Gujarati learning through fun activities Learn the names of fruits and vegetables in Gujarati In our live classes, students receive homework each week that allows them to use their Gujarati learning and enhance it further by actually using it in the real world. In this activity, the students were given a scavenger hunt assignment to locate specific fruits and vegetables from their local farmer’s market, grocery store or their own refrigerator. Learning Gujarati is fun, creative and exciting for our students. You too can use this activity with your little ones to teach them the basic vocabulary words. For more, check out this package of PDFs and Videos full of commonly used vocabulary words and phrases and sign up for our email list. #kids #parenting #activities #funlearning #fruits #vegetables #vocabulary #language #gujarati

Maha Sudarshan choorna or Sudharshan ghanvati It’s the official name for this Ayurvedic powder which is also now available in small pills. In Gujarati families, it is known as Kadvaat as this particular herb is bitter and I mean bitter. It was a routine growing up in our family if you had lots of candies and mithai (sweets) as children we all had to have kadvaat powder with water as back in those days there were no pills you can swallow. This prevented my siblings and I from having lots of sugar. My son however figured out that the sugar he loves so much is well worth the bitter pills the next day. A little kadvaat never scared him. The benefits of Kadvaat are many. From what my mom used to tell me, it is good to eat after sugars so the bitters can balance them out, if someone didn’t have a good appetite taking kadvaat made them eat more often. Kadvaat is also used when your body is aching and you feel a dull fever coming on. The main ingredient in kadvaat is Kirata Tikta – Swertia chirata – a potent antiviral herb. I also has other highly effective ayurvedic herbs such as Giloya, turmeric, neem, Parpata and these are excellent antibacterial and antiviral agents. Here is why taking kadvaat is a weekly practice for our 90 year granny: Keeps you regular Our Ma claims that taking kadvaat once a week keeps her bowl movement regular. So if she eats out or eats a lot of processed foods this is her go to dava(medicine). Preventive measures If others are sick around you and you want to keep your immunity stronger take Kadvaat. Next time your throat itches you know what to do. Longer shelf life than most dava (meds) You can leave kadvaat in your herb cabinet for up to two years and it will still be good so you don’t have to worry about it going bad or having to throw it away because you didn’t use it. Can be used for all ages In different dosages this herb can be used for all ages. When travelling, this is a good preventive measure to carry with you. You don’t have to be a Gujarati family to start using Kadvaat as it is sometimes known to prevent the damage over indulgence of sugar causes in your body. What other Gujarati davas do you use in your family? Share with us as we are always eager to learn these effective and tried out remedies. #sugar #nutrition #health #KADVAAT #remedies #wisdom

“Sabandh ane sampati, Mutthi Bharo to reti chhe, ane Vavataa raho to kheti chhe” Translation: Relationships and wealth, when held tightly in one’s palm is merely just some sand but if you work towards it and share it then it will grow like abundance of grain! Gujarati kehvat or Gujarati Proverbs are some of the fantastic ways of learning the value system of Gujarati people in general. This particular one is special to me as it reminds me to not hold onto relations and money too tightly. Relationships require balance In relationships this happens often when you are close to one member of family and almost feel entitled to that person as if they owe you something. Easily as a parent we have expectations from our children but to learn and know that yes we are allowed to have expectations however not so tight that we lose our minds or get angry when things don’t go the way we want them to. We live in the times of “I want everything now and I deserve this…”. This attitude makes us short-tempered and frustrated as life and those around us don’t always behave the way we expect them to. If we allow others the freedom to be who they are and remember that we too have freedom to be who we are then relationships grow with clear boundaries and undemanding respect. Money also works the same way doesn’t it? We hold on to it too tightly then we are constantly thinking of it but we let go a little bit and share the wealth we have then it grows. This doesn’t mean to be wasteful of your money or help others when you don’t have any for yourself. It only means be mindful of it and spend where you need to and help where you can. Love the Gujarati Kehvats. What is your favorite saying about relationships or money? Feel free to share this with your loved ones if you enjoyed reading this. #KEHVAT #proverbs #gujarati #money #advice #relationships

Isn’t it funny how many years later you can recall the simple nursery rhymes you learned as a child? This can be in any language. It could be “Twinkle Twinkle…” or “Ek biladi Jadi…” I personally love songs, especially Gujarati nursery rhymes and I think they are a great way to learn a new language. Here is one of my favorite Gujarati nursery rhymes that I remember vividly from my childhood. It’s about a peacock (Mor) and a peahen (dhel). Check out our songs package at www.sanskarteaching.com to get the accompanying PDF for this song. Get new songs and prayers by signing up for my email list! “Maro chhe mor maro chhe…” #gujarati #nurseryrhymes #kids #children #stories

