Phalgun Shukla 7, Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125 : 16 March, 2024: SM 5024 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS:
VARSH PRATIPADA: Varsh Pratipada i.e. Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Sobhakrt
namsamvatsar 2081, Yugabada 5126 and the first day of Chaitra Navratri will be
celebrated on April 9 this year. Telugu people celebrate new year calling it
Ugadi and the Kannadigas use the term Yugadi for this festival. Maharashtrian
celebrate it as Gudi Padwa. The Sindhis call it Cheti Chand. Manipuris also
celebrate it as Sajibu Nongma and the people of Odisha celebrate this auspicious
day as Maha Vishubha Sankranti.
The birth anniversary of RSS founder Dr Keshavrao Baliram Hedgewar also falls on
this very day and swayamsevaks in all shakhas will perform Aadya Sarsanghchalak
Pranam during the commencing the shakha on this day.
On the occasion of New Year, several programs, processions and various other
related events will be organised all over Bharat as well as in many other
countries by Bharatiya Diaspora. -GoTop
2. RASHTRIYA SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH (RSS) FOUNDER DR. KESHAV
BALIRAM HEDGEWAR'S BIOGRAPHY LAUNCHED IN ENGLISH: RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya
Hosabale, on March 1, launched a biography of RSS founder Dr. Keshavrao Baliram
Hedgewar titled “Man of the Millennia - Dr Hedgewar” in English. While speaking
on the occasion, Hosabale said that Dr Hedgewar was a person with holistic
national thinking. "The feeling of patriotism was innate in him. He dedicated
his entire life for the nation. Today's generation takes inspiration from his
patriotism and national ideas", he said.
At the same event, chief guest Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice (Retd) S Abdul
Nazeer said that today the whole world is taking inspiration from the work of
the organization which was founded by Dr. Hedgewar. The Book was published by
Suruchi Prakashan and the English translation was done by late Dr. Anil Naine
from the original Marathi version, authored by Nana Palkar. -GoTop
3. BHARAT IMPLEMENTED CAA: The Bharatiya ministry of
home affairs has notified the Citizenship Amendment Act's (CAA) rules on March
11, paving the way for the law's implementation across the country. The CAA
rules aim to confer Bharatiya citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -
including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians - who migrated
from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in Bharat before 2014.
Applications have to be submitted online through a newly formed portal with
citizenship hopefuls declaring the year in which they entered Bharat without
travel documents. The government has previously taken steps to address the
plight of refugees, including amendments to the Citizenship Rules in 2004 and
notifications in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. CAA will not apply to regions
mentioned under the Sixth Schedule of the Bharatiya Constitution, which include
Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. -GoTop
4. AKHIL BHARATIYA PRATINIDHI SABHA MARCH 15-17, NAGPUR:
On March 15, Sarasanghackalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat and Sarakaryavah Dattatreya
Hosabale inaugurated the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) of RSS in
Nagpur. Earlier on March 13, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar
briefed media that the ABPS will be held this year from March 15 to 17 at Reshim
Bagh in Nagpur, Maharashtra. During this meeting, all the works and Sewa Karya
done by Sangh in the year 2023-24 will be reviewed, and there will also be a
wide range of discussion on Sangh's plan for the year 2024-25.
5. UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS CONFERS HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTOR
OF CIVIL LAW ON RASHTRAPATI DROUPADI MURMU: The University of Mauritius
conferred Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Civil Law on the Rashtrapati of
Bharat
6. CHENNAI LIT FEST 2024 WITH THEME OF RAM MANDIR: The
Chennai Literature Festival had its fourth edition this year from February 23 to
25 at Hotel Savera in Mylapore, Tamil Nadu featuring personalities from the
literary, academic and journalistic world across Bharat and also had few book
launches and a series of discussions with eminent speakers and authors. It was
anchored around the theme of Ram Mandir, a cultural Renaissance bridging the
North-South divide bringing to light the footprints of Shri Ram across the
Southern parts of Bharat. 
7. HSS USA PARTICIPATED IN CAMELLIA PARADE – 2024: On
February 24, volunteers of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh’s Uttar-LA Vibhag marched as
Ghosh Gana in the Camellia Parade and represented HSS and Hindu-American
community. The parade was a part of the annual Camellia Festival organized by
the city of Temple City, Los Angeles County, California. This is HSS’s second
appearance in the parade, after a gap of 3 years, due to Covid and
weather-related cancellations. A total of 30 Bala Kishores, 3 Yuvas and 8 Tarun
Gana karyakartas, from 6 Shakhas of the Vibhag, participated in this year’s
parade. Along with Aanak, Vamshi, Panav, Shankh vadaks, a few kishores walked
with Patakas. 
