Held annually in different regions of North America, the BAPS Yogi Cup Basketball Tournament is an athletic competition held with kishores (youths aged 14-22) from around the United States and Canada within their respective regions. The Yogi Cup Basketball Tournament promotes the messages of samp, suradbhav and ekta, values instilled by Yogiji Maharaj, to bring the participants together.
This winter, kishores gathered to compete in four regional tournaments. The three-day event hosted in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Toronto, and Robbinsville helped bring together kishores to fulfil Yogiji Maharaj’s vision of unity and youth involvement. Preparations for the tournament began months in advance, not only in planning, but also with teams practicing to prepare for the games. The event also allowed for individuals to participate in several competitions outside of the main tournament, including the three-point challenge and skills competition.
To ensure the spiritual growth of all participants during the tournament, kishores also participated in goshtis, group activities and evening programs to enhance their personal satsang and build deeper spiritual bonds with each other. Additionally, kishores also performed ahnik rituals, such as puja, arti and chesta, together during the event.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj, current spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, continues to build on the vision set forth by his guru, Yogiji Maharaj, of encouraging youth to be involved in all aspects of the organization from volunteering their time to organizing weekly classes and annual camps and retreats. Events like this tournament create an environment for kishores to grow together in their pursuit of satsang.