Imagine, you have been invited to a Gujarati uncle and aunt’s house for their kid’s birthday party or graduation party or even a Pooja (religious ceremony). You will come across many that will recognize you and ask you questions and some that are just curious wanting to know who you are, how old you are or where you are from. They will try to get all the information squeezed out of you especially if you are anywhere from the age of 15-30. As you know a parent must start looking out for a match for their kid early on… “dhyaan ma raakhavaanu” (scope those potential kids out and keep an eye on them to get them hooked up with your kid). Well if you are in this situation, here is what not to do: Don’t be scared of the stare… This is a typical Gujarati thing to do. You see another desi (person of Indian origin) anywhere in this world you first stare at them or keep looking at them. The intention here is not to judge you, they are trying to figure out, do they know you? Ss if they know all 65 million Gujaratis in this world. Don’t answer… “Tu mane odhakhe chhe?” (Do you know who I am?) Or even better “Tu mane bhuli gayi” (You forgot who I am?). Chances are you have never met this person and they just think that you know them or you genuinely forgot who they are. All you do is pause and pretend to think and they will come back with… “Hu tara pappa no friend… Aapne tya Madela…” (I am your dad’s friend, we met at…). Don’t ask another young person’s whereabouts from aunt or uncle… They will think you are interested in their niece or nephew and next thing you know, you’ll have that person’s biodata and whole life history so you can judge if they are a marrying kind or not. Don’t give out any information to the “Gujarat Samaachaar” aunt… There is always that one aunt that needs to know everything in your life and the minute you move away from everyone at the party, everyone in your community and all your neighbors will know that information as this aunt loves to share the news like the newspaper “Gujarat Samaachaar” Don’t leave your shoes on if the event is at a temple… “Jo ne aane etlu pan bhaan nathi” (look at her she doesn’t even know basic Gujarati values). You do not wear your shoes in a temple and by God if you accidentally forgot to take them off or thought your dress is long enough and no one will notice and some aunt spotted you… “Gayi vaat” (you are doomed). You will be known as the idiot or Americanized idiot who doesn’t even know that you don’t wear champal(flipflops) in the mandir (temple). What are you told not to do in your family when you visit others? Do share with us, we would love to know. #gujarati #gathering #socialgraces #dont #rules

Tongue Twisters are a great way to familiarize yourself with the sounds of the Gujarati alphabet. In this post I'll show you 3 of the best Gujarati Tongue Twisters that will help you to learn Gujarati! 1. Khiskoli khushi thi khajoor khaay! English Meaning: The squirrel is happily eating a date. KHA = ખ This tongue twister will help you master the second letter of the Gujarati Alphabet also known as the Barakhadi. Watch the video and practice the tongue twister to familiarize yourself with the sound of KH! 2. Kaacho Paapad paako paapad English Meaning: Raw Paapad Roasted Paapad Ka = ક 3. Gulaabi gaajar guad gammat kare English Meaning: Pink carrot enjoys round jokes Ga = ગ Watch this video for the exact pronunciation of 2 and 3, as well as many more tongue twisters! Want more fun Gujarati Tongue Twisters? My Youtube channel is full of Gujarati Tongue Twisters, Gujarati Games and tons of fun ways to master the Gujarati language. Try this one next! Subscribe to my mailing list to never miss another tongue twister! #tonguetwister #gujarati #language #Khiskoli

We as women carry many necessities in our bags. However there are typical things you are bound to find in a Gujarati Aunty’s purse. Although some of you may like to think you are not at the aunty stage yet, check your purse if you got these things and if you do, then you are almost there: Gujarati Aunty’s Purse Checklist: Safetypins Just in case something tears, rips or needs fixing. Bobbypins Just in case your hair is out of control or someone else’s are and you are put in a situation to rescue them. Mukhvaas Particularly Variyadi (fennel seeds), Aamda (gooseberries) or adasee (flax seed). These are staples for aunties because you can’t just keep them yourself, you have to share and offer them to everyone around you. Back up chaandalaa nu packet (packet of bindi) You never know by the time you reach your party location, your bindi can totally fall out! How embarrassing it would be to walk out without one, God forbid! Small Kanski (comb) When you have been napping in the car with a gaping mouth and the next minute you have arrived at the temple, you gotta fix that hair. Rubberbands Kadaach jaroor padi to? For those “what if” moments. Mada (Prayer beads) You never know when this comes in handy for those stressed out moments when you worry about everything and you need Shaanti(peace). Candy Just in case you have to quiet a kid or even better, if you need to bribe a kid so he can get you some water or cha. Cover/Empty white envelope Just in case you have to gift someone cash for the vehvaars. You forgot to make one and realize oh dear the bride is heading my way to touch my feet for blessings, I gotta give her something. Although you may have some cash stashed in your bra, you need an envelope to put it in. Kanthil Tiny ayruvedic pills to clear your throat for those moments when you can’t stop coughing or your neighbor can’t stop coughing. What if someone puts you in a spot and asks you to sing? You can never be too prepared. What other things you know are unique to Gujarati aunties that they must have in their purses? Do share, we would love to know more. #aunties #pursechecklist

