Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Ashadha Shukla 10 Vik. Samvat 2081, Yugabda 5126 : 16 July, 2024: SM 6008 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS:
GURU PURNIMA: Guru Purnima, observed on Ashadha Purnima (July 21 this
year), is a festival dedicated to offering respect to all the spiritual and
academic gurus. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima, for it marks the birthday of
Veda Vyasa, the sage who authored the Mahabharata and compiled the Vedas.
2. MUSIC OF MANGESHKAR FAMILY PREACHES DEVOTION AND
PATRIOTISM: DR. BHAGWAT: On June 28, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat launched the book ‘Swarswamini Asha’ at the
Deenanath Mangeshkar Auditorium in Mumbai. This autobiography of the legendary
singer Asha Bhosale, who turned 90 last September, has articles by 90 writers
and some rare photographs of the singer.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhosale recalled her association with Swatantryaveer
Savarkar. Her brother, music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar, was also present at
the event. -GoTop
3. ADHYATMA IS THE SOUL OF BHARAT: DATTATREYA HOSABALE:
On July 29, RSS Sarakaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale launched a Kannada book titled
‘Vachana Darshana’ at Hubbali. The book compiled by an editorial team of Dr.
Niranjan Poojar, Janamejaya Umarji, Chandrappa Barangi and Dr. Santosh Kumar PK
is about the preaching of Basavanna during his lifetime.
4. PM MODI ADDRESSED BHARATIYA DIASPORA IN RUSSIA: On
July 9, Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi interacted with the Bharatiya diaspora at
an event in Moscow. He was on a two-day visit to Russia.
5. RSS PRANT PRACHARAK BAITHAK CONCLUDED: The Prant
Pracharak Baithak of RSS was held on July 12-14 in Sarla Birla University,
Ranchi, Jharkhand. 227 karyakartas were present during this baithak.
While answering a question, Sunil Ambekar said that Sangh does not directly
participate in elections. It engages in awareness and lokmat parishkar (refining
public opinion) during every election. On a question about religious conversion,
he clarified that conversion should not happen through deception, greed, or
force. There are laws to stop this, and everyone should follow the laws. -GoTop
6. RASHTRA SEVIKA SAMITI’S SEMI-ANNUAL MEET CONCLUDED:
The semi-annual meeting of Kendra Karyakarini and Pratinidhi Mandal of Rashtra
Sevika Samiti was held at Reshim Bagh, Nagpur, from July 12-14. 400
representatives from 35 provinces participated in the event. Pramukh Sanchalika
Shanta Kumari inaugurated the event by lighting a traditional lamp. In her
keynote address, Pramukh Karyavahika Sita Gayatri Annadanam provided a
comprehensive review of the Samiti’s progress and the current social situation
and emphasised the importance of dedicated and diligent efforts in various
fields to make Bharat even more radiant and prosperous. She also said that a
resolute society can find solutions to all problems, and we need to create such
a society. She added that around 6000 Sevikas received training in various camps
conducted by the Samiti. Samiti has also planned to conduct 300 programs to
spread awareness about the 300th birth anniversary of Punyashloka Ahilyabai
Holkar.
7. ABVP MARKS 76TH FOUNDATION DAY: Akhil Bharatiya
Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) celebrated its 76th Foundation Day with various
programs across the country.
76 students who performed well in the 10th and 12th standard examinations were
felicitated in a program organised at Bhanjakala Mandap in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Speaking on the occasion, Yagyavalka Shukla, National General Secretary, said
that ABVP is committed to national reconstruction and has been moving ahead with
the goal of nation-building by developing the personality of students and
instilling patriotism in the youth.
8. BHAGWAN JAGANNATH RATH YATRA: Around 1.5 million
devotees from across the country thronged the town of Puri in Odisha to pull the
three wooden chariots carrying Bhagwan Jagannath and his siblings on the main
thoroughfare as the historic Rath Yatra began on July 7. The yatra started
around 5.20 pm after Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanada Saraswati visited
the chariots of Bhagwan Jagannath, Bhagwan Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra with his
disciples and Puri’s titular king completed the Chhera Pahanra (chariot
sweeping) ritual.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra also commenced in Ahmedabad, drawing large crowds of
devotees on July 7. Lakhs of people gathered on both sides of the route to have
a glimpse of the deities. -GoTop
9. RATH YATRA CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD: Hindus
and devotees of Bhagwan Jagannath also observe Rath Yatra in different parts of
the world.
According to reports, Rath Yatra of Bhagwan Jagannanth is observed in more than
200 cities around the globe.
In North Carolina, USA, the Jagannath Committee of the Hindu Society of North
Carolina (HSNC) celebrated the Rath Yatra with religious fervor. They pulled a
26-foot tall and 13-foot wide Rath, which is one of the largest chariots in the
Americas.
In Paris, Rath Yatra was celebrated through a vibrant four-hour procession
through the streets of Paris. At the culmination point, various Bharatiya art
forms, dances, and devotional music were showcased.
