Ashwin Shukla 14, Vik. Samvat 2081, Yugabda 5126:16 October 2024: SM 6014 (For Private Circulation Only)
1. FESTIVALS:
DIWALI: Deepawali (Diwali) celebrated on Kartik Amavasya (November 1 this
year), symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance,
and good over evil and fosters a sense of joy, devotion, and unity among people.
2. SARSANGHCHALAK DR MOHAN BHAGWAT’S PROGRAMS: Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat has said that Bharat is a
‘Hindu-Rashtra’ and urged Hindus to unite beyond caste, creed, and language
differences. He was speaking at ‘Swayamsevak Ekatrikaran’ event in Baran,
Rajasthan on October 5. He said that the RSS operates on ideological foundations
rather than a mechanical structure, aiming to inspire swayamsevaks and their
families to engage with society positively.
Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on September 25 said that Bharat has answers to problems faced
by the world and emphasised that the country’s ancient tradition strongly
believed in diversity and notion of not rejecting anyone. Addressing a gathering
at the launch of a book on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in Nagpur written by
Dayashankar Tiwari Maun, he said a faltering world will find a way when Bharat
rises. He emphasised that Bharat’s philosophy has always embraced diverse
perspectives, including both theistic and atheistic views. "We have never
rejected anyone, our tradition accepts all," Dr. Bhagwat said.
3. PM MODI INTERACTS WITH BHARATIYA DIASPORA IN LAOS:
Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi interacted with Bharatiya diaspora outside the
Double Tree hotel in Laos. Several dignitaries, including Laos’ Minister of Home
Affairs, were present to welcome PM Modi. An enthusiastic Bihu performance was
also held at the event. PM Modi also greeted the artists after witnessing
Phalak-Phalam, also known as Phra Lak Phra Ram, the Lao adaption of Ramayana, in
Vientiane on October 10. He also joined the prayers held by the Buddhist monks
of the country. The PM also visited conservation projects undertaken by Bharat
in Laos for preservation of historic mandirs in the country. From October 10, PM
Modi was on a two day visit of Laos to attend India-ASEAN, East Asia summits.
His visit is significant as this year marks a decade of Bharat’s Act East
Policy.
4. RSS VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV: RSS celebrated its 100th
Foundation Day with the Vijayadashmi Utsav in Nagpur on October 12. Padma
Bhushan awardee, Dr K. Radhakrishnan was the Chief Guest. The utsav included
Dhwajrohan, Pathsanchalan, Shastrapuja and the speech of RSS Sarsanghchalak. On
the occasion Dr. Radhakrishnan said that it was a privilege for him to be here
on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashmi, and it was also a privilege for him
to address this admirable audience on the threshold of a five-fold
transformation (Panch Parivartan process). It was great to live a day in this
virtuous ambience of self-discipline and selfless service at Smriti Mandir and
pay homage to the founder of RSS, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. While speaking on
Bharat’s achievements in space, he said, “In the early 1960s, Bharat ventured
into space activities and ISRO is now addressing the strategic imperatives of
the country.”
5. VIJAYADASHAMI UDBODHAN 2024: On the occasion of
Vijayadashmi Utsav at Nagpur RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat emphasised the
importance of unity, strength, and cultural values within Hindu society. During
the event, he addressed key contemporary challenges, including collective
strength and national character, atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh,
women's safety, and environmental concerns.
He further elaborated that the one who sees women as mother, considers other’s
wealth as dirt, earns money through own hard work and follows the right path and
avoids action that causes pain and suffering to others, is considered cultured.
He said that the other aspect of the expression of Sanskars is our social
behaviour. We live together in the society. Some rules are made so that we can
happily coexist. The rules may keep changing according to the time and place.
But it is essential to follow those rules with dedication so that we can live
together joyously.
He concluded his Udbodhan with the remark that the world accepts strength. The
more Bharat’s power increases, the more Bharat will be accepted. ‘Bala Heenon Ko
Nahi Puchhata, Balavanon Ko Vishwa Poojata’- World worships the strong, weak
person is ignored. This is the way of today’s world.
