Marghshirsha Krishna 12 Vik. Samvat 2078, Yugabda 5123 : 1 December, 2021:SM 3017 (For Private Circulation only)
1.
FESTIVALS: SHABARIMALA MANDALAKAALAM: Shabarimala Mandalakaalam started on
November 16 this year. The Shabarimala temple is located in the Shabari Hills,
towards the east of Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. The annual pilgrim season
to Shabarimala begins with the Mandalakaalam season and continues in the
Makaravilakku season during December-January. Before the Mandalakaalam begins,
devotees observe vrata or penance for several days. Those visiting the
Shabarimala Temple wear black dhotis and carry ‘Irumudi’ or ‘Ketunira’, which is
a cloth bundle partitioned into two parts. It contains a holy coconut with rice
and ghee as offering for Bhagwan Ayyappa. It is believed that Bhagwan Ayyappa
meditated at this place after killing the demon named ‘Mahishi’. Millions of
devotees visit the Shabarimala Temple during Mandalakaalam to offer their
prayers to Bhagwan Ayyappa. -GoTop
2. SANT ESHWER AWARD CONFERRED IN DELHI: On November 21,
Sant-Eshwer Award was conferred on 12 individuals and organizations engaged in
various social service activities. The award, a joint effort of Rashtriya Sewa
Bharati & Sant Eshwer Foundation, is an initiative to recognize and honour work
at the grassroots level to uplift the underprivileged and disadvantaged. The
award presentation ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi was attended by many
dignitaries including Dr. Mohan Bhagwat (Sarsanghachalak, RSS), Shri Arjun Munda
(Union minister of tribal affairs) and Padma Bhushan Vijay Bhatkar
(Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University). Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Bhagwat
said that Bharatiya culture believes in universal well being and does not oppose
anyone. Every person works with ‘sewa bhaav’ to the best of their abilities and
this has sustained the Bharatiya culture in a world where many other
civilizations have become non-existent, he added.
-GoTop
3. SARSANGHACHALAK ATTENDS VARIOUS PROGRAMS: On November
16, RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat interacted with eminent invitees
during his three day visit to Kolkata. He expressed concern over non-transition
of ‘family values and belief systems from one generation to another in today’s
fast life and stressed the need for a ‘value-based family system’.
On November 22, Dr. Bhagwat participated in the birth centenary event of Suraj
Prakash, founder of Bharatiya Vikas Parishad, at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion he said that Bharat should aspire to be a vishwa-guru
and not a superpower that wishes world domination for vested interests.
On November 25, Dr. Bhagwat attended a program to launch the book “Vibhajankalin
Bharat Ke Sakshi” by Krishnanand Sagar. Speaking on the occasion in Noida, Uttar
Pradesh, he said that partition of the country was an extremely painful incident
and the pain will be lessened only if the country is united again.
-GoTop
4. MARATHON ON BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF RANI LAXMIBAI:
Rashtra Sevika Samiti organised a marathon on the occasion of the birth
anniversary of Virangana Rani Laxmibai on November 19 in Delhi. The theme of the
marathon was “Ek Nirantar Dauda Desh Ke Liye” i.e. a continuous run for the
country. More than 180 women took part in it. The marathon was organised in two
age groups - 14 to 30 and above 30 years. Member of Legislative Council Smt.
Aparna Goyal and Uttar Kshetra Karyavahika of Rashtra Sevika Samiti Smt. Radha
Mehta were present on the occasion along with other samiti adhikaris.
