Sathguru Gnanananda Spiritual Camp
SANMARG 2010
A Report
Radhekrishna
G.A.Trust had organized a spiritual� camp at Thennangur for a period of Fifteen days from 16/05/2010 to 30/05/2010.Thirty boys in the age group of seven to fifteen had enrolled for the camp.Here is a report on the same.
Before we go into the specifics of the fortnight,we have to say that the guiding light for this programme � for that matter, any programme undertaken by us, is our GURUJI,Swami Haridhosgiri.What is so special about this programme is ,this was one of His most cherished venture, close to his heart, next only to His Master and Namasankeerthan.It is a well known and documented fact that Guruji had great respect for Bhagavathas and Bhakthas.But He was totally in LOVE with children.His love for the young ones was boundless .He would go to any length to see the laughter in the young faces.Nothing was too good or too expensive for him when it came to children.Did He not produce the film Purandaradasar totally enacted by children in the international year of the children?It was in the summer of 1994 ,when the Thennangur project was taking shape that Guruji conducted the first spiritual camp for boys.It was attended by 140 boys.Many of the boys who attended that first camp,have attached themselves to Guruji�s movement like magnet to Iron.
The boys who attended that first camp still vividly recall how Guruji used to be present always for all the sessions,be it bhajans,veda ,sanskrit or games.All the sessions will be under His watchful eyes.The responses of each and every� boy will register clearly in His mind and He knew every boy by his name and had specific advice to suit the needs of that boy.His favourite lines to the young ones will go some thing like this.�If any of you commit any mistake or tell lies it will be immediately displayed in the large T.V Screen� in Guruji�s room�.At that age,boys really believed Him and there are parents who still reminisce how their children have grown up virtuous in deference to those words.He did not merely stop with giving lessons but took real care as at home.What more ,even Oil bath was given to all the boys on Saturday with prescribed menu.He organized �Vanabhojanam for the boys by organizing an outing to a nearby grove.To sum it all up,at the end of the camp there was not a single boy who did not feel a pang of regret that that the camp had ended.Those boys who are successful men in their chosen careers now,still devote a lot of quality time for Guruji�s� movement.Due to lack of space,we name only a few,J.Anand,Ram, Jaidev.who are now the back bone of Chennai Mandali,Bharath now in Bangalore,Sharath of Delhi are involved in the respective Mandalis.Going one step further, Arun is now taking care of Paaduka Pooja at Thennangur and Balaji is involved whole time in the Trust work.
Repeat camps were conducted in 1995 and 1996 under the able and equally capable guidance of �Sri Namaji who displayed surprisingly great flair for this.Known to be not so demonstrative like Guruji,He still devised His own innovations to keep the interest of the boys.About 65 to 70 boys participated in each of these two camps and need less to say they are all regular attedees in the functions at Thennangur and the Mandali.even to this day.
All that �preamble was necessary to appraise the readers,of Guruji�s enormous love for children and the special place he had in His heart.for them.After 1996 despite inclinationand intention �to conduct the camps every summer,each year had its own specific problem,mostly because the programme could not be co ordinated with Sri Namaji�s commitments.Over the last two or three years Sri Namaji even had told the Trust to go ahead irrespective of his availability but for the Trust ,it was not an option.How ever ,Sri Namaji�s words turned out to be prophetic and it was the least we could do to honour His wish immediately after His departure ,by keeping up the traditional treatment to our young ones and carry forward the legacy of the Gurus.With the grace of our Gurus we have made a humble beginning at the resumption of Summer Spiritual Camp and from the feed back received from those who were involved in the day to day sessions and the participating boys ,we are sure that our Gurus have showered their boundless blessings on the venture.
The session was inaugurated by H.H.Swami Sadasivagiri of Thapovanam on the 16th of May in the immediate presense of H.H.Swami Dasagiri and Shri Jayaraman,head of the Chennai Mandali.Swami Sadasivagiri was pleased to stay with the boys for three full days notwithstanding his busy schedule and we take this opportunity to convey our thankful Pranams to Him.
The typical day would commence at 5.00 AM and boys were given time for Anushtanam.Around 5.30 AM Morning prayer would commence (Thapovana Prarthanai) and MS Subbulakshmi of Chennai mandali took it upon herself to teach the boys the daily prayer and did a splendid job of it.Immediately after the Prayer session,boys were taught basics of Yoga by Yoga Master Dr.Venkatakrishnan of Jaigopal Garodia Vidyalaya.This was followed by breakfast.The cooks in charge displayed good imagination in giving the boys dishes of variety .The session would resume at 9.00 AM and go on till 12.30 with classes in Gnanamani malai and Devotionals and classes in Sanskrit conducted by Pandit Narayanan of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya.Lunch break at 1.00 PM and boys are given time to rest and do their washings etc.One sessionfrom 3.00PM to 4.00 PM was allotted for guest lectures on our religion.4.00PM to 6.00PM is games time for the boys and they play to their hearts content,games like cricket etc.6.00PM to 7.00 PM is allocated for evening bath and anushtanam.7.00 PM to 8.30 PM is devoted to Bhajans.8.30 is Dinner time and then Bed.Mr.Balaji a devotee from Abu Dhabi consented to stay the entire fortnight and took care of teaching Bhajans and devotionals to the Boys.Guest Lectures included sessions by Sri K.Venkataramani Bhagavathar of Delhi who is a Management Guru by profession,Sri Balaji battar of Thennangur temple ,Professor Va.Ve.Su,retired principal of Vivekananda College,Chennai .Sri Munuswamy of Saiva Samaya Peravi,Vandavasi took sessions on Thiruppugazh.Prof.Va.Ve.Su organized a talent display competition,which the boys did with great relish and aplomb.On Saturday ,oilbath was organized in the morning and that evening ,ourChennai mandali conducted a Divyanama session for the boys and initiated them to the first steps in Divyanamam.Later that evening there was a Nila Saappadu with variety meals and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the fair.
In an important interlude,the boys were taken by special bus to Thapovanam on the 24th for the Kumbhabhishekam .These young ones were really fortunate that Gurunathar provided them an opportunity to visit His abode in this brief period.
On the 30th the programme concluded with the morning session.After lunch,at 2.00 PM valedictory function was conducted in which H.H.Swami Dasagiri gave away the participation certificates and prizes to the boys.On the whole , we were blessed in the successful conduct of this Camp and pray for the blessings of our Guru continuing this in future years.
Radhekrishna
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Participants enjoying OIL Bath along with Namavalis