Margshirsha Krishna 1 Vik. Samvat 2081, Yugabda 5126 : 16 November, 2024: SM 6016 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS:
GITA JAYANTI: Gita Jayanti celebrates the day Bhagwan Krishna imparted the
core of Vedic knowledge and the principles of Dharma to Arjuna on the
battlefield of Kurukshetra. It falls on Marghshirsha Shukla Ekadashi (December
11 this year).
2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHCHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT:
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat attended an
event of Yog Mani Vandniya Late Dr Urmila Tai Jamdar Smriti Prasanga under the
aegis of Yog Mani Trust Jabalpur on November 10. Speaking on the topic of
‘Relevance of Hindutva for World Welfare in the Present Times’, he said that
today the whole world is looking towards Bharat with hope for spiritual peace.
3. RASHTRA SEVIKA SAMITI SHAKHA SANGAM: On November 10,
Rashtra Sevika Samiti Delhi Prant organised a Shakha Sangam, which presented a
distinctive example of self-confidence and nation-building by women. More than
1,000 sevikas, including young girls, youth, middle-aged women, elderly women
and more than 150 dignitaries graced the event. Sevikas from 30 shakhas of Delhi
Prant performed suryanamaskar, showcased group exercises, and demonstrated yoga.
4. FIRST ASIAN BUDDHIST SUMMIT: The First Asian Buddhist
Summit themed ‘Role of Buddha Dhamma in strengthening Asia’ was organized by the
Ministry of Culture and the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) on
November 5-6 in New Delhi. Around 700 participants from 32 countries with over
160 international participants including members of the Mahasangha, patriarchs
of various monastic traditions, monks, nuns, members of the diplomatic
community, professors of Buddhist studies, experts and scholars enthusiastically
participated in the summit.
Speaking at the event, Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu said that the Buddhist
community has much to offer to humankind at a time when the world is facing an
existential crisis on many fronts. She expressed confidence that the summit will
go a long way in strengthening cooperation among the Asian nations, based on
shared heritage of the Buddha’s teachings.
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5. ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONFLUENCE BY SWAVALAMBI BHARAT ABHIYAN:
Under the Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), a one-day ‘Udyamita Sangam’
(Entrepreneurship Confluence) was organised at Siri Fort Auditorium on August
Kranti Marg in Delhi on October 18. The programme focused on building a fully
employed, poverty-free and prosperous Bharat.
6. HINDU SPIRITUAL & SERVICE FAIR: The Hindu Spiritual &
Service Foundation’s (HSSF) Hyderabad chapter’s annual Seva Pradarshini was
inaugurated with grandeur on November 7 at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds in
Hyderabad. The event held on November 8–10 highlighted the collective efforts of
spiritual and social service organizations, NGOs, and dedicated individuals from
across Bharat.
7. HSS UK REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICES: A number of HSS (UK)
shakhas participated in various Remembrance Day services on November 10. In
Harrow, swayamsevaks and sevikas marched alongside with members of the armed
forces and various other groups, such as Air Cadets, Scouts and Girl Guides to
Harrow Town Centre. Dhiraj M Shah, Zonal President had the honour of laying a
wreath on behalf of HSS (UK) alongside the Mayor of Harrow, Local MPs,
Councillors and other interfaith leaders in remembrance of not just the British
but also Bharatiya soldiers who fought under British command.
8. HSS KENYA VIJAYADASHAMI UTSAV: On October 27, more
than 184 swayamsevaks and sevikas, from 14 shakhas of HSS Nairobi, took part in
a Path Sanchalan from Jalaram Mandir to Arya Samaj via Shiv Mandir, Sai Dham
Mandir and Pattni Brotherhood. The Vijayadashami utsav was celebrated at Arya
Samaj with Shastra Pujan. Swayamsevaks and sevikas of all age groups
demonstrated traditional Bharatiya games, martial arts, acrobatics and yogasan.