In Rome, devotees pulled a large wooden chariot of Bhagwan Jagannath on the
streets. Rath Yatra is being celebrated in Rome since 2015. -GoTop
10. GOVT DECLARES JUNE 25 AS 'SAMVIDHAAN HATYA DIWAS':
On July 12, Union home minister Amit Shah said that June 25, the day on which
ex-PM Indira Gandhi imposed an Emergency in 1975, will be observed as 'Samvidhaan
Hatya Diwas'.
Shah also shared on X that lakhs of people were thrown behind bars for no fault
of their own, and the voice of the media was silenced. He also said that the 'Samvidhaan
Hatya Diwas' will commemorate the massive contributions of all those who endured
the inhuman pains of the 1975 Emergency.
PM Modi also shared the announcement and said June 25 will "pay homage to each
and every person who suffered due to the excesses of the Emergency". -GoTop
11. UK NATIONAL JYESTHA SHIBIR 2024: Camping out at the
Beaumanor Hall, 81 senior swayamsevaks came together over the weekend of June
3-4 to enjoy, catchup, listen to inspiring talks and do some physical exercises
during the National Jyestha Shibir. The theme of the shibir organized by HSS UK
was ‘Vishwa Dharma Prakashena Vishwa Shanti Pravartake’ - peace and harmony will
prevail with the establishment of universal Dharma.
12. WEST LONDON VIBHAG BALA SHIBIR 2024: West London
Vibhag of HSS UK organised an overnight Bala Shibir with parents on June 22-23.
The objective was for the Balas to have fun and to get the young parents to
understand the journey in Sangh. The theme of the shibir was Siyaram, to learn
from the qualities of Shri Ram. 143 people participated in the shibir.
13. EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW ROYAL GUN SALUTE: June 15 was
marked as an official birthday celebration of His Majesty King Charles III. On
this occasion, there were a lot of activities planned at Edinburgh Castle. 10
kishor and kishoris from Edinburgh & Glasgow shakhas of HSS UK attended the
activities and engaged with the Royal Army Corps.
14. SEWA IN ACTION AT HURRICANE BERYLE AFFECTED AREAS:
In association with District F Councilwoman Tiffany D. Thomas, an advocate for
the people of Alief, Briar Meadow and surrounding areas, and Council Member
Edward Pollard, owner of Pollard Legal Group, LLC, Sewa volunteers distributed
over 2,200 crates of bottled water to more than 1,000 families in the Hurricane
Beryl affected areas of Houston. Sewa International received a call from the
Consulate General of Bharat, Houston, about more than 150 graduate students of
the University of Houston, living in Stratford House Apartments who were without
electricity and could not go out to get food and were suffering from
heat-related stress. Within hours, Sewa volunteers mobilized to set up a hot
meal table. Additionally, Sewa offered 2-night accommodation to over twenty
students at a nearby facility.
15. SEWA USA AT THE BMM CONVENTION-2024: Sewa
International USA collaborated with the Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal of North
America (BMM) in organizing the three-day BMM Convention-2024 at the San Jose
Convention Center, California, from June 27 to 30. The event drew over 6,000
attendees from across North America.
16. NEW YORK CONSULATE PORTAL FOR STUDENTS TO FIND
INTERNSHIPS: The Consulate General of Bharat in New York has launched an
initiative to assist Bharatiya students studying in the northeastern United
States with internship opportunities, legal referrals, and access to medical
professionals. A major focus of the initiative is a new online platform that
connects Bharatiya students with internship opportunities at various companies
across the US.
17.UK ELECTS RECORD NUMBER OF BHARATIYA-ORIGIN MPS: The
UK poll results in the recently concluded election saw the largest number of 26
Bharatiya origin MPs being elected to the House of Commons. Out of the 26 MPs,
six belong to the Conservative party.
18. UPI POISED FOR WIDESPREAD ADOPTION: NPCI
International Payments Ltd. (NIPL), in partnership with Network International, a
leading digital commerce enabler across the Middle East and Africa, has
facilitated the acceptance of QR-code-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
payments across point-of-sale (POS) terminals in the UAE.
UPI has expanded its footprint to the heart of Paris, with the flagship store of
Galeries Lafayette on Haussmann Boulevard now accepting UPI payments. This
expands the acceptance of UPI in Paris after a successful launch at the iconic
Eiffel Tower. Ambassador of Bharat to France and Principality of Monaco Jawed
Ashraf launched UPI by live use at the store in the presence of Nicolas Houze,
CEO of Galeries Lafayette, and Alain Lacour, Chairman of Lyra Group. -GoTop
19. OBITUARY : CHUNNIBHAI HARIA: Chunnibhai Haria, 93,
a senior swayamsevak in Kenya, passed away on July 3. Chunnibhai was a
long-serving Swayamsevak of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Kenya (formerly known
as Bharatiya Swayamsevak Sangh – BSS). His life was devoted to Sangh. He held
the responsibility as East Africa Sanghachalak from 1992 to 2010 and as Kenya
Sanghachalak from 1992 to 2010.
