2L
Krishna
Aim
To become acquainted with the stories surrounding Krishna.
To begin to understand Krishna's appeal to Hindus
Preparation
Before the lesson prepare different stories.
Obtain recording of 'Govinda' by the group, Kula Shaker
Lesson
Begin by discussing last term's theme of Love with the children. How many different types of love are there? What do Christians believe about loving God and loving other people?
In Hinduism, one god is loved more than any other. He is called Krishna.
Can they remember who Krishna was?
If necessary, revise what was taught in the previous lesson about avatars.
Of all the gods and avatars, why should Krishna be the most popular?
Divide the children into groups and give to each a different story from the life of Krishna.
Invite a few groups to share their story with the rest of the class. This can be done either by acting or reading the story out. Other groups can provide a brief synopsis.
When the stories have been shared with the class, invite comments on the character of Krishna. How do other people in the stories re-act to him? How do the children account for his popularity amongst Hindus?
For Hindus, he offers a complete picture of God. He can be loved as a child, a father, a friend, an elder brother, a boy friend and a husband.
Conclusion
Conclude lesson by playing a recording of the song 'Govinda' by the group Kula Shaker. (If available, the video is also of immense value as it is full of Hindu imagery and symbolism)
Inform them that the song is in fact a prayer to Krishna. Govinda is another name for him.
Teachers' Notes
The stories which I have included are just a sample of the huge narrative tradition surrounding Krishna. If you know of other stories which portray different aspects of Krishna, feel free to use them.
A gallery of Krishna images can be viewed online at http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_pictures/GodandGoddesses/krishna/index.shtml
