Sampradayam

suma · Post by **suma** » 31 Jan 2009, 01:59

It was October 2006 and I received an email from the aradhana committee. The 30th Anniversary celebrations were being planned and a call for participation came by. There were no local teachers for my child and I had to go to a different place to teach my child music. I would do it monthly once, but was looking for advanced and more regular training. This email looked like an opportunity to learn the correct Padantaram adherent to traditions. Yes, it would be challenging as it is just like learning from a radio. The classes would go on in India with a live teacher and a live student. All children in USA would sign in and sit and listen to the class and then they would have to learn it by themselves. It needed the student to be at a certain level to be able to adapt and learn through this kind of teaching. We took on the experiment and now this is the third year in a row.

Indo American kids struggle between the Indian cultural values at home and Westernized ways outside. Teenage is vulnerable as they strive to balance between cultures. Yet, there are a group of kids that share a unique bond through their "Mama"

appu · Post by **appu** » 31 Jan 2009, 03:02

Suma,

Very well written. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Children who learn this way will understand the music with deep reverence. My best wishes to all the hard working parents and the students and a special 3 cheers to Shri VV. Sundaram for bringing this to our kids.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 31 Jan 2009, 05:49

That's a very nice and heartfelt writeup, suma. Indeed, your efforts (and the efforts of all like-minded NRI parents) to carry on sampradayam are very commendable.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 31 Jan 2009, 06:59

Suma, blessed are the children and so are the parents.A very beautifully written post, straight from the heart.Our best wishes to your son and his 'classmates'.