1. FESTIVALS: Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti on the full moon day of Baisakh, falling on May 25 this year, celebrates the birth of Gautam Buddha in 563 BC. The festival also commemorates Bhagwan Buddha's enlightenment and nirvana. The festival is observed by lighting oil lamps before the image of the Buddha, by reciting prayers or reading from the Buddhist scriptures and worshipping the statue of Buddha. Bodhgaya (Bihar) and Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) are, in particular, known for the Buddha Purnima celebrations. Bodhgaya is the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment. The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya is decorated with colorful prayer flags and flowers. Special prayers are offered under the Bodhi tree, where the Lord Buddha attained enlightement. Sarnath is the place where the Buddha after attaining enlightenment in Bodhgaya taught his learning to the followers.
2. HINDUTVA IS THE BINDING FORCE: “Our society has some shortcomings and all the great men who tried to uplift the nation have concluded that unless and until we could do away with these shortcomings, the nation won’t rise to the state of its pristine glory,” said RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, at a public function in Nasik on April 18. "Hindutva is the soul of this country. The nation will rise with awakening of this soul & not just by trying to copy others RSS firmly believes that only right thinking; united people can help the nation to rise. And that is why RSS is uniting Hindus” he added. Also present were Prant Sanghachalak Dada Sahane, Zilla Sanghachalak Nana Salunke and Nagar Sanghchalak Vijay Kadam who briefed the audience about various sewa activities in Nashik region viz Jankalyan Blood Bank, Shankaracharya Nyas, Shri Guruji Rugnalaya and a hostel run for students from Meghalaya.
3. PAK HINDUS DEMONSTRATE AT UN OFFICE, SUBMIT MEMORANDUM: Inhuman nature of Pakistan exposed before the world community when Pak Hindus narrated their heartfelt story of atrocities at the office of the United Nations in New Delhi on April 17 in a demonstration led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) against violation of their human rights in Pakistan. Addressing the silent demonstrators the VHP state president Swadesh Pal Gupta & the vice president Mahavir Prasad said that abduction, rapes, attacks on houses & temples and large scale forced religious conversions are the common atrocities being faced by Pak Hindus. They have been forced to live like animals and are being brutally killed at many places. They have only three options before them, to accept Islam, to leave Pakistan or to get killed. The demonstrators also submitted a memorandum to the UN secretary General to save the Hindu Human rights.
4. TELL CENTRE TO SCRAP SETHU SAMUDRAM, TAMIL NADU URGES SUPREME COURT: The Tamil Nadu government has urged the Supreme Court to direct the central government not to proceed with the implementation of the Sethu Samudram Shipping Channel Project in the Palk Strait. The channel will facilitate navigation between Bharat's East and West coasts.
In his affidavit before the apex court, Tamil Nadu government's chief secretary said that besides its questionable economic viability, the shipping channel project would adversely affect the extreme eco-fragility of the surrounding area. The state government said that shipping channel project was not in public interest.
The Tamil Nadu government sought the court's direction to the centre to "give careful consideration and to accept" the conclusion and recommendation of Dr RK Pachauri's report. The affidavit filed on April 15, 2013, urged the apex court bench of Justice HL Dattu and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar to direct the centre to declare Rama Sethu as a national monument and stay away from currying out any activity which may affect it.
5. MUMBAI UNIVERSITY HAS MORE SUPERRICH ALUMNI THAN CAMBRIDGE OR BROWN: Mumbai University is the only Bharatiya entry in a top 20 graduate 'rich list' that has ranked universities that will make you a millionaire. With 372 multi-millionaires (net worth: $37 billion) as alumni, it is ranked 18th in the list. Delhi University also finds mention: though it does not figure in the top 20 list, it has 229 super-rich alumni. According to research by wealth analyst Wealth-X, Harvard boasts of the highest number of rich alumni globally: 2,964 multi-millionaires worth a total of $622 billion. Harvard is also the alma mater of 52 billionaires, the largest number of billionaire alumni.
6. TRIBAL RIGHTS SUPREME: The Supreme Court, on April 18, has confirmed the principle that tribal people need to have a decisive voice in industrial projects affecting their lives by rejecting a bid by Vendanta Resources, controlled by London-based self-made billionaire Anil Agarwal, to lift a ban on mining bauxite in the Eastern state of Orissa. The court ordered village gram sabhas -- to say within three months whether they want the bauxite mining to go ahead. The 8,000-strong Dongria Kondh tribes believe the remote hills are the home of their god, Niyam Raja, and they rely on the land for their crops and livelihood. "If the bauxite mining project, in any way, affects their right to worship their deity, known as Niyam Raja, in the hilltop of the Niyamgiri range of hills, that right has to be protected," the Supreme Court declared.
7. ACHARYA SOHANLAL RAMRANG HONOURED WITH DR HEDGEWAR PRAGYA SAMMAN: Noted writer and scholar Acharya Sohanlal Ramrang was felicitated with 24th Dr Hedgewar Pragya Samman in Kolkata on April 21. The Puraskar, which consists of cash of Rs 51,000, coconut, shawl, a citation and a memento, was presented by the BJP national vice-president Balbir Punj. The Puraskar was provided by Shree Burrabazar Kumarsabha Pustakalaya. Poorva Kshetra Sanghachalak Ranendranath Bandopadhyaya was also present on the occasion. Balbir Punj said secularism and democracy survive in the country only because of Sanatan Hindu culture. He said both these are safe until Hindus are united.
Receiving the Samman, Acharya Sohanlal Ramrang said the Samman would grant him new energy. He said Dr Hedgewar reawakened the Hindu way of life and presented the Hindutva in new form. He said the nation which forgets its past, loses its identity.
8. ECONOMIST RAJ CHETTY WINS ‘BABY NOBEL’: Delhi-born Raj Chetty, a 33-year-old professor in the Department of Economy at the Harvard University since 2009, whose pioneering work was cited by US President Barack Obama in his last year's State of the Union Address, has won the prestigious John Bates Clark medal, often described as the 'Baby Nobel' of this year. The John Bates Clark medal is awarded to an American economist under the age of 40 who is adjudged to have made a "significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge".
Chetty is the first person of Bharatiya origin to win this award. The American Economic Association Honors and Awards Committee said Chetty is a remarkably productive economist whose contributions assimilate evidence using a variety of methodological perspectives to shed new light on important public policy questions.
9. STREET KIDS DANCE TO GLORY: As the arc lights fall on six-year-old Bhumi, she does her handstands, back flips and somersaults in lightning speed, so effortlessly it seems she is made of jelly. Her performance is greeted by tumultuous applause.
