\ SAMVAD संवाद
श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
Jyestha Shukla 10, Vik. Samvat 2077, Yugabda 5122:1 June, 2020: SM 2005 (For Private Circulation Only)
1. FESTIVALS :
PURI RATHA YATRA: Ratha Yatra is a festival known for huge chariot
procession is organized at famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha. Ratha Yatra
falls on Ashadh Shukla Dwitiya (23rd June this year). It is the oldest chariot
festival with descriptions found in various Puranas like Brahma Purana, Skanda
Purana etc.
Jagannath literally means Lord of the Universe. Jagannath temple is one of the
four Hindu pilgrimage centers known as Char Dham pilgrimages that a Hindu is
expected to make in one's lifetime. Bhagwan Jagannath is worshipped along with
his brother Balabhadra and his sister Devi Subhadra. Ratha Yatra is also known
as Puri Car Festival among foreign visitors.
-GoTop
2. ANCIENT PILLARS AND SHIVALING FOUND IN AYODHYA DURING RAM
MANDIR CONSTRUCTION WORK: In a major archaeological finding, carvings on
sandstone, Shivaling and ancient pillars were excavated during the land leveling
work at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.
“During the excavation, 5 feet Shivaling, 7 pillars of Black touchstone, 6
pillars of red sandstone & broken murtis of Devi-Devtas have also been
discovered. Work is continuing at slow pace due to strict regulations. We will
be providing updates regularly,” Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust
tweeted.
According to the temple trust, “The work started on May 11. Since then many
objects have been discovered during excavation. It includes many objects of
archaeological importance like flowers made of stone, Kalash, Aamalak, Dorjamb
etc.” -GoTop
3. HARSH VARDHAN TAKES CHARGE AS WHO EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIRMAN:
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan who is at the forefront in combating
the coronavirus pandemic took charge as chairman of the World Health
Organization’s Executive Board on 22nd May while attending the 147th session of
the WHO's Executive Board meeting. Dr Harsh Vardhan will be replacing Japan's
Dr. Hiroki Nakatani (Advisor for International Affairs to Japan's health
minister) who is presently Chairman of the WHO Executive Board.
The executive board which consists of 34 members is elected for three-year terms
including the chairman. The Board meets at least twice a year and finalizes the
decisions and policies of the Health Assembly and helps in facilitating its
work. Last year, the 194-nation World Health Assembly had decided that Bharat’s
nominee would be elected to the executive board for a three-year term beginning
May.
"On our part, India is playing a key role in fostering bilateral and regional
partnerships. Under our Prime Minister's able leadership, India has supplied
essential medicines to 123 nations as an expression of solidarity," Dr. Harsh
Vardhan said after assuming the post. -GoTop
4. RELIEF WORK BY RSS IN WEST BENGAL AND ODISHA AFTER CYCLONE
AMPHAN: Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in parts of West Bengal and Odisha and
has claimed more than 100 lives. The cyclone has damaged properties worth crores
of rupees and has thrown lives of lakhs of people out of gear. Several trusts
and organizations are pitching in to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of
the cyclone.
As always, swayamsevaks of the RSS jumped in rescue and rehabilitation
activities during and after the cyclone faded in West Bengal and Odisha.
Swayamsevaks cleared roads, pathways, distributed food and essential items to
the victims and helped in rehabilitation of people in many areas. In Odisha's
Bhadrak district, volunteers of RSS and Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti (UBSS)
distributed grocery kits to Cyclone Amphan affected families. Ration kits were
distributed to people who were stuck in their homes. In West Bengal, RSS
volunteers started relief work during Cyclone Amphan by removing fallen tree
branches and clearing the path for ambulances and fire engines. In Habra of
North 24 Parganas district, swayamsevaks rescued people and relocated them to
safer areas where government had created temporary shelters. RSS Swayamsevaks
also served food to families affected by cyclone Amphan in several locations in
West Bengal. -GoTop
5. HSS DISTRIBUTES FAMILY CARE KIT TO 2000 THAI FAMILIES:
As a result of the emergency decree and the Covid-19 containment measures
imposed by the Thailand government, many people, especially the low-income
communities who mostly take up daily-wage labour jobs, are facing tremendous
hardships. To express solidarity with the local community and help them in this
difficult times, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Thailand distributed family care kit
consisting of rice, cooking oil, noodles, milk powder, soap, detergent and
sanitizers to 2000 local Thai families.