-GoTop
5. COWIN SET TO GO GLOBAL: CoWIN – web portal by
Bharatiya government to manage vaccinations - may soon go global as more than 12
countries have stepped in to the final stages of discussions to borrow the
technology. 12 countries from South America, Africa and Central Asia have been
sent the signed memorandum of understanding (MoU). According to the data shared
by National Health Authority chief executive officer Dr. R. S. Sharma, CoWIN
platform has proven to be successful in Bharat where it handled 2.5 crore
vaccinations in a day, with a load of over 800 vaccinations per second. The
government will be sharing CoWIN with other countries as a product “licensed by
the central government”, which will be available to all “interested countries
for free, until perpetuity”. To demonstrate the capabilities of the software,
the government had held a virtual global conclave for health and technology
experts from across the globe on July 5. -GoTop
6. DIWALI CELEBRATED AT ROSEVILLE & FOLSOM IN CALIFORNIA:
Over 100 Bharatiya Americans in Roseville - a suburban city of Sacramento in
California, USA – came together on November 7 to celebrate Diwali with the
‘Parade of Lights’. They were dressed in traditional Bharatiya attire and
showcased their cars with decorated lights depicting the spirit of the Diwali
festivity. Many local Americans also joined the parade.
The event supported Sewa Diwali, an initiative with the mission of collecting
and donating food and winter clothes for charity. More than 30 local
organizations have come together to support 12 food banks in 10 nearby cities
like Yuba City and Chico. Speaking on the occasion, Scott Alvord, Roseville city
councilman said that the Sewa group has done some incredible service to those in
need in the community. Assemblyman Kevin Kiley and Sewa Sacramento Chapter
Coordinator Paresh Sinha also participated in the program.
Earlier, on November 6 Sewa held a similar car parade in the neighboring city
Folsom in which more than 50 Indian Americans participated.
-GoTop
7. FOUNDATION CEREMONY FOR NEW BAPS MANDIR IN DAR-ES-SALAAM:
On November 19, the Khat Vidhi (Foundation Ceremony) for the new BAPS Shri
Swaminarayan Mandir in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania was performed in the presence of
Priyavrat Swami and resident swamis of Africa. More than 700 devotees and
well-wishers took part in the ceremony, which was managed by more than 125
Volunteers. After the rituals, Priyavrat Swami addressed the assembly and
stressed the importance of the new mandir, and offered prayers for its swift and
successful completion. -GoTop
8. SEWA CANADA ACTIVITIES: An “atmospheric river”
brought a deluge of rain and flooding to the southwest and central parts of
British Columbia (BC) in Canada. 7000 residents of the town of Merritt were
forced to evacuate to Kelowna on November 15. Sewa Canada volunteers in BC
procured heaters, air mattresses, jackets, blankets, water bottles, energy
drinks and dry food rations (around 500Kgs) and flew them into Merritt airport.
All the supplies were distributed by Sewa volunteers in Kelowna - via the local
food bank. When relief flights were stopped due to bad weather, Sewa team bought
52 air mattresses and blankets and loaded it into trucks at Dukh Nirwan
Gurudwara in Lower Mainland. The Gurudwara arranged to take supplies by road.
Sewa Canada International has released CAD$ 10,000 from its emergency funds to
provide aid to the needy in Merritt.
Sewa Canada in association with ICICI Bank Canada volunteered to support the
office of the Consul General of Bharat in providing 'Life Certificates' to
Senior Citizens at the premises of Laxmi Narayan Mandir (LNM), Scarborough.
In another initiative, Sewa Canada International in collaboration with Sewa
International Bharat sponsored a 150 litres per minute (LPM) Oxygen plant. It
was installed and commissioned into service at Anjali Charitable Hospital which
serves rural and tribal areas of Sabarkantha district, Gujarat. This is the 1st
of 8 Oxygen plants in Bharat funded by Sewa Canada International.
