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Full Report, with Pics, in PDF Format (4MB)
The annual ALL INDIA YOUTH CAMP 2020, themed ‘INNER FLIGHTS’, was organized in Puducherry from January 4 to 12, 2020. A total of 29 youth aged 18-28 years & 5 ex-camp participants, from 11 States of India, participated in the camp. Sri Aurobindo Society has been organizing such youth camps annually for the past 34 years and has been inspiring and transforming young lives all over the country.
The camp had discussions, interactions, activities, explorations under the following themes:
Ice-breaker: Khichdi Zone – to create a togetherness among the participants
Parts of our Personality, Source of Happiness, Inner Stillness
A series of sessions exploring Critical thinking, Emotions, and Elements of Nature (especially the Water element)
Flowing ‘i to I’ – a series of explorative sessions through dance for transitioning from the small ‘i’ to the greater ‘I’ deep within us
Reaching out to Our Dreams & crushing the obstacles on the way
Breakthrough of the Artist Within
A series of Sessions exploring Goals of Life, Sharing of a Transformative Journey, Our Privileges & Problems, Transforming the society by transforming our lifestyle
Exploring the Beauty in our Everyday Life
Exploring the Soul of Music
Panel Discussion on Relationships
Vision of Sri Aurobindo Society
Cultural Offering by the Participants
There were also days of an adventure-filled trip to Auroville on bicycles, an exploration of the landscape of Ashram’s Nature space ‘Matri-Udyanam’, and daily Yogic Exercises. The camp also included an intense 2-day retreat in Sharanam (10 kms away from the Puducherry city), and a Mehfil – a gathering in the name of expressions of poetry, music, dance, stories etc. in a beautifully prepared environment conducive for it – where all the participants shared their expressions.
On the last day, the participants offered a cultural programme as part of their expression of gratitude, and this was followed by the concluding session where certificates and some beautiful gifts from the Ashram were distributed to all.
The camp was a journey of exploring the possibilities that lie deep within us; working on the layers of our mind, emotions and the body in order to fine-tune them; and also challenging the commonly held notions of lifestyle choices; with thoughtfully designed sessions to facilitate this journey. It was an overwhelming experience for many, a deeply fulfilling journey for all – both the participants and the facilitators!
Here is a link to the comprehensive report of the camp (PDF~4MB), beautifully written by the participants of the Camp.
Here is some feedback from the Participants:
The silence we experienced at Matrimandir, I want to take with me.
—Prakruti A Patel
If I have to express myself in one word for this camp, that word is “sharanam” (surrender).
—Fatima Rangrej
LOVED the camp. LOVED everybody. We hope to take back everything at home and make every day of our life just as beautiful and conscious as our days at the camp were.
—Stuti Mavani
“To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”
—Keerthana P
Self-love, confidence, expression of every feeling, how to love someone unconditionally and still grow in a beautiful way without any expectations, every person is different, each one has their own choices and we should be okay with it… whoa… I learnt so much….
—Anjali Pandurang Gondse
This experience will never be taken away from me. Because now I know through it that everything around me is also in me. Everything will remind me of this place. I am so fortunate to be part of this camp.
—Priya A Chitanand
The sessions were curated very well, the sequence of sessions was also well thought. The efforts which the entire team took to organise each and everything was commendable. Every facilitator and even other team members tried to build a rapport with each participant and were accessible for any help or query. All in all, I had a once in a lifetime experience at the camp.
—Ankita Pawar
I have never experienced the sunrise like this. Today, we were waiting for the sun and the happiness of seeing the first ray of Sun, so satisfying and just amazing.
—Nisarg R Patel
This is the longest I have bicycled for in a single day. The experience here cannot be compared with any other experience. The peace around Matrimandir, the organic nature of the solitary farm and the beauty and treasures in Pitchandikulam forest are beyond comparison. It was one of the best days of the camp.
—Mohit Chhaparia
Now I will do what I can, use what I have, start where I am.
—P Tejesh N Rao
