Think of Lord Krishna and the images that come to our mind is that of him rendering the Bhagavad Gita and then that of the naughty pranks played by little Krishna. Dr Hemant Joshi, an activist and a pediatrician from Maharashtra , thinks that Gopal Krishna has left enough hints regarding the importance of breastfeeding and infant care in the stories associated with him in the Bhagavata Purana. He illustrates his points with examples from Bhagavad Purana On the concept of modern breastfeeding banks, he said that if a mother’s milk is insufficient for her infant, then the child can be provided with the milk of another mother like Yashoda did it for Krishna . (The Newindpress) Dr Hemant Joshi says feeding bottle is like Demon Putana who came to kill Krishna with poisoned milk. Putana as an evil character here represents the feeding bottle and as the little Krishna had taken up the cause, every one of us should fight against feeding bottles and baby food, he ...

The multiplication methods used in Vedic Maths helps in making the whole process easy and simple. By looking at the numbers one can multiply the numbers in our mind with Vedic Maths methods.  The New Indian Express Reports   Today we look at a method to find the product of two-digit numbers with the same first digit and the sum of the second digits is 10. Number pairs like 11 and 19, 12 and 18, 23 and 27 are examples of numbers which have the same tens digit and whose units digits add up to 10.   Let us break down this method into the following steps.   Multiply the tens digit (same for both) by the next consecutive number. That will be the first part of our answer.   Multiply the units digits of the two numbers. That will be the second part of the answer.   We have to remember that it is similar to the Nikhilam method, which has a base number and where the number of digits in the answer is decided by the number of zeros in the base.   For two-digi...

The Mighty Tale of Hanuman is authored by Saker Mistri and Mamta Dalal Mangaldas and the book is aimed at children between the age of six and ten. The highlight of the book is the use of 18th century Ramayana Paintings from the Mehrangarh Museum Trust. The book is also for a good cause as all the profit from the sale of the book will be used to support girl child literacy in Rajasthan. The paintings used in this book were originally commissioned by Maharaja Vijai Singh of Jodhpur - between 1752 and 1793. Mumbai Mirror reports Mistri and Mangaldas both believe that art should not be scary for children. According to Mangaldas, artistically inclined children are left behind due to the big gap in curriculum when it comes to art. The main idea behind this project is to foster an appreciation for art using the popular tale of Ramayana as a comfortable base.

Lord Vishnu incarnated as Lord Rama to destroy the demons on earth headed by Ravana. The first demon that Lord Rama killed in the epic Ramayana was Tataka or Tadaka. In fact, she is a demoness or rakshasi. Who was this Tataka? The villains in Hindu mythology too have a good past and a reason for their present villainous activities. Similarly, Tataka was a wife of a good ‘yaksha’ before becoming a demoness. Sage Vishwamitra narrates the story of Tataka to Lord Ram. Tataka was the daughter of a powerful ‘yaksha’ named Suketu. ( Yakshas are supernatural beings – some good some evil. ) Suketu had no sons and therefore he performed intense austerities. Pleased with him Lord Brahma appeared before him. But instead of sons, Brahma granted Suketu a daughter with the strength of thousand elephants. Suketu did not complain and brought up his daughter Tataka like a son. She grew up into a beautiful woman and was married to Sunanda. And the couple had a son named Maricha. ...

Little Known Heroes is a project by a team of three designers – Soujanyaa Boruah, Manjari Sheel, Chris Dame – supported by two Delhi based design studios. They worked with local painters and carvers in India to bring to life the characters and back stories of six of the little known heroes from Hindu scriptures. The six characters are Bali , Sharabha, Jambavan, Garuda, Vasuki and Jatayu. Jatayu The collectable toys are made from local, sustainable materials by skilled craftsmen – it is an amalgamation of modern illustration styles and traditional crafting techniques. A single piece toy is priced at 900/-. It is currently available at the online store afday. You can also view a short video on the project here. (the website is no longer available) Related Ramayana and Mahabharata Board Games For Children Parama Pada Sopanam – Buy Traditional Version of Snake and Ladders  

Parama Pada Sopanam is a traditional version of the popular board game Snakes and Ladders. Kreeda Games, which is involved in creating traditional Indian Games, is making this ancient game available in their stores. You can also buy it online. Paramapada Sopanam means Steps to the Highest Place (where Parama Pada means highest place and Sopanam means steps). The game was believed to be symbolic of a man's attempt to reach God. The ladders represent virtues and the snakes represent vices. The snakes carry names linking them to stories from our epics. Kreeda has slightly modified the traditional game to appeal to today's children. Done on a 2 feet by 2 1/2 feet canvas the game is attractively designed and appealing. All the snakes in the games have names such as Bakasura, Kumbakarna etc. which are representative of certain vices. A booklet has been given with a short story of these characters to make it more appealing to children and parents who may not know the tales. Earlie...