The distribution was a part of the Sewa day organized by Bangkok city unit of
HSS on 17th May. The program started with the opening remark by Shri Vijay
Sharma, Sanghachalak of HSS Thailand. Dr. Phatcharapom Champalat, social worker,
participated in the event as the Chief Guest. Speaking on the occasion he said
that for centuries the Bharatiya community in Thailand live in harmony with the
Thai society. He appreciated the efforts taken by HSS to support the local
community and said that the basic principles of Hinduism and Buddhism are same
and both religions teach to act with love and compassion towards those living in
poverty so that all people have the necessities to survive without suffering.
Others present at the program were Mahesh Kumar, Karyavah of HSS Thailand,
Sushil Dhanuka, Vice President of Viswa Hindu Parishad Thailand and Satish Pawa,
President of Ram Krishna Mission Thailand. -GoTop
6. MUSLIM COUPLE THANKS SWAYAMSEVAK FOR HELPING PREGNANT WOMAN
DELIVER IN AMBULANCE: Ever since the lockdown was declared in the wake of
rapidly spreading Covid-19, praise has been pouring in from all quarters to the
RSS and Seva Bharati as the swayamsevaks have been engaged in service. Since the
day one, the swayamsevaks have been rendering yeoman service to society, from
helping corona warriors and reaching out to people for testing.
A recent report is an eye-opener for many in the time of hate and fear-mongering
and propaganda against Sangh and other organizations. An RSS swayamsevak helped
a pregnant Muslim woman deliver her baby in an ambulance, setting a new example
of humanitarian service for the nation.
Ishrat Mohammad, a pregnant woman was on her way to Uttar Pradesh from Gujarat
with her husband Noor Mohammad, a native of Gauriganj, Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
The husband and wife, along with their 3-year-old son Mohammad Numan, were
stranded in Gujarat after the announcement of the lockdown. As the lockdown
continued, the couple decided to make their way to their home village on foot.
On May 7, in the morning, the couple reached Jalgaon via the highway. They had
to stop midway as Ishrat was unable to bear her labour pain. When the matter
came to the notice of some local people, they called up Kavi Kasar, a Sangh
swayamsevak and the nearest RSS’ ‘Sevalaya’ that has been a refuge for several
migrant workers during the lockdown. Kavi Kasar immediately ventured out to
reach the spot with necessary food items in an ambulance. By that time, Ishrat
nearly fell unconscious and started bleeding.
Since no one was available to offer medical aid, Kasar helped the woman deliver
the baby in the ambulance. After the safe delivery, he took the mother and baby
to the hospital run by Dr Vilas Bhole, who is the Sanghchalak of Jalgaon. After
first aid and other medications, Ishrat and her newborn baby were taken to
Godavari Hospital and admitted there.
Overwhelmed by his kind gesture, the couple thanked Kavi Kasar, saying ‘Aap Toh
Khuda Ho!’ Congratulating Kavi Kasar, the doctors said that if he did not take
the right decision at the right time, things would have been complicated and
lives of the mother and the kid would have been at greater risk. (Source:
https://www.organiser.org/Encyc/2020/5/21/Muslim-couple-thanks-RSS-Swayamsevak-.html)
-GoTop
7. 1100-YEAR-OLD SHIVALING UNEARTHED IN VIETNAM: The
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed a Shivaling, dating back to
the 9th century, at Cham temple complex, which is part of the My Son sanctuary
in Vietnam. The Shivaling was discovered during a restoration work of the temple
complex by ASI.
Announcing the news on twitter, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said
the development underscored the ‘civilization connect’ between the two countries
and was also a “great cultural example of India’s development partnership”.
Cham temple complex is part of the UNESCO world heritage site of My Son in Quang
Nam province of Vietnam. The temple was built in the 9th century CE during the
reign of King Indravarman II, a ruler of the Khmer Empire.
A four-member team from ASI is currently working on the restoration and
conservation of the temple at My Son. -GoTop
8. ODISHA’S KONARK SUN TEMPLE AND TOWN TO GO 100% SOLAR:
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has taken up the complete
solarization of Konark sun temple and Konark town in Odisha.
The scheme envisages setting up of 10 MW grid-connected solar project and
various solar off-grid applications like solar trees, solar drinking water
kiosks, off-grid solar power plants with battery storage. The project will be
done by Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) with 100% central
financial assistance (CFA) of around Rs 25 crore through MNRE.
-GoTop
9. ‘VANDE BHARAT MISSION’ EVACUATES 45,000 BHARATIYA NATIONALS:
The government under the Vande Bharat Mission has so far evacuated over
45,000 Bharatiya nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic and
the subsequent lockdown.
The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava,
revealed in a virtual media briefing that of the 45,216 Bharatiyas who have
returned, 8,069 are migrant workers, 7,656 students and 5,107 professionals.