Chunnibhai leaves behind a legacy of dedication and service. He is survived by
his two sons and their family members, who will cherish his memories and
lessons. His life exemplified simplicity, humility, and devotion.
In his condolence message, RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that on
hearing the news of Chunnibhai’s demise, his determined efforts to spread Sangh
thought throughout the East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda came
up in a flash. He added that Chunnibhai’s life is inseparable from the life of
Sangh in East Africa. He had an indomitable spirit, and his conviction for Sangh
work has inspired countless Karyakartas. A few words from him were enough to
soothe a Karyakarta who was in distress, or was dejected. Be it challenges
within Sangh or in personal life, Karyakartas always found solace after meeting
Chunnibhai. He expressed confidence that Karyakartas will take inspiration from
the life of Late Chunnibhai and take Sangh work to new levels in Africa.
Chunnibhai Haria, 93, a senior swayamsevak in Kenya, passed away on July 3.
Chunnibhai was a long-serving Swayamsevak of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Kenya
(formerly known as Bharatiya Swayamsevak Sangh – BSS). His life was devoted to
Sangh. He held the responsibility as East Africa Sanghachalak from 1992 to 2010
and as Kenya Sanghachalak from 1992 to 2010.
During his lifetime, he facilitated the smooth progress of Sangh's work, and
oversaw welfare projects and the construction of ‘Madhav Smriti’. He maintained
good relations with karyakartas and all Hindu organizations and tirelessly
advocated for Hindu Religious Education in schools, providing material support
for HRE class textbooks.
Chunnibhai leaves behind a legacy of dedication and service. He is survived by
his two sons and their family members, who will cherish his memories and
lessons. His life exemplified simplicity, humility, and devotion.
In his condolence message, RSS Sarasanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat said that on
hearing the news of Chunnibhai’s demise, his determined efforts to spread Sangh
thought throughout the East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda came
up in a flash. He added that Chunnibhai’s life is inseparable from the life of
Sangh in East Africa. He had an indomitable spirit, and his conviction for Sangh
work has inspired countless Karyakartas. A few words from him were enough to
soothe a Karyakarta who was in distress, or was dejected. Be it challenges
within Sangh or in personal life, Karyakartas always found solace after meeting
Chunnibhai. He expressed confidence that Karyakartas will take inspiration from
the life of Late Chunnibhai and take Sangh work to new levels in Africa. -GoTop
20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I have never said that there is no need for a guru. All
depends on what you call guru. He need not be in a human form. – Ramana
Maharshi -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
---
BHARATIYA CULTURE FOCUSES ON PRESERVING NATURE AND PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT
Raghavendra Prasad Tiwari
Human-induced climate change,
especially in South Asia, is causing extreme weather conditions like more
intense and frequent heat and rainfall that are challenging to negotiate. April
and May 2024 have recorded the highest temperatures, especially in Asia. World
Weather Attribution Group report states that the combined effect of global
warming caused by climate change and the El Nino phenomenon has pushed the
temperature to record high, causing intense heatwaves. It is estimated that
climate change turned the heatwave 1°C hotter while El Nino made the heatwave
further 0.2°C hotter this year. The unprecedented and accelerated warming of the
Indian Ocean is likely to continue unless greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are
capped.
It is stated that global warming due to GHGs made El Nino events stronger during
the last six decades.
Consequently, hotter heat waves, drier droughts, bigger storm surges, erratic
rainfall, thinning of Ice caps and sea-level rise are becoming the new normal.
Heatwaves are making life much tougher for people, especially those living in
poverty-ridden areas across Asia. As a result, energy consumption is soaring,
and the supply chain is disrupted. These events demonstrate that humans have
proved to be poor custodians of Mother Earth and are struggling to sustain its
ecosystem. Climate change leads to widespread socio-economic impacts, viz.,
food, water, breathable air, energy insecurity, and migration, significantly
affecting terrestrial and aquatic diversity. These impacts threaten our health
by affecting the quality of food, water, air, and weather. Even the ongoing
democratic process of elections in India is also impacted by the low turnout of
voters owing to soaring heatwaves. This scaring scenario invites our attention
to climate action, biodiversity protection, and circular economy.
Environmental ethics are deeply rooted in Bharatiya culture, which promotes
faith and action in the conservation of the environment to maintain ecological
balance.
The Vedas are at the core of Bharatiya philosophy and also a storehouse of
wisdom and insights practised from time immemorial. Several Vedic hymns identify
the man as part of his environment, not apart from it. For us, nature was never
an entity to be conquered. Vedas inspired us to believe that all biotic and
abiotic creatures are intrinsically connected within the fabric of Brahman, the
Supreme Reality. Sanatan culture strongly believes that GOD is omnipresent and
omnipotent and is the ultimate source from which everything emerges and returns.