-GoTop
9. SEWA ACTIVITIES AT HINDU MANDIR BY HINDU YUVA: As
part of their annual retreat program, a team of 25 university students from the
Mid-West region of USA belonging to Hindu YUVA (Youth for Unity, Virtues, and
Action) conducted Sewa activities at the Hindu Mandir of Lake County in
Illinois. Hindu YUVA – with impactful presence in 39 university campuses in USA
- aims to provide a platform to preserve, practice, promote and protect dharma
by bringing together college students and working professionals across the
United States. Dr. Harsh Kumar, Ex-President of the temple honoured them and
appreciated their Sewa activities. -GoTop
10. EKAL FOUNDATION RAISED OVER $4 MILLION AT VIRTUAL
‘FUTURE OF INDIA’ GALA: On November 13, the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation raised
over $4 million in a virtual gala - “Future of India”. It featured eminent
Bharatiya American speakers and highlighted Ekal’s accomplishments and
contributions of the youth to its mission. The event was co-chaired by Mohan
Wanchoo and Kamlesh Shah, both successful entrepreneurs and philanthropists. The
funds raised at the gala were for specific projects such as tailoring training
centers, E-shiksha, Ekal-on-Wheels, Telemedicine, Gramotthan Research Centers
and Integrated Village Development.
According to a press release by Prakash Waghmare, working committee member of
Ekal Foundation, Ekal currently has presence in over 102,000 rural-tribal areas
all across Bharat with a reach to over 300,000 clusters of habitants.
-GoTop
11. BHOOMI POOJAN OF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE, DISASTER
MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: In a ‘bhoomi poojan’ program, Sewa
International Bharat laid the foundation of the 'Centre of Excellence, Disaster
Management and Social Development' at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, Delhi, on
November 19. The policies for Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation can benefit
from Sewa International's experience as a global organisation specialising in
humanitarian emergencies. The centre would take a step forward toward the
amalgamation of experience and research that may impact thousands of lives. On
the occasion of the bhoomi poojan, the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas,
Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri stated that the centre will not
only become a resource centre for Bharat, but also for the entire world.
-GoTop
12. SEWA INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN BHARAT: Cuddalore,
Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvallur and Thiruvannamalai districts in Tamil Nadu were
hit by the torrential rains and opening of various dams after heavy rains
resulted in flooding. The peasants lost their homes as well as livestock which
were the sole source of income for many of them. Sewa International along with
Seva Bharathi volunteers provided them with food, blankets, mats and other
supplies. On November 20, 1500 mats and mosquito nets were procured and
distributed.
Sewa International organized a health camp in Rajabhat Tea Estate in Alipurduar
District of West Bengal. Labourers in tea gardens are often underpaid and they
don't have access to adequate medical care near the tea estates, and the few
that are available in towns are out of their financial reach. The health camp
delivered low-cost generic medicine to them. -GoTop
13. RECONSTRUCTION OF 50,000 BHARAT-FUNDED HOUSES IN
NUWAKOT, GORKHA COMPLETED: Gorkha and Nuwakot districts of Nepal suffered
damage in the 2015 earthquakes. Reconstruction of around 50,000 houses has been
completed in these districts with support from the Bharatiya government. Embassy
of Bharat in Nepal, in association with National Reconstruction Authority (NRA),
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for
Project Services (UNOPS) organised an event in Kathmandu on November 15 to mark
the successful completion of the reconstruction project of private houses. The
event was attended by Namgya C Khampa (Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of
Bharat in Kathmandu), Sushil Gyawali (CEO, NRA) and representatives of UNDP and
UNOPS. During the event, Shri. Khampa announced that 50,000 private houses, as
committed by the Government of Bharat, had been completed with Owner Driven
Reconstruction Approach adopted by the Government of Nepal. The Government of
Bharat is also working with NRA for construction of 71 education sector
projects, 132 health buildings and restoration/retrofitting of 28 cultural
heritage sites in 11 districts of Nepal affected by the 2015 earthquakes.
