As part of their six-month BAPS Yuva Talim Kendra (YTK) course, the 108 youths of the first batch of 2023 students undertook a week of vicharan. In groups of four each, the 108 youths, in 27 groups, visited 216 villages in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan to conduct the ‘Antar Jagruti Parva’ (Personal Awareness Campaign).
During their one-day visits to these villages, the youths visited 3,232 homes, inspiring devotees to attend their local weekly assembly, perform daily personal puja, visit the local mandir regularly for darshan, daily read the Vachanamrut and Swamini Vato, conduct family assemblies, observe a fast on ekadashi and practice other basics of satsang.
The youths conducted a total of 216 public assemblies, attended by over 14,435 people. Also, they held 151 children’s assemblies and 37 school assemblies, which were attended by over 6,575 children. In the evenings, the youths organized bhakti feris – devotional parades – through the towns and villages, in which around 2,355 devotees participated. The youths also inspired over 875 people to give up their addictions.
These village visits energized not only the devotees, but also the youths to strive for greater spiritual growth.