-GoTop
6. SEVIKA SAMITI VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV: “Everyone should
remain cautious of the forces trying to destabilise the country and mislead the
youth,” said V Shantha Kumari, Pramukh Sanchalika of the Rashtriya Sevika Samiti,
at the Vijayadashami utsav of the Rashtriya Sevika Samiti at Nagpur on October
4. She stressed that the rise in crimes against women and inhumane treatment
against them must be addressed at both individual and societal levels. She
pointed out that due to ideological confusion, people have forgotten the
fundamental philosophy of “Hindavah Sodhrah Sarve”. She emphasised the necessity
of bringing core Hindu thought into action.
7. RSS
PATHSANCHALANS: On the occasion of its foundation day RSS organised 'Pathsanchalans'
all over Bharat. In Tripura, thousands of swayamsevaks gathered to promote unity
and consciousness during the event on October 9.
Tamil Nadu: RSS successfully conducted pathsanchalans across 58 locations in
Tamil Nadu, following legal backing from the Madras High Court. The DMK
government initially attempted to deny permissions for the rallies.
In the neighboring Union Territory of Puducherry, RSS pathsanchalans and public
meetings were successfully held, drawing significant attendance.
In Jaipur during Vijayadashami Utsav on October 12, Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini
Sadasya of RSS Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi stressed the need to end discrimination in
the country to become a world leader.
8. DURGA PUJA CELEBRATIONS AND RAM LILA AT GLOBAL STAGE:
The iconic Times Square in New York City was lit up in the lights and cultural
fervour of Durga Puja, for the first time ever in history.
Massive Gathering Celebrates Navratri At Edison, NJ: Indo-American Festivals
hosted its 26th Annual Grand Dussehra Festival on October 5 at the scenic Lake
Papaianni Park in NJ, marking a significant celebration that attracted over
15,000 attendees.
9. HINDU YUVA NATIONAL SUMMIT 2024: Hindu YUVA leaders
from 95 universities gathered for 'Sankalp: The Hindu YUVA National Summit' from
September 13-15 at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills, USA. The
event featured over 400 participants from 95 universities representing the
collective strength of the Hindu YUVA leadership, along with more than 20 Hindu
organizations in the areas of advocacy, media, humanitarian service, academia,
and more, exploring collaborative opportunities to enhance the Hindu student
experience.
10. HSS INDIANAPOLIS FAMILIES REPRESENTED HINDUISM IN THE
‘12TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF FAITHS’: On September 15, downtown Indianapolis
vibrated with the energy of prayer, music, and the joyous interactions of people
from varied backgrounds during the 12th Annual Festival of Faiths, hosted by
Center for Interfaith Cooperation (CIC). This year’s theme was "Exploring
Peace". The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) was one of two Hindu organizations
represented at the festival. Their booth offered a rich cultural and spiritual
experience of Hinduism like yoga, rakshabandhan etc.
A standout moment of the festival was the women’s panel discussion titled "How
My Faith Helps Me Find Peace: A Conversation".
-GoTop
11. OBITUARY : RATAN TATA: Paying tribute to Ratan
Tata, RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya
Hosabale stated, “The demise of Bharat’s renowned industrialist, Ratan Tata, has
caused immense sorrow for all Bharatiyas. With his demise, Bharat has lost an
invaluable gem. His contribution in the journey of Bharat’s progress will ever
be remembered…. We pay our humble homage to his memory with heartfelt tribute.
We pray the almighty to bestow Sadgati to the departed soul.” Rashtra Sevika
Samiti also paid rich tribute to the great soul. In its official statement
Samiti said, “Ratan Tata was a priceless gem just like his name”.
