The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur hosted more than 1300 leaders of BAPS’s Children’s Activities in India for a unique convention. Men and women from across the country assembled in Sarangpur to gain a greater depth in Satsang and create a greater spiritual bond with Guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj.
In India, BAPS’s Children’s Activities serves more than 100,000 children every week. With more than 6,500 children’s activities centres across the country, BAPS must manage a volunteer force of more than 9,500 dedicated men and women. That task falls primary on the shoulders of these thousand-plus leaders. Spurred on by the examples of Brahmaswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Pragat Guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj, these leaders themselves devote more than 6,000 man-hours a week in service of India’s future generations.
In Sarangpur, these volunteers participated in a two and a half day retreat in the company of more than 600 sadhus and Pragat Brahmaswarup Mahant Swami Maharaj himself. The central theme of the gathering was ‘Bhagya Jagya Re’ – a select few words from a famous hymn which proclaims one’s fortune for having attained this God, guru and fellowship. This unique attainment was both understood and experienced during this convention. The presentation sessions allowed attendees to better appreciate the glory of God, Guru and the BAPS Sanstha, as well as the importance and value of their role and service. In the five sessions with Param Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj, the attainment that they had spoken about was experienced first-hand as the sadhus and volunteers of BAPS’s children’s activities interacted in unique and memorable ways with His Holiness.
Param Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj blessed the attendees numerous times throughout the two and a half days, encouraging all present to live lives centred around spirituality and service. Above all else, it was this message that resonated in the minds and hearts of all the leaders as they returned to their mission of serving the future generations of this Satsang and this nation.