Returning to Roots: From New Beginnings to Homecoming

Written by: Tanvi Pothireddy

Welcome back, Geckos! After a year of eagerness, the Geckos finally arrived at Hartiachala, ready to enjoy the second Giggling Geckos Summer Camp. But, the 2024 camp was such a unique and different experience compared to the first. What started as an unfamiliar and thrilling experience in 2023 evolved into a warm, healing return in 2024. This year, the Geckos’ connection with Baba and Guruji deepened, they were closer to the volunteers, and the whole camp experience had a completely different vibe and atmosphere. 

2023 - The Thrill of The New: In 2023, the camp felt fresh and exhilarating for many of the girls. It was a novel experience, so everyone was anticipating an exciting new adventure! Since this was so new for the geckos, they were more quiet and reserved with volunteers out of shyness. As Haritachala is home to many small insects, these creatures were quite bothersome to the girls. The other inconveniences that come with farm life, including running out of warm water, the heat, and having to wash clothes ourselves also garnered a magnified response, as this lifestyle was so different from the luxuries of the city life.

In the middle of the first camp, many of the girls got quite sick. During these few days, the geckos were not in a state to continue activities, so we had a break to let everyone recover as they were all very tired. Through the fever and exhaustion, though, the geckos all took care of each other, which strengthened their newfound bond as they were experiencing and overcoming an obstacle together. During the camp, the geckos had the amazing opportunity to visit Baba Tatayya in the Haritachala mandir every day during the morning and evening. This time would consist of silence, naamam, and arati.

Because all the geckos live in the US, they were never able to be in the presence of Baba and Guruji for such a long time, especially without their parents. So, this camp helped each gecko build their own connection with Baba and Guruji by learning and experiencing. There were a few activities that connected to spirituality, such as visiting the mandirs of different saints in Tiruvannamalai and reading texts about Guruji.

Because the girls had just found their new connection to spirituality, they were still figuring it out and learning how to express their devotion and bond. In this way, getting used to Haritachala had its own obstacles along the way, and the girls had just found their new connection with each other and Baba and Guruji during this camp. But, as soon as the girls got used to the atmosphere, they fell in love with it, and they were just starting to figure out their spiritual journey. The geckos ended up leaving the camp with a newfound, strong connection to Haritachala and experiences that they excitingly shared with many US Gurubandhus. 

This year, the Guru Purnima celebrations were right after the summer camp! Last year, Guru Purnima came before the camp, but this new order added more richness to the festival’s experience. Having already bonded, had so much fun for two weeks, and deepened their connection with Baba and Guruji at Haritachala, the festivities of Guru Purnima was a true group celebration! 

One major shift in 2024 was how Haritachala was perceived. No longer just a fun summer experience, many girls now saw this place as a life goal, envisioning it as their future home. Some geckos expressed their interest to Sruti Akka of retiring early, earning financial independence, and coming back to Haritachala. They saw Tiruvannamalai as a place where they could pursue their passions. For example, a few girls said they would love to host workshops at the farm, consisting of crafting, textile making, and baking, another gecko was interested in starting a center to help kids with autism, while others were passionate about building our food forest. In this way, Haritachala became a future vision for the geckos! 

2024 - Coming Home: By the time 2024 rolled around, the Giggling Geckos were returning not to a new adventure but to a place that felt like home. There was a sense of healing and familiarity in this camp, which was apparent in the closeness there was between the geckos and volunteers. This time, it was as if everyone was enjoying Haritachala and the activities as a family! The small inconveniences that had previously been so bothersome weren’t paid any heed to, and the atmosphere of the camp felt more close and like everyone was at home. While sickness did make an appearance, it was far less impactful. The girls recovered within a day, bouncing back quickly to the tempo of the camp.

With double the activities compared to 2023, one might think the energy levels would flag, but quite the opposite happened. The girls had twice the energy to match the elevated schedule! This energy was fueled by their deep connection to each other and excitement to be back in an amazing place. The geckos’ relationship with Baba and Guruji grew significantly stronger in 2024. What once was an introduction to an individual bond and spiritual journey became an open and expressive connection. The girls engaged more freely in spiritual activities, and the camp’s schedule itself had more activities that connected to Baba and Guruji Tatayya, such as learning aratis with Ammagaru and sewing garlands for Baba and Guruji. 

 Between 2023 and 2024, the Giggling Geckos Summer Camp matured from an exciting new experience into a sanctuary of connection, expression, and growth. The girls went from being shy and unfamiliar with their surroundings to feeling at home, seeing the camp as a significant part of their future. The changes that happened between these camps made the 2024 summer camp a more cohesive experience - a camp not just of exploration but of lasting connection!