8. HSS CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH: During February
2024, volunteers of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA engaged with and honored
African American community leaders to commemorate Black History Month. HSS
chapters in Buffalo Grove, IL, Chandler, AZ, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL,
Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, IN, Parsippany, NJ, Plainsboro, NJ, Sacramento, CA,
and Woodbridge, NJ invited distinguished African American personalities as a
part of the Black History Month celebration.
Public Speaking Champion and Author Ant Blair delivered a powerful speech at the
HSS event in Columbus, IN. In Chicagoland’s HSS chapter, Aurora City’s
diversity, equity, and inclusion, (DEI) officer Clayton Mohammad presented the
‘Annual Black History Month Lecture’. At the Buffalo Grove, IL Chapter, State
Senator Adriane Johnson highlighted the significant contributions of the African
American community to American society. At other places also eminent community
leaders were invited to share their thoughts on the occasion. These events
served as a platform for celebrating the rich history and achievements of
African Americans while fostering understanding and collaboration between the
Hindu and African American communities. -GoTop
9. HSS NEPAL’S SWAMI VIVEKANANDA GYAN PARIKSHA: HSS
Nepal’s Swami Vivekananda Gyan Parikshya is an annual competition aimed to test
6th to 10th grade students' knowledge and understanding of the teachings of
Sanatan Dharma, Culture and Philosophy. For this Swami Vivekananda Gyan Pariksha
Book is a comprehensive guide that delves into various cultural aspects, Dharma,
Vedanta, places of significance, national interest, nationalism, and national
heroes.
10. HSS AND SEWA MAURITIUS SERVES DURING MAHASHIVRATRI:
During the Mahashivratri festival in Mauritius, around five hundred thousand of
devotees and pilgrims converge to the sacred lake Ganga Talao to offer prayers
and seek blessings each year. 
The Medical Sewa camp was set up in proximity to the pilgrimage site of Ganga
Talao to serve the large gathering facing physical strain and other medical
issues during the pilgrimage. The sewa camp was staffed by a total of 16
volunteers which included 6 doctors, 8 health care assistants, 1 holistic nurse
and 1 physiotherapist. The volunteers operated on a shift system. The camp
provided basic first aid for minor injuries or ailments like blood pressure,
blood sugar, etc. The medical camp was also equipped to handle more serious
medical emergencies and to stabilize patients before they could be transported
to the nearest hospital. Pilgrims were given free medications for common health
issues such as headache, flu, hypertension, fever, and muscular pains among
others. Physiotherapy sessions and massage service were also included for the
needy people.
To raise awareness of the Medical Sewa Service that was offered by Sewa
International Mauritius and HSS Mauritius for Mahashivratri at Ganga Talao, the
event was communicated to the public through the social media and on the
channels of Mauritius Broadcasting Cooperation. -GoTop
11. SEWA TT’S MAHASHIVRATRI 2024 FOOD DRIVE: SEWA
Trinidad and Tobago organised a ‘Food Drive’ during the week of Mahashivratri
festival in the country. During the drive, SEWA TT packed 815 food packages
totaling 30,155lbs and those were delivered to families in need across Trinidad
and Tobago.
12. HINDUS IN YOGYAKARTA AND CENTRAL JAVA CELEBRATE
GALUNGAN AT PRAMBANAN TEMPLE: Hundreds of Hindus from the Special Region of
Yogyakarta (DIY) and Central Java took part in the Galungan procession in the
Prambanan Temple area, Yogyakarta on February 28. This Galungan moment was held
to commemorate the creation of the universe and to give thanks for what has been
given by Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (literally “The Divine Order,” the Supreme God of
Indonesian Hinduism.)
13. DEVOTEES SOAK IN FERVOR AT PASHUPATINATH MANDIR AT
KATHMANDU, NEPAL ON MAHASHIVRATRI: Lakhs of devotees from all over the world
including Bharat, on March 8, thronged to the Pashupatinath Mandir Kathmandu the
capital of Nepal to observe the festival of Mahashivratri. Since early morning,
devotees were gathered in nearby rivers, ponds and temples to worship Bhagwan
Shiv. 
Mahashivratri marks the convergence of ‘Shiva’ and ‘Shakti’ and also celebrates
the night when Bhagwan Shiv performed the ‘Tandav’–the cosmic dance.
Some 6,000 volunteers which includes HSS Nepal’s swayamsevaks and sevikas and an
equal number of security personnel were mobilised to provide security and manage
the crowd at the temple. -GoTop
14. SSUK ORGANISES SHIVOHUM FESTIVAL: On March 9, the
Sanatan Sanstha of UK (SSUK) organised its maiden Shivohum Festival in London.
