Philanthropist~

The Webster’s dictionary defines a philanthropy as an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes

This week my mother and I had the opportunity to visit The Festival of Inspirations at the BAPS Robbinsville, Akshardham campus.

From the moment we arrived at the BAPS Robbinsville campus we knew that we were in for a truly unforgettable experience.

The festival is a culmination and a new beginning for devotees and the community at large. The three month celebration began in mid July with the unveiling of the the Akshardham mandir and will culminate with the inauguration of the Akshardham mandir.

While the celebration will last for 3 months- the development of the BAPS Robbinsville mandir was thought of in the late 1990’s by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.  The festival is a testament to the hundreds of volunteers who have dedicated their time talent and treasure to the promoting Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s message of love.

My family and I have visited the Robbinsville center many times over the past five years. From the International Women’s day conference to  Better Living sabhas. At every event we are moved by stories of how Pramukh Swami Maharaj encouraged devotees of all ages and genders to serve and support one another regardless of their background or socio-economic status.

What keeps me coming back to the Robbinsville center is the devotion (Bhakti)  of the volunteers- some have given up semesters of college, transitioned to working remotely, and those who are unable to physically provide seva have fundraised or given up social media to bring Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s vision to fruition.

When we attended the Robbinsville campus this past week- we were greeted and hosted by volunteers from New Jersey,  Alabama and North Carolina- some have come to offer service for one week to  some an entire semester- all inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s message of love and serving one another-

This is the first of many posts that I will writing about the Festival of Inspirations – where giving back is the heart of every devotee.

There was just so much to take in that one post is not enough to describe the heartwarming experience we had.

For now- I would like to offer my CONGRATULATIONS and say THANK YOU to all of the devotees who have and are offering “seva” at the Robbinsville Akshardham campus