This philosophy is similar to the unified field in quantum physics from which
all forces and particles
Humans, being the mightiest and wisest of all life forms, should be acting as
the promoter of interconnectedness among all living and non-living forms Sanatan
culture imbibes ecological ethics and duties to take care of nature. Rites,
rituals, and customs of the Vedic culture embody a plethora of knowledge and
wisdom that helps preserve nature in its entirety. Worshipping of various
elements of nature, namely rivers, mountains, animals, plants, etc., was aimed
at creating a social awakening about their role in sustaining the environment
and ecology. Vedic literature accords the sacrosanct status of Mother to Earth.
Atharva Veda says, ‘O mother earth, with your oceans, rivers, and other bodies
of water, you give us land to grow grains, on which our survival depends’.
Ancient Indians used to perform “puja” before ploughing, digging a well,
fetching excess water from the river, cutting trees or any other action that was
considered to wound Mother Earth. We believe that every plant has some medicinal
value. Nature occupies centre stage in our beliefs, values and actions.
Over-exploiting of nature was forbidden.
We believed that all living and non-living world elements have a divine
presence.
Lord Krishna bestowed the honour on Govardhan Parwat and made Yamuna free from
the poisons of Kalia Nag as a symbol of protecting nature. Bhagavad Gita teaches
the oneness of Lord Krishna with Nature, where He says, ‘I am the Self seated in
the heart of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all
beings.
All beings have, therefore, to be treated alike. I pervade the Universe. All
objects in the Universe rest on me like pearls on the thread of a garland.
Hence, India has numerous holy shrines, holy rivers, holy mountains, sacred
places and sacred plants and animals. The Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas,
Semphasisedhagavad Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharata emphasise all pervasive divine
presence. The resting of Lord Vishnu on the lap of Sheshanaga in the Ksheer
Sagar also teaches us that we can co-exist even with deadly animals. The
interaction of Lord Rama with various facets of nature while in search of
Goddess Sita and conquering Lanka with the help of monkeys is an excellent
example of co-existential and collaborative civilisation.
However, concerted efforts were made by some sections of society to drive us
away from such practices, brandishing these as a symbol of uncivilised inferior
intellect.
Many of us, especially affluent individuals, are now engrossed in the ‘More is
Less’ instead of the time-tested ‘Less is More’ frame of mind. That is why the
consumption of materials has reached much beyond our basic needs, defying the
essence of the first shloka of Isho Upanishad, which says, ‘Everything animate
or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the GOD. One
should, therefore accept only those things utmost necessary for himself, which
are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well
to whom they belong’. As a result, footprints of water, energy, polluted air,
and GHG emissions are increasing alarmingly. The affluent class can mitigate the
adverse impacts of these footprints through air conditioners, fridges,
air-purifiers, climate-resilient food and beverages, air-conditioned cars,
marginalised, lower-order life forms, and landforms (hills, rivers, mountains,
etc.) that face the burnt most. These footprints can be curtailed considerably
through simpler, environmentally friendly and climate-resilient lifestyles. This
implies that we need to revive our ancient practices and restore Mother Earth’s
ecosystem for the survival of all living and non-living components.
Humans, being the mightiest and wisest of all life forms, should be acting as
the promoter of interconnectedness among all living and non-living forms and
sustainer of ecological balance necessary for the survival of humanity. It is a
god-gifted responsibility bestowed on humans to preserve all animals, plants,
rivers, hills, mountains, ice-caps and oceans to conserve the environment and
maintain ecological balance. Contrarily, humans are busy destroying the habitats
of all creatures, even their own.
We cover some portion of the earth with four walls and call it our home,
misbelieving that we are safe inside it. Earth’s environment is our home, and we
are not safe until our actions and deeds ensure the environment’s safety. We
should remember that we have only one earth on which human civilisation with
diverse life and landforms flourish and proliferate. The saying is, ‘We do not
inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children’. Let us
commit ourselves to this World Environment Day to protect and conserve the earth
for future generations. The environment and ecology are deeply conditioned by
human societies’ cultural beliefs and practices. The role of Bharatiya belief
and value system and interaction with nature largely remain unexplored. This
aspect has the potential to become a new research area for environmentalists.
https://organiser.org/2024/06/13/242505/bharat/bharatiya-culture-focuses-on-preserving-nature-and-protecting-environment/ -GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
Labels: Samvad: 16 July 2024
Monday, July 1, 2024
Ashadha Krishna 10 Vik. Samvat 2081, Yugabda 5126 : 1 July, 2024: SM 6007(For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS: BHAGWAN
JAGANNATH RATH YATRA: The Rath Yatra of Bhagwan Jagannath is organised on
Dwitiya Tithi during Shukla Paksha of Ashadha month (July 7 this year). The Rath
Yatra commemorates Bhagwan Jagannath's annual visit to Gundicha Mata mandir to
honor the devotion of Queen Gundicha who built the Puri Jagannath mandir.
