Hindi or Sanskrit
The stories in Hindi
For children learning Hindi as a home language, or who understand some Hindi but do not speak or read it. The stories are told, read and written in Hindi, with English wherever it helps.
The stories in Sanskrit
For children about to meet Sanskrit at school, or who recite shlokas and want to understand simple sentences. The stories are told in simple Sanskrit, in the present tense, with every sentence explained.
Children are grouped by age and level. Under eight, the hour is story, game and acting. From eight, a short story passage to read and a few sentences to write come in.
Eleven stories and a performance
From the five books of the Panchatantra, one story a session.
| 1 | The monkey and the crocodile Book 4, Labdhapraṇāśa |
| 2 | The lion and the clever hare Book 1, Mitrabheda |
| 3 | The talkative tortoise Book 1, Mitrabheda |
| 4 | The heron and the crab Book 1, Mitrabheda |
| 5 | The blue jackal Book 1, Mitrabheda |
| 6 | The crows and the snake Book 1, Mitrabheda |
| 7 | The doves and the hunter’s net Book 2, Mitrasamprāpti |
| 8 | The four friends: crow, mouse, tortoise and deer Book 2, Mitrasamprāpti |
| 9 | The birds choose a king: why crows and owls quarrel Book 3, Kākolūkīya |
| 10 | The donkey who sang Book 5, Aparīkṣitakāraka |
| 11 | The brahmin’s wife and the mongoose Book 5, Aparīkṣitakāraka |
| 12 | Story theatre: each child performs a story All five books |
A sample story: the monkey and the crocodile
The first story of the course, as a child reads it in each track. Read it with your child.
बंदर और मगरमच्छ · in Hindi
नदी के किनारे जामुन का एक पेड़ था। उस पेड़ पर एक बंदर रहता था। नदी में एक मगरमच्छ रहता था।
बंदर रोज़ मगरमच्छ को मीठे जामुन देता था, और दोनों पक्के दोस्त बन गए।
एक दिन मगरमच्छ की पत्नी बोली, “मुझे बंदर का दिल खाना है।”
मगरमच्छ बंदर को अपनी पीठ पर बिठाकर नदी में ले चला। बीच नदी में उसने सच बता दिया।
बंदर बोला, “अरे! मेरा दिल तो पेड़ पर ही रह गया!”
मगरमच्छ उसे वापस किनारे ले गया, और बंदर कूदकर पेड़ पर चढ़ गया।
वानरः मकरः च · in Sanskrit
नद्याः तीरे एकः जम्बूवृक्षः अस्ति। वृक्षे एकः वानरः वसति। नद्याम् एकः मकरः वसति।
वानरः मकराय मधुराणि फलानि ददाति। वानरस्य मकरस्य च मैत्री भवति।
एकदा मकरस्य पत्नी वदति, “अहं वानरस्य हृदयं खादितुम् इच्छामि।”
मकरः वानरं पृष्ठे नयति। नद्याः मध्ये मकरः सत्यं वदति।
वानरः वदति, “मम हृदयं तु वृक्षे एव अस्ति!”
मकरः तं पुनः तीरं नयति। वानरः कूर्दित्वा वृक्षम् आरोहति।
In English: A monkey lived in a jamun tree by a river, and a crocodile lived in the river. The monkey gave the crocodile sweet fruit every day, and they became friends. One day the crocodile’s wife said she wanted to eat the monkey’s heart. The crocodile carried the monkey on his back into the river, and in the middle told him the truth. “Oh!” said the monkey. “My heart is back in the tree!” The crocodile took him back to the bank, and the monkey jumped up into the tree.
The question for the class: who lost more that day, and why?
How the classes run
Every child plays a part
Each one takes a character and says their lines in the language.
Read and write from eight
Story sheets, fill-in-the-blank and sequencing, and a few sentences of their own.
Live online only
On Zoho Meeting, at times arranged around your time zone. Classes are not recorded.
Always the same teacher
Every class taught by Ms. Parikh herself. A missed class is made up with a compensation class.
How progress is measured
Small batches mean every student's work is actually seen. Nothing here is automated. Ms. Parikh marks it herself.
There is no exam. Progress is checked in the class and reported.
| What | How often | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Retelling | Every story | Can the child tell it back, in the language, with help as needed |
| Role-play | Every story | Says a character's lines clearly |
| Story sheet | Every story, from age 8 | Reading and a few written sentences |
| Track review | End of the 12 sessions | Written note to parents: the stories, words and sentences the child can now use |
What it costs
One price for one hour of live teaching. It comes down as the group grows.
2 language tracks of 12 sessions · the same stories in each
You pay for the hours you take, one stage at a time, and nothing commits you to the rest. The hours are a guide rather than a fixed track: if one part of the course matters more to you, we spend longer there and move more briskly elsewhere. You can also join at whichever stage matches where you already are. Want something different altogether? Design your own course, at the same rates.
| Track | Hours | On your own | Two or three, each | Four or more, each |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The stories in Hindi | 12 | ₹4,788 $180 | ₹3,000 $144 | ₹2,280 $108 |
| The stories in Sanskrit | 12 | ₹4,788 $180 | ₹3,000 $144 | ₹2,280 $108 |
| Both tracks, if you take them both | 24 | ₹9,576 $360 | ₹6,000 $288 | ₹4,560 $216 |
That last row is simply the hours added up, at ₹190 an hour per person in India, or $9 outside India, in a group of four or more. Each track stands on its own: choose Hindi or Sanskrit, or take both.
One session is one hour, so the hours above are also the number of classes. There is no second number to work out. Every session is live, and taught by Ms. Parikh herself. Classes are not recorded, so if a class is missed a compensation class is arranged instead. Worksheets, marked work and a certificate of completion are included. How often you meet is arranged with you, around your timetable and ours.
Questions parents ask
Hindi or Sanskrit: which should my child take?
Hindi if the aim is to understand, speak and read the family’s language. Sanskrit if your child will meet it at school or already recites shlokas and wants to understand simple sentences. Many children take Hindi first and Sanskrit later; the stories are the same, so the second track goes faster.
Does my child need to read already?
No. Under eight, the stories are heard, acted and drawn. Reading and writing come in from about eight, at the child’s level.
Are these the original Panchatantra stories?
Yes. All eleven come from the five books of the Panchatantra, retold simply for children in Hindi or in Sanskrit.
Is “The Thirsty Crow” a Panchatantra story?
No. It is usually traced to Aesop’s fables, not the Panchatantra, so it is not in this course.
Will this help with school Hindi or Sanskrit?
It helps with vocabulary, listening and reading, and with confidence in the language. For exam preparation, see school Hindi tuition or school Sanskrit tuition, which follow the school textbook.
Are classes recorded?
No. Classes are live only, on Zoho Meeting, and taught by Ms. Parikh herself. If your child misses a class, a compensation class is arranged.
What does it cost?
One to one it is ₹399 a session in India, or $15 outside India. In a group of four or more it is ₹190 per person per session in India, or $9 outside India. Each language track is 12 sessions, and the first class is free.
Further reading
The script both Hindi and Sanskrit use, and the order in which a child should meet its letters.
Another set of old stories for children, from the Upaniṣads, chosen by age.
Start with a free class
A free 45-minute session, live with Ms. Parikh, with a short chat to choose the track and level. Nothing is paid until your child has had a first class.