HOUSTON, TEXAS, July 22, 2011, (by Rupak Gandhi & Sarang Patel): This year marks the 27th year of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America’s Hindu Heritage Youth Camp. Like most summer camps, the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp provides a wide array of activities, an opportunity to make life-long friends, and a summer experience that kids can never forget. However, to me, the camp offers much more. The camp for me has always been about the education. The attendees of this camp have a unique opportunity to not only learn about Hindu Dharma, but also identify how these practices apply in a day to day life. With counselors in college that have shared the same experiences as most campers, each education takes principles of Hindu dharma and applies it to our society today.
Camp teaches the importance of building both the mind and body, as reflected in it’s daily schedule. From waking up to bhajans at 6:30 in the morning to falling asleep exhausted after a pillow fight, every moment of camp is packed with enrichment. We build our muscles playing games and practicing surya namaskars early in the morning, and stretch our minds during education sessions for which counselors spend months preparing. We grow spiritually while singing bhajans together. Above all though, we build life-long friendships every moment of the day, and eat the most delicious pav bhajiknown to mankind!
As camp co-directors, Sarang and I feel privileged to share our experiences and foster the Hindu Dharma with today’s youth. Although all our counselors spend months preparing for the camp, we always end up learning just as much from our campers as they do from us. There will be 34 counselors altogether (28 full time, 6 part time) working with 169 campers! The lessons we learn from our experiences at Hindu Heritage Camp will remain lifelong lessons we will apply in our everyday lives. More information about the 27th Annual Hindu Heritage Camp can be found at www.hinducamp.com.