RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, June 4, 2007: While many enjoyed Memorial Day sales at local shopping malls, some Hindu young people preferred the solitude of Raleigh, North Carolina’s William B. Umstead State Park. College students and young professionals from all over the United States arrived to attend the Hindu Students Council’s 17th Annual Camp where they enjoyed learning more about the rich Hindu cultural heritage, issues affecting Hindus and made new friends.
Daily morning prayers, stimulating philosophical discussions, as well as a few spirited debates brought everyone together. It was “unity in diversity,” as camper Rahul Yadav from Illinois put it. “I got to hear the views of people from various different backgrounds and levels of religiosity.” Regardless of the differences, one solid thread held the people together — everyone shared HSC’s goals of knowledge, unity, progress, and dharma.
For some spirited fun and games, the attendees were split into four different groups and then competed for bragging rights in three separate round of events. First was a Rangoli-making contest where each group created its own innovative design of a Hindu symbol using this ancient Indian art form. Following this was a rousing round of Hindu Jeopardy led by HSC’s president Nikunj Trivedi and general secretary Harshavardhan Vellanki, complete with buzzers and a traditional game board. The final round was a skit competition in which each group was to craft a unique twist to the end of a Vikram & Betal story. Camp coordinator Manav Tandon said, “The best part of the camp for me was the fact that each and every one of the campers enjoyed all of these activities thoroughly.” For information on the Hindu Students’ Council, check out their website at source.