Thread by @vAIdikabhArata

A thread on the saMskAra dIkshA shivira-s we hold:
In modern times, the symbols of dharma are mocked at, people associating themselves w/ these symbols r made to feel ashamed, if you keep a pony, you're fashion conscious but if you keep a shikhA, you're 'gawaar'.

You wear a dhoti, u don't belong in 'the civilization', if u wear worn out clothes originally designed for ppl involved in menial labor, u're cool.
Situation is so bad that even a primary school kid laughs his heart out on jokes made on dharma/symbols. Not their fault though.

To borrow words from shri atal bihari vajpayee, our present situation can be summed up as:
हिन्दू कहनेमें शरमाते दूध लजाते लाज न आती,
घोर पतन है अपनी माँको माँ कहनेमें फटती छाती

To challenge this situation, we decided to organize residential camps so as to inculcate the very basic ideas and ideals among our children for which our ancestors lived and even died when the time called for it.

We decided to teach the following things:
1) sandhyAvandanam n samidAdhAnam
2) wearing kAUpInam n dhoti
3) saMskRta sambhAshanam
4) some Hindu history so they at least challenge attempts at dhimmification in schools
5) traditional sports, kushti, kabaddi n wielding a staff (लठ)

We wondered if the parents would be willing to send their kids to a summer camp named as 'saMskAra dIkshA shivira' learning 'religious stuff', when their neighbor's kids were off to camps where they could acquire the talents to become a virat kohli or a shahrukh khan?

Money we had was also insufficient but that, although difficult, was way easier to arrange compared to getting students. For 15 days we ran a door to door campaign in palwal (haryana) and then we had a confirmation of 25 students.

There were other infrastructure related challenges too, cleanliness and sanitation was a big issue w/ the school we had rented, when everything else failed, we even built 5 toilets in <7 hours!

The first 10 day shivira was held in june 2015, on the first day we organized upanayanam of the students. While even marriage has lost its dhArmika part,
upanayanam, in under 3 decades, has become practically non existent in large parts of uttara bhArata.

5 senior brahmachArI-s taught sandhyAvandanam n samidAdhAnam to the brahmachArI-s, nandakishOra ji from saMskRta bhAratI, w/ help from @Samskritaputra ji had agreed to teach sambhAshanam to the brahmachArI-s. There were teachers for history and sports also.

The day began an hour before sunrise, w/ the brahmachArI-s taking out prabhAta - phErI or morning march (goo.gl/EwFAWG) in the adjoining colonies, singing 'जाग जाग जाग रे मातृभू पुकारती', the song was first telecast in the epic serial 'chAnakya' goo.gl/GS5GTj

then some yOgAbhyAsa, sandhyOpAsanam n samidAdhAnam, followed by breakfast, classes for sambhAshanam until lunch, post lunch they'd learn sandhyOpAsanam,samidAdhAnam,wearing dhoti, history, then sports in evening. Again SS, then dinner, a play rehearsal n then chAnakya screening.

While @rajbainsla was arranging finances (yes they're to be arranged before starting a project but that's how it went), @vvaayu was overseeing n administering all the daily proceedings. Its difficult to ensure each brahmachArI becomes proficient in his nityakarma in <10 days.

After this tight schedule of 10 days, in the closing ceremony blessed by dEva-s n vEda pandita-s from a nearby pAthashAlA, brahmachArI-s enacted a play (goo.gl/aWsTMZ), in saMskRtam!! Rshi-s n their children, who were separated by millenniums, were now united by dharma.

This play is actually a scene from chAnakya (goo.gl/QkbAXV) and was translated to samskRtam to encourage the brahmachArI-s.

shrI prabhAkara kAUshika from saMskRta bhAratI gave this spell binding speech on saMskRtam, that day, the audience, parents of brahmachArI-s and the general public, came to know that they already had saMskRtam in them, they just didn't know how to use it.
goo.gl/Ry9N5k

The response we received from the common people was overwhelming and that inspired great confidence in us, dharma is very much alive in people even though they have adopted 'modern ideas' out of whatever compulsions. वैदिको धर्मः सदा विजयते !!

The brahmachArI-s left w/ small booklets carrying the study material and contacts of all those who taught them these days. But beyond the physical realm, they carried the vigor and passion to uphold dharma all through their life.

Building upon this experience, we held this shivira again in June'16 (had 60 students n had to assure others whom we could not admit, that by next year, we'll build capacity to accommodate them as well).

Also, these and other interactions, experiences made us strong enough to take the pledge of establishing a vEda pAthashAlA in the coming saMvatsara.
What kind of vEda pAthashAlA and why is it necessary ? Please read about it here. goo.gl/o8bGyi