2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHCHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT:
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat attended a
camp in Gorakhpur on June 3. Around 280 volunteers from Kashi, Gorakhpur, Kanpur,
and Awadh regions participated in the 'Karyakarta Vikas Varg' at a school in
Chiutaha.
Dr. Bhagwat also offered prayers at the Shri Vatavruksha Swami Maharaj Devasthan
in Akkalkot, Maharashtra. -GoTop
3. CONCERTED EFFORTS NEEDED TO COUNTER CULTURAL MARXISM : J
NANDAKUMAR: Speaking at an event organized by VIGIL on June 23 at Chennai,
National Convener of Prajna Pravah and writer J Nandakumar spoke about the
concerns over wokeism and cultural Marxism in Bharat.
He said that cultural Marxism targets thinkers and students through academic
institutions. He warned of attempts to infiltrate cultural and educational
institutions to promote divisive ideologies and said that by controlling
educational curricula and media narratives, cultural Marxists aim to shape
societal perceptions and values. He added that cultural Marxism thrives on
societal anarchy, using chaos as a springboard for political takeover.
4. MANTHAN 2.0 CONCLUDED: Seema Jagran Manch organised
Manthan 2.0: 2024 - a campaign dedicated to fostering the comprehensive
development of Bharat’s border villages - at The Park Hotel, New Delhi. It
brought together over 400 delegates, including Chairmen and Managing Directors
from various Public Sector Undertakings, senior government officials,
bureaucrats, and representatives from more than 200 NGOs across Bharat. During
the sessions, participants from NGOs, academia, and corporations shared insights
and initiatives ranging from cultural preservation and sustainable agriculture
to education and effective implementation of governmental schemes in rural
areas. The event concluded with a call to action for a united effort towards
securing and developing Bharat’s borders.
5. VIGYAN BHARATI NATIONAL CONVENTION: The 6th National
Convention of Vigyan Bharati (VIBHA) was held at MIT ADT University in Pune on
June 22-23. National Executive Member of RSS Suresh Soni inaugurated the
convention and delivered the keynote address on June 22.
6. AGM OF SHIKSHA VIKAS SAMITI CONCLUDED IN CUTTACK: The
two-day Annual General Body meeting of Shiksha Vikas Samiti, a unit of Vidya
Bharati, concluded at Keshav Dham in Cuttack on June 23.
Vidya Bharati is continuously working to re-establish the Bharatiya education
system on the basis of Bharatiya culture. Shiksha Vikas Samiti is playing a
leading role in this movement in Odisha. -GoTop
7. BOOK ON PUNYASHLOKA AHILYABAI HOLKAR RELEASED: On
June 16, Samvit Kendra celebrated the 300th birth anniversary of Maharani
Ahilyabai Holkar in Chandanagar, Bhagyanagar. The event included release of the
book ‘Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar: Queen of Indomitable Spirit’ authored by
Chinmayee Mulye.
8. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA IN BHARAT: On the occasion
of the 10th International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21, Rashtrapati Droupadi
Murmu, along with her secretariat, performed yoga at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
9. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA AROUND THE WORLD: Guatemala celebrated
IDY by hosting the largest yoga event in Guatemala City, drawing around 5000
participants.
Hundreds of people, including Michal Herzog, First Lady of Israel, participated
in an event hosted by the Bharatiya Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yoga
enthusiasts, diplomats and Bharatiya diaspora participated in an IDY event held
in Canberra, Australia.
The Embassy of Bharat in Nepal organised Yoga demonstrations at three
iconic landmarks of Pokhara.
10. HSS IDY CELEBRATIONS: HSS Iowa City organized a
yoga and pranayama session on June 21 at North Ridge Park to celebrate IDY. The
event was attended by around 45 people. HSS Events were also held in Texas,
Carolina, Pennsylvania and several other states in the USA.
250 people participated in the IDY event in Kano organized by Sewa
International Nigeria. Events were also held at Victoria Islands and
Illupeju in Lagos. HSS supported the IDY celebrations organized by the Bharatiya
High Commission in Kigali, Rawanda.
11. HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH USA CELEBRATED HINDU SANGATHAN
DIWAS: Georgia chapter of HSS USA organised the annual conference on 16th
June at Georgia Tech, inviting Mandir Executives across Georgia. The event
offered the representatives from mandirs and few other organisations like Sewa
international and VHPA to network, exchange ideas and synergize with each other.
Representatives from each mandir organisation shared the activities conducted
and challenges faced by them. They shared the need for working together,
reaching out to community and awareness among second generation kids/youths.
12. HINDU HERITAGE CAMPS IN MOZAMBIQUE: To emphasize
and inculcate the positive thoughts of Hinduism, HSS Mozambique conducted Hindu
Heritage Camp (HHC) at Communidade Hindu De Beira -Mozambique on June 16. 38
people attended the camp. The participants demonstrated yoga and the camp song
during the concluding ceremony. In her address, Chandni Ben from Communidade
Hindu De Beira highlighted the importance of Hindu cultural values.
13. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EFFORTS IN TONGAAT:
Communities in Tongaat, located north of Durban, were severely affected by a
tornado that resulted in the loss of 11 lives and left thousands displaced and
in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Sewa International volunteers were
among the first responders who assisted in cutting and removing fallen trees and
helped in evacuating people on June 3.
14. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Rameash T K
- Philippines, Sonal Gupta - USA
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Life is life – whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man’s own advantage. – Sri Aurobindo -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
----
RSS FOUNDER DR HEDGEWAR & HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE
- DR MANMOHAN VAIDYA
Some time ago, a journalist came to
visit me. During the conversation, he asked me, “What role did the RSS play in
the Independence struggle?” Perhaps he too was a victim of the propaganda
against RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ
). I asked him back what he
meant by the ‘Independence struggle’? He was not prepared for this. He could not
speak anything. Then he replied in a low and hesitant voice, “The one which
Mahatma Gandhi did”. I asked, “So nothing happened before Gandhiji? Did the
trinity of Lal-Bal-Pal have no contribution? Did the revolutionary movement and
Subhash Chandra Bose have no role in the independence struggle?”
He was silent. Then I asked how many Satyagrahas happened under Gandhiji’s
leadership? He was unsure of that. I said there were three, in 1921, 1930 and
1942. He did not know it. I said the founder of RSS Dr Hedgewarji (who passed
away in 1940) had participated in the Satyagraha before (1921) and after (1930).
He founded the RSS for which he had to suffer imprisonment also.
I narrated this incident because a very systematic attempt is being made to tell
us a partial history. The people of Bharat are forced to believe that
Independence was gained only because of the Congress and the Satyagraha in 1942;
no one else did anything. This is not the complete truth. Yes, the Satyagraha
provided a simple and effortless means to the common people to participate in
the Independence struggle through charkha and khadi. However, to give credit to
a particular movement or a party is playing with history and an insult to the
efforts of all others.
Now, if we want to discuss RSS, we have to start with Dr Hedgewar. Keshav (Hedgewar)
was born in 1889. The fervour of the Independence struggle started in Nagpur
from 1904-1905. Yet, in 1897, the 9-10 year old Keshav threw away the sweets
distributed in the school on the occasion of the diamond jubilee of Queen
Victoria’s coronation into a dustbin. This was his anger and annoyance for being
slave to the British. In 1907, Keshav invited the wrath of his school management
and exclusion from the school, as punishment for making all his classmates sing
Vande Mataram in front of the Government inspector in his Neel City school
against the tyrannical order banning the public chanting of Vande Mataram,
called Risley Circular. He chose Calcutta over Mumbai for medical education even
while the latter had the facilities because the former was the hub of the
revolutionaries. There, he became a core group member of the top revolutionary
organisation Anushilan Samiti.
He had an unflinching faith in Lokmanya Tilak. All the responsibilities of the
Congress session, to be held in Nagpur in 1920, were given to Dr Hardikar and Dr
Hedgewar and they inducted 1200 volunteers for that. Dr. Hedgewar was the joint
secretary of the Nagpur city unit of Congress at that time. Dr Hedgewar had
proposed to the resolution committee of the Congress to come up with a
resolution with a clear objective ‘to make Bharat independent, turn it into a
republic, and free the world from the clutches of capitalism. The Congress
accepted his suggestion of total independence after nine years in the Lahore
session in 1929. Pleased with this, Doctorji instructed all the shakhas of the
RSS to congratulate Congress on January 26, 1930. All Tilak supporters in Nagpur
were saddened after Lokmanya Tilak’s demise on August 1, 1920. Thereafter, the
independence struggle of the Congress continued under Gandhiji’s leadership. In
1921, Mahatma Gandhiji supported the Khilafat during the non-cooperation
movement with a view of expanding the social base against imperialism and to
accommodate the Muslims that were hurt by the abolition of the Khilafat in
Turkistan by the British. Many leaders of the Congress and nationalist Muslims
too were opposed to this. Hence, the non-cooperation movement was not much
effective in Nagpur. However, Dr Hedgewar, Dr Cholkar, Samimulla Khan etc.
changed this scene. Even after objecting to associating Khilafat to the national
movement, they did not make the objection public. They took part in the movement
with the sole purpose of opposing imperialism. They did not care for the
political atmosphere around them or for the views of vocal Tilak supporters.
They had to suffer one year in imprisonment under the charges of sedition.
Even after knowing the importance and priority of attaining independence, one
question plagued Dr Hedgewar – how could a handful of Englishmen, who came from
7000 miles away for trade, rule this large country? There must be some flaws in
us. He realised that our society had forgotten itself, divided in groups like
castes, provinces, language and faith; it was unorganised and full of bad
practices. The British benefited from this and could rule us. This history might
be repeated in future as well if the society remained the same even after the
independence. He used to say that ‘Sapnath will come when Nagnath goes’ (if one
type of snake goes, the other will come).