12. SHRI VISHWA NIKETEAN: Pravas: Visitors: Kamalesh
and Kiran Sharada, Sumitra and Tapash Ghosh, Brijendra Pal Singh - Canada
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Every one must take care while walking, talking that no action of his will even slightly cause damage to the goal or work of the Sangh, in any way. — The RSS founder Dr Keshavrao Baliram Hedgewar -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
----
HINDU SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH: SPREADING HINDUNESS GLOBALLY
Ravi Kumar Iyer
Overseas Hindus are six crores in
number. They are living in about 130 countries around the world. Nepal has 2.3
crore Hindus and Bangladesh has 1.3 crores. Then the US has 35 lakhs Hindus,
while the UK has 12 lakhs. Bharat’s neighbour Pakistan has 32 lakh Hindus, while
Malaysia and Sri Lanka have 20 lakh each. Fifty lakh ethnic Indonesian Hindus
live mostly in Bali, Java and Sumatra islands. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has
no branch in overseas countries. However, it has inspired many organisations and
karyakartas to serve humanity in a selfless manner.
Pioneering Work of HSS: Today, there are 16,00 shakhas in five continents
and 55 countries. There are shakhas (important centers of HSS) in Nepal, the US,
the UK, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa and Kenya.
The biggest impact of the Sangh has been on the Hindu society. Hindus everywhere
have started feeling a sense of unity in society. Programmes were successfully
organised by the Sangh in different parts of the world.
All sections of Hindu society participate in these programmes. People coming
from different parts of India, speaking different languages, following different
religions or sects are included without any discrimination and caste
distinction.
Sangh, Sevika Samiti and Vishva Hindu Parishad are engaged in teaching Indian
languages, arts and culture in many countries. The Hindu Institute of Learning
in the Greater Toronto area of Canada has also been doing this for decades. VHP
of the United States of America has established a Hindu University in Florida to
promote Sanskrit language. Sangh work has had a positive outcome on the younger
generation. Youth volunteers outside Bharat are generally free from addictions
such as smoking, alcohol and drugs.
Sangh’s work in every country is independent of each other and is registered as
per the laws of their countries. In most countries, Sangh operates under the
banner of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh.
Formation of Hindu Sangathan: In 1936, Shri Vishnu Dayal of Mauritius
came to Lahore for studies. There he joined RSS and had the opportunity to meet
Dr Hedgewar. Later, when he returned to Mauritius, he used leadership qualities
he learnt from shakha, to good use for the freedom struggle of Mauritius. The
freedom fighters trained by him were called ‘Swayamsevaks’.
Singing Prarthana: In 1946, a ship was sailing from Mumbai to Port Mombasa in
Kenya. Among the passengers was Jagdish Shastri, a young Swayamsevak from
Amritsar, Punjab. On the ship, he spotted another young teenager in RSS khaki
half pant. He was Manik Lal Rughani from Gujarat.
Both of them became good friends and started playing games on the deck. Some
more youth joined them. At the end of their game sessions, they sang Sangh
Prarthana. So, this was the beginning of Sangh work abroad – the first Sangh
shakha outside Bharat was held aboard the ship SS Vasna in September 1946.
Little did they realise they were laying the foundation for one of the world’s
largest Hindu youth NGO in the diaspora.
Starting HSS Work in Kenya: On reaching Kenya, Jagdish Shastri and Manik
Lal Rughani with their friends formally started a shakha in Nairobi on January
14, 1947, on the holy Makar Sankranti day. In other words, Sangh abroad
officially came into being on that day. Shastriji was also instrumental in
spreading Sangh work in Tanzania, Uganda, Mauritius and Zambia. Later, he
migrated to England and finally settled down in Toronto, Canada. Wherever he
went, he continued Sangh’s work till the ripe age of 85. Dr Shankar Tatwawadiji
and many others called Shastriji and Pitamah (grand old man) of Hindu
Swayamsevak Sangh.
Many times, Kenya faced severe drought, famine, floods and widespread epidemics.
On such occasions, Swayamsevaks left their professions, businesses and went to
remote places to serve the affected Africans. Once a Kenyan politician remarked
that we thank America and European nations who supplied us medicine and food
items. But we are more grateful to Indians who carried this material from the
airport and seaport to remote corners of Kenya where it was most needed.
