Camp activities start with 'shakha' in the morning. / Courtesy of Yasha Kaushal

Every summer, as school winds down and the days grow longer, hundreds of kids across Texas start counting down to one special week: Hindu Heritage Youth Camp, or HHYC. For some, it’s a brand new adventure. For others, it’s a return to a place that feels like ghar or home. Now in its 41st year, HHYC is more than just a summer camp. It’s a community built on laughter, friendship, and the values of their Hindu heritage.

Campers spend the week swimming, playing dodgeball, celebrating Holi, dancing Garba, and just enjoying being kids. But alongside all the fun, there’s something deeper happening. Through daily yoga, Shakha, and education sessions, campers get to explore what it means to live with purpose and pride in their heritage.

A huge part of what makes HHYC so special is the counselors. Many of us grew up at this camp, and now we come back as young adults, excited to give the same experience to the next generation. First-year counselor Hriday Bhutada shared, “As a first-year counselor, it’s been really exciting to see the ways I can make an impact and give back to a community that meant so much to me growing up. I loved going to camp as a kid, and now I love it just as much as a counselor.”

That’s something I relate to completely. I spent six years as a camper, and this was my third year as a counselor. When I was younger, I was on the quieter side, but camp helped me open up. Every year, I’d play a Bollywood song on the piano during the talent show, and I always felt supported and encouraged. I became a counselor because I wanted to help other kids feel that same sense of confidence and belonging.

This summer felt especially meaningful because it was our second year at our very own Texas Hindu Campsite. Having a space that truly belongs to us has brought an even stronger sense of pride and community. This year (2025), we welcomed 168 campers in Junior Camp and 174 in Senior Camp, for a grand total of 342 campers. We were supported by over 80 counselors and around 50 amazing volunteers, many of whom helped prep food under the guidance of our beloved camp chef and everyone's favorite aunty Sushma Pallod, all working together to make the week smooth, safe, and full of joy.

Anjali Raina with her son Rohit shared a personal story of being Kashmiri Hindu; campers sang at HHYC 2025. / Courtesy of Yasha Kaushal

Behind the scenes, the camp directors led the charge with months of planning and preparation. Every Sunday leading up to camp, counselors met at Gujarati Samaj of Houston (GSH) to plan lessons, brainstorm activities, and make sure every detail was ready. The directors helped guide every step of that process, creating a week that blended tradition with fun in all the right ways.

This year’s directors: Srushti Gaikaiwari (daughter of Sanskruti and Shishir Gaikaiwari), Smit Shah (son of Tejal and Akshay Shah), and Keshav Shah (son of Nisha and Rajiv Shah), led with clear communication, consistent effort, and strong collaboration. Reflecting on her experience, Srushti shared, “Taking part in helping lead this camp for the past 6 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Working with our dedicated HHYC team including steering committee, volunteers, and most of all our counselors and coordinators, has been incredibly fulfilling. It’s amazing to see how much we have grown over the past couple of years and I know the next generation of leaders in our Hindu community will take it far.”

Throughout the week, campers rotated through various education sessions designed by counselors. Each lesson focused on connecting Hindu principles to real life, in ways campers could truly relate to. For high schoolers, I helped lead an education session on Hindu identity, where we explored how being Hindu in the U.S. can look different for everyone. We talked about the balance between culture and religion, how identity is shaped by both tradition and experience, and how values like karma and ahimsa show up in daily life. 

This year, we also had a special education segment on the Kashmiri Pandit community. Anjalie Raina and her son Rohit joined us to share their powerful personal experiences of living in Kashmir, offering a firsthand look at the struggles faced by their community. Their story was both moving and eye-opening, highlighting the importance of preserving history through lived experience. Campers were deeply engaged, asking thoughtful questions and reflecting on how resilience and faith can endure even in the face of displacement. 

Outside of education time, every day was filled with team games, connecting with other campers and counselors, and of course, all the camp classics like Skit Night, Garba, and Holi.

Garba night. / Krupa Rathi

And none of this would be possible without the incredible support of the Hindus of Greater Houston, our dedicated volunteers, and the Aunties and Uncles who do everything from cooking delicious meals to serving as camp doctors. Their generosity and behind-the-scenes work are what make HHYC feel like home.

In other exciting news, we’re thrilled to announce that next year HHYC is expanding to three full weeks of camp: triple the fun, memories, and magic! We’ll be hosting two weeks of Junior Camp and one week of Senior Camp.

In the end, HHYC is more than a camp. It’s where many of us found lifelong friends, sometimes even life partners, learned more about ourselves, and deepened our connection to our culture. It’s where kids who may have felt unsure or shy come alive in an environment that celebrates who they are. Whether it’s your first year or your tenth, there’s something about HHYC that stays with you long after the week ends. That’s the magic of this place and why so many of us keep coming back.

Visit hinducamp.net for further details. 

Yasha is a third-year counselor and rising junior at Texas A&M.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad)

Senior girls ready for a cultural night. / Courtesy of Yasha Kaushal.