Hence, it is more important and necessary to make our society proud of itself,
aware and organised as well as liberate it from all bad practices and make it
full of national character. He realised that this work can be done only by
staying away from politics, publicity, silently and continuously. He founded
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1925 for this purpose. He had cordial and
affectionate relations with all political and social leaders, movements and
activities even after founding RSS.
The civil disobedience movement started by Gandhiji on April 6, 1930 from Dandi
(Gujarat). The decision to support this movement was taken in November 1929
itself in the three-day meeting of the Sanghchalaks. As per the RSS policy, Dr
Hedgewarji decided to participate in this Satyagraha at the individual level
with other Swayamsevaks. He entrusted his responsibility as the Sarsanghachalak
to his old friend Dr Paranjape so that RSS work was not affected and gave the
responsibility to visit the shakhas to Babasaheb Apte and Bapurao Bhedi.
Initially, 3-4 thousand people accompanied him on July 21 during this satyagrah.
By the time they reached Pusad, the venue of the Satyagraha 1930, ten thousand
people had gathered. They were sent to jail for nine months in this Satyagraha.
He took charge of the responsibility of the Sarsanghachalak after the release
and again focused on the RSS work.
Hindu Mahasabha and Arya Samaj had given a call of Satyagraha under the banner
of Bhaganagar Nihshastra Pratikar Mandal in 1938 to oppose Nizam’s atrocities
against the Hindus in Bhaganagar (Hyderabad). Doctorji gave consent to those
Swayamsewaks who asked permission for joining that Satyagraha. But he clarified
that they could do so at an individual level. When the organisers frequently
mentioned in their press releases that RSS had participated in the Bhaganagar
Satyagraha, Doctorji wrote a letter to them and asked them not to mention RSS.
Doctorji had deliberately devised this strategy with a vision and clear
thinking. He understood the transitory, momentary and struggling nature of
political movements and the continuous, uninterrupted and constructive nature of
RSS work.
He wanted movements to be successful without hampering the perpetual work of RSS.
Even during the Forest Satyagraha, he participated in the Satyagraha with many
other Swayamsevaks after entrusting the responsibility of Sarsanghachalak to Dr
Paranjape.
Mahatma Gandhi gave the historic call of ‘British! Go Back’ in the Congress
session at the Gowalia Tank ground in Mumbai on August 8, 1942. From the next
day itself, the movement caught momentum all over the country and arrests of
leaders started at many places. Agitations at Bawali (Amaravati), Ashti (Wardha)
and Chimur (Chandrapur) in Vidarbha were remarkable. The news from Chimur was
broadcast even on the Berlin Radio. The agitations there were led by Uddhavrao
Korekar of Congress and RSS’ functionaries Dada Naik, Baburao Begade and Annaji
Siras. The only death with a British bullet in that agitation was that of RSS
Swayamsevak Balaji Raipurkar. Congress, Shri Gurudev Seva Mandal of Shri Tukdoji
Maharaj and RSS Swayamsewaks collectively organised the agitation and Satyagraha
at Chimur. Cases were filed against 125 satyagrahis in this agitation and
innumerable Swayamsevaks.
Senior members and pracharaks of RSS at many places vehemently jumped in this
movement all over Bharat such as Shri Jaidevji Pathak (Pracharak in Rajasthan),
who was later active in Vidya Bharati. Dr Annasaheb Deshpande at Arvi (Vidarbha).
Ramakant Keshav (Balasaheb) Deshpande who later founded the Vanvasi Kalyan
Ashram Jashpur (Chhattisgarh). Vasantrao Oak in Delhi who later became the Prant
pracharak of Delhi. Krishna Vallabh Prasad Narayan Singh (Babuaji) in Patna and
who later carried the responsibility of Bihar Sanghchalak. Chandrakant Bhardwaj
(Delhi) whose foot was hit with a bullet and which could never be removed.
Dattatray Gangadhar (Bhayyaji) Kasture in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), Madhavrao
Devade in East Uttar Pradesh. Along with the tyranny of the British, on the one
hand Satyagraha was going on, while on the other many agitators went underground
and worked for steering the smovement. To give shelter to the underground
workers during those times was not without risk. Many Sangh Swayamsevaks did
that. Innumerable names can be cited like these. The possibility of documenting
all these was very bleak in those days.
Revolutionaries are Patriots: A resolution to condemn the revolutionaries was to
come up in the provincial session of the Madhya Prant Congress presided by
Loknayak Ane in 1921. Dr. Hedgewar convinced him that even though he did not
believe in the path of the revolutionaries, their patriotism should not be
doubted. From Dr Hedgewa’s life it is clear that his entire life was dedicated to
the Independence of the nation. The path he had chosen for the same was to
organise society that is flawless, skillful and based on national thought. Until
1947, the main objective enshrined in the oath of RSS was ‘to make the Hindu
nation independent’.