Kumari Anita Patel of Hindu Sevika Samiti is working as Pracharika in Kenya. She
is running shakhas for African youth and children. Nairobi was the headquarters
of Pracharak Laxmanrao Bhideji for many years. Dr Sharad Hebalkarji of
Maharashtra spent a few years as Vistarak in Kenya.
Impact of Shakhas in Myanmar (Brahma Desh): Sangh work in Brahma Desh
(Myanmar) was started on the sacred Makar-Sankranti Divas, January 14, 1950, by
Dr Mangal Senji. He later left for Bharat and became Deputy Chief Minister of
Haryana in 1987. Ram Prakash Dhirji was sent to Brahma Desh by Shri Guruji in
1956. He inspired many youths to dedicate their lives as Pracharaks.
Ram Prakash Dhirji studied Buddhism deeply and organised large-scale Bhagwan
Buddha exhibitions at 72 places all over Myanmar. Even Buddhist monks were
mesmerised by his depth of knowledge and addressed him ‘Sayaji’ (Guruji) with
devotion and respect. Impressed by the simplicity and sacrificial life of Ram
Prakash Dhirji, Myanmar Government honoured him by giving him a free upper class
train pass and ship to travel all over Burma. Swayamsewaks started weekly
classes for children to teach Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali languages. This
has enabled the Hindus to remain close to our cultural heritage. Sangh’s
karyakartas ran orphanages and medical camps for both Indian and Burmese needy
people. They distributed food packets and education kits during floods and
calamities. Our Pracharak Dr Ram Niwas has been teaching Sanskrit and Pali once
a week in universities since 2001. Jagan Mohan Bandi from Bhagya Nagar served as
pracharak in Myanmar from 2015 to 2021.
Myanmar’s Chief justice Addresses RSS Vijayadashmi Utsav: Impressed by
Sangh’s Seva Karya, Justice Chan Htoon (now deceased), Chief Justice of Burma,
visited Bharat and participated in the Vijaya Dashami Utsav of RSS at Nagpur.
Indian journalists wondered how an ardent Buddhist scholar could address a Hindu
gathering. They questioned his Buddhist credentials. While answering a question,
Justice U Chan Htoon said, ‘I cannot work for Hindu-Buddhist unity because
Buddhism is a part of Hinduism. We all are Hindus first’. When asked to explain,
he said, ‘Hinduism is like a hand and Buddhism is one of the fingers; Hinduism
is an ocean and Buddhism is one of the rivers. Buddhists, Sikhs, Brahmins,
Vedantis and Arya Samajis should work for unity among themselves but they should
remember that they all are part and parcel of Hinduism.’
Myanmar Govt Attends Sangh Guru Puja Utsav: Noticing the selfless
activities of Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh, the Myanmar military regime
wanted to give some monetary donations. Adhikaris explained that the Sangh does
not collect donations from anyone. They explained Guru Dakshina Paddhati to
them. Now officers of the military administration attend our Guru Puja Utsav as
normal Swayamsevaks and offer Guru Dakshina. This is a great recognition for our
decades of self-effacing work.
Sangh’s Role in Bharat- Nepal Relations: In the 1950s political relations
between Pandit Nehru and the King of Nepal had strained. On Nehru’s advice, Lal
Bahadur Shastri requested RSS Chief Guruji to use his goodwill to improve
Nepal-Bharat relations. Guruji sent Uttar Pradesh Prant Pracharak Shri Laxman
Rao Bhideji with a letter to King of Nepal. King visited Bharat, prayed at Kashi
Vishwanath Mandir and held talks with Indian political leaders. In 1959, king
Mahendra and Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru jointly inaugurated and laid the
foundation of Koshi Barrage. King Mahendra requested Guruji to start shakhas in
Nepal to instill discipline among Nepali Hindu youth. Bhideji was instrumental
in starting shakhas in Nepal.
Gangajal to Mauritius: Senior Pracharak & journalist Baleshwar Agarwalji
arranged one lakh Gangajal bottles to Mauritius – one bottle to each family. In
Mauritius, late Madhavrao Banhatti served as a Pracharak (1977 to 1989) and
Ramesh Subramaniam served there for many years.
