Arya: Kids Bedtime Stories is an app designed to introduce Hindu religious stories and cultural values to children growing up abroad. It offers stories for children to listen to before going to sleep.

In a social media post about the app, Mahesh, who describes himself as a Hindu father and software builder, said his aim was to bring these religious stories to children growing up in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia.

He said that children growing up and attending school in English-speaking environments may have fewer opportunities to hear stories connected to their cultural heritage, and that he undertook this initiative to help bridge that gap.

According to its introductory information, the app includes stories about Krishna, Rama, Hanuman and Ganesha, alongside tales from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchatantra and Indian folklore. Its aim is to introduce children to values such as courage, devotion, honesty, patience and sharing through stories.

The developer says the stories are designed for children aged three to twelve. The current app description lists audio narration in English, Hindi, Gujarati and Hinglish, a mixture of Hindi and English. It does not list Tamil-language stories.

The app also offers personalised stories based on a child's name, age and experiences during the day. Its description states that these stories are generated with the help of artificial intelligence.

Free Features and Paid Options

The introductory post shared on social media said that more than 100 stories were completely free and that there was no subscription fee. However, there is a difference between that announcement and the app's current official store descriptions.

The app can be downloaded free of charge, but not all its stories and features are free. The Apple App Store lists it as offering in-app purchases.

According to the current description, 15 stories from the library and one personalised story for a child are available free. Additional features, including access to the full story library, ten personalised stories each month and unlimited offline downloads, are included in a paid subscription.

A screenshot of the app's payment page shows a small pack of three stories priced at $4.99, a medium pack of ten stories at $12.99, a large pack of 25 stories at $24.99 and a mega pack of 50 stories at $49.99.

The page describes these Story Packs as one-time purchases and states that purchased stories do not expire. Although the screenshot displays a dollar symbol, it does not identify the currency's country. Users should check the price and currency displayed in their own store account before purchasing.

Monthly and annual subscriptions are also available. The official description states that subscriptions renew automatically. Parents should therefore understand the difference between purchasing a story pack once and choosing a subscription that renews.

How to Download the App

iPhone and iPad users can download the app through the Apple App Store. Users of Android phones and tablets can download it through the Google Play Store.

Search for ‘Arya: Kids Bedtime Stories’ and check that the developer is listed as ‘Bosc Tech Labs’ or ‘Bosc Tech Labs Private Limited’.

The app description also lists offline downloads, allowing stories to be downloaded in advance and played without an internet connection. This may be useful while travelling or in places with limited connectivity. Unlimited story downloads are listed among the paid subscription features.

Parents and grandparents who wish to introduce children to religious stories and positive values can try the free stories first. They can then consider the language, content and their children's interest before deciding whether to purchase additional features.

iPhone and iPad — Apple App Store
Android — Google Play Store