'Antar Jagruti' or Personal Awareness allows one to motivate oneself and manage stress better, helps with intuitive decision making, and also helps to lead and motivate others more effectively. It is the first essential step towards maximizing ethical, personal and management skills.
With the inspiration of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the BAPS Youth Training Center was started in Sarangpur in 2007. During the six months training course, selected youths are imparted with an in-depth knowledge of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya and Hindu Dharma by Sadhus.
In addition to the curriculum at the training center, the youth are also encouraged to visit surrounding villages and interact with people at their homes, in schools, at farms and other places.
From 2 to 8 August this year, in groups of four each, 25 groups of youths visited a total of 184 villages throughout Gujarat. The youths spent one day in each village, conducting home visits, bal sabhas and de-addiction campaigns. They also held 99 special assemblies in local schools. Through inspirational speeches they motivated the children to continue pursuing their education and aiming for higher goals in life.
In the early evenings, devotees earnestly engaged themselves in the ‘Sandhya Feri’ – a small procession through the village led by the youths. At night they conducted Satsang assemblies, to motivate the villagers to strengthen their satsang.
Undeterred by heavy rains, the youths travelled through muddy and waterlogged villages. As part of this experience, they began to empathize with the constant efforts of Swamishri and the sadhus to nurture satsang.
During the 7 days of the village visits - 'Antar Jagruti' Parva - the youth inspired 900 people to give up addictions and helped to strengthen satsang among children, teenagers, youths and seniors. These visits provided the youths with an inspiring, instructive and confidence-building experience.