9. HSS SOUTH AFRICA VIJAYADASHAMI: On October 20, around
105 swayamsevaks and sevikas of HSS South Africa participated in the
Vijayadashami Utsav at the Tongaat Town Hall in Durban. They displayed a
demonstration of vyayamyog, geet, surya namaskar, yogasana, niyudhya, and
yogachap. The ghosh demonstration was a major highlight of the program.
10. HSS TAIWAN DIWALI MILAN: The first ever Diwali
Milan celebration by HSS Taiwan took place on November 2 at the Community Center
in Guishan District of Taoyuan City. 35 people, including two non-Bharatiyas
and 9 children participated in the celebrations which commenced with the Ram
Aarti, followed by heartfelt puja ceremonies dedicated to Bhagwan Rama, Devi
Lakshmi, and Ganesh Bhagwan.
11. DIWALI CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD: For the first
time in Kenya’s history, the Hindu community gathered to celebrate Diwali
at the State House in the presence of His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto,
President of the Republic of Kenya who, dressed in traditional Hindu attire of
pyjama kurta and coat, actively participated in the festivities.
The ‘Diwali Fest’ organized by Ektaa Center on October 26 at the Great Park
amphitheater in Irvine, CA, drew around 7,500 attendees over the course
of the day. The event featured live performances, traditional cuisine, and
stalls displaying handcrafted artwork and Bharatiya apparel, creating a vibrant
community gathering.
12. SOLIDARITY AGAINST RISING ATTACKS ON HINDU MANDIRS IN
NORTH AMERICA: The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA (HSS-USA) condemned
the violent attack on the Hindu Sabha mandir in Brampton, Canada, which took
place on November 3 during the Diwali celebrations. HSS expressed deep concern
for the safety and human rights of the Hindu community in Canada, as well as the
safeguarding of properties owned by the Hindu community.
Over a thousand Canadian Hindus gathered outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in
Brampton to protest against the repeated attacks on Hindu mandirs and called on
to stop the Hinduphobia in the country.
The Delhi Hindu Sikh Global Forum protested in front of the Canadian
Embassy and submitted a memorandum to the Bharatiya Ambassador to Canada,
demanding an immediate investigation and swift action against the criminals
involved in the incident. More than 1,200 members of the Sikh community
participated in the protest, including over 300 women.
There has been a string of attacks on Hindu community documented in recent
years, underscoring a distressing trend of religious intolerance in Canada.
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13. PRAVASI TEERTH DARSHAN YOJANA: Pravasi Teerth
Darshan Yojana (PTDY) was introduced in FY 2018-19 for elderly generation of
PIOs between the age group of 45-65 years from seven Girmitiya countries (Fiji,
Guyana, Mauritius, South Africa, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, and Reunion
Island).
14. CHINESE SCHOLARS HIGHLIGHT RAMAYANA’S FOOTPRINTS IN
CHINA BURIED IN BUDDHIST TEXTS: At a symposium on “Ramayana- A Timeless
Guide” organised by the Bharatiya Embassy on November 2, a host of Chinese
scholars associated with longstanding research on religious influences, made
candid presentations tracing the historical routes through which Ramayana
reached China and its influence on Chinese art and literature.
15. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: He who regards all men as equals is religious. –
Guru Nanak Dev
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JAI SHRI RAM
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MAHILA SAMANVAY: THE SANGH PARIVAR ROLE MODEL OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
DR V SUJATHA
In Bharat since ancient times women
have been an integral part of the nation’s history and culture. That women had
continued to play a decisive role in shaping the country’s socio-political
narratives was shown by their great contribution towards the country’s freedom
struggle against the British Empire. That women had enjoyed equal rights with
men was evidenced by their involvement in framing the constitution as well,
fifteen members of the constituent Assembly were women. When we achieved freedom
in 1947, in the advanced countries like Britain that had built up empires by
exploiting the rich resources of nations like India, their women had no right to
vote. It prompted the feminist movement in Europe during the early 20th century,
the initial stage of which had to focus on women’s suffrage along with other
legal rights. Whereas in India’s splendid culture women have always been
enjoying not only equal rights with men but an added privilege granted to
motherhood also, as has been pointed out by famous thinkers like will Durant,
Arthur L. Basham etc. Even in the spiritual tradition that forms the cornerstone
of Indian culture, right from the ancient period we had eminent women
personalities like Gargi, Maitreyi, Ahalya, Anasuya, Sabari, Amba, Gandhari and
so on.