Those travelling down BRT corridor from Saket to Moolchand in Delhi have seen Bhumi and her cousins Kalpana (9), Sonam (10) and Veerta (7) many times. Their skills bring them averted glances, cold indifference and, at times, abuse when they perform on the road.
But today is different. Pirouetting alongside young artistes from Urshilla Dance Company at Kamani Auditorium on Friday, they are being feted for their rare talent. Their flexible bodies make them perfect practitioners of contemporary dance forms.
"The idea is to dance for a cause. And these children are smart, have uncommon potential and need help to shape their futures," Bhavini Misra, choreographer and founder of the dance company, said. Bhumi and her cousins are from Chhattisgarh. They were brought to the capital to earn for their family who are traditional acrobats and tightrope walkers.
For Bhumi, it all began when "Didi" stepped out of her car. "She held my hand and asked me 'do you want to dance on stage'?" she said. Unsure at first she ran up to her elder brother. And since that time there has been no looking back.
Misra has not just trained the six children but has been negotiating with parents to invest in their future. She intends to enrol them in school. Two others, Ravi and Chhavi, are residents of Delhi, already enrolled in schools by their parents. "I always wanted to do this. It was a dream my friends and I dreamt before they died in a car crash," said Misra.Misra's production, Anurakti, aims to bridge socio-economic gaps and help young street-side acrobats shape their future. "After a lot of search, I came across street performers in CP and then at BRT. We have spoken to their parents and their artiste fees are being invested for their future. After the show, we are looking to place them in schools with the help of an NGO," she said.The group is also counselling the children who see this performance as a one-time chance to earn. Bhumi wants to study but Sonam (10) wants to go back to her roadside stunts. Her resistance to 'education' notwithstanding, Sonam puts up a phenomenal jugalbandi with the trained artiste on stage. She says she likes the energy and light that surround her there.
10. BORDER LINES: China's military incursion is a reminder that India's China policy needs greater realism and resolve: A Chinese platoon's foray last week into Indian territory at Burthe in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector of the Ladakh region was not a routine "incursion" across the long and contested Himalayan boundary. India and China don't agree on where exactly the Line of Actual Control is. Their security forces undertake patrols to their respective claim lines, which don't match and generate "incursions" by one side or the other. These "incursions" end when patrolling units withdraw after moving up to the claim line. This time, the Chinese platoon chose to stay put after intruding nearly 10 kilometres into Indian territory. Delhi responded by sending military reinforcements to the area and initiating talks.
Delhi, however, finds that the local Chinese commanders on the ground as well as senior officials in Beijing are unresponsive to India's concerns. A spokesperson of the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs publicly rejected India's assertions on the intrusion. The foreign office in Delhi called in the Chinese envoy to demand a quick resolution of the issue. From the Indian perspective, this must necessarily include a withdrawal of the Chinese platoon and the removal of the structures it has put up. Delhi and Beijing must also reaffirm their commitment to maintain peace and tranquility on the border.
The Chinese military incursion comes amid the reported plans of the new premier, Li Keqiang, to make India one of his first foreign destinations. The incursion is a welcome reminder to Delhi that it must always differentiate between the expanding opportunities for cooperation with China and the enduring tensions on the border. In the past, Delhi has downplayed the difficulties on the China border and held them back from public view amidst soaring rhetoric about collaborating with China to change the world. At the same time, however, Delhi has no reason to overreact. It must prepare for a possible escalation while exploring all avenues for a peaceful resolution. Delhi must also take the Indian people into confidence on the implications of China's growing military assertiveness on the northern borders. From Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a growing sense that the UPA government has become ineffective in responding to Chinese provocations. Many in Delhi's strategic community are convinced that the Congress leadership may be soft-pedalling the problems with China in the name of non-alignment and other discredited ideas of the past. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can no longer wait to inject some resolve and realism into India's China policy. (Editorial, The Indian Express, Apr 24 2013)
11. RAM NAVAMI RITUALS NOT ALLOWED: For the first time in 64 years, the district administration didn’t allow the special Ram Navami rituals at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya as per a Supreme Court order passed 19 years ago. Despite the apex court’s order, the rituals were performed every year. However, this year the administrative authorities took the decision following strong opposition from Hashim Ansari, the first appellant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Seva Samiti has been performing traditional rituals despite the Supreme Court through its various orders restraining any religious activity on the acquired land of Babri Masjid and Ram Janmabhoomi. The chief priest appointed by the court, Acharya Satyender Das, is authorised to offer only daily prayers at the disputed site but no special prayer is allowed.
Faizabad DM Vipin Kumar Diwedi had earlier clarified that the administration would abide by the Supreme Court orders. So, when on Friday (19 April ) the samiti members reached the first entry point of the acquired area — the Rang Mahal barrier — they were stopped and the metal ‘kalash’ (urn) was taken by a local priest arranged by the administration there.
The chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi said, “One of my followers took the kalash, but it was not offered to Ram Lalla in the makeshift temple.”
12. ONE DUTY TO PERFORM: Every Hindu has but one great obligation, and that is to pass his religion on to the next generation of Hindus. That's all he has to do, pass his religion on to the next generation. Then that generation passes it on to their next generation. If we lose a single generation in-between, the whole religion is lost in an area of the world. How many religions have existed on this planet? Thousands of them. What happened to the Zoroastrian religion? It barely exists now. What happened to the religion of the ancient Greeks? They must have missed several generations. The ancient Mayan, Hawaiian, Druid and Egyptian religions are all virtually forgotten but for the history books.
The great men and women in our history have withstood the most severe challenges to our religion and sacrificed their energies, even their lives, that it would not be lost to invaders who sought to destroy it. It is easy to be courageous when an enemy is on the attack, because the threat is so obvious. Today the threat is more subtle, but no less terrible. In fact, it is really a greater threat than Hinduism has ever had to face before, because an enemy is not destroying the religion. It is being surrendered by the Hindus themselves through neglect, through fear, through desire for land and gold, but mostly through ignorance of the religion itself. If Hindus really understood how deep into their soul their religion penetrates, if they knew how superior it is to any other spiritual path on the Earth today, they would not abandon it so easily but cherish and foster it into its great potential. They would not remain silent when asked about their religion, but speak out boldly its great truths. They would not hesitate to stand strong for Hinduism.
How can Hindus in the modern, mechanized world pass their religion to the next generation when they are not proud enough of it to announce it openly to business associates and all who ask? When the Muslim seeks employment, he is proud to say, "I worship Allah." The Christian is proud to say, "I worship Jesus Christ." But too often the Hindu is not proud to say, "I worship Lord Ganesha.'' In our great religion there is one Supreme God and many Gods. The average Hindu today is not proud of this. He feels others will reject him, will not employ him, will not like him. Of course, this might be true. It might be very true. Then he should seek out people who do respect Hinduism. These are the people to associate with. – An email from Shri Kedar Nath Gupta, 7148 Baywood Court, Mississauga (on), L5N 5N6, Canada ro 9057851778.
13. BHARAT, CHINA COMPETE FOR SPACE NOW: With China pro-actively pursuing South Asian nations for launching satellites, a wary Bharat is now planning to approach the smaller South Asian neighbours — Maldives and Sri Lanka — to let their empty "orbital slots" to be used by Bharatiya satellites.
It is widely known that these smaller countries have "empty" orbital slots, and both Bharat and China are now keen to use them. This new and emerging concern in the Bharatiya establishment has given rise to an opportunity for the Bharatiya space agency ISRO to launch satellites, in the slots of other countries. What bothers Delhi is also that China's stated purpose for these satellites needs to be verified against its actual activities.
It is learnt that the Bharatiya government held discussions within its space and foreign ministries, and have decided to talk to these neighbours towards this end. This week, the Bharatiya establishment is going to raise the issue with the visiting Maldives Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim.
14. VANCOUVER – LARGEST PUNJABI SETTLEMENT OUTSIDE PUNJAB: White Canada is fast changing its colours as visible minorities — Asians, Blacks and others — are outgrowing the white population. According to projections done for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 60 per cent residents of the Greater Vancouver area by the year 2031 will be non-whites.
Daniel Hiebert of Vancouver-based University of British Columbia, who is an expert on immigration and did this projection, says, "There is no European city with anything like this demographic structure nor will there be in 2031."
The good news is that South Asians, read Punjabis, will be the second biggest group after the Chinese by 2031. And Sikhism will be the second biggest religion in the Greater Vancouver area in the next decades, says the study.
But Surrey city on the outskirts of Vancouver is already a 'Punjabi city'. Some call it the Southall of Canada as more than 40 per cent of its population is of Punjabi origin. Surrey reported more than 94,000 speakers of Punjabi in the last year's census which pegged the city's population at about 500,000. "In that sense, the city has become the largest Punjabi settlement outside Punjab," says Indo-Canadian community leader Balwant Sanghera, who heads the Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) of Canada.
15. BHARAT TO HELP MYANMAR IN IT AND FARM SECTOR: Bharat is going all out in its efforts at capacity building in Myanmar, a key neighbour and the only South East Asian country it shares land boundary with. Information technology, skill development, agriculture are the key areas Bharat is focusing on.
Efforts are also afoot to set up the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT).
The task force for the same is headed by S Ramadorai, advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on skill development.
In the field of agriculture, Bharat has offered assistance to set up a Rice Bio Park in Myanmar and renowned agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan is heading these efforts. Another area includes production of cardamom in the Naga Self Administered Zone.
An India-Myanmar Industrial Training Centre has been set up by HMT(I) in Pakokku and a second centre is being set up in Myingyan. The other initiatives in the area with Bharatiya assistance include Myanmar-India Centre for English Language (MICELT), a Myanmar-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre (MIEDC) and an India-Myanmar Centre for Enhancement of IT Skills (IMCEITS).
16. CHABAHAR BHARAT’S ANSWER TO GWADAR: Bharat is set to counter the recent Chinese takeover of Pakistan’s Gwadar port by developing the Chabahar port in Iran. Developing Iranian port will help Bharat counter neighbours Ahead of external affairs minister Salman Khurshid’s visit to Iran from May 3-5, the Union cabinet is likely to approve an assistance plan of $100 million (about Rs. 539 crore) to develop the port. “The cabinet approval is expected soon,” said an official. Gwadar has strategic importance for China as 60% of its crude oil comes from Gulf countries that are close to the port.
Chabahar will not only help New Delhi counter Beijing’s presence but also boost Bharat’s trade and investment ties with landlocked Afghanistan and central Asia by providing it with a transit route to the region (Pakistan does not allow Bharatiya goods to pass through its territory). Bharat, Iran and Afghanistan have already signed an agreement to give Bharatiya goods heading for central Asia and Afghanistan preferential treatment and tariff reductions at Chabahar.
Moreover, the development of the port will also help Afghanistan reduce its dependence on Pakistan’s Karachi port for access to the Bharatiya Ocean. At present, Afghanistan uses Karachi for its trade and to receive energy supplies. Chabahar has been on the agenda in discussions between Bharat and Iran since 2003. But a host of problems including the chill in India-Iran ties have prevented the project from taking off so far.
17. OVER 200 CHRISTIANS RETURN HOME IN TIRUNELVELI, TN: In a solemn homecoming ceremony organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on April 10 at Tirunelveli, over 200 Christians returned to their mother way of worship. A yajna was performed on the occasion. Swami Shantananda blessed the homecomers. Shri Gopalaratnam, State vice president of the VHP, spoke and informed that the VHP would see that Hindu names of the homecomers are published in the Gazatte. State secretary of Hindu Lawyers Munnani, Shri Kutralanathan, also was present on the occasion.
18. RSS PITCHES IN TO SAVE BAJI RAO PESHWA’S TOMB: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has pitched in to rescue the historic monument where Maratha ruler Baji Rao Peshwa was laid to rest.
Situated on the bank of Narmada at Raver Khed in Khargoan district of Madhya Pradesh, the tomb is in danger of getting submerged with the increase in water level of the under-construction Maheshwar dam.
RSS Sah-Sarkaryavah Suresh Soni on 28 April said that the tomb will not be allowed to get submerged. He was at Raver Khed to participate in a programme to mark death anniversary of Baji Rao Peshwa. “All efforts will be taken to preserve the historical monument,” he said. Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader, Anil Dave said that a huge wall be constructed around the tomb to protect it in case of increase in water level.
Collector of Khargone, Navneet Mohan said that a wall will be constructed around the tomb at the cost of Rs 5 crore and process is under way to issue tender for the work.
19. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S VIEWS ON CONVERSION - A SEMINAR AT CHENNAI: 150th year Celebrations Committee of Swami Vivekananda' of Tamilnadu has organized a daylong seminar at 'Infosys Hall', Chennai on 31.3.2013.
Swami Vimurthananda Maharaj, Editor, Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam, Ramakrishna Matt, Chennai in his special address spoke on the dangers of conversion. He initially narrated a story on how conversion is being done. Then he quoted various quoting of leaders across the country.
Journalist Aravindan Neelagandan, Dr. R.Srinivasan (Sastra University, Thanjavur), Prof. P Kanagasabapathy (Director, Centre of Indian Economy & Culture Studies, Coimbatore) & Shri A Krishnamachari (Editor, Panchajanyam magazine), Prof. V Insuvai (Prof. IRT Polytechnic) & Sri A Ramakrishna Prasad (Thinker and Speaker) presented their papers.
Swami Mithrananda, Acharya of Chinmaya Mission concluded the seminar on how our religion Hinduism is Universal. Shri S Gurumurthy called upon the Sadhus to conduct a debate on religious harmony wherein harmony can only be seen in Hinduism.
20. SHAKUNTALA DEVI NO MORE: Bharatiya mathematical genius and astrologer Shakuntala Devi, who was dubbed "human computer" for her swift numerical calculation abilities, passed away in Bengaluru on April 21 after brief illness. She was 83. She is survived by her daughter, son-in-law and two grand daughters.When three years old, she was found to be fond of numbers and having a phenomenal memory. She could calculate any equation and reel off amazing numbers in a flash. According to the Guinness World Records, Shakuntala Devi displayed her mathematical skills when she was six years old at a public function in Mysore, about 150 km from here and two years later, proved to be a prodigal wizard in number games at Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu's Chidambaram, about 200 km from Chennai. In 1977, Shakuntala Devi discovered the 23rd root of a 201-digit number mentally. Three years later, in June 1980, she answered in 28 seconds when she was asked to multiply two 13-digit numbers picked at random at the Imperial College in London. She wrote a number of books on mathematics and astrology including "Fun with Numbers", "Astrology for You", "Puzzles to Puzzle You" and "Mathablit".
21. THREE YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR QUALITATIVE CHANGE: Sanskar Bharati, the leading organisation dedicated to the promotion of Bharatiya art and literature, has formulated a three years action plan to bring a qualitative change in the organisational activities at the three-day national executive committee meeting held at Jalaun - Uttar Pradesh April 13-15.
Addressing the delegates, RSS Sahasarakaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal said during the last one thousand years many Bharatiya art forms were destroyed by the invaders, libraries were burnt, idols and temples were ruined, but the feeling of art still survives among us. He called upon the artists to spread the original cultural and Vedic knowledge to the masses and impart good samskars to the younger generation.
Senior Pracharak Madhubhai Kulkarni and all senior leaders of the Sanskar Bharati including founder member Yogendraji, former president and noted Marathi film director Rajdutt, were present at the meeting. Apart from it, about 100 delegates from different parts of the country attended the meeting.
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag would tour New Zealand after finishing his tour to Australia. Ravikumar sah samyojak will return to Bharat after his tour to Hong Kong. Dr. Ram Vaidya, sah samyojak returned to UK after his Bharat trip. Shyam Parande, secretary Sewa International is on a tour to USA. Visitors: Shashi Chibber – UK
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. – Bhagwan Gautam Buddha
For a moment think of yourself as a child aged 8, living in a small village somewhere in India. There are several problems facing you. You are being bullied or regularly beaten up by your parents for no fault of yours. As a child, you have two options – fight or flight. You choose the latter and run away. Get on the first blue train heading out to a big city like Mumbai, hide under the berths, doze off and when you wake up – you are thrown into the sea of humanity. Then hunger strikes, you beg, you find an odd job to do and eventually meet many children like yourself. The railway station starts to become your home. Sooner someone passes a lit cigarette or shows you the bottle, not just alcohol but also whitener ink and life takes a new turn, this seems like the point of no return.
Boys at the Samatol shelter
On an average about 200 children arrive in the city from all parts of the country escaping miseries of their home. No sooner do they arrive, they are sucked into the quagmire of the busy, ruthless urban life, left to fend for themselves. However, that’s not what a child that young deserves, at an age where one is meant to read, learn and play – one is forced to earn their daily bread by doing manual labour, unfit for anyone that young and of course, prohibited by the Constitution of India. The society considers them as cheap labour or completely irrelevant, hopeless cases. And this collective attitude towards these children transpires into an encouragement for them to turn to anti-social tendencies. But to generalise is unfair, and organisations such as Samatol Foundation prove why.
Registered in 2006 and started by Mr. Vijay Jhadav or Vijay Dada as he is fondly known, Samatol, meaning ‘balance’ is actually an acronym that stands for Samata, Mamata, Tohfa and Lakshya. Vijay Dada started counselling runaway children on the platforms of CST way before he registered the organisation. But now his operations have extended across the city and along with his dedicated team of coordinators and volunteers, works towards rehabilitating children who run away from their family and come to Mumbai.
The team helps them reconnect with their families through guidance and counselling. At the Samatol shelter at Mamnoli, a small village on the Kalyan-Murbad road, they run a 45 day programme aptly named Man Parivartan for the children. It involves early morning physical exercises, counselling sessions and cultural programmes which are aimed at getting their lost identities back, de-addiction from various substances and instilling in the children a sense of discipline. During this programme all efforts are made to get in touch with their families. Letters are dispatched, phone calls are made and all leads are pursued to establish contact and resolve issues that led the child to choose the flight option.
“Many a times, there is a communication gap between parents or simply no communication at all which creates many complications and misunderstandings between the family” tells me Mr. Aakash Gupte, Coordinator at Samatol Foundation when I visit their Dadar office one afternoon. “For a child, the first 48 hours after arrival in the city are crucial, and are known as the Golden Hour, if the team manages to send him/her back to his village, the case is mostly successful” he adds. Gupte says that each time a call is received, one of them immediately reaches the spot and the process is kick started. No efforts are then spared to win over the child’s heart and reunite him/her with the family.
When I ask him about volunteering and donation opportunities at Samatol Foundation for the general public, he says they are open to volunteers joining them but he also invites people with specific interests/skills whose training can be imparted to the children. The impressive artworks and motifs hanging on the wall are made by the children, he tells me proudly. Society looks at these children as pests and harbours a negative attitude, which can only change by going a layer deeper and understanding the causes that led them to run away and turn up in the city. Working/volunteering with organisations such as Samatol or even knowing about their work will help the public sensitize themselves and also help them to view them in a different light next time. And encouraging such initiatives is necessary because, the point of no return that the runaway child has reached, could well vanish and home won’t be too far.
To report cases/volunteer at Samatol Foundation one may contact Mr.Vijay Jhadav – 09892961124, 9702716734 or visit the Samatol Website.
(http://mumbaimag.com/samatol-foundation-street-children/)
2. HINDUTVA IS THE BINDING FORCE: “Our society has some shortcomings and all the great men who tried to uplift the nation have concluded that unless and until we could do away with these shortcomings, the nation won’t rise to the state of its pristine glory,” said RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat, at a public function in Nasik on April 18. "Hindutva is the soul of this country. The nation will rise with awakening of this soul & not just by trying to copy others RSS firmly believes that only right thinking; united people can help the nation to rise. And that is why RSS is uniting Hindus” he added. Also present were Prant Sanghachalak Dada Sahane, Zilla Sanghachalak Nana Salunke and Nagar Sanghchalak Vijay Kadam who briefed the audience about various sewa activities in Nashik region viz Jankalyan Blood Bank, Shankaracharya Nyas, Shri Guruji Rugnalaya and a hostel run for students from Meghalaya.
3. PAK HINDUS DEMONSTRATE AT UN OFFICE, SUBMIT MEMORANDUM: Inhuman nature of Pakistan exposed before the world community when Pak Hindus narrated their heartfelt story of atrocities at the office of the United Nations in New Delhi on April 17 in a demonstration led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) against violation of their human rights in Pakistan. Addressing the silent demonstrators the VHP state president Swadesh Pal Gupta & the vice president Mahavir Prasad said that abduction, rapes, attacks on houses & temples and large scale forced religious conversions are the common atrocities being faced by Pak Hindus. They have been forced to live like animals and are being brutally killed at many places. They have only three options before them, to accept Islam, to leave Pakistan or to get killed. The demonstrators also submitted a memorandum to the UN secretary General to save the Hindu Human rights.
4. TELL CENTRE TO SCRAP SETHU SAMUDRAM, TAMIL NADU URGES SUPREME COURT: The Tamil Nadu government has urged the Supreme Court to direct the central government not to proceed with the implementation of the Sethu Samudram Shipping Channel Project in the Palk Strait. The channel will facilitate navigation between Bharat's East and West coasts.
In his affidavit before the apex court, Tamil Nadu government's chief secretary said that besides its questionable economic viability, the shipping channel project would adversely affect the extreme eco-fragility of the surrounding area. The state government said that shipping channel project was not in public interest.
The Tamil Nadu government sought the court's direction to the centre to "give careful consideration and to accept" the conclusion and recommendation of Dr RK Pachauri's report. The affidavit filed on April 15, 2013, urged the apex court bench of Justice HL Dattu and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar to direct the centre to declare Rama Sethu as a national monument and stay away from currying out any activity which may affect it.
5. MUMBAI UNIVERSITY HAS MORE SUPERRICH ALUMNI THAN CAMBRIDGE OR BROWN: Mumbai University is the only Bharatiya entry in a top 20 graduate 'rich list' that has ranked universities that will make you a millionaire. With 372 multi-millionaires (net worth: $37 billion) as alumni, it is ranked 18th in the list. Delhi University also finds mention: though it does not figure in the top 20 list, it has 229 super-rich alumni. According to research by wealth analyst Wealth-X, Harvard boasts of the highest number of rich alumni globally: 2,964 multi-millionaires worth a total of $622 billion. Harvard is also the alma mater of 52 billionaires, the largest number of billionaire alumni.
6. TRIBAL RIGHTS SUPREME: The Supreme Court, on April 18, has confirmed the principle that tribal people need to have a decisive voice in industrial projects affecting their lives by rejecting a bid by Vendanta Resources, controlled by London-based self-made billionaire Anil Agarwal, to lift a ban on mining bauxite in the Eastern state of Orissa. The court ordered village gram sabhas -- to say within three months whether they want the bauxite mining to go ahead. The 8,000-strong Dongria Kondh tribes believe the remote hills are the home of their god, Niyam Raja, and they rely on the land for their crops and livelihood. "If the bauxite mining project, in any way, affects their right to worship their deity, known as Niyam Raja, in the hilltop of the Niyamgiri range of hills, that right has to be protected," the Supreme Court declared.
7. ACHARYA SOHANLAL RAMRANG HONOURED WITH DR HEDGEWAR PRAGYA SAMMAN: Noted writer and scholar Acharya Sohanlal Ramrang was felicitated with 24th Dr Hedgewar Pragya Samman in Kolkata on April 21. The Puraskar, which consists of cash of Rs 51,000, coconut, shawl, a citation and a memento, was presented by the BJP national vice-president Balbir Punj. The Puraskar was provided by Shree Burrabazar Kumarsabha Pustakalaya. Poorva Kshetra Sanghachalak Ranendranath Bandopadhyaya was also present on the occasion. Balbir Punj said secularism and democracy survive in the country only because of Sanatan Hindu culture. He said both these are safe until Hindus are united.
Receiving the Samman, Acharya Sohanlal Ramrang said the Samman would grant him new energy. He said Dr Hedgewar reawakened the Hindu way of life and presented the Hindutva in new form. He said the nation which forgets its past, loses its identity.
8. ECONOMIST RAJ CHETTY WINS ‘BABY NOBEL’: Delhi-born Raj Chetty, a 33-year-old professor in the Department of Economy at the Harvard University since 2009, whose pioneering work was cited by US President Barack Obama in his last year's State of the Union Address, has won the prestigious John Bates Clark medal, often described as the 'Baby Nobel' of this year. The John Bates Clark medal is awarded to an American economist under the age of 40 who is adjudged to have made a "significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge".
Chetty is the first person of Bharatiya origin to win this award. The American Economic Association Honors and Awards Committee said Chetty is a remarkably productive economist whose contributions assimilate evidence using a variety of methodological perspectives to shed new light on important public policy questions.
9. STREET KIDS DANCE TO GLORY: As the arc lights fall on six-year-old Bhumi, she does her handstands, back flips and somersaults in lightning speed, so effortlessly it seems she is made of jelly. Her performance is greeted by tumultuous applause.
Those travelling down BRT corridor from Saket to Moolchand in Delhi have seen Bhumi and her cousins Kalpana (9), Sonam (10) and Veerta (7) many times. Their skills bring them averted glances, cold indifference and, at times, abuse when they perform on the road.
But today is different. Pirouetting alongside young artistes from Urshilla Dance Company at Kamani Auditorium on Friday, they are being feted for their rare talent. Their flexible bodies make them perfect practitioners of contemporary dance forms.
"The idea is to dance for a cause. And these children are smart, have uncommon potential and need help to shape their futures," Bhavini Misra, choreographer and founder of the dance company, said. Bhumi and her cousins are from Chhattisgarh. They were brought to the capital to earn for their family who are traditional acrobats and tightrope walkers.
For Bhumi, it all began when "Didi" stepped out of her car. "She held my hand and asked me 'do you want to dance on stage'?" she said. Unsure at first she ran up to her elder brother. And since that time there has been no looking back.
Misra has not just trained the six children but has been negotiating with parents to invest in their future. She intends to enrol them in school. Two others, Ravi and Chhavi, are residents of Delhi, already enrolled in schools by their parents. "I always wanted to do this. It was a dream my friends and I dreamt before they died in a car crash," said Misra.Misra's production, Anurakti, aims to bridge socio-economic gaps and help young street-side acrobats shape their future. "After a lot of search, I came across street performers in CP and then at BRT. We have spoken to their parents and their artiste fees are being invested for their future. After the show, we are looking to place them in schools with the help of an NGO," she said.The group is also counselling the children who see this performance as a one-time chance to earn. Bhumi wants to study but Sonam (10) wants to go back to her roadside stunts. Her resistance to 'education' notwithstanding, Sonam puts up a phenomenal jugalbandi with the trained artiste on stage. She says she likes the energy and light that surround her there.
10. BORDER LINES: China's military incursion is a reminder that India's China policy needs greater realism and resolve: A Chinese platoon's foray last week into Indian territory at Burthe in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector of the Ladakh region was not a routine "incursion" across the long and contested Himalayan boundary. India and China don't agree on where exactly the Line of Actual Control is. Their security forces undertake patrols to their respective claim lines, which don't match and generate "incursions" by one side or the other. These "incursions" end when patrolling units withdraw after moving up to the claim line. This time, the Chinese platoon chose to stay put after intruding nearly 10 kilometres into Indian territory. Delhi responded by sending military reinforcements to the area and initiating talks.
Delhi, however, finds that the local Chinese commanders on the ground as well as senior officials in Beijing are unresponsive to India's concerns. A spokesperson of the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs publicly rejected India's assertions on the intrusion. The foreign office in Delhi called in the Chinese envoy to demand a quick resolution of the issue. From the Indian perspective, this must necessarily include a withdrawal of the Chinese platoon and the removal of the structures it has put up. Delhi and Beijing must also reaffirm their commitment to maintain peace and tranquility on the border.
The Chinese military incursion comes amid the reported plans of the new premier, Li Keqiang, to make India one of his first foreign destinations. The incursion is a welcome reminder to Delhi that it must always differentiate between the expanding opportunities for cooperation with China and the enduring tensions on the border. In the past, Delhi has downplayed the difficulties on the China border and held them back from public view amidst soaring rhetoric about collaborating with China to change the world. At the same time, however, Delhi has no reason to overreact. It must prepare for a possible escalation while exploring all avenues for a peaceful resolution. Delhi must also take the Indian people into confidence on the implications of China's growing military assertiveness on the northern borders. From Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a growing sense that the UPA government has become ineffective in responding to Chinese provocations. Many in Delhi's strategic community are convinced that the Congress leadership may be soft-pedalling the problems with China in the name of non-alignment and other discredited ideas of the past. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can no longer wait to inject some resolve and realism into India's China policy. (Editorial, The Indian Express, Apr 24 2013)
11. RAM NAVAMI RITUALS NOT ALLOWED: For the first time in 64 years, the district administration didn’t allow the special Ram Navami rituals at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya as per a Supreme Court order passed 19 years ago. Despite the apex court’s order, the rituals were performed every year. However, this year the administrative authorities took the decision following strong opposition from Hashim Ansari, the first appellant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Seva Samiti has been performing traditional rituals despite the Supreme Court through its various orders restraining any religious activity on the acquired land of Babri Masjid and Ram Janmabhoomi. The chief priest appointed by the court, Acharya Satyender Das, is authorised to offer only daily prayers at the disputed site but no special prayer is allowed.
Faizabad DM Vipin Kumar Diwedi had earlier clarified that the administration would abide by the Supreme Court orders. So, when on Friday (19 April ) the samiti members reached the first entry point of the acquired area — the Rang Mahal barrier — they were stopped and the metal ‘kalash’ (urn) was taken by a local priest arranged by the administration there.
The chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi said, “One of my followers took the kalash, but it was not offered to Ram Lalla in the makeshift temple.”
12. ONE DUTY TO PERFORM: Every Hindu has but one great obligation, and that is to pass his religion on to the next generation of Hindus. That's all he has to do, pass his religion on to the next generation. Then that generation passes it on to their next generation. If we lose a single generation in-between, the whole religion is lost in an area of the world. How many religions have existed on this planet? Thousands of them. What happened to the Zoroastrian religion? It barely exists now. What happened to the religion of the ancient Greeks? They must have missed several generations. The ancient Mayan, Hawaiian, Druid and Egyptian religions are all virtually forgotten but for the history books.
The great men and women in our history have withstood the most severe challenges to our religion and sacrificed their energies, even their lives, that it would not be lost to invaders who sought to destroy it. It is easy to be courageous when an enemy is on the attack, because the threat is so obvious. Today the threat is more subtle, but no less terrible. In fact, it is really a greater threat than Hinduism has ever had to face before, because an enemy is not destroying the religion. It is being surrendered by the Hindus themselves through neglect, through fear, through desire for land and gold, but mostly through ignorance of the religion itself. If Hindus really understood how deep into their soul their religion penetrates, if they knew how superior it is to any other spiritual path on the Earth today, they would not abandon it so easily but cherish and foster it into its great potential. They would not remain silent when asked about their religion, but speak out boldly its great truths. They would not hesitate to stand strong for Hinduism.
How can Hindus in the modern, mechanized world pass their religion to the next generation when they are not proud enough of it to announce it openly to business associates and all who ask? When the Muslim seeks employment, he is proud to say, "I worship Allah." The Christian is proud to say, "I worship Jesus Christ." But too often the Hindu is not proud to say, "I worship Lord Ganesha.'' In our great religion there is one Supreme God and many Gods. The average Hindu today is not proud of this. He feels others will reject him, will not employ him, will not like him. Of course, this might be true. It might be very true. Then he should seek out people who do respect Hinduism. These are the people to associate with. – An email from Shri Kedar Nath Gupta, 7148 Baywood Court, Mississauga (on), L5N 5N6, Canada ro 9057851778.
