Radhanath Swami's Vision for Gopal's Fun School

Based on a lecture given by Radhanath Swami on the Annual day of Gopal’s Fun School --

Since time immemorial India has been the spiritual capital of the world. What a loss to the world if India loses her own spiritual identity! And moment by moment, day by day, it is happening, with the younger generation swerving away from anything spiritual.

One day a very cultured, educated, and religious man, perhaps 70 years old, approached me. He disclosed his deep worries. “Many people of my age value our spiritual heritage and our children still value it a little. But our grandchildren have no appreciation at all. What is the future of India?”

The purpose of Gopal's Fun School is to give our children the opportunity to gain knowledge and have practical experience of the greatness of India’s spiritual heritage. How will it benefit them? With it they can grow up with good character, with integrity, with spiritual satisfaction, with love for God, and with deep compassion for other living beings. The beautiful thing about the path of bhakti is that while gaining all of these treasures, they can also have fun.

In school they are sitting at their desks, writing and taking tests. We don't want them to identify their spiritual life with these activities. Krishna, the Supreme Lord, is always playing with his friends in the spiritual world, as is mentioned in the Vedic texts and envisioned by pure souls. He is not taking tests and exams along with them. So let us educate our children to love God, to love Krsna, and to love spirituality; and let them be educated through the most enjoyable, exciting, dynamic, and fulfilling methods.

I am so very, very grateful to the teachers and the organizers of Gopal' s Fun School. Many of them have their own children; yet, they are extending themselves to give other children a sweet and enjoyable experience; they are trying to provide spiritual nourishment that will leave behind deep positive impressions of spirituality in little tender hearts.

My Day at GFS

Ever wondered what these little children do week after week. We take a sneak peak into the GFS classrooms.

A beaming light of intelligence emanates from their adorable faces as they eloquently recite Sanskrit slokas in succession. The glow becomes more effulgent when they erupt to dance, sing and hear the glories of the Lord in perfect unison, in a prayerful mood.

When you see them, you know these kids are different. In midst of all the cacophony and mayhem of Mumbai, there are a bunch of kids trying to learn Vedic culture, sans loincloths and water pots.

Surya Narayanan (7), who is attending GFS since past one year at the Thane centre says, “I wait for this. First we offer flowers to the altar, then sing songs, slokas stories, drawing, and games and then in end eat prasadam (sanctified food) together. This is the best part of my entire week.” Narayanan who studies in DAV International feels that after being part of GFS, he has become more confident in school and adjusting with his peers.

Priya Sakhi Devi Dasi who holds a degree in education and teaching and is actively involved in planning the curriculum for GFS, feels that the approach of cut-throat assessments and examinations fail to acknowledge basic values and talents of a child.

“Various researches show that there are seven types of intelligence consisting of visual, interpersonal, musical, physical, intra-personal, logical and linguistic, popularly coined as VIMPILL . The approach of standard education often only validates two of these and tends to marginalize students whose talents lie elsewhere,” she adds. Echoing a similar sentiment, Prem Lila Devi Dasi, Senior Coordinator of GFS says, the entire syllabus is structured encouraging the development of these intelligence. “Like while offering flowers to the altar, they develop intra-personal intelligence. By this act, children develop the giving habit. This will make their heart softer and they will learn to give back to God and thank Him for what he has given,” she says.

Eight-year-old Muskaan, who studies in Walshigham and attends Worli centre of GFS, innocently admits that on August 27, how she thanked the Lord incessantly when she found her favorite pair of scissors in school. “When I lost them I really dint know what to do. I was about to weep. But then I thought of GFS. Once the teachers had told us, if we are in trouble we must remember the Lord. I prayed to Lord Krishna from my heart and then I found my scissors. I was so grateful to Him, the Lord only helped to find my scissors,” she narrated.

Even Shoba Shetty a parent who is associated with Andheri GFS has observed a dramatic change in 11-year-old daughter’s behavior. “Priyanka has become less aggressive and thoughtful. I am really glad she has imbibed these values at this age.”

Expressing similar thoughts, alternative therapist Vivek Chhabria and an active volunteer during Saturday GFS class in the temple says “ If my three-year-old nephew Devansh could remember all film songs which he saw on TV, why couldn’t he learn slokas, bhajans and kirtans .”

Now, Devansh is really crazy about kirtans and instantly starts dancing when he hears the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Chhabria agrees that his son is too small to concentrate on activities like craft, art and understanding stories but he feels these childhood memories and values will stay with him forever.”

“Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an everlasting impression”- Radhanath Swami

Positive Dialogue

Based on an interview with Vikram Bhatt --

Introduction : Weekend religious entertainment... that’s what Vikram Bhatt thought when his wife first told him about GFS. A stock broker by profession, we caught him candid, on how his of life of number crunching, started advocating goodness.

GFS: What was your first thought when you heard about your kids being enrolled in GFS?
Vikram Bhatt: Initially I had apprehensions...but knowing my wife’s spiritual side, I kept them to myself. The notion of ISKCON being a foreign organization gave me a different impression. But then I felt that the children will be occupied in some activity on the weekends and thus stay away from mischief & television.

GFS: After your kids became a part of GFS, did you feel any tangible changes in the household? Do you think they were possible otherwise?
Vikram Bhatt: All my premonitions went for a toss when they began to chastise me for not praying and thanking
God prior to a meal. They told me that I did not know how to pray properly. Within a month my daughter wanted to wear Indian traditional clothes to class. They would recite cute songs and Krsnised versions of nursery rhymes. They would draw pictures of the Lord and color it beautifully. Then they started reciting Sanskrit shlokas. I was glad to know that they were learning the right thing from the right persons. This felt good.

GFS: How did you become a part of GFS?
Vikram Bhatt: My wife took up to chanting the way a fish takes to water. I didn’t mind it but was not very keen. She heard about the parenting program from the other participants. I was not that eager to accompany her but feared a backlash if I resented. So I too became a part of it.

GFS: What was your experience with parenting program?
Vikram Bhatt: The first Sunday when we were supposed to attend, everything went wrong. I had to get up early, it was raining and there was a meeting in the society that I had to skip. But once I entered the temple, the ambiance around us was so soothing that my ruffled nerves were at ease instantly. I had never felt so serene in a long time. The lecture was an eye opener. The lucid explanation of Vedas in a scientific manner and the heavy philosophy was being served in digestible proportions as per the recipient’s appetite. All the questions were answered with amazing simplicity and confidence.

GFS: What made you stick along?
Vikram Bhatt: I saw the kids enjoying and now I knew why they loved it .There was a kirtan, dance, stories and shloka recitation and prasadam. We too were served delicious khichdi & dal. I can’t remember when I had last eaten with my hands, that day I did and loved it. The kind attention by Premnidhi and Anandgopal was the icing on the cake and the wake up call to my conscience was the cherry on top. Time just flew and I couldn’t wait to come again.

GFS: What is the prime thing which you have realized and want to share with our readers?
Vikram Bhatt: The sweetness of the simple processes in the heart of south Mumbai tempted me like a delicious pastry. I sincerely recommend and request all parents to experience the bliss first-hand, rather than believe a materialistic south Mumbai devil advocating goodness.