You know how when you show up at Gujarati gatherings and there are introductions and greetings, there is always that one person or more that bend down and say “Jai shree Krishna” or something similar and touches the elder’s feet? Right away you notice a grin on the older folk’s face. What a “sanskari” (cultured) person they are. There is religious and spiritual significance of doing this and they are completely valid if you are doing it from that perspective. Here are five reasons why Gujaratis bow and touch someone’s feet: Sign of respect This shows that you acknowledge the experience, wisdom and knowledge the elders have acquired through out their life. This also shows them your openness to learn from them and implement it in your own life. Receive blessings This gesture is not limited to just elders, “Pranam” as this gesture is known, is meant for all those who are positive, pious and pure souls. This means all teachers, gurus or those who you are willing to learn from. Energy exchange This is an acknowledgment of both parties involved that in this moment we are both pure and this positive exchange will leave both of us feeling one. This is similar to a gesture of a firm hand shake or namaste. However many believe this is a position of one being superior to the other, in actuality it is a gesture of oneness. Shows your “Sanskar”(Values) By bowing and touching your elder’s feet you are showing that you have been taught to acknowledge your elder’s experience and wisdom and you respect that. Score Brownie points If you are trying to impress a family member, by all means bow and touch their feet, even if you don’t say anything. Especially if this elder belongs to your in-laws’ family. This is a silly reason but it is one that many use without really knowing or understanding the true significance of it! For more culture and learning, sing up for my email list! #gujarati #culture #tradition #bow #respect #blessings

There are unique things that desi aunty’s carry in their bags; but there are also things you will not find in a Gujarati Masi’s bag. Many women carry essentials in their bags. Some like carrying a big purse and some prefer just the bare necessities like ID, cash and credit cards. Then there are these things you may see in others’ bags but not in a Gujarati Masi’s bag. Morning after pill Really this is such an intimate issue, I don’t even know if most Gujarati aunties even know what a morning after pill is. Tampons Most of them use pads but if there was a need for that it would be in a dark plastic bag inside another bag so no one would guess that they are carrying a pad. Deodorant You may find a bottle of perfume but not really a deodorant. Birth control pills This again is an intimate issue, if they do carry it, it would be hidden in the deep most pocket or in a black bag. Lighter Why? I don’t know any Gujarati aunties that smoke openly but then again those who do must carry it. Pepper spray Eni shu jaroor? (What is the need for that?) They can scream and kick but this one may not be a bad idea to carry with them. What other things do you know that would not normally be found in a Gujarati aunty’s purse? Share with us, we would love to hear from you. #gujarati #masi #humor #comedy #gujjufunnies #masibag

Raavan dahan – letting go of what’s not serving you! (Burn that Raavan) Most Indians are aware of what is Garba? Of course the minute you say it, you associate it with Gujarati People. This nine days of dancing and praising Goddess Durga or Kali in India is known as Navratri. This is the festival that normally happens in October or November every year. This year it will begin at the end of September. There is a story of a demon named Mahisa soor that Goddess Kali or Durga kills in order to maintain order in this world. Her battle with this demon lasted nine days and thus is celebrated to signify the victory of good over evil. Around India and especially in Gujarat many folks fast for nine days, pray and meditate on Ambe ma (another name for Goddess Kali). Some fast on only fruits and water, some fast with one meal a day for cleansing of the mind and body and some simply to shed some pounds. One of the best part of Navratri which literally means Nine days is nine nights of dancing known as Garba. Girls look forward to dressing up and swinging their hips and dancing the night away. While the boys look forward to looking at these beautiful girls and perhaps finding their future wife amongst them. Some of us also look forward to the snacks being served at these events. Some of my favorite Gujarati snacks are papadi no lot, undhiyu, samosa, bataka vadaa, locho, khaman  and dabeli. The 10th day of this festival signifies the victory of good over evil in Hindu epic story of Ramayana. This day in India is celebrated by burning effigies off Ravana the antagonist of the story of Ramayana. We at Sanskarteaching follow this tradition a little differently where we write down on a piece of paper all of the qualities about ourselves that we would like eradicated from our lives. For younger students this could mean something simple as biting my nails and for older students it could be more like I want to stop yelling at my mother. For us adults it may be something like I want to stop making excuses about going to the gym. On the other side of the paper we draw a picture of the 10 headed demon known as Raavan. On the tenth day after Navratri we light a small fire, say a quick prayer and burn these papers assuring ourselves that as these papers burn these negative qualities about ourselves also vanish. We invite you to come along and follow this Sanskar tradition in your home. Let us know in the comments below what you choose to eradicate from your life. #RAAVANDAHAN #festival #festivals #lettinggo #gujarati

