As described in the Hindu shastras, Dradh Priti - Profound Love - is the characteristic of true profound love towards God and the Satpurush. Centered on this theme, the second BAPS East African Kishore Winter Camp was held from the 27th to 31st of July in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Delegates from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania were selected through a rigorous application process taking into consideration the candidates’ sabha attendance, niyam dharma and satsang knowledge.
Under the guidance of sadhus, the selected 160 kishores took part in various activities and discussions over a period of 5 days aimed at cultivating Dradh Priti towards their God and Guru.
In classroom sessions, these kishores immersed themselves into the concept of Dradh Priti as shown in the shastras, and explored what it meant and how to implement the idea into daily life. The youths analyzed how this learning could be used to become better satsangis, ultimately allowing them to strengthen their bond with God and the Satpurush. Attendees also participated in leisure activities and workshops designed to strengthen their samp, suhradaybhav and ekta.
Days began at sunrise with samuh puja by the ocean. In the peaceful atmosphere of the morning, Kishores learned how to make bhakti more meaningful and use it as a tool to increase their Priti for Bhagwan and the Satpurush. The attendees, all of whom are on the verge of entering either college or their professional lives learned vital life skills in activities following the classroom sessions. Youths took part in activities ranging from survival skills to cooking classes conducted by sadhus to aid them in daily life. Outdoor activities ranging from organized sports and swimming, to raft building on the beach, to a scavenger hunt on nearby Mbudya Island were also conducted in order to teach the delegates the value of teamwork. The idea of awarding ‘Priti Points’ was also introduced to serve this purpose. Teams were awarded these points in order to encourage cooperation and collaboration.
Over the 5 day camp, new bonds of friendship were formed, and new memories were created. Despite coming from varied backgrounds, each kishore had the same goal: to increase their love for God and the Satpurush. With the guidance of sadhus, these goals were clarified, and the true essence of Dradh Priti was learned.