But the Neo-liberals of today do not understand that in Bharat men and women
have always been considered as two sides of the same coin and that it is based
on the Ekātma theory that recognizes the truth of one fundamental principle not
only in all living beings but in the whole of creation as well. Since this
holistic vision forms the hallmark of Hinduism, it is more spiritual than
religious and so referred to as Sanatana Dharma, i.e. values of life based on
one ultimate eternal truth. This eminent tradition has continued throughout the
ages in spite of frequent foreign invasions, as an ever-burning lamp. It started
blazing now with the great measures undertaken in favour of women by the
Narendra Modi Government.
It is a national forum of the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, the most prominent
national volunteer organization that comprises Karma – yogis who do self-less
service in the interest of our nation’s prosperity and well-being. The RSS is a
collection of around 40 organisations together known as the Sangh Parivar doing
service in various fields such as social, political, economic and religious. Of
the Parivar Organisations some are comprised exclusively of women, for instance
Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Siksha Bharati, Durga Vahini and so on.
Samanvay Vedi is a forum meant to discuss and exchange the ideas and the nature
of activities undertaken by the various organizations of the Parivar. It helps
to integrate the varied functions of the Parivar in different domains under the
common banner of national welfare. Mahila Samanvay Vedi reflects the attitude of
the Indian society that women share with men equal rights and responsibilities
in shaping the future of the nation.
The Vedi has been constituted especially to conduct programmes that promote the
cause of equal opportunities for women and also protection of women against
atrocities. The activities of the Mahila Samanvay clearly depict the
significance that the Sangh Parivar grants to the progression of women.
The National Mahila Samanvay has been conducting seminars in various states to
bring home the various aspects of women upliftment. Last year as its special
programme the Mahila Samanvay put in a massive exertion to back up the
stupendous efforts of the Modi Government towards the upliftment of women. The
initiatives taken include
1. Conducting of seminars at the national, state and district levels to identify
the various difficulties that dissuade women from undertaking social activities;
2. Motivate women to take up challenging opportunities and become leaders in
profession and business;
3. Provide opportunity for the women folk of villages also along with that of
the metropolitan cities to assume leading roles in public activities in their
own respective communities and organizations;
4. Make women aware of their equal rights and duties as citizens;
5. Alert women against their being exploited;
6. Address means of providing secure environment for women to progress.
In addition the Samanvay conveys to women the importance of their financial
freedom. Economic independence provides them with opportunities to make free
choices about their lives. It also makes them participate in enhancing the
national economy as well as the domestic. Today India has become the fastest
growing economy of the world. The country can reach the pinnacle of economic
growth if its women constituting nearly half of the population, also reaches out
to help national advancement.
Mahila Samanvay in Kerala
Within the last one year the National Mahila Samanvay conducted more than 500
mass conferences in various parts of the country each attracting thousands of
women. The activity of the Mahila Samanvay in Kerala deserves special mention in
that it was widely recognized and acclaimed by the public. It was quite
unprecedented in the history of Kerala to platform such huge gatherings for the
cause of women empowerment. Covering all the districts 14 mega conventions were
held each one assembling thousands of women participants. The meetings were
notable in that they were all organised, chaired and participated exclusively by
women including Central Ministers and other national dignitaries as chief
guests. Other leading women in various professions and business enterprises at
the state-district- taluk-village levels also took part in these grand
symposiums.
