MUMBAI: India is a country which has always had a rich tradition as far as its culture and family values. If we look back at our cultural heritage we see how children of the kings were educated in ashrams, lived in the forest and sought guidance from sages. Even later, children grew in the joint family system where story telling by grandparents and values taught by elders were instilled in kids from a very young age!

Cut to today, we live in nuclear families where both parents are most often working and a child's day is packed with school and then a slew of classes. Their play-time no longer involves hide and seek or lagori, but rather, indulging in entertainment options like the television, cinema, internet, gizmos and more. Today's children are far more aware and exposed, but have they, somewhere lost their values?

�Have we, in the midst of raising the children of today, forgotten the basis sanskaars that we would like to instill in them?

�Do we need to remind them about our value system and being part of it?

�Have we, in the rush to keep pace with the changing times, allowed our children to grow up too quickly?

It is these questions and more which will come up for discussion as BIG MAGIC, the heartland's No. 1 variety entertainment channel launches its newest property called Bal Kalakaar, a reality devotional singing talent hunt for children, who will host a panel discussion with a mix group of opinionated people from the heartland. The show is scheduled to premier on the Channel, beginning Friday January 6, at 8.00 pm, every Friday & Saturday.

On the panel will be Dr. M.A Naqvi – Director of Dr. Virendra Swarup Group of Institutions, Dr. Alok Bajpai - Child Psychiatrist, Mrs. Archana Nigam – Principal – DPS Kalyanpur & Director: DPS Bareilly, Mr. Hemant Mishra – Music Producer & Mr. Prashant Mishra – Student – Going to UK for UK Indian Cultural Exchange Programme.

BIG MAGIC through this reality talent hunt offers children an opportunity to showcase their talent through their singing skills, but in the devotional genre. With devotional music known to bring out the purity and richness in the young voices, it becomes an ideal platform to influence kids with the positive values of life. With devotional music holding a special place in the hearts of adults and children in the heartland, BIG Bal Kalakaar makes for an ideal combination imbibing good values through entertainment with Sangeet mein Sanskaar!