-GoTop
14. AYODHYA RAM TEMPLE FOUNDATION COMPLETED: With the
rollout of the 48th layer of compact concrete, raising the 50-foot thick temple
foundation to 351 feet above sea level, Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra
declared completion of the first phase of construction. On November 18, the
Temple Trust invited journalists to Ramjanmabhoomi premises for the first time
to have a glimpse of the 2.77 acre foundation. Officials of the Trust confirmed
that with a robust foundation in place, the Ram Mandir’s garbhagruha will be
opened to pilgrims by December 2023. -GoTop
15. 18TH CENTURY IDOL OF GODDESS ANNAPURNA INSTALLED AT
KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE: An 18th century idol of Goddess Annapurna, brought
back from Canada, was installed at a newly-constructed area inside the Kashi
Vishwanath temple corridor in Uttar Pradesh on November 15.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present during the “pran pratistha”
(consecration) function of the deity at the newly constructed Annapurna temple
inside the 240 year old temple corridor. Amid chanting of hymns and ‘shlokas’,
the idol, stolen in 1913 from the banks of Ganga, was installed by Yogi
Adityanath. State Urban Development Minister Shri. Ashutosh Tandon and State
Culture Minister Shri. Neelkanth Tiwari were also present on the occasion.
-GoTop
16. BRAVEHEART LACHIT BORPHUKAN REMEMBERED ON "LACHIT
DIVAS": Bir Lachit Divas is observed across Assam on November 24 to pay
tribute to the great Ahom general Lachit Borphukan. In the battle of Saraighat,
Lachit Borphukan defeated the 45 thousand strong Mughal army and compelled
Aurangzeb to withdraw from Assam. Lachit Borphukan was born on November 24,
1622. King Chakradhwaj Singha, impressed by the intelligent leadership qualities
of Lachit, promoted him to be one of the Borphukhans. In the Ahom system of
governance, Borphukan was one of the five patra mantris (councilors) who
possessed both executive and judicial powers. -GoTop
17. FIRST-EVER PHYSICAL NATIONAL YOGA CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGIN:
The first-ever Physical National Yogasana Sports Championships kick-started
in Bhubaneswar on November 11 with a vibrant opening ceremony in the presence of
560 bright, young athletes from 30 States aiming high for 50 medals in a
uniquely-designed competition. Odisha Sports & Youth Services Secretary R Vineel
Krishna encouraged the athletes.
Organised by National Yogasana Sports Foundation (NYSF) in association with the
Government of Odisha, the three-day competition has been conceptualised with an
aim to create a global brand of Yogasana as a competitive sport and as a
stepping stone in the direction of making Yogasana a part of prestigious
Olympics platform. NYSF president Udith Sheth and NYSF general secretary Jaideep
Aarya were present on the occasion. -GoTop
18. NAVY COMMISSIONS BHARAT’S FIRST INDIGENOUS DESTROYER:
INS Visakhapatnam, the country’s first indigenous stealth guided missile
destroyer was commissioned into the Bharatiya Navy at the naval dockyard in
Mumbai on November 21. The induction ceremony of the indigenously-manufactured
war ship was conducted in presence of top naval commanders and Union Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh said that
in the coming times, Bharat will be shipbuilding not only for our own needs, but
also for the needs of the entire world. -GoTop
19. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Gaurav Singhal, Prof. Yashwant Pathak - USA, Vikrant Thakur - Australia
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: When you have men who are ready to sacrifice their
everything for their country, sincere to the backbone - when such men arise,
country will become great in every respect. It is the men that make the country!
- Swami Vivekananda.
-GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
---
THE SELFLESS MODELS OF ‘CIVIL SOCIETY’
The people
who work for and with the society, do not seek any publicity. They do not
manipulate issues to subvert the national unity by creating division. They
Inspire others by being selfless trend-setters. Eshwar Samman Awardees are
turning out to be the role models of real ‘Civil Society’
Name: Hajong Arnab ; Place: Garo Hills, Meghalaya -
Shri Hajong Arnab left his family for the protection of the Hajong language,
their rites and culture. In short, he did his best to ensure that the identity
of this ethnic group from the North East was preserved for posterity. Shri
Hajong Arnab started a half-yearly magazine Rao which was written in the Hajong
script. On December 22, 1999, Arnab established Hajog Bhasha Parishad, narrating
Bhagwat Gita in Hanjong language, which made tribal people aware of their
culture and the significance of spirituality in their daily lives.
