Bhagwat for Children by Barkha Khandelwal

I sometimes wonder, if it is the twinkle in there eye or the story, that fills the air with so much of Joy. These little souls, still so clean and pure, their smile so genuine and their laughters so free.

It is their belief, that what the story says is possible, that actually feeds the story with a soul and an aura which dances around, and reverberate in their chuckles.

- Stand up-They all jump up

- He laughed Ha Ha Ha-They all go Ha Ha Ha

- With a bow and arrow-They say nah, it was a machine gun and it went - and the sounds of the machine gun fills the room again

- The lake was full of nectar-Nah, strawberry milk, chocolate milk etc

- In the cave there were-Muffin, ladoos, and on they go mentioning the yummiest of treats.

Suddenly, you see the ones who were sitting a bit behind, gradually moving up and forward, to get a closer look at your expression, as if to jump up, when the story directs.

They are totally unconditioned, they still believe in miracles and that if it can be thought of, it can certainly happen. Telling a Story to the little ones is actually the best experience, there is no resistance of any kinds, as the word ‘impossible’ has still not been itched in their tender minds. They are like this soft clay, waiting to be shaped by the potter.

The adventure starts with the little ones, every action enacted, every statement of anger, shouted out, every movement of the hands depicted and every character acted.

- The pitch of the voice sometimes so loud, that hands cover their ears.

- The descriptions sometimes a bit scary, that they cover their eyes

- The voice sometimes so soft, that the room becomes totally silent.

There have been times, when dressed up like a character, have narrated the whole story, sometimes jumped up myself to eat the Sun. As if the story-teller fades away and only the story remains, the children are transported to the land of possibilities.

Then a sudden stop, to ask the morals, and the depth of the answers prove that, it does not have to be all serious for them to soak in the essence. The Scriptures are not beyond their understanding and no knowledge too deep for them to comprehend.

When they get immersed in the story they would never forget neither the story nor the moral and values. Somewhere in their hearts, I am sure that message of love has been carved, which will re-surface, when others least expect it. Their spark of kindness, will someday light the whole world.

The knowledge of the divine scriptures, wrapped in this absurd, fun and dramatic story-telling will live in their hearts forever.