By Anwesha, Rishi, Yashi and Uma
Gopal’s Glorious Gang (GGG) is a children’s club in Brisbane, Australia with approximately100 junior members; from 4 to 16 years old. Our goal in forming this club is to help each child become a well-rounded human being through intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth. The children are divided into various classes based on age. They learn Vedic wisdom, play musical instruments, act in a variety of theatre performances, play Krishna conscious games, engage in kirtana, hari-nama, book distribution and much more. This year, the GGG students and their families gathered in Tyalgum Ridge Retreat Centre, New South Wales for a three-day Bhakti Boost Camp from 21 to 23 April, with a special guest, Gauranga Darshan Prabhu. The purpose of the camp was to promote friendships, adventure, and Krishna bhakti. Camp activities included morning program, bonfire kirtan, japa, kids’ presentation, Vedic debate, Krishna’s pastimes with Gauranga Darshan prabhu and conscious chanting with Shyamananda Krishna prabhu. Recreational activities included archery, canoeing, low, ropes, high ropes, crate climb, biking, and raft building.
The Morning Program – Pinnacle of the GGG Bhakti
It was a surreal experience worshipping the Deities of Sri Jagannath Baladeva Subhadra, Sri Giriraj, Saligram Silas, many sets of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai’s and Srila Prabhupada on the altar, with more than 150 devotees braving the cold to absorb in the kirtan during the blissful hours of brahma muhurta. Despite an unfamiliar environment, the standards of Deity worship were comparable to the temple. Their Lordships were served opulently with sumptuous offerings, fresh fragrant flowers, aratis and ecstatic kirtan. The worship was done by the children who also lead the chanting. At the closing of the retreat, everyone reflected that the morning programs were the best way to start the day and it assisted in boosting their bhakti. The children felt extremely valued and a sense of accomplishment, as many of them performed deity worship and chanted 16 rounds for the first time.
Activities immersed in Krishna Katha & Nature Another highlight of the GGG Bhakti Booster Camp was the exhilarating camp activities led mostly by the youth who were former students of GGG. Being in nature was the perfect environment to partake in outdoor campsite activities. The children, four years and above were divided into groups according to their ages. They participated in a range of events including low ropes, high ropes, cart climbing, canoeing, archery, raft building, biking, and catapults! The camp leaders helped the children to remember Krishna by relating everything to the stories they learn and discuss in the weekly GGG classes. In addition to the outdoor camp activities the children participated in a variety of indoor activities. They completed drawings, painted wooden artworks of the deities, and played Krishna conscious games. These activities allowed for empowerment, and encouragement, fostered a sense of belonging, and developed bonds between the children that they will carry for the rest of their lives.
Divine Prasadam (sanctified food)
The prasadam served at the camp was lovingly prepared with great care and devotion. The dining hall at Tyalgum Ridge Retreat, which could house up to 60 families, was filled with the heavenly aroma of prasadam served with love by the devotees. The menu included Chinese, Italian and Indian cuisine. The devotees eagerly awaited the delicious and nourishing prasadam to refuel and rejuvenate after a long and busy day. Honouring prasadam together provided a sense of community and bonding, as all the groups came together to share in the feast and bond over their shared devotion.
Valuable Learning
The children enjoyed multiple sessions with Gauranga Darshan Prabhu on diverse topics relevant to their age group. On the first night, they heard the story of Vrtrasura, a demon by birth, but a devotee by heart, who was cursed in his previous lifetime due to pride. On the following days prabhu narrated stories about Lord Krishna to the younger children. In his session with the teens, he spoke on the significance of focus in achieving goals. His class was especially meaningful because he emphasised the spiritual aspect while addressing the material aspect as well. The children listened attentively, participated enthusiastically in discussions, and asked many questions. A valuable takeaway was the practice of chanting every day to develop concentration and a deep spiritual connection with Lord Krishna. While the children were busy hearing from Gauranga darshan prabhu, Shyamananda Krishna prabhu explained the glories of the holy name in three session culminating into the chanting of 64 rounds on the final day. Two of the sessions focused on explaining the principles behind the chanting of the Holy name while in the third session the participants demonstrated their understanding of the principles. On the second day, the teens engaged in a Vedic debate – Does God exist? The purpose of the debate was to learn to defeat atheistic philosophy and strengthen children’s faith in Krishna. The debate helped children to put forward appropriate responses when questioned about the existence of God and solidify their own conviction about the existence of God. The icing of the cake was the visit by His Holiness Devamrta Swami who gave an enlivening talk on the glories of the holy name. His presentation encouraged everyone to deepen their relationship with the holy name. He set the stage for the adults to chant 64 rounds of japa on the last day. At the closing of the retreat, devotees were very grateful that the sessions on the holy name helped them to chant quality japa with attention. They were previously struggling to focus on the chanting but were now able to chant for a longer time with attention. Krishna consciousness is fun. The camp provided an opportunity to experience the splendour of Krishna’s creation through daily outdoor activities, form lasting friendships with other devotees, rockout to kirtan around campfire, grow from daily lectures, engage in meaningful service with friends, nourish the body with daily prasadam and through it all become attached to Krishna’s holy name.
All glories to Sri Sri Gaura Nitai
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada