Kauravas vs. Pandavas
Chinmaya Mission Phoenix 2011 Food Drive Competition

Thanksgiving is the season of giving. So, starting in October, applesauce, canned vegetables, juices and cereal were being deposited into collection boxes as the competition had begun. The students at Chinmaya Mission Phoenix once again took on the initiative of a holiday Food Drive to benefit Sierra Vista Academy - the school at which Balavihar classes are held on Sundays. In Balavihar, we have a pledge that states that we must give more than what we take. By donating to the school, all of our members were given the opportunity to collectively fulfill this duty.

But, this time, to add the element of competition, the Balavihar children were divided into two teams: (1) the Kauravas (Classrooms: Pre-K, K, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 12), and (2) the Pandavas (Classrooms: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9). Ignoring the past failure of the Kauravas in the Mahabharata epic, the children on that team were given a chance to redeem their titles and show the world that the Kauravas could actually be good people and leaders. All the while, the Pandavas worked hard to live up to their names. Of course, the winning team which donated the most food by the end of the Food Drive would reap their rewards in satisfaction and a celebration.

The story of Pandavas and Kauravas comes from the Mahabharatha, referred to many as the greatest epic in the world. They were the children of two brothers and hence cousins. The Kauravas hated the Pandavas from childhood; and, were unhappy with the eventual split in the Kingdom that was made to appease both sides. So, in an effort to finally remove them from the Kingdom, the Kauravas devised a way to trick the Pandavas. Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandava brothers who was also then in rule, had a weakness for playing dice. Of course, the Kauravas were fully aware of this weakness and therefore invited Yudhishtira for a game of dice. Yudhistira bet and lost the entire kingdom in the game of dice, as the Kauravas had once again cheated. As a result, the Pandavas were promised that the land would be returned to them if they served twelve years in exile in the forest and then one more year without anyone recognizing them. In spite of their fulfilling the terms of the agreement, the Kauravas refused to return even a tiny piece of land to the Pandavas, which is what leads to the great Mahabharatha war. Krishna who was also a relative joined the Pandavas side and gave his army to the Kauravas. With Krishna on their side, the Pandavas won the war.

Fall 2011 at Chinmaya Mission Phoenix was a time for the Kauravas to rectify past mistakes and to bring their family together. This time in a friendly war, though. With no harm coming to anyone, everyone put together their physical, emotional and intellectual strengths for the benefit of society at large. The students were reminded to donate items that they would enjoy receiving. And, the parents were reminded at the grocery store to spend just a few more dollars for the greater good. What seemed like a simple act of helping out another in need meant a lot to the person for whom the deed was being done. Thank you Kauravas and Pandavas!

Teamleader Pratyush Ambadi is a student enrolled in the 8th grade Bala Vihar class, and teamleader Pranav Ambadi is a student enrolled in the 11th grade Bala Vihar class, of Chinmaya Mission Phoenix chapter (www.chinmayaphoenix.org). Chinmaya Bala Vihar classes are conducted every Sunday at Sierra Vista Academy in Scottsdale.