The Annual Karyakar Shibirs provide karyakars priceless guidance and inspiration to perform their Satsang Activities duties.
Between 8 March and 12 May 2024, a total of 6 Karyakar Shibirs, based on the theme ‘Karyakar Gunatitna’ (The Karyakars of Gunatit) were organized across the African continent, as follows:
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8 to 10 March 2024 in Lusaka, Zambia, attended by 58 male and 40 female karyakars from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Congo, Namibia, and other countries.
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15 to 17 March 2024 in Lenasia, South Africa, attended by 160 male and 85 female karyakars from South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and other countries.
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29 to 31 March 2024, in Kisumu, Kenya, attended by 292 male and 169 female karyakars from Kenya.
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5 to 7 April 2024, in Lilongwe, Malawi, attended by 66 male and 47 female karyakars from Malawi.
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12 to 14 April 2024, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, attended by 132 male and 80 female karyakars from Tanzania.
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10 to 12 May 2024, in Kampala, Uganda, attended by 154 male and 114 female karyakars from Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and other countries.
The shibirs highlighted the great opportunity to serve the satsang for each karyakar and strengthened their mutual respect. Karyakars performed pujan of one another, and participated in a collective lighting of lamps and prayers.
Based on illustrations drawn by Mahant Swami Maharaj, the swamis provided valuable guidance on how an ideal life, conduct, speech, wisdom, and spiritual endeavours of a karyakar should be.
Swamis narrated stories they had experienced during their vicharan highlighting the virtues and dedication of the devotees and karyakars of Africa. Additionally, they spoke on swarupnishtha, how to gain rajipo, balancing social duties and satsang, sincerity in observing daily rites and rituals, benefits of satsang reading, time management, seva as the ultimate spiritual endeavour, and other topics. The karyakars also received the video blessings of guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj.
Youth karyakars presented dramas and thematic videos to convey inspiring and important messages. Karyakars also participated in group discussions. They were also given an overview of the events and activities planned for 2024.
During the Shibir, the karyakars participated in collective recials of kirtans and the nightly chesta.
At the conclusion of each shibir, karyakars resolved to sincerely engage in their satsang seva. The swamis gifted the karyakars rice grains which had been hand-peeled by the swamis themselves and sanctified by Mahant Swami Maharaj.
In total, 1,397 karyakars from 247 BAPS centers across 17 African countries participated and consolidated their understanding of dharma-nishtha (steadfastness in dharma), kartavya-nishtha (steadfastness in duties), bhakti-nishtha (steadfastness in devotion), and swarup-nishtha (steadfastness in the divine forms of god and guru).