Pujya Mata Amritanandamayi’s visits SL: Within hours of December 26, 2004
tsunami, 700 of our volunteers were involved in rescue and rehabilitation
services. Our Pracharak Ramaji flew from Malaysia with many relief materials. He
stayed in Sri Lanka to oversee the rescue and relief operations of HSS and Sewa
International. On our request, the famous saint of India, Pujya Mata
Amritanandaji, came to inspect the flood affected areas of Sri Lanka. She was
welcomed at the airport by the then Prime Minister himself and arranged a
special plane for her to visit the flood affected areas. Thereafter, Mataji
visited areas under the control of LTTE.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga also welcomed her in the palace. Mataji won
everyone’s heart by building 1, 000 houses for the tsunami affected Tamils and
Sinhalese. In Sri Lanka, the Sangha organises public Ganesh Utsav to inspire the
vast Hindu society.
Overcoming Obstacles in Malaysia: Pracharak Ravi Kumar first visited
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia for one week in November 1982. There were
many obstacles in starting Sangh’s work in Malaysia. ...pg7
Lakhs of Tamil Hindus were taken away as labourers by the British 150 years ago.
Naturally, they had no knowledge of the Sangh and due to the propaganda of the
newspapers, they thought it best to stay away from Sangh. Activities of the
Sangh started in Malaysia in 1983. Today, many youths are active in Hindu Seva
Sangh.
Helping Flood Victims: Gemas area in Central Malaysia was flooded during
rains in 1984. Poor Hindus living in low lying areas were the most affected.
Sangh Swayamsevak Paranthaman and his friends helped the affected people to take
shelter in a Hindu temple nearby. They served them food and attended to their
injuries. The local Hindus were totally surprised by these acts of selfless
service. They said, ‘floods are a common experience every 2-3 years.
Municipality comes to our help after three days and some political party workers
come after five days. But this is the first time a Hindu organisation has come
to our assistance within 24 hours’.
Removing Caste Differences in Padang Jawa: Hindus in Padang Jawa observed caste
differences. The so-called higher caste Hindus would conduct puja in a temple on
Friday and the alleged lower caste Hindus were allowed to worship on Tuesdays.
This practice was going on for several decades. After starting Sangh shakha,
Ramalingam and Subramaniam went from house to house in the professed lower caste
areas and spread the Sangh motto of ‘We are Hindus, We are One’. They started
English and Mathematics tuition classes in the temple premises on Mondays and
Wednesdays for students of both areas. Shakhas were also attended by Hindu youth
from both areas. After a few months, elders in the society also approved the
activities of the Swayamsevaks. Pujas and festivals are now performed in the
temple together on the same days.
Protest in Malaysia to Save Hindu Mandirs: Malaysian administration was
demolishing grand old Hindu temples one after the other in the pretext of
road-widening. Ramaji, Waytha Murthy and a few advocates, created an
organisation named HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force) and started a nationwide
movement. HINDRAF organised a mass rally to save Hindu temples. This was the
largest demonstration in the history of Malaysia. It drew the attention of world
press and TV media. Government stopped bull-dozing temples. Later, the ruling
party suffered a huge loss in the elections and the Prime Minister had to
resign.
Buddha Exhibition in Thailand: A large-scale Buddha Exhibition was
arranged in a prominent park in Bangkok in the 1990s. Senior Pracharak Ram
Prakash Dhirji was the chief architect. It was visited by thousands of Thai
Buddhists including monks. Many Ambassadors of countries like South Korea, Sri
Lanka and Indonesia requested the organisers to plan a similar exhibition in
their countries. A surprise visitor to this exhibition was respected Sanya
Dharmashakti, Privy Council Chief. He said he had never seen a Buddha Exhibition
of this magnitude and grandeur. On his request, the exhibition was extended for
one more week for the benefit of students from schools and colleges. Later,
Buddha exhibitions were organised in other cities of Thailand.
