaket will commence at 10:40AM and conclude at 11:10AM each Sunday that
Baalvihar is in session.
Registration:
The registration will be free and “Per Group” basis. Progression through groups will be as
per the rules laid out elsewhere in this document.
At the time of registration, student will be required to purchase the Shlokathon plaque,
Shlokathon book and audio CD. Student will also be required to supply a passport size
photograph.
Registration will start in 1 st week of September and classes for Fall 2005 will commence
from September 18.
Groups:
Sequencing of the curriculum groups:
All new students will start in group 1.
For the students already in the program, Shlokathon co-coordinator will review the
Chapters / Stotras they have completed (successfully tested), and decide the most
appropriate group for them such that they have one full semester worth of load in that
group.
Program Rules:
Group Chapter Teacher
5 Geeta Uma
4 Prakarna Stotrani Nitin Rahalkar
3 Vedanta Stotrani Anu Appaji & Kalpana Arvind
Vishnu
Shiva
2 Krishna Raman Rajgopalan
Ganesh
1 Guru Vindhya Devalla
Saraswati
1. Each student can register for only one group in a particular Baalvihar semester and
attend classes only for the group he/she is registered.
2. All new students will register for group 1 to begin with.
3. Each student is required to memorize the Shlokas (part of the Stotra) completed in
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the previous class session.
4. In fairness to other students, if a student misses a class, no make up class will be
allowed, during any regular scheduled class. The student can make arrangement for
the same out side of any regular Shlokathon class with the teacher.
5. Shlokathon Testing is Mandatory and is the ONLY way to earn the stickers for each
chapter and the final trophy. Testing is a mandatory requirement to be eligible to
register and attend classes at Saaket. The only way we can do justice to the effort
invested by the students and teachers alike is to ensure that each and every student
Graduates the program with a Trophy.
6. A student will be allowed a grace time of maximum one semester to successfully test
for the Stotras covered in the previous semester. For example, when a student
completes group 2, he/she will be allowed to register and attend classes of group 3
in the subsequent semester. However, the student MUST successfully test for all the
Stotras of group 2 during the semester when he/she attends classes for group 3,
failing which the student will NOT be allowed to register or attend classes for any
other group in any semester, unless and until the Stotras of group 2 are successfully
tested for. In other words only one semester of backlog is permitted. Thus, each
student gets 2 consecutive semesters to test for any Stotra covered in the class –
One in which the Stotra is taught and one immediately following.
7. At least one parent will attend the class with the student. This is crucial for ensuring
that students get help from the parents at home in memorizing. This will enable
student to progress quickly through the curriculum.
8. Testing will be conducted at Saaket, by the designated judges, on the designated
Sundays, between 10:30AM and 11:10AM.
9. No Parent or Teacher is allowed to sit with the student, during testing.
10. In order to avoid disruptions during testing, all students are required to sit through
the testing session, even after their testing is over. In the rarest case if a student is
late for the testing session, then the student will be allowed to enter the testing room,
only between the testing of 2 students. No student will be allowed to enter in the
middle of chanting.
11. During testing, the judges will provide up to 3 prompts, if needed by the student.
Beyond that the student will be asked to re-test that Stotra, during the next testing
session. The judges’ decision will be final and binding.
12. Saaket is primarily a place of worship & spiritual learning. Therefore, each student is
required to maintain the decorum of the place and will follow the instructions given
by the teacher / judge to achieve this.
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