Amar Chitra Katha is currently creating a new series of comics on the important Hindu temples in India . The first in the series is on Tirupati Balaji Temple . The comic book focus on the origin and the stories associated with the temple and how the present day temple came into being. The stories in the book are meant to help children understand about the world’s most visited place of worship . From the flyer of the comic book When Vishnu returned to Vaikuntha after his Krishna avatar, Brahma, the creator, began to worry about the earth. Without Vishnu, he was afraid, chaos would ensue. So he and his son Narada, the wandering sage, set in motion a plan to get Vishnu, to return to the earth.  A talking anthill, an arrogant sage, an irate cowherd, and even the asura king Ravana, each have their parts to play in these stories that describe the founding of the Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati. Set amongst the lovely Tirumala hills, this temple to Lord Vishnu, is one of the most be...

This specific version of the Bhagavad Gita is tailored for children in grades 1 to 5. You can easily access the Bhagavad Gita for Kids in PDF format. While it isn't a direct translation of the Bhagavad Gita, it includes engaging stories, examples of the Gita's impact on people, significant quotes, discussions on its importance, and even recounts the narrative of the Mahabharata. The focus is primarily on captivating narratives rather than deep philosophical teachings, making it accessible and engaging for young readers. The aim of the book is twofold: to spark children's interest in the Bhagavad Gita and to impart valuable lessons rooted in Hindu tradition. Furthermore, the Bhagavad Gita for kids features a comprehensive introduction section, including prayers and their meanings, as well as insights into the significance of the Gita from renowned individuals. This introduction serves to set the stage for young readers, providing context and instilling the importance of th...

Comic book based on the origin of story of Ganesh is presented by Liquid comics and is the first book in the series titled India Authentic. The Ganesha Comics is produced by Deepak Chopra. Now you read the entire comic online for free at issuu. Ganesha is written by Saurav Mohapatra, Art is by Satish Tayade and Cover Design is by Abhishek Singh. What’s new in Ganesha Comics? Instead of comic they call it Graphic novel. And no one can change the basic story. So, in this comic there are wonderful illustrations and a narrative style that we often associate with Western comics like X-Men etc. You can read the comic here at is suu.

On Sunday, December 5, 2010, more than 200 disabled children from Bal Kalyan Sanstha, Pune, performed Ramayan on Wheels. The dance and theater performance proved that given an opportunity the disabled children are just capable as anyone. Ramayana on Wheels was possible through the efforts of Bal Kalyan Sanstha, Delhi-based Ability Unlimited Foundation and the children were trained by Guruji Sallauddin Pasha, who is the foremost name in Indian Therapeutic Theatre for persons with disabilities. Siddharta Laik of Punesite writes With five diverse stages and specialized training, the children enacted the play coupled with dance and music, a first for the Sanstha as well as for the kids. “This was for the very first time that the children put up such a mammoth performance. They were trained meticulously for the special event and each and every child was very excited to perform,” said Minetta Patil, Sanstha principal. “We wish to change the indifferent attitude of the society towards the dis...

Lahoo is the second comic in the comic series titled Pushpuck and narrates the tale of a boy named Lahoo and about a cow – an incarnation of Mother Earth. This cow had prayed to Srihari Vishnu to save the earth from demons like Ravana. During old age this cow was abandoned by its owner. But Lahoo goes in search of it and saves it from becoming the prey of a wild animal. The conversation between Lahoo and the cow narrates all his past incidents. Later Lord Ram pays respect to the Cow. You may also like to read Pushpuck – Online Comic Book Based on the Forgotten Tales from Hindu Tradition – First Story Tarak

Pushpuck, or Pushpaka Vimana, is the legendary aircraft used by Ravana in Ramayana and later Sri Ram arrived in Ayodhya on it after defeating Ravana. Umesh Shukla, an animator involved with animated storytelling in Hollywood, has released an online comic book titled Pushpuck – the first tale in the series narrates story of a young boy Tarak and his sister – who gave Sri Ram the most wonderful welcome on his return to Ayodhya. Of course, Pushpaka Vimana is also part of the story. About Pushpuck by Umesh Shukla Valmiki and Tulsidas describe Pushpuck as a plane that flies faster than thoughts. Pushpuck to me represents all the dreams and imaginings that I grew up with. My imagination had no superman or Spiderman in it, instead it had characters and stories that my mother and grandmother told me. Every festival, my mother asked me to be the token Brahman as I performed the puja and read the stories associated with each of the festivals from a book. These stories have remaine...

