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Open to our existing Bala Vihar students

During Swami Aparajitananda’s Yagna, volunteers and senior students will lead activities for our current Bala Vihar children in a separate room. This gives parents the opportunity to attend Swamiji’s lectures while their children enjoy activities in a supervised setting.

This service is available only to current Bala Vihar children whose parents are attending the Yagna. Children should be familiar with our facilities and expectations for respectful interaction. Parents are expected to remain in the Yagna room.

If a child disrupts the activities, their parent will be asked to take them out.

Hinduism places great importance on rituals, ceremonies, and pujas, where devotees seek blessings through offerings. In traditional practice, a “Yajman” serves as the patron of a puja or yajna, supporting the priest who conducts the ritual. The word “Yajman” comes from the Sanskrit root “Yaj,” meaning worship, and typically refers to the head of a family or community leading the sacrificial ceremony. After the puja, the Yajman offers Dakshina (a donation) to the priest, marking the completion of the ceremony.

At Chinmaya Mission, we strive to make these sacred rituals accessible to all. At Chinmaya Mission Portland, a different family is honored as the Yajman for each puja. The Yajman begins the ceremony with a “Sankalpa,” a firm, positive resolution or prayer offered to the Lord. They bring offerings such as flowers, fruits, and naivedyam (food offerings), and conclude by making a tax-deductible donation to the mission at the feet of Madhur Krishna, as an expression of gratitude. In return, the Yajman receives blessings and Puja Prasad from the priest, deepening their connection to the divine and inviting wisdom and positive energy.

Rest assured—our Festival team works closely with the Yajman every step of the way to ensure the experience is meaningful and enjoyable for all.

Please note that we are an all-volunteer organization, with our team members balancing daytime jobs to keep our overhead costs at zero. This ensures that 100% of your annual sponsorship goes directly towards maintaining the Chinmaya Haridwar building and its programs. Since tracking annual sponsorships requires considerable time, we would greatly appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Closing it quickly will allow our volunteers to continue serving Chinmaya Mission Portland in the best possible way.