The event brought together a diverse community to celebrate the auspicious
occasion of Mahashivratri in a grand manner that London has never witnessed
before. It also brought a new level of creativity and devotion blended during
‘The First Shiva-Festival’. On the occasion SSUK Founder and President Abhi Yogi
informed about the various initiatives of SSUK and its mission to spread Sanatan
Dharma. Nearly 500 people attended this event, filled with cultural performances
including bhajans by children. 
15. NEW YORK’S TIMES SQUARE LIGHT UP FOR MAHASHIVRATRI:
Mahashivratri celebrations have not just gripped Bharar or Nepal but also
several parts of the world. New York’s Times Square was lit up on March 4 night
with chants of ‘Shiv’ and ‘Shambhoo’ echoing in the air. 
16. GYANVAPI: THOUSANDS THRONG TO VIYAS JI KA TEHKHANA TO
WORSHIP ON MAHASHIVARATRI: In a remarkable event that unfolded after more
than three decades, devotees gathered in massive numbers at Vyas ji ka Tehkhana
beneath the Knowledge Seat (Gyanvapi) in Varanasi, following the auspicious
Mangala Aarti at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple on the occasion of Mahashivratri on
March 8. The sacred darshan at Vyas ji ka Tehkhana, renowned as the seat of Sage
Vyas, was made accessible after an extensive wait, witnessing an overwhelming
attendance of thousands of devotees.
17. INDIAN NAVY RESCUED MISSILE HIT CREW IN GULF OF ADEN:
Once again the Indian Navy responded swiftly to a distress call from the
Gulf of Aden where a merchant vessel caught fire after being hit by a missile,
and rescued 21 crew members, including one Bharatiya national. The Navy said
Barbados Flagged Bulk Carrier MV True Confidence was hit by a drone/ missile on
March 6, resulting in a fire onboard and critical injuries to some of the crew
members forcing the crew to abandon the ship.
18. UNDER MISSION DIVYASTRA BHARAT TEST-FIRED AGNI-V:
On March 11 Bharat successfully conducted the first flight test of the
indigenously designed Agni-5 missile capable of deploying multiple warheads. The
nuclear-capable missile named ‘Divyastra’ can hit targets at range of more than
5,000 kms including China. 
19. FIRST ALL WOMEN MARITIME SURVEILLANCE MISSION: A
maiden all-women maritime surveillance mission was undertaken by the Andaman and
Nicobar Command on the 40th anniversary of INAS 318 and International Women's
Day on March 8. The crew based at INS Utkrosh comprised Lt Commander Shubhangi
Swaroop, Lt Commander Divya Sharma and Lt Vaishali Mishra. The occasion
highlighted the crucial role played by women combatants in all the walks of the
Naval Air Arm, which included pre-flight briefing, meteorological briefing,
medical check-up and Air Traffic Control (ATC) briefing, all of which were
conducted by women officers.
20. 10,000-YEAR-OLD ROCK ART CARVING FOUND IN MAHARASHTRA:
An anthropologist has unearthed eight ancient geoglyphs, potentially dating
back around 10,000 years, in Ratnagiri district. Among these, seven have been
uncovered in Umbarle village within Dapoli taluka, with one measuring
approximately 17 feet in length. The eighth geoglyph was found in Borkhat
village situated in Mandangad taluka. Geoglyphs represent a type of prehistoric
rock art carving, and numerous clusters of them span over 900 kilometres along
the Konkan coast in Maharashtra and Goa.
21. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Independence can be meaningful only if it becomes an
instrument for expression of our Culture.- Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
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HOW THE BHARATIYA WAY OF THINKING IS INFLUENCING THE WESTERN THOUGHT PROCESS
PANKAJ JAGANNATH
JAISWAL
The globe has begun to consider the
underlying causes of the difficulties we face in the twenty-first century.
Many countries around the world have seen various permutations and combinations
of ideologies, including socialism, communism, secularism, feminism and fascism.
They are adequate for fixing specific problems, but full and integral answers
can only be discovered by investigating humanity’s moral, social, and spiritual
ideals.
Economic and fiscal policies are only tools for achieving the social needs and
ends. A study of Bharatiya approaches to these ideals will be beneficial for
this activity.
Swami Vivekananda, who had previously highly praised the achievements of
Bharatiya intellectuals, also condemned intellectuals for imposing some obsolete
practices on Bharatiya society. Swamiji had explored the Western world with open
eyes and an open heart. He remarked, “The West has studied mostly outwardly,
while Bharat has studied mostly inwardly.” Cultural philosophy and ideology
principles are interior manifestations of minds. The main difference between the
approaches of the West and the East is that the West perceives things outwardly,
whereas the Bharatiya mind sees things from both within and outside.
