Over 3,000 yuvaks and yuvatis of Surat attended the annual Youth Shibir held at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur from 6 to 10 November 2013.
The criteria for selection to the shibir included having at least 80% attendance to the weekly youth assemblies in Surat and passing three tests based on the Jnanamrut booklet.
Based on the theme ‘Lyo Rajipo’ – ‘Receive the Blessings’, the shibir began with darshan of guruhari Pramukh Swami Maharaj, during which Swamishri was honored with garlands and shawls lovingly prepared by the youths. Also, 125 youths combined to perform a spectacular welcome dance.
During the shibir, the youths were inspired by speeches by the sadguru sadhus and other experienced and learned sadhus. The shibir also featured motivational and theme-oriented skits, debates, video shows and dances on topics such as family unity, celibacy in youth, necessity of upasana for liberation, attachment to the eternal Gunatit Satpurush, satsang reading and satsang exams.
In the evenings, the youths presented two dramas: ‘Turning Point’, which depicted the problems arising from indiscriminate use of e-media, and ‘Dilrubano Taar’, which demonstrated the importance of attachment to the Satpurush.
The highlight of the shibir was the daily darshan of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The youths departed from the shibir, re-energized to sincerely practice satsang in their daily lives.