From 23 to 27 July 2013, over 100 kishores attended a winter camp ever held in Mombasa, where Africa’s first BAPS Mandir was inaugurated. The theme of the camp was inspired from Agna, Upasana, Sadbhav and Paksh given by Shastriji Maharaj to excel in satsang and get Shriji Maharaj’s and Swamibapa’s rajipo.
Centered on this concept, kishores, ranging in age from high school to college students, learned various ways to strengthen their satsang and balance their spiritual, cultural, and personal identities by incorporating aspects of Agna, Upasana, Sadbhav, and Paksh into their daily lives. Through the discourses by sadhus, participants experienced insights from these spiritual concepts found in Hindu scriptures and emphasized by Bhagwan Swaminarayan nearly 200 years ago. Apart from the guidance on the theme topics, kishores also participated in a number of activities of team building and research on Hinduism. Practical workshops on cooking and special programs including beach activities and visiting sacred places of Yogiji Maharaj were also organised. Personal sessions and group discussions with the santos were also very helpful to kishores.
This was the first such winter camp organized by BAPS in Africa specifically for kishores. Inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, BAPS encourages today’s young generation to understand and embrace their roots, helping them remain grounded in their faith and culture.