Raising kind hearted kids in a cold, disconnected and impersonal world…. We live in times where everybody is so engrossed in their own problems, own growth and own success that we have forgotten to value and respect each other. This is very prevalent where we see, not just teenagers anymore, but all of us hooked onto our cell phones and other devices. Most of us the first thing in the morning we do is grab our phones, check text messages, emails and the last thing we do before we go to bed is to unwind with watching Netflix movies or videos on YouTube. This closes us up because now it’s just about you and that machine so you refuse to interact with others and now you feel like,  “I don’t need anybody in this world, all I need is me, my phone and my gadgets.” The reality is that none of us really need anybody, but would we be better with support that only a human touch, a human contact and human sight can give you. Forget humans, we no longer have time to go take a walk in nature or to walk our pets. It is all about – what do I need to do to get your head in my field and this starts very young because we teach our young ones how to get ahead by putting them into competitive sport at such a young age. Then they enter the world of middle school and high school where competition becomes a little bit more fierce and it continues on to the college world. Then they enter the world of middle school and high school where competition becomes a little bit more fierce and it continues on to the college world where it’s a complete different ballgame and the worst comes when one enters into the work field where the sheer definition of success is based on how far up the ladder you are? So what do we do? We push others out of our way so that we can get to the top of that ladder. We no longer care if we’re hurting other people’s feelings or if our actions affect others. So is it wrong to raise children by teaching them reverence, consideration of others feelings, respect and mindfulness? No, definitely not. However, it’s a small minority of us that actually behave that way so when these mindful children go out into the real world their soft hearts and caring nature is considered and looked upon as a weak quality, but let me remind you, having a soft heart in this world is a strength, not a weakness. Don’t be afraid to hold onto your values no matter how they are perceived by others. There will be those who are way ahead of your game, those who will do whatever it takes to get there, and those who perhaps are extroverts or just pretending so that they could get ahead in life. You be you, don’t compare yourself to others and work on making your strength stronger. So that soft respectful revering heart stays just the way it is because that is the type of impact this world needs. You don’t need to make big donations,  you don’t need to create or invent big discoveries, you don’t need to make millions of dollars so you can help others.  The best way to impact this world is being true to who you are and not changing yourself so that you could fit into the mold. List positive qualities of a soft-hearted person you admire and are dear to you. Share with us, we would love to hear from you. #kids #raisingkids #childrearing #childcare #gentle #parenting

One with incomplete knowledge tries hard to prove himself.. Adhooro ghado chhalkaay ghano… A water pot that is half empty will always be spilling over than the one that is full…. Have you ever met a person who is so confident that he is right? When really, the reality is that the person only knows half the truth? This Kehvat-Proverb is saying that when someone knows only part of the story or knows part of the fact many times they try harder to make others see their point of view. They will sound so confident as they have to justify their knowledge to be the complete story. These people generally think they know all the answers can you can find them at any gathering or party, they will be the loudest because they are trying to prove their point as if that is the truth and only truth. The other proverb that is similar in Gujarati is…. Khali chano vaage Ghano….. Cheekpea that only has the outer shell is going to make a lot of noise without any real substance. Just like the other proverb this one also says that someone without full knowledge always has to justify that they are correct. They may be aggressive and these are the moments where you are to just remain quiet because the reality is, it is always better to be kind than to be right so let the person feel like yes you’re right. What are some of your favorite Gujarati proverbs or Gujarati Kehvats? Let me know below. Subscribe to my mailing list and get first notice when I post! #proverbs #ego #gujarati