HindiUSA’s Kavita Paath Pratiyogita 2016-17

Teachers: Please remember to encourage all your starter 2 class students to participate in KPP since
this participation makes a great deal of difference and impact on them in general. Good preparation
helps them to get confident and actual confident complete recitation without forgetting any part of it, in
front of a big crowd of people including their parents, sibling and classmates will change their whole
attitude towards speaking in Hindi. So, please, as teachers, try your best to get them to participate.

Description

Kavita paath pratiyogita is HindiUSA’s biggest and most popular competition that is
held among the students of ages 5-17 for all nine levels. The purpose of this
competition is not only fun but to provide stage to students to build confidence,
develop leadership quality, improve memory and sharpen pronunciation. This
competition connects students to the uniqueness of their heritage. All HindiUSA's
students are advised and encouraged to participate in Poem Competition.

Students who participate in this competition get extra credit in their oral exam.

External judges are invited to judge the kavita paath competition. Parents, their
relatives, and community members are encouraged to attend this program without
any cost to them.

Quarter Final Round:

In the first phase (quarter-final), each school will hold internal competition among its
own students in January. This competition is conducted either during school time on
Friday, or on Saturday depending on the availability of school facility. Please contact
your school coordinator and your child's teacher for this round. If you are not going
to be available for semi-final and Hindi Mahotsav, please let your coordinator know.

Page 1 of 5
Semi Final Round:

Winners from quarter final round (school level) from all HindiUSA schools will
participate in this round in interschool level in February (details will be provided
later).

If teachers have any questions, contact Rachita Singh at devendra60@hotmail.com

Final Round:

Winners from the semi-final competition will participate in the finals at Hindi
Mahotsav.

Rules of Kavita Paath

1. Every participant will follow the time limit according to their level.

Level Reciting Time Limit

Starter-1: 30 seconds Intermediate – 2: 2 minutes

Starter-2: 45 seconds Intermediate – 3: 2.5 minutes

Beginner-1: 1 minute Advance – 1: 3 minutes (not < 2 min)

Beginner – 2: 1.5 minutes Advance – 2: 3.5 minutes (not < 2.5 min)

Intermediate – 1 2 minutes

If a participant exceeds time limit for his/her level, he/she will be

disqualified.

Page 2 of 5
2. Reciting of poem can be of less duration which is allotted to that level but
cannot be exceeded.
We should not insist on the number of lines, just time as allotted per level – only 45
seconds for Starter 2. A few seconds override, if unavoidable at all may be considered at
the school level only , but please take prior permission should be taken from the School
coordinator.

Kavitas can be made short, revised or repeating main lines can be cut from them to keep
up to 45 seconds.

3. Poem must be memorized. Students will not be allowed to read poems

written on paper.

4. Competitors will be judged on few criteria like pronunciation, memorization,

expression, presentation, confidence etc.

5. Students must reach the venue on time. If they are late in reaching the venue
and/or if they miss their turn, they will not be allowed to recite their poems.

6. Participants must submit the first line of their poems to their school
coordinators to avoid repetition of same poem by others . To avoid repetition of
poems, names should be submitted at the earliest.

7. Introduction of poem, greetings etc. will not be included in reciting time.

Introduction must be very brief. Participants may not announce their school
names.

8. Students can dress and hold props matching with their poems (preferably till I-
1 level). Competitors are encouraged to wear Bhartiya dress or special costume
according to their poem.

9. No song, bhajan, aarati, rashtra geet, chalisa, or shloks are allowed. Poems used
in Hindi movies are also not allowed. If student is not sure whether the poem is
appropriate or not, please have it reviewed by the student’s teacher. Any poem
that is not reviewed and is disqualified because of this rule will be considered
student’s fault.

10. Student may not repeat the same poem he/she had recited at the
previous year competition.
11. Also, no marks are allotted at this level for selecting kavitas of famous poets.

Page 3 of 5
 12. Kindly help them with correct pronunciation and can practice regularly in class
before the KPP event.

Important Tips
1. The standard of poem should be according to the child’s Hindi class level. For
example, Starter-1 and Starter-2 students are advised to recite poems related
to their curriculum like festivals, colors, animals, fruits, vegetables, relations,
feelings, nature, etc.

2. Students of Intermediate and Advance levels should also tell the name of the
poet/ess whose poem they will recite. Introduction of poem should be in the
following format: “नमस्ते, मेरा नाम रचना है। मेरी कविता का नाम “उठ जाग भारत” है। मेरी कविता के कवि श्री गजेंद्र
सोलंकी हैं। “/ मेरी कविता की कवियत्री श्रीमती सरिता शर्मा हैं।“

3. Select poem according to student’s skill. If a student is able to sing soft spoken
poem provide him/her same stream poem. Provide Veer Ras poem if the
student is able to recite it in a commanding voice.

4. Before memorizing your poem, check with your teacher if it meets rules
and criteria of the competition.

Here are some links to find good Hindi poems.

http://www.pitara.com/talespin/poems_hindi.asp

http://www.4to40.com/poems/list.asp

http://www.geeta-kavita.com/indian_poetry_list.asp

http://www.kavitakosh.org

http://www.hindinest.com/kavita/0poems.htm

http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nov4y4x-0Js (find more on Youtube.com)

Page 4 of 5
 http://www.geeta-kavita.com/

 http://www.indif.com/kids/hindi_rhymes/nursery_rhymes.aspx

 http://blogs.sun.com/arungupta/entry/hindi_poems_for_kids

 http://www.hindikibindi.com/toddler/poem1.php

 http://www.geeta-kavita.com/recent_additions.asp

 www.geeta-kavita.com/hindi_sahitya.asp?id=4

 http://www.geetganga.org/

 http://www.geeta-kavita.com/hindi_sahitya.asp?id=4

 http://www.hindikibindi.com/prankster/poem2.php

 http://www.hindipoetry.wordpress.com/category/harivansh-rai-bachchan/

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6iI7ulh1uA

 http://www.hindinest.com/kavita/0poems.htm

Page 5 of 5