Year End Picnic Rounds Out 2025

Hari Om, I'm Lavith Raj, an 8th grader at CMLA Brea Bala Vihar.

On Dec 14, right before the winter break, our Chinmaya family had a picnic at our Center, where kids, adults, and alumni gathered and caught up with each other. The space was beautiful, with views of nature in all directions. We were surrounded by hills, and there were numerous trees and other greenery. We felt a deep connection to nature while we were there.

 The picnic wasn't just for Bala Vihar students. All of our teachers, students, parents, and families, and several Bala Vihar alumni joined in. This event truly brought together our entire Bala Vihar family for a great social gathering.

We had a good time playing games and having fun. Games like "Neer Teer" and the Namaste Game, which involved both physical involvement like running or jumping and attention to game rules and instructions. The games we played really helped us bond with each other beyond just formal classmate or teacher-student relationships.
After the more physical games, we all sat down to play Bingo. There was a twist, though: all the cards featured characters from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and other stories we learn about in Bala Vihar. This helped us learn and practice the names of important characters while having fun! Another student and I announced all the names called and verified those who claimed to have gotten five in a row. 

Everyone who won received a prize, keeping all engaged. Once Bingo ended, the parents introduced themselves and had the opportunity to share a few words about their experience at Bala Vihar. There were some familiar faces, as well as some newer ones, but everyone shared their positive experiences in Brea BV. They discussed how Bala Vihar has improved their children's lives, and some alumni also shared how Bala Vihar has positively influenced them and continues to affect them today.

We finally had lunch, which was a splendid potluck. There were quite a lot of options, from paneer to gulab jamun. There was no shortage of food, and everyone got a lot of food. Everyone sat on the benches in the shade, and there was a lot of chitchat. I was sitting with mostly Yuva Kendra students and alumni, and there was a lot of discussion about college, grades, high school, etc.

After eating lunch, we all congregated to take a group picture. I'm sure that this picture and the great memories we made there will stay with us for a while, as well as all the picnics we have in the future. Thanks to our chapter coordinator and the organizers of the picnic for creating such great memories.

But wait, that's not it! Right after the picture, we made sure to clean up everything; - all the messes we made. All of our trash was thrown away, canopies were taken down, litter was collected, and everyone contributed to making sure our location was as clean as it was when we arrived.

This picnic was an event I really enjoyed, and I don't think I'm going to forget it anytime soon. I hope everyone else who went thought the same! 

— Lavith Raj