Chinmaya Mission is excited to offer the first-ever global camp for teenagers, to be conducted by Swami Swaroopananda at the Chinmaya International Residential School (CIRS) in Coimbatore, India, December 19-26, 2012. Swamiji will be assisted by Brahmachari Rishi Chaitanya (CIRS and CM Coimbatore) and Brahmacharini Nishita Chaitanya (CM Hong Kong). This camp is open to children 12-16 years old.
The camp theme of “7 Days, 7 Powers” focuses on the glories of various Hindu deities, and on finding and invoking the presence of these deities in one’s inner qualities and outer expressions. Evenings will include cultural programs and festival celebrations (such as playing Holi or rafting in the school lake to immerse Lord Ganesha murtis forGanesha Chaturthi). While the days are timetabled, there is always room for surprises!
Campers will have the privilege of spending a week of personal time with all attending CM acharyas. The camp will be filled with Vedantic teachings that bring value-based living to life, and creative activities and interactive sessions that inspire and uplift the spirit. Attendees will leave the camp energized and unmistakably changed, reveling in an experience that will stay with them forever.
The camp venue of CIRS is fully equipped to provide safe, clean, and more than comfortable residential accommodation for all attendees. Campers will reside in separate boy/girl dormitories, with approximately eight teens and one sevak. Campers are welcome to provide roommate preferences. CIRS food is fully vegetarian, but far from boring school food! Campers will experience a range of cuisines from across India, as well as comfort foods like pizza and pasta.
Experienced sevaks, chaperones, and medical staff will be there throughout the camp. Campers must arrange for their own travel and health insurance coverage, as well as all the necessary vaccinations. Campers may start their course of malaria tablets as and when recommended by their doctor.
Chinmaya Mission teenagers will get to spend a week with peers from around the world—India, Australia, Kenya, Philippines, USA, and more. The wonderful camaraderie felt at local and national camps with likeminded youngsters will carry forward to a global level, allowing campers to discover that their Chinmaya Family doesn’t stop at country borders, but really does traverse the world.
Such camps have proven to be grand successes with various age groups, who enjoyed camp as one of the most fun, exciting, and memorable weeks of their lives. With the magical presence of Swami Swaroopananda, his transformative teachings, and the friendships they formed at the camp, CIRS is ready to welcome the global Chinmaya Family of teens for “7 Days, 7 Powers.”
Camp registration is $315 before July and $350 after July. Campers must ensure their visa requirements are met to enter and leave India. Campers should plan to arrive at CIRS by 4 p.m. on December 19. Return flights should be booked for the morning or afternoon of December 27.
Campers may choose to travel with fellow campers from their country by contacting our camp’s country coordinators (information given to campers after registration is confirmed). Coimbatore is an international airport and has direct flights from various international cities. FYI: Previous campers have used and recommended cleartrip.com to book their internal flights to Coimbatore. Low cost airlines with several flights a day into Coimbatore include JetLite and Indigo.
The address of CIRS is as follows: Chinmaya International Residential School, Nallurvayal Post, Siruvani Main Road, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The school is 45-60 minutes from Coimbatore airport and is well known by local taxi drivers. Campers may request country coordinators to pre-arrange their transport to/from the school and Coimbatore Airport.
To receive a camp form, email or call Lavina Chotrani (Hong Kong +852-94-75-75-75) or Roushika Gawne (U.K. +44-78-121-4648).
Hari Om!