Gnaana Giveaway (including an interview with the owner of Gnaana)

We recently were approached by a great business Gnaana which is a retail website and online community center offering busy families a way to incorporate elements of South Asian languages, traditions and histories into their everyday lives. They offer a unique selection of eco-friendly, developmental toys and educational material to teach children ages 0-12 about South Asian cultures. 

Our friends at Gnaana are sponsoring a terrific giveaway which makes "travel" to South Asia a breeze for our readers. In addition, we have a great interview from them below with more details about their business. 



What is the giveaway?

We are giving away not ONE but two great items: a set of easy to use recipe cards featuring South Asian dishes and a custom made apron for your chef kid!







To Enter here is what you do:

Mandatory Entry Requirements (if you meet each of these two requirements you will be entered into the random drawing):


1) Become a "friend" of Gnaana on Facebook (let us know you are in the comments below)

2) Become a "friend" of Hartlyn Kids on Facebook(let us know you are in the comments below). Being a friend of the Cosmopolitan Kids Facebook page won't count. Sorry!

That's it. Just friend two pages and you are entered.

Extra Entries:

- Tweet, blog or Facebook post this giveaway around and let us know you did in the comments area for extra entries in our random drawing.

Entries must be made by 11:59 pm EST on Monday, July 4, 2011


US Residents only

To learn more about Gnaana, please visit their website at Gnaana.com also take a look at our interview with their founder, a fellow mompreneur who is excited about culture!

Meet Aruna!

Interview Questions

1. How did you come up with the idea for Gnaana?  I was living in India when I was pregnant with my first child and I searched high and low for engaging materials to teach my kids about Indian culture and languages.  I was shocked that in a country so big, and given the large numbers of South Asians around the world, that there wasn’t even a single Indian-themed puzzle for kids under the age of 6!  I didn’t see how kids could learn about and develop a respect for the Indian culture without the proper tools and material.  So I started Gnaana to change that – to make the Indian culture fun, relevant and visible to young kids.

2. What does Gnaana mean?  “Gnaana” (pronounced “”nyaa-na” is the Sanskrit word for knowledge and learning.  It’s a very powerful word.  I chose it because I grew up in a family that valued education above all things – and this is the ideal I want my company to promote.

3.What inspires you?  It’s the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern.  India has such an ancient culture – and even today that culture is thriving – with traditions, music, arts and even fashion.  I want others to see how fun and beautiful our culture is – and I want my kids to be proud of their heritage.

4. What advice could you provide to parents who strive to expose their children to diverse cultures?   I think it’s absolutely wonderful that more and more parents want their kids to be “global citizens.”  But I would say the most important thing is to keep this globalism relevant to your kids’ life. If something is not made relevant, then kids won’t see it as something that is necessary – much like learning a language.  So it’s important to go beyond books and TV – join an international mom or parent group and make diverse friends, volunteer to do a demonstration or project in your kids school, or seek out music concerts from other countries. I recently took my 5-year-old to a Santoor concert – it’s a very unusual ancient Persian/Indian instrument.  It’s been over 2 weeks and he is still talking about the concert to friends and family – and everyone that comes to our house has to listen to the CD we bought at the show. In sum, get out in your community – kids need to experience and see that there are many, many cultures alive and thriving in their neighborhood.

5. We understand that all of your products are eco-friendly. Please share with us how your toys are made.  We have many different products, and there are many different paths to being “eco-friendly.”  But for each product, we try to take the most sustainable path possible. I started my legal career practicing Environmental Law, so I’m very well-acquainted with the various environmental laws and regulations.  Our alphabet blocks, for example, are manufactured without any bleaching or toxic varnishes – just a smooth sanded finish.  We use recyclable materials such as cloth bags and tin boxes as packaging and our poster and stationery are printed on FSC-certified, 100% recycled paper.  For all the products, there are cheaper, less-sustainable materials we could have used – but we chose not to do that.

6. What are some challenges of being a mompreneur?  Where do I start!  The main issues are time and balance – something all parents struggle with.  Having a company is like having another child – sometimes it just needs your attention.  I don’t have any magic solutions – I just try to do the best I can.

7. What lies ahead for Gnaana?  Lots, I hope. On the horizon this year is our launch in India.  We’re also seeking investors so we can expand our offerings to include other cultures and languages and to stage more community events.

8. Where can we find your products?  Right now we’re online only – www.gnaana.com – but we’re looking to change that very soon!

Thanks to Gnaana and Aruna for the great giveaway and good luck to everyone who enters!!

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