He has also started the Gita Utsav every year with the help of Sanatan Satsang
Samiti to provide the rural people with an opportunity to listen to the
spiritual discourse.
Name: Shantaram Budna Siddhi; Place: Karnataka -
Shri Shantaram Budna Siddhi works tirelessly for the development of tribal
communities. In 1986, he founded the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.
Drawing inspiration from the late Shri Prakash Kamat, the first hostel was
opened in the Chipgeri district. Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram started the hostel
without any help. It was a daunting task to make members of tribal communities
understand the need to send their children to the hostel. They were apprehensive
that their children would get into bad company as there were rumours that the
place had become a den for smuggling.
Many forest dwellers are nowadays working in high positions of Government after
receiving education from this hostel. Some of the students are also serving the
Indian Army.
Name: Sukumar Roy Chowdhury; Place: Dakshin Dinajpur,
West Bengal - Shri Sukumar Roy Chowdhury, a nonagenarian, has spent
all his life developing and making Barail Sub-Jati Kalyan Sangh Ashram a success
story.
For over five decades, the Ashram has been teaching the young generation about
the need to provide selfless service to marginalised sections of society and the
meaning of nation-building. The Ashram works for the betterment of tribal
communities and backward classes in the areas of education, health, and
development.
The Ashram also provides homeopathic treatment and accommodation to the aged. At
present, more than 50 children and a dozen senior citizens reside here. All this
is due to the hard work, commitment and discipline of Shri Sukumar Roy Chowdhury.
Name: Megha Urav; Place: Ranchi, Jharkhand -
Megha Urav of the Jharkhand Adivasi Sarna Vikas Samiti aims to make the people
of economically backward classes aware of their religion and culture.
It also runs an awareness programme against superstition and evil customs.
Megha also runs a programme to arrange marriages for the underprivileged. Blood
donation camps are also conducted by Jharkhand Adivasi Sarna Vikas Samiti.
From 2000 onwards, Megha struggled and fought for the interest of the poor who
were vulnerable to get converted by Christian missionaries. A total of around
200 persons have reverted to Hinduism due to awareness programme initiated by
Megha Urav.
Name: Ashish Kumar; Place, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh -
Ashish Kumar and his wife Ragini Gupta run a ‘Jeevika Ashram’ in
Jabalpur village have sown the seeds of a traditional Indian system that offers
an alternative Indian lifestyle. The Ashram operate like the ancient Gurukula
did. It has several unique features of the local area-a museum with unique
artefacts, a library related to its subject, and a collection of works of
artisans.
Name: Dharambir Chahal; Place: Jind, Haryana -
Dharambir Chahal has been working on improving the breed of cows in the rural
areas of this Northern State for the last 15 years.
Dharambir proudly explains the importance of organic farming and domestic cow
rearing in his village that lies in the Jind district.
With the passage of time, Dharambir Chahal has managed to create awareness on
how cow ghee, milk and urine can be used in treating cancer, high BP, diabetes
and other diseases. Through YouTube he has earned more than 45 lakh followers.
Name: Dr Nirupama Sunil Desh Pandey; Place: Amarvati,
Maharashtra - Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra has been functioning in Melghat,
a forest-dwelling area in Amravati, for the last 26 years. Forest dwellers,
youth and women are taught various skills such as craftsmanship and furniture
jewellery. The credit for all this goes to Dr Nirupama Sunil Desh Pandey.
More than 4,500 people have been trained in basswork. The organisation has
planted more than 2,000 women have been given employment. Special toilets have
also been built by them. Folk art Sanskar camp is also organised for the
development of the children.
Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra also trains divyang (persons with disabilities) students
in the making of lampshades, mats and flower pots.