In Kerala during the modern period several Hindu Acharyas and writers had taken
up the cause of women liberation. But today’s vote bank politics is of the
nature of foiling the efforts of those great reformers. Of course disguised as
social workers some activists bring women to public forums raising slogans of
gender equally, equal opportunity, freedom etc. but with devious intentions. The
true nature of their under hand tactics has come to light recently in a
programme run by a Marxist-Jihadi alliance. It was a public function of
recitation of poetry conducted in memory of Nabi. A large number of poets
including office-bearers of Kerala Sahitya Academy participated in it, but
female poets were not allowed to take part, though there are innumerable
poetesses in Kerala. There arose accusation in certain quarters that women were
not permitted since the function was held in connection with the religion of
Islam. The contradiction here is two-fold. How could the Islamists accommodate
recitation of poems since even the display of innate human creativity is
considered illegitimate (harām) by the fundamentalists who excluded women from
the programme? The other contradiction is that the Marxists who joined hands
with the Jihadis washed their hands of their own dogma of dialectical
materialism that ‘religion is the opium of the people’. On one side we come
across dogmatists pulling the wheel of women’s progress backwards by conducting
such ridiculous programmes with the blind belief that they are marching forward
and call themselves ‘neo-liberals’. On the other side we see forums like Mahila
Samanvay putting in great effort to move the machinery of progress in favour of
women.
In fact the women liberation movement initiated by the early reformists in
Kerala is now being continued by the activities of the Mahila Samanvay.
A special programme of the Mahila Samanvay conducted last year on November 5th
as a prelude to the grand convention in Thiruvananthapuram deserves mention in
this context. It was a unique performance where 21 poetesses recited their own
poems. The subject of all the poems was woman oriented-the various trials,
disadvantages and stumbling blocks women face at home and work place that impede
their progress. As a continuation of the programme, a book was published, i.e. a
collection of poems on the subject “Pañca Kanya Smŗti” released by the
well-known writer Prof. George Onakkur and received by Yedu VijayaKrishnan the
film director and writer. Earlier on the 1st of November 2023 another notable
event arranged by the Mahila Samanvay was “Kalari ppayattu”, a traditional
martial art form of Kerala, where more than 30 girls displayed their martial
skills.
Personal freedom for everybody to grow is the primary indication of any
culturally advanced society and forms the ideal of a nation. Thus gender
equality and sufficient opportunities for the fair sex to grow determines the
culture of a country and its economy too. To quote the RSS Sarsanghchalak, Dr
Mohan Bhagawat: “To progress, allow women equal rights and freedom to work. If
women are given freedom they can help everyone grow”.
This expression contains respect and esteem regarding the women of Bharat, for
they can shoulder responsibilities both inside and outside their homes.
Individual freedom as we know is not unfettered or absolute as some neo-liberals
imagine. When the neoliberals demand absolute individual freedom, their aim is
not progressive but misleading. They are actually asking for unrestricted
sensory pleasures. Sensory craving is not freedom but enslavement. Since we have
to respect every one’s freedom to grow, it necessitates certain standards of
conduct. These standards are prescribed not merely by the law of the land but by
the basic values of life or dharma. While the law points out the wrong-doings
and the punishments thereof, dharma equips as with the wisdom that reveals the
right path. Bharat is the mother land of a great variety of cultural communities
speaking different languages and following different religions. Yet they stand
united because the humanitarian import of the culture of this land based on
dharma cannot be denied by anyone. Thus in Bharat along with the Law, Dharma is
also held in high esteem since every living being has a proper place in it.
Gender discrimination cannot be admitted either in the system of Law or
according to our dharma.
Today many of the old customs have become obsolete throughout world. Even ‘the
established truths’ of the physical sciences, for instance some of the concepts
of Newtonian physics have turned out false. In this context some people call
this age as one of post-realism. But for Bharat, the Land of the ultimate
wisdom, there exists nothing like post-realism. For it this is the age of
awakening of its traditional wisdom that supports life, culture and progress.
The narratives of an age should not be left to immature minds to dictate. It
should be determined by those who have judicious vision and synoptic insight.
The Amrtotsav period of Bharat should be the initiation of an age of spiritual
and moral wisdom and women have a major role to play in making it meaningful.
https://organiser.org/2024/11/10/264539/bharat/mahila-samanvay-the-sangh-parivar-role-model-of-women-empowerment/
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SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN samvadnewsletter@gmail.com http://shrivishwaniketan.
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