Discover Ramayana and Explore Mahabharata are two board games created by Kanaka, an ex-National Institute of Design student and a DJ Academy faculty for Industrial Design. Kanaka’s games are being brought into the market by Creative’s. Discover Ramayana is designed in a way that the kids will have good knowledge about Ramayan once they start playing the game. Explore Mahabharata also uses the board game format to help children learn more about incidents and characters in the epic. You may also like to read Games Based on Ramayana

Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity in Hinduism, is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences, and the god of intellect and wisdom. While there isn't a specific reason why Ganesha is worshipped on Tuesdays exclusively, there are several reasons why people choose to worship Ganesha on various days of the week. Personal Beliefs: Some people have personal beliefs or family traditions that lead them to worship Ganesha on Tuesdays. It could be due to an auspicious event in their lives that occurred on a Tuesday, or they may believe that certain days of the week are more conducive to worshiping specific deities. Astrological Significance: In Hindu astrology, each day of the week is associated with a particular planet and deity. Tuesday is associated with the planet Mars (Mangal or Kuja in Hindu astrology), and some people believe that worshiping Ganesha on this day can help mitigate the malefic effects of Mars or bring blessings associated with this plane...

'Where’s Hanuman' published by Penguin Books India (Imprint – Puffin Children Books) is an illustrated book for children based on the Ramayana. The book contains puzzle scenes and activities starting from the wedding of Lord Ram and Mata Sita. The puzzles are based on Exile of Lord Ram, Kidnapping of Sita, Coronation of Bali, Searching and Finding Sita, Building Bridge , Attacking Lanka, Killing Ravana and the return by Pushpaka Vimana to Ayodhya. The activity book is meant for children to learn about the adventures of Hanuman and Ramayana in an engaging and exciting way. Where Is Hanuman is written by By Alister Taylor and Chris Woods and is illustrated By Benjamin McClintic The official website of Where Is Hanuman has some interesting online games for children. You can play the online games here. (www.whereshanuman.com/games.php). The page no longer exists.

This version of the Mahabharata for young readers in English is written by Namita Gokhale, a multi-faceted Indian novelist and publisher. The book is published by Puffin Books, publishers of fiction, picture books and children's classics. A major highlight of this Mahabharat for Children is the illustrations by painter and animator Sudhasattwa Basu. The beauty of this version of the Mahabharata is that it really caters to children by keeping the narration smooth and simple. There is a nice little explanation of the cycles of times in the beginning. What makes the book a more interesting read is that the author does not forget about the weaknesses in Pandavas and points out the flaws in their characters along with that of the Kauravas. Numerous stories that are part of Mahabharata are also mentioned in the book. The Bhagavad Gita and the other philosophical discussions are explained in simple language. Puffin Mahabharata Author: Namita Gokhale Published in India by P...

Animation Series Little Krishna, produced by ISKCON’s India Heritage Foundation (IHF) and Reliance ADAG’s Big Animation, brings to life some of the most colorful episodes in the life of little Krishna in 3D animation. The choice of the stories in this 13-episode series is aimed at 5-9 years. Viacom Media’s kids’ entertainment channel Nick will be airing the series in India and South Asia . We have already had several animation films based on Krishna . But what’s new in this latest animation film based on Krishna ’s childhood? I feel the quality of the 3D animation is better than some of the previous attempts but not yet world class. Once again Krishna is an action hero with more stunts inspired from movies to keep children glued to the television. Related Animation films based on Hindu Stories

‘Ramayana – The Epic Journey’ from Chandamama is an attempt to narrate the timeless epic Ramayana in contemporary language and style. Chandamama claims that the book is first of its kind attempt when the Ramayana Epic has been published as a single book with illustrations. Chandamama’s Ramayana is in comic book format with rich illustrations. ‘Ramayana – The Epic Journey’ is based on Tamil Kamba Ramayanam, written by Kamban during the ninth century. The major highlight of the book is the hand drawn illustrations. ‘Ramayana – The Epic Journey’ Published by Chandamama Specifications Pages: 432 pages + 4 cover Format: Illustrated Style Price: Rupees 449

Epic Ramayana is a favorite subject for Indian animation industry. There have been numerous animation projects based on Ramayana and the latest to join the list is ‘Ramayana The Epic’, directed by Chetan Desai and produced by Maya Entertainment Pvt Ltd. The 100-mintue 3D Animated Feature Film will feature Hindi actors Manoj Bajpai, Juhi Chawla, and Ashutosh Rana in the voices of Lord Ram, Mata Sita, and Ravan. The Hindi language version of ‘Ramayana The Epic’ is expected to release in early 2009. Later, the movie will be dubbed into regional languages and English. (Image belongs to Maya Entertainment Ltd.)

Sri Ganesha is an animated movie based on Lord Ganesh in Tamil produced by Chennai based Magic Box. The 45-minute 2-d and 3-d animated movie released in DVD and VCD narrates the origin, childhood of Lord Ganesha and about the rat - his Vahana or vehicle. The makers claim Sri Ganesha has been produced in such a way that it will a ttract both youngsters and elders. The CD is priced at Rs 99 and the DVD is priced at Rs 125 and is marketed by Abirami Recording Company. Related Animated Movies based on Gods in Hindu Religion