Over 950 yuvaks and yuvatis of Rajkot joined the five-day Yuva Shibir-Darshan Yatra organized as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the BAPS Mandir in Rajkot.
To become eligible for the yatra, the youths had to pass written and oral tests on the basics of the Sampradaya and also participate in the week-long seva, bhakti and upasana programs: helping to clean the sanskardhams in Rajkot, performing extra bhakti in the form of malas, dandvats and pradakshinas, and inspiring one friend to visit the mandir for darshan.
The five-day 2,000 km yatra took the youths to BAPS mandirs and ancient Hindu mandirs in Bochasan, Bharuch, Navsari, Selvas, Nasik, Mumbai, Tithal and Chansad. The youths learnt the rich and meaningful traditions and history of each place, which helped them to better understand the role and relevance of mandirs in daily life. They also visited other holy sites and rivers of Sanatan Hindu Dharma to offer prayers and devotion.
During the yatra, at seven locations, shibir sessions were held in which Pujya Viveksagar Swami, Adarshjivan Swami, Anirdesh Swami and other swamis explained the glory of Hindu mandirs. The sessions also featured workshops, discussions, videos, skits and other activities to re-inforce the glory of mandirs.