13. BHARAT, CHINA COMPETE FOR SPACE NOW: With China pro-actively pursuing South Asian nations for launching satellites, a wary Bharat is now planning to approach the smaller South Asian neighbours — Maldives and Sri Lanka — to let their empty "orbital slots" to be used by Bharatiya satellites.
It is widely known that these smaller countries have "empty" orbital slots, and both Bharat and China are now keen to use them. This new and emerging concern in the Bharatiya establishment has given rise to an opportunity for the Bharatiya space agency ISRO to launch satellites, in the slots of other countries. What bothers Delhi is also that China's stated purpose for these satellites needs to be verified against its actual activities.
It is learnt that the Bharatiya government held discussions within its space and foreign ministries, and have decided to talk to these neighbours towards this end. This week, the Bharatiya establishment is going to raise the issue with the visiting Maldives Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim.
14. VANCOUVER – LARGEST PUNJABI SETTLEMENT OUTSIDE PUNJAB: White Canada is fast changing its colours as visible minorities — Asians, Blacks and others — are outgrowing the white population. According to projections done for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 60 per cent residents of the Greater Vancouver area by the year 2031 will be non-whites.
Daniel Hiebert of Vancouver-based University of British Columbia, who is an expert on immigration and did this projection, says, "There is no European city with anything like this demographic structure nor will there be in 2031."
The good news is that South Asians, read Punjabis, will be the second biggest group after the Chinese by 2031. And Sikhism will be the second biggest religion in the Greater Vancouver area in the next decades, says the study.
But Surrey city on the outskirts of Vancouver is already a 'Punjabi city'. Some call it the Southall of Canada as more than 40 per cent of its population is of Punjabi origin. Surrey reported more than 94,000 speakers of Punjabi in the last year's census which pegged the city's population at about 500,000. "In that sense, the city has become the largest Punjabi settlement outside Punjab," says Indo-Canadian community leader Balwant Sanghera, who heads the Punjabi Language Education Association (PLEA) of Canada.
15. BHARAT TO HELP MYANMAR IN IT AND FARM SECTOR: Bharat is going all out in its efforts at capacity building in Myanmar, a key neighbour and the only South East Asian country it shares land boundary with. Information technology, skill development, agriculture are the key areas Bharat is focusing on.
Efforts are also afoot to set up the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT).
The task force for the same is headed by S Ramadorai, advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on skill development.
In the field of agriculture, Bharat has offered assistance to set up a Rice Bio Park in Myanmar and renowned agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan is heading these efforts. Another area includes production of cardamom in the Naga Self Administered Zone.
An India-Myanmar Industrial Training Centre has been set up by HMT(I) in Pakokku and a second centre is being set up in Myingyan. The other initiatives in the area with Bharatiya assistance include Myanmar-India Centre for English Language (MICELT), a Myanmar-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre (MIEDC) and an India-Myanmar Centre for Enhancement of IT Skills (IMCEITS).
16. CHABAHAR BHARAT’S ANSWER TO GWADAR: Bharat is set to counter the recent Chinese takeover of Pakistan’s Gwadar port by developing the Chabahar port in Iran. Developing Iranian port will help Bharat counter neighbours Ahead of external affairs minister Salman Khurshid’s visit to Iran from May 3-5, the Union cabinet is likely to approve an assistance plan of $100 million (about Rs. 539 crore) to develop the port. “The cabinet approval is expected soon,” said an official. Gwadar has strategic importance for China as 60% of its crude oil comes from Gulf countries that are close to the port.
Chabahar will not only help New Delhi counter Beijing’s presence but also boost Bharat’s trade and investment ties with landlocked Afghanistan and central Asia by providing it with a transit route to the region (Pakistan does not allow Bharatiya goods to pass through its territory). Bharat, Iran and Afghanistan have already signed an agreement to give Bharatiya goods heading for central Asia and Afghanistan preferential treatment and tariff reductions at Chabahar.
Moreover, the development of the port will also help Afghanistan reduce its dependence on Pakistan’s Karachi port for access to the Bharatiya Ocean. At present, Afghanistan uses Karachi for its trade and to receive energy supplies. Chabahar has been on the agenda in discussions between Bharat and Iran since 2003. But a host of problems including the chill in India-Iran ties have prevented the project from taking off so far.
17. OVER 200 CHRISTIANS RETURN HOME IN TIRUNELVELI, TN: In a solemn homecoming ceremony organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on April 10 at Tirunelveli, over 200 Christians returned to their mother way of worship. A yajna was performed on the occasion. Swami Shantananda blessed the homecomers. Shri Gopalaratnam, State vice president of the VHP, spoke and informed that the VHP would see that Hindu names of the homecomers are published in the Gazatte. State secretary of Hindu Lawyers Munnani, Shri Kutralanathan, also was present on the occasion.
18. RSS PITCHES IN TO SAVE BAJI RAO PESHWA’S TOMB: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has pitched in to rescue the historic monument where Maratha ruler Baji Rao Peshwa was laid to rest.
Situated on the bank of Narmada at Raver Khed in Khargoan district of Madhya Pradesh, the tomb is in danger of getting submerged with the increase in water level of the under-construction Maheshwar dam.
RSS Sah-Sarkaryavah Suresh Soni on 28 April said that the tomb will not be allowed to get submerged. He was at Raver Khed to participate in a programme to mark death anniversary of Baji Rao Peshwa. “All efforts will be taken to preserve the historical monument,” he said. Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader, Anil Dave said that a huge wall be constructed around the tomb to protect it in case of increase in water level.
Collector of Khargone, Navneet Mohan said that a wall will be constructed around the tomb at the cost of Rs 5 crore and process is under way to issue tender for the work.
19. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S VIEWS ON CONVERSION - A SEMINAR AT CHENNAI: 150th year Celebrations Committee of Swami Vivekananda' of Tamilnadu has organized a daylong seminar at 'Infosys Hall', Chennai on 31.3.2013.
Swami Vimurthananda Maharaj, Editor, Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam, Ramakrishna Matt, Chennai in his special address spoke on the dangers of conversion. He initially narrated a story on how conversion is being done. Then he quoted various quoting of leaders across the country.
Journalist Aravindan Neelagandan, Dr. R.Srinivasan (Sastra University, Thanjavur), Prof. P Kanagasabapathy (Director, Centre of Indian Economy & Culture Studies, Coimbatore) & Shri A Krishnamachari (Editor, Panchajanyam magazine), Prof. V Insuvai (Prof. IRT Polytechnic) & Sri A Ramakrishna Prasad (Thinker and Speaker) presented their papers.