Name: Chiranjeev Malhotra; Place: Delhi -
Chiranjeev Malhotra, fondly called as ‘Ambulance Man’ by those who come into
contact with him, has made significant contributions in Delhi when Covid-19 was
at its peak. This Karol Bagh resident has cremated more than 30,000 dead bodies
free of cost, irrespective of their faiths. He also provided nutritious food to
over 7,000 people per day from beginning of the pandemic. He has also
distributed free medicines and oxygen to the needy. He also works in the service
of cows, dogs, and feeds birds and animals.
Name: Birsa Seva Prakalp; Place: Patna, Bihar -
Birsa Seva Prakalp Project, a non-government organisation, conducts health
camps at different places in Patna.
The organisation also operates 5 sewing training centres for women to enable
them to become self-dependent.
Birsa Seva Prakalp’s work for the vulnerable can be seen from the way it
distributed food and essential products to 3,200 people who suffered from floods
in North Bihar.
Birsa Seva Prakalp is also running 11 Sanskar Kendras for children and is
providing financial assistance to them. The organisation also operates 5 schools
having 5600 students.
Name: Amruthavarshini Bal Kalyan Ashram; Place:
Anantapuram, Andhra Pradesh - Bal Kalyan Ashram, run by Vishva Hindu
Parishad, is basically an orphanage that was started in 1986. It has drawn
inspiration from Sri Upidi Pejavar Teertha Swamiji. Over 100 orphan children
reside here and Rs 25,000 is spent on each students.
The Ashram provides facilities like kitchen, dining hall, reading hall, clean
water and toilet, playground and computer education. Discipline, national
integrity, and service culture are taught to children at a tender age in the
ashram. Doctors and health teams are available round the clock in the service of
children.
Name: Arya Chavda ;Place: Ahmedabad, Gujarat -
Arya Chavda, a 12-year-old started her journey as an environmental warrior. She
has raised funds for cancer patients by writing articles and painting. So far
she has written 8 books on significant themes like – Heritage conservation,
non-violence and peace, the current climate crisis, girl child education and
fundamental rights of Children. The books are preserved and published by NCMB
New Delhi. UNESCO Digital Library and UNESCO Global Citizenship Education have
also published her writings on its digital platform.
Name: Rural Health and We; Place: Biswanath, Assam -
The main objective of ‘Rural Health and We’, a non-government organisation, is
to ensure that physically challenged children are healthy. The organisation has
been creating health awareness camps to provide divyang students free education
and training in traditional arts with an intent to rehabilitate them in society.
It also helps youth to become self-employed; so it trains them in handicrafts
and weaving.
Name: Vivekananda Seva Mandal; Place: Thane,
Maharashtra - Vivekananda Seva Mandal works for promoting rural
education, youth consciousness and health, apart from working for social
awareness.
Yuva Seva Mandal was established after being inspired by the Sadhu Swamiji.
Every Saturday and Sunday, students are taught science and mathematics at the
Government schools of Dombivili Municipal Corporation.
For 18 years, the Seva Mandal used to teach only rural children. It also
supports the youth of the Mandal by paying their fees. Today there are more than
8,000 books in the library of Vivekananda Seva Mandal. More than 10 thousand
engineers from Dombivili and the neighbourhood have benefitted from this
library. With the help of villagers, the Mandal has develops three dams for
water harvesting.
Name: Atma Nirbhar-EK Challenge; Place: Kamrup, Assam -
Atma Nirbhar – EK Challenge, set up in July 2015, gives an opportunity to
divyangs (physically challenged) to become self-dependent. They are trained in
making tea leaf envelops, decorative bags and plant pots.
They get hygienic food at Rs 1 along with a monthly allowance for their
educational needs.
Through its second project, this organisation aims at reducing poverty in the
Northeastern State. It is an economic rehabilitation and empowerment project.
Over 1000 people have so far benefited from this imitative. – Organiser,
December 5, 2021 -GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
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