Impact of Shakhas in England: In the 1960s, many Indians from Africa
migrated to England. Soon shakhas were started in England by Swayamsevaks coming
from Africa. The sanskars, sewa, sangharsh, taught in shakhas have saved Hindu
society in times of crisis. In 1972, Idi Amin, the military dictator of Uganda,
expelled Indian-Ugandans. Racial discrimination in African countries forced
lakhs of Hindus from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia to migrate to the UK as
refugees.
But very soon they established themselves as teachers, traders, doctors,
lawyers, engineers and entrepreneurs. Today many malls, shops, businesses,
housing complexes are owned by Hindus.
A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2007 found that the British Hindus
have the lowest poverty rates and highest employment rates among different
ethnic minority groups in Britain. On the other hand, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis
and black Africans have the highest poverty and unemployment rates. Hindus who
came to UK as refugees from Africa in the 1960s have progressed economically and
now own stores, shops and malls. They are among successful accountants,
barristers, consultants, directors, engineers, pharmacists, teachers and
professors.
HSS has contributed enormously towards fostering dedication, discipline,
devotion and unity among migrant Hindus. Many police officials who have attended
HSS camps as chief guests have urged HSS to open its shakhas to British children
so that they will also imbibe discipline and civic sense. Many prestigious
institutions are wary about giving their premises on rent for overnight stay
camps. Their experiences showed that their campuses would be littered with beer
bottles and many of their plants uprooted and statues defaced. But they never
experienced such mischief from HSS and so are very happy to offer their
premises.
World Hindu Conference in the UK: VHP UK in 1989, in cooperation with 300
local Hindu organisations, conducted a three day Virat Hindu Sammelan. One lakh
delegates attended at Milton Keynes, UK on the occasion of the birth centenary
celebrations of Dr Hedgewar. Prominentpersonalities like Pujya Swami Satya
Mitranand Giri ji, VHP International President Vishnu Hari Dalmia, Sudarshanji
of RSS, Lata Mangeshkar, Sidhir Phadke and Anup Jalota attended the conference.
UK police were worried about security arrangements for such a large gathering.
But intelligence report informed the Home Ministry that since HSS was the chief
organiser, there will not be any mismanagement.
Next year in 1990, UK Prime Minister Smt. Margaret Thatcher attended Makara
Sankranti Utsav of Finchley shakha in North London. Former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair said we are proud that organisations like Sewa International
are active in our country.
Providing Food During Floods: When there was a flood in Scotland, the people
there were surprised when they saw that our workers had reached them by boat
carrying khakhra and samosa with bread-butter to serve them.
Commitment of Karyakartas: The city of Leicester in England was the
headquarters of Pracharak Dr Shankar Tatvavadiji for many years. Dr Sanjeev Bhai
Ojha of Rajkot and Chandrakant Sharmaji of Rajasthan were also Pracharaks in
England and Europe for some years. Sangh has earned the respect of the British
society sheerly by the dedication of innumerable karyakartas.
Jeetubhai Kotecha was always punctual in attending shakhas and prompt in
discharging any responsibility reposed on him.
On one occasion in 2002, he was busy sending emails to karyakartas about an
oncoming HSS function till night 10:00 pm. Karyakartas were shocked to hear the
next day that he had passed away at 11 pm, just one hour after completing his
assignment. UK karyakarta Anil Pota was involved in starting shakha in Hong Kong
and Bhupat Shah was instrumental in opening Sangh work in Australia. Having said
this, in the midst of the international crisis, Bharat is making economic
progress despite the Corona infection.
Bharat is sending grains, medicines and vaccines to Europe, Turkey and other
countries. At such a critical time, leaders of many countries are visiting India
with the hope of world peace. The world considers India as the country of
Bhagwan Ram and Bhagwan Buddha. Therefore, Hindus need to wake up, awaken the
Hindu Samaj, recognise their inner strength and showcase their universal spirit.
Only when Hindus wake up, the world will wake up – the faith of humanity will
wake up.
https://organiser.org/2024/10/08/259541/opinion/hindu-swayamsevak-sangh-spreading-hinduness-globally/
-GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com https://svn.epapers.in