The national life of Bharat has the tendency of taking extreme positions. Even
in Doctorji’s lifetime, society was divided on the binaries of
Congress-revolutionaries, Tilak-Gandhi, violence-nonviolence, Hindu Mahasabha-Congress
etc. The trend was of scoring brownie political points over each other.
Sometimes, owing to their differences, they would fiercely oppose each other
instead of fighting against British imperialism. A resolution to condemn the
revolutionaries was to come up in the provincial session of the Madhya Prant
Congress presided by Loknayak Ane in 1921. Dr Hedgewar convinced him that even
though he did not believe in the path of the revolutionaries, their patriotism
should not be doubted. Thus, Doctorji’s life was not determined by the narrow
options of political views, philosophy and policies, Tilak-Gandhi,
violence-nonviolence and Congress-revolutionaries etc.
The fundamental aim of attaining Independence was far more important than a
personality or a particular path. A class which considers Bharat merely a
political entity always tries to take credit for everything. It pursues the
unilateral propaganda for taking the sole credit for Bharat’s Independence,
without recognising the role of others. Independence was a cumulative result of
all round efforts from armed revolutionaries to non-violent Satyagrahis, rebels
in the army and Indian National Army etc. The role of prevalent precarious
situations in England after World War II and their inability and reluctance to
rule the colonies cannot be completely ruled out either.
The British eventually gave Independence to other colonies also where there was
no freedom struggle like Bharat.
It is true that the Satyagraha in 1942 was the last Satyagraha led by Mahatma
Gandhiji and Bharat attained Independence after that in 1947. However, to say
that Independence was gained only because of the 1942 movement in 1942 and
because of the people who were arrested in that movement is laughable, improper
and untrue.
There is a story. A farmer was very hungry. The wife was serving and he was
eating.
However, his hunger was not satisfied. He was satisfied only after eating the
eleventh roti. The upset husband scolded his wife for not serving the eleventh
roti earlier. His logic was the work of eating so many rotis could have been
avoided and he would have experienced satisfaction earlier. The idea itself is
laughable.
Similarly, giving the credit for Bharat’s Independence solely to the 1942 Quit
India Movement is laughable. If we go through some historical accounts, we get a
clearer picture on this movement. While granting Independence to Bharat, British
PM Clement Atlee said, “Gandhi’s nonviolence movement had next to zero effect on
the British.” Former acting Governor of West Bengal P M Chakraborty (CJ of
Kolkata High court) wrote: “When I was the acting Governor, Lord Atlee, spent
two days in the Governor’s palace at Kolkata during his tour of India. At that
time, I had a prolonged discussion with him regarding the real factors that had
led the British to quit India.
My direct question to him was that since Gandhi’s “Quit India” movement had
tapered off quite some time ago and in 1947 no such new compelling situation had
arisen that would necessitate a hasty British departure, why did they have to
leave?
In his reply Atlee cites several reasons, the principle among them being the
erosion of loyalty to the British Crown among the Indian army and navy personnel
as a result of the military activities of Netaji (Subhashchandra Bose). Towards
the end of our discussion, I asked Atlee what was the extent of Gandhiji’s
influence upon the British decision to quit India. Hearing this question,
Atlee’s lips became twisted in a sarcastic smile as he slowly chewed out the
word, m-i-n-i-m-a-l”. [Ranjan Borra, “ Subhashchandra Bose, The Indian National
Army, The War of India’s liberation”. Journal of Historical review, Vol
20,(2001), No 1 ref. 46]
Bharat is not a mere political entity. This is a cultural unit based on the
perpetual, comprehensive and integral vision built on the eternal thinking and
vision of thousands of years. This vision and culture provide a special identity
to this varied society spreading from the Indian Ocean to the Himalaya.
Therefore, whenever there is a political change, just before that or
simultaneously a process of cultural awakening by a spiritual force takes place
in Bharat. It is visible that if the situation is more critical, the
manifestation of this spiritual force becomes stronger. This is why the Bhakti
Movement spread all over Bharat during the 12th to 16th Centuries during the
Mughul rule. An uninterrupted chain of spiritual great men like sadhus, saints
and sanyasis are seen in every region from Swami Ramanand in the north to
Ramanujacharya in the far south. The tradition of spiritual leaders like Swami
Dayanand Saraswati, Shri Ramkrishna Paramhans and Swami Vivekanand is seen
during the slavery of the British. No political change has been successful or
permanent in the history of Bharat without the cultural awakening. Therefore,
the work of cultural awakening should not be evaluated on the political
parameters. It must be underlined that spiritual and cultural awakening that
goes on silently and calmly has much more significance for a nation like Bharat.
https://organiser.org/2024/06/21/91333/bharat/search-for-swaraj-sangh-freedom-struggle/ -GoTop
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Labels: Samvad: 1 July 2024
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