By Aarini Mehta & Shreya Thakekar
Nothing compares to the laughter and joy Hindu Heritage Youth Camp provides. For five days each summer, HHYC becomes a sacred home away from home where campers put away their devices and become fully present with one another. The unforgettable memories come from games, evening bhajan competitions, cultural activities, and our personal favorite, milk and cookies while watching skits that make us laugh until our stomachs hurt.
COLUMBUS, Texas: Every summer, hundreds of new and returning campers experience something that may initially seem shocking: five full days without screens. Instead of missing their devices, campers spend their days laughing, learning, making friends, and growing more confident in their culture and identities.
This year, Shreya returns as an elementary coordinator. Moving from counselor to coordinator is more than accepting a new role. It is an opportunity to give back to the community that helped shape her and create the same welcoming experience for younger campers.
As Aarini prepares for her seventh summer at HHYC, this time as a counselor, she has realized that camp’s greatest gift is not simply a collection of memories or friendships. It is a stronger understanding of who she is and a deeper connection to her heritage.
HHYC began in 1985 as a six hour day camp at Bayland Park in Houston. Families in the Hindu community wanted to create a place where young people could learn about their heritage while building friendships and having fun. After the success of the first gathering, HHYC held its first overnight residential camp in 1986. What began with a small group of families grew into a beloved five day tradition supported by generations of campers, counselors, directors, parents, and volunteers. Campers return as counselors, counselors become coordinators and directors, and former participants continue serving as volunteers and mentors. The people who once looked up to their counselors eventually become the role models guiding the next generation.
HHYC operates under Hindus of Greater Houston. HGH supports programs that preserve Hindu culture, encourage service, promote unity, and help young people remain connected to their heritage and community. For many years, HHYC rented campsites and adjusted its program to facilities that were not designed for its traditions or growing community. When its longtime campsite was sold in 2014, organizers contacted more than 30 locations before finding another temporary home. Even that location soon reached capacity, creating long waitlists and limiting HHYC’s ability to expand.
The creation of the Texas Hindu Campsite in Columbus changed that. In 2024, HHYC celebrated its fortieth camp at a permanent home created with Hindu youth, families, and traditions in mind. Having its own campsite is more than a major milestone. It is a legacy built through decades of seva, fundraising, planning, and faith in the future.
The campsite gives today’s campers a place where they can feel that they belong while ensuring that future generations will have a home where they can celebrate their heritage. Every cabin conversation, bhajan, activity, friendship, and lesson adds another chapter to the story that began with a small camp in 1985.
This year, HHYC is expanding to three camps because of overwhelming enthusiasm and demand. Junior Camp 1 will welcome 130 campers, Junior Camp 2 will welcome another 130 campers, and Senior Camp will welcome 174 campers. With more than 100 campers still on the waitlist, the continued interest in HHYC is clear.
None of this would be possible without the 95 counselors and the many volunteers who dedicate part of their summers to camp. Doctors help protect everyone’s health and safety. Organizers and members of the steering committee spend months preparing every detail. Part time volunteers assist with activities, supplies, medical needs, cleaning, and countless responsibilities behind the scenes.
The kitchen team also plays an essential role by preparing vegetarian meals, snacks, drinks, and nightly milk and cookies for campers, counselors, and volunteers. Their hard work keeps everyone energized while bringing comfort and culture to the camp experience. Together, these volunteers embody the spirit of seva that makes HHYC possible.
This year, Geeta Kadakia joins the HHYC family as the In House Director. The daughter of Amrit and Veena Gupta and an experienced teacher at a Hindu faith based school, Geeta will help manage camp operations and support educational programming during all three camps. She shares, “I am really excited to build connections and hope that every interaction I have leaves a positive impact.”
HHYC’s three directors also represent the lasting impact of camp. Smit Shah, son of Akshay and Tejal Shah, returns for his second year as a director after 15 years as a camper, counselor, and leader. He values seeing former campers grow into counselors and continue the traditions that shaped them.
Veda Javalagi, daughter of Mohan and Vidya Javalagi, begins her first year as a director after nine years as a camper and five years as a counselor. Camp introduced her to some of her closest friends, helped her find a strong community, and inspired her to provide that same experience for younger campers.
Aman Patel, son of Brijesh and Sital Patel, also begins his first year as a director. A longtime camper and graduate of the University of Houston, Aman is motivated by a desire to give back to the community that shaped him. He wants every camper to leave feeling the same joy and connection he has experienced since he was 12 years old.
Their journeys demonstrate what makes HHYC so special. Camp is not only a place where children spend five days without their devices. It is where they begin to understand their heritage, strengthen their values, form lifelong friendships, and discover how they can serve others.
From a one day gathering in 1985 to a permanent campsite filled with hundreds of campers, HHYC’s story is one of community, growth, harmony, and service. Each generation receives something meaningful from camp and then returns to pass it forward.