Consequently, the Bharatiya approach has always been holistic. The technique
begins with an individual and progresses in a spiral pattern to family, society,
nation, world, and finally, universe. So it includes the individual (Vyashti),
society (Samashti), nature (Shrushti), and the Almighty (Parmeshti). It thinks
that the Almighty (Parameshti) is a common thread that connects everything in
one string.”
The eternal nature of the soul is one of the key principles defined by Krishna
in the Bhagavad Gita. Even in recent management literature, the concept of a
soul is gaining popularity. In his book The 8th Habit, Stephen Covey advises
professionals to listen to their “inner voice.” When introducing the entire
person paradigm, he discusses the four dimensions of a person: spirit, body,
heart, and mind.
A careful investigation of our ancient Bharatiya scripture, which includes the
Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Arthashashtra,
yields a genuine treasure trove. This jewel offers the best instructions for how
an individual should behave towards his family, society, and colleagues. Hindu
texts are a corpus of knowledge that guides people in understanding the divine
nature of the “ultimate truth” and mapping their own path to self-realisation.
They are fully spiritual knowledge that teaches spiritual principles using
numerous analogies from the temporal cosmos and the natural world around us. The
Bharatiya scriptures provide extensive knowledge in science, spirituality,
psychology, and management. A single person’s well-being and activities can have
an impact on the overall success of an organisation. The Bhagavad Gita discusses
current (Western) management themes such as vision, leadership, motivation, work
excellence, goal achievement, purposeful work, decision-making, and planning.
There is a considerable difference. While Western management theory typically
addresses challenges at the material, external, and peripheral levels, the
Bhagavad Gita addresses issues at the fundamental level of the human mind. When
a person’s basic thinking improves, so do the quality of his actions and the
outcomes.
Workshop by a think tank at Devon (UK)
A workshop hosted by a think tank for ‘Holistic Economics’ in November 2007 in
Devon (UK) was a significant step toward such a study. The following passage
from the report on the ‘think tank’ attests to their work: “We need Renaissance.
We must reconsider everything we now take for granted, beginning with our
fundamental ideals. We don’t need to ‘wipe the slate clean’, but we do need to
take stock of all we have and start over withwhatever is good and worth
preserving, while letting the rest go; we don’t need to waste time on
philosophies, institutions, and technologies that are clearly failing. Above
all, we must think ‘holistically’, that is, consider everything in relation to
everything else. This is what the world is now failing spectacularly at.
“The current economy is purposefully geared to generate wealth, with the seeming
notion that if we have enough money, we can always buy our way out of
difficulties. Political leaders aspire, above all, to enhance the Gross Domestic
Product. However, GDP is only a measure of the overall economy in circulation
and has no direct bearing on human well-being. However, our entire society is
committed to the concept of personal accumulation and overall economic progress.
Economic growth will almost certainly be most effectively achieved through a
profit-making economic system. That system is neoliberalism, and that is what we
have.
“We need an economy that operates on its own terms while remaining firmly
founded in moral, spiritual, and social values, as well as being in tune with
the physical realities of the Earth. There are plenty of suggestions, but many
have already been implemented and proven to be effective.”
Professor Colin Tudge at Devon
“Today’s politicians enjoy arguing, and some genuinely feel that they are acting
in the best interests of the people. They want to maximise total happiness, yet
they are committed to the concept of maximising GDP,which has little to do with
happiness. It is easy to imagine societies in which GDP is maximised by
destroying the environment; wrecking local societies (the people who rely on the
forest or fish in the rivers); and all new wealth ends up in the hands of the
(hawkish) minority, who then use it to make changes that cause even more havoc
for the poor majority. Indeed, such examples are all around us. We should
measure success interms of Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic
Product. Bhutan has already established this as a principle”.
“There’s one final irony. The Schumacher workshop that explored these concerns
came to this conclusion –Gross National Happiness rather than GDP – by
abandoning utilitarian ethics in favor of virtue ethics. But let us take a
closer look at the current economy. It serves us so poorly because it is
inherently materialistic and competitive. However, its failings are exacerbated
by several fundamental structural problems, which, sadly, few people comprehend,
including many of the world’s leaders.”
The entire spiral of individual, family, community, nation, universe, and
almighty, as well as their interconnections, needs in-depth analysis and action.
The book “The Key to Total Happiness” discusses all of these factors in length
and how they must be interlaced using sanatan principles that have previously
been successfully tested and confirmed. That is why the world is gradually
shifting toward Hindutva philosophy inorder to make the world a better place to
live, and communists, urban naxals, the world’s few wealthy families who
practice communism, and capitalists must comprehend this better and sooner.
Otherwise, their downfall would be much faster. - Organiser, 3 March 2024
-GoTop
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