Swami Mithrananda, Acharya of Chinmaya Mission concluded the seminar on how our religion Hinduism is Universal. Shri S Gurumurthy called upon the Sadhus to conduct a debate on religious harmony wherein harmony can only be seen in Hinduism.
20. SHAKUNTALA DEVI NO MORE: Bharatiya mathematical genius and astrologer Shakuntala Devi, who was dubbed "human computer" for her swift numerical calculation abilities, passed away in Bengaluru on April 21 after brief illness. She was 83. She is survived by her daughter, son-in-law and two grand daughters.When three years old, she was found to be fond of numbers and having a phenomenal memory. She could calculate any equation and reel off amazing numbers in a flash. According to the Guinness World Records, Shakuntala Devi displayed her mathematical skills when she was six years old at a public function in Mysore, about 150 km from here and two years later, proved to be a prodigal wizard in number games at Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu's Chidambaram, about 200 km from Chennai. In 1977, Shakuntala Devi discovered the 23rd root of a 201-digit number mentally. Three years later, in June 1980, she answered in 28 seconds when she was asked to multiply two 13-digit numbers picked at random at the Imperial College in London. She wrote a number of books on mathematics and astrology including "Fun with Numbers", "Astrology for You", "Puzzles to Puzzle You" and "Mathablit".
21. THREE YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR QUALITATIVE CHANGE: Sanskar Bharati, the leading organisation dedicated to the promotion of Bharatiya art and literature, has formulated a three years action plan to bring a qualitative change in the organisational activities at the three-day national executive committee meeting held at Jalaun - Uttar Pradesh April 13-15.
Addressing the delegates, RSS Sahasarakaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal said during the last one thousand years many Bharatiya art forms were destroyed by the invaders, libraries were burnt, idols and temples were ruined, but the feeling of art still survives among us. He called upon the artists to spread the original cultural and Vedic knowledge to the masses and impart good samskars to the younger generation.
Senior Pracharak Madhubhai Kulkarni and all senior leaders of the Sanskar Bharati including founder member Yogendraji, former president and noted Marathi film director Rajdutt, were present at the meeting. Apart from it, about 100 delegates from different parts of the country attended the meeting.
22. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, samyojak Vishwa Vibhag would tour New Zealand after finishing his tour to Australia. Ravikumar sah samyojak will return to Bharat after his tour to Hong Kong. Dr. Ram Vaidya, sah samyojak returned to UK after his Bharat trip. Shyam Parande, secretary Sewa International is on a tour to USA. Visitors: Shashi Chibber – UK
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. – Bhagwan Gautam Buddha
JAI SHREE RAM
SAMATOL FOUNDATION
A NURTURING HOME FOR THE STREET CHILDREN OF MUMBAI
Rushikesh Kulkarni
A NURTURING HOME FOR THE STREET CHILDREN OF MUMBAI
Rushikesh Kulkarni
For a moment think of yourself as a child aged 8, living in a small village somewhere in India. There are several problems facing you. You are being bullied or regularly beaten up by your parents for no fault of yours. As a child, you have two options – fight or flight. You choose the latter and run away. Get on the first blue train heading out to a big city like Mumbai, hide under the berths, doze off and when you wake up – you are thrown into the sea of humanity. Then hunger strikes, you beg, you find an odd job to do and eventually meet many children like yourself. The railway station starts to become your home. Sooner someone passes a lit cigarette or shows you the bottle, not just alcohol but also whitener ink and life takes a new turn, this seems like the point of no return.
Boys at the Samatol shelter
On an average about 200 children arrive in the city from all parts of the country escaping miseries of their home. No sooner do they arrive, they are sucked into the quagmire of the busy, ruthless urban life, left to fend for themselves. However, that’s not what a child that young deserves, at an age where one is meant to read, learn and play – one is forced to earn their daily bread by doing manual labour, unfit for anyone that young and of course, prohibited by the Constitution of India. The society considers them as cheap labour or completely irrelevant, hopeless cases. And this collective attitude towards these children transpires into an encouragement for them to turn to anti-social tendencies. But to generalise is unfair, and organisations such as Samatol Foundation prove why.
Registered in 2006 and started by Mr. Vijay Jhadav or Vijay Dada as he is fondly known, Samatol, meaning ‘balance’ is actually an acronym that stands for Samata, Mamata, Tohfa and Lakshya. Vijay Dada started counselling runaway children on the platforms of CST way before he registered the organisation. But now his operations have extended across the city and along with his dedicated team of coordinators and volunteers, works towards rehabilitating children who run away from their family and come to Mumbai.
The team helps them reconnect with their families through guidance and counselling. At the Samatol shelter at Mamnoli, a small village on the Kalyan-Murbad road, they run a 45 day programme aptly named Man Parivartan for the children. It involves early morning physical exercises, counselling sessions and cultural programmes which are aimed at getting their lost identities back, de-addiction from various substances and instilling in the children a sense of discipline. During this programme all efforts are made to get in touch with their families. Letters are dispatched, phone calls are made and all leads are pursued to establish contact and resolve issues that led the child to choose the flight option.
“Many a times, there is a communication gap between parents or simply no communication at all which creates many complications and misunderstandings between the family” tells me Mr. Aakash Gupte, Coordinator at Samatol Foundation when I visit their Dadar office one afternoon. “For a child, the first 48 hours after arrival in the city are crucial, and are known as the Golden Hour, if the team manages to send him/her back to his village, the case is mostly successful” he adds. Gupte says that each time a call is received, one of them immediately reaches the spot and the process is kick started. No efforts are then spared to win over the child’s heart and reunite him/her with the family.
When I ask him about volunteering and donation opportunities at Samatol Foundation for the general public, he says they are open to volunteers joining them but he also invites people with specific interests/skills whose training can be imparted to the children. The impressive artworks and motifs hanging on the wall are made by the children, he tells me proudly. Society looks at these children as pests and harbours a negative attitude, which can only change by going a layer deeper and understanding the causes that led them to run away and turn up in the city. Working/volunteering with organisations such as Samatol or even knowing about their work will help the public sensitize themselves and also help them to view them in a different light next time. And encouraging such initiatives is necessary because, the point of no return that the runaway child has reached, could well vanish and home won’t be too far.
To report cases/volunteer at Samatol Foundation one may contact Mr.Vijay Jhadav – 09892961124, 9702716734 or visit the Samatol Website.
(http://mumbaimag.com/samatol-foundation-street-children/)
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