Around 2,600 kishores and kishoris from Surat attended the Annual Regional Kishore-Kishori Shibir held in Sarangpur. This year’s theme for all the regional shibirs is ‘Yuvano Jago’ – ‘Arise Youths’.
The eligibility criteria for the kishores and kishores to attend this shibir were as follows:
1. Daily Puja
2. Over 80% attendance in the weekly assembly
3. Memorize Vachanamrut, Gadhada II 61 and Yogi Gita.
On 9 November 2010, the kishores and kishoris arrived in Gondal for Swamishri’s darshan and blessings. Swamishri inaugurated the Shibir by releasing balloons bearing the words of the shibir theme: ‘Yuvano Jago’.
Thereafter, all the shibir delegates went to Bhadra for darshan and finally arrived in Sarangpur at night.
The shibr in Sarangpur, from 10 to 13 November, was held in the presence of Pujya Mahant Swami.
The shibir topics were presented through speeches by Mahant Swami and other experienced sadhus, question-answer sessions, interviews, seminars, debates, quizzes, skits, dances, games and other involvement programs.
The topics covered on the first day were Goal, Effort, Kusang and Niyam-Dharma.
The second day focused on the Generation Gap in which the debt owed to parents and elders was highlighted to the youngsters. The kishores and kishoris then wrote a letter to their parents expressing their appreciation for what they have done for them and pledging to serve them for life. The letters were then posted from Sarangpur to Surat on that day.
The topics of the third day were Hindu Dharma, Swaminarayan Sampradaya and BAPS.
On the final day, Mahant Swami spoke on ‘Brahmacharya: The Ornament of Youth’.
In all, the shibir served to awaken the kishores and kishoris to lead lives that will truly please guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj.