As part of the NHSF (UK) 30th anniversary celebrations, our students’ movement embarked on the Yatra project. Affirming our affinity to Britain, over 150 joined us on two sunrise treks: on the 2nd of July along the Mam Tor loop of the Peak District; on the 9th July through the sights of the Seven Sisters cliffs.
A Yatra, while literally meaning a ‘journey,’ is taken as a pilgrimage or a procession. Scattered across Bharat are thousands of Teerth Sthals (pilgrimage sites), for which Hindus undertake arduous and strenuous journeys to reach.
The Yatras (journeys) themselves are considered the most important step, as the journey represents our own transformation before achieving our goal.
Students took different Vrats (penance) up to a month before the Yatra, be it abstaining from bad habits, writing gratitude journals, or being consistent in their daily prayer. Charged by the collective enthusiasm, we began the trek by chanting Om. Taking the name of Bhagavan, we undertook the Yatra.
The Mam Tor loop saw us taking a Murti of Shiva Bhagavan up to the top; it was a sight to see the youth chanting the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra in unison in the face of the rain and hail.
We were fortunate to be joined by Swami Sarvasthananda Ji of the Ramakrishna Mission along the Seven Sisters Yatra, who conducted a beautiful Saraswati Puja along the cliffs.
By enhancing our spiritual capacity, the sites that we journey to are usually found in places where Bhumi Maa (Mother Nature) is abundant in Her beauty, such as mountains and cliffs. These remote places are chosen not only because where the Earth is most at Her natural state, but also due to the physical challenge needed to reach.
When we are ready to undertake such challenges, physically, mentally and spiritually connecting with the land around us, we undertake the inward journey of exploring our potential. By reaching sites that are far away and nestled in the beauty of our landscapes, we heighten our appreciation for the land upon which we reside, the land we call home.
The National Hindu Half-Marathon was the third largest of half-marathon in the UK, and ran for 18 years up until the year 2000. With numbers scoring up to ten-thousand annually, people from all faiths and backgrounds would participate. Organised by the Hindu community, it was our way of pushing our society on the path of health and fitness, while also bringing people together in the spirit of Dharma. Our NHSF (UK) youth movement was founded by a few students putting up a stall at this very marathon! In an attempt to resurge this zeal, our students decided to take a monumental step by bringing the philosophy of Yatra to our British Isles.
As NHSF (UK) looks back on the achievements of our history, we now wish to look forward to what the Hindu student identity will be 30 years from now. As the youth begin to shape what it means to be British Hindu, we want to affirm in the truest sense that Britain is our Karmabhoomi (the land in which one lives and performs one’s duties). Can we take our Hindu value of attributing sacredness and sanctity to Mother Nature and to the landscape in which we live? Can we now start seeing sanctity in the landscape of Britain? Can we start seeing the various landmarks, the various beautiful sites and trails of these Isles as holy sites? We can take treks and journeys here for ourselves. That is what we hoped to achieve through this Yatra project.
NHSF (UK) once again expresses thanks to our elders and the wider Hindu community for their support and blessings, which have allowed us to undertake this defining project. As NHSF (UK) reaches the end of its 30th anniversary celebrations, we once again affirm our commitment to stand up for our Dharma, speak up for our students, and show up for our community.
