UNITED STATES, July 24, 2008: This summer young Gujarati teenagers across the US are getting a better understanding of ancient Hindu scriptures such as Bhagavad Gita, Vedas, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Regional kishore conventions organized by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha are a huge draw with youngsters who not only learn about the values contained in these scriptures but also how the morals of the scriptures apply directly to their lives. This is by participating in sessions conducted by humorous emcees, kishore/kishori personal true stories, video presentations, interactive activities with the audience and other activities.
The teenagers, kishore and kishori as they are called, attend a total of eight classroom sessions taught by swamis and elder youth presenters. The topics covered include the importance of observing one’s dharma – ethical code of conduct – with regards to one’s parents, elders, siblings and peers as taught in the Ramayana, the hurdles that come with ego and jealousy as taught in the Mahabharata, among others. Besides, everyone also attend a class on “Frequently Asked Questions’ on Hinduism.”
“We were able to relate to the scriptures because of the way the anecdotes were presented,” says Manish Parmar from Parsippany, who attended the Northeast convention in Catskill, NY. “Now I know what the different lessons are and can directly apply them to my life,” he added. Different teambuilding activities are held on the last day of the convention, helping all the attendees understand the importance of teamwork and unity. So far about 2,000 teenagers have attended these conventions in Atlanta, Chicago and New York and similar numbers are expected from Los Angeles, Houston and Toronto.