Around 5,000 Bharatiyas have returned through the land border immigration
checkpoints from Nepal and Bangladesh.
So far, 3,08,200 persons have registered their request with the Bharatiya
missions abroad for repatriation to Bharat on compelling grounds.
The VBM, he said, is in full swing with Phase I successfully completed from May
7 to May 16, during which 16,716 stranded Bharatiyas returned to the country. In
Phase II of VBM from May 17 to June 13, 429 Air India flights (311 international
flights and 118 feeder flights) from 60 countries are scheduled to land in
Bharat. -GoTop
10. MISSION SAGAR: INS KESARI WITH MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR
MADAGASCAR: As part of Mission Sagar, Bharatiya Naval Ship Kesari entered
Port Antsiranana, Madagascar on 27 May. The Government of Bharat in these
difficult times is providing assistance to friendly foreign countries in dealing
with the COVID-19 pandemic and towards the same INS Kesari carried a consignment
of COVID related essential medicines for the people of Madagascar.
An official ceremony for handing over the medicines held on 29th May was
attended by H.E. M Tehindrazanarivelo Liva Djacoba, Foreign Minister of
Madagascar and the Ambassador of Bharat to Madagascar, Mr Abhay Kumar.
The assistance to Madagascar is a part of the Bharatiya Government’s outreach
amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Mission Sagar’ builds on the excellent
relations existing between the two countries to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and
its resultant difficulties. -GoTop
11. BHARAT BECOMES 2ND LARGEST PRODUCER OF PPE SUITS:
Converting the Corona threat into an opportunity, Bharat has now achieved the
status of being the second-largest producer of PPE kits required for doctors,
health and sanitation workers, and police personnel.
When the country suffered the COVID-19 attack, Bharat had a shortage of PPE kits
and had to import them. But within the two months of short duration, Bharat
achieved the distinction of being the second producer of PPE kits. This was
disclosed by the Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani.
Thus, Bharat is now just behind China in the manufacturing PPE body coveralls
which are essential for protecting frontline workers from contracting the Wuhan
Coronavirus. On May 18, Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani had tweeted that the
production of PPE bodysuits had crossed 4.5 lakhs per day. Additionally, there
are 600 companies that have been certified to manufacture the bodysuits for the
health workers. -GoTop
12. 'UN MILITARY GENDER ADVOCATE AWARD' TO BHARATIYA OFFICER:
Major Suman Gawani, an Indian Army officer who served as a women peacekeeper
with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in 2019 was awarded the
prestigious “United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the year Award”. She
received the award from the UN Secretary-General Mr Antonio Guterres during an
online ceremony at the UN Headquarters, New York on the occasion of
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. Major Suman received this
award along with a Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro
Araujo.
Major Suman served as a Military observer in UNMISS from November 2018 to
December 2019. While at the mission, she was the principal focal point of
contact for gender issues for Military Observers in the mission. The officer
encouraged participation in joint military patrols to maintain gender balance,
irrespective of the hardships under extreme field conditions. She visited
various mission team sites across South Sudan to integrate gender perspective
into the planning and military activity in the mission.
-GoTop
13. #HOSPITALITYSTRONG BY BHARATIYA AMERICAN HOTELIERS: A
group of young second and third generation Bharatiya American and Asian-American
hoteliers has set up #HospitalityStrong, a grassroots organization designed to
leverage resources in the hotel industry to provide targeted assistance to
communities across the country immediately in response to the coronavirus
crisis, and eventually on an ongoing basis for other emergency situations.
#HospitalityStrong is currently in the process of donating 200,000 protective
face masks to hospitals in seven states, according to a press release. This is
the group’s second contribution and it follows an initial gift last month of
25,000 face masks to 11 hospitals in four states.
-GoTop
14. PORTALS OF BADRINATH TEMPLE OPENED AMID CHANTING OF VEDIC
MANTRAS: After a long winter break, the doors of Badrinath temple in
Uttarakhand were opened at 4:30 am on 15th May. Only a handful of people were
present during the 'kapat opening' ceremony due to the ongoing nationwide
lockdown.
The temple was beautifully decorated with flowers as the temple and its
surroundings were decked with quintals of marigolds. Religious ceremonies were
held inside the temple premises before it got opened for the devotees.
-GoTop
15. VIZAG GAS LEAK : SWAYAMSEVAKS PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF:
The neighbours of the surrounding villages were severely dehydrated when the
chemical gas from the polymer plant located at Gopalapatnam near Venkatapuram in
Visakhapatnam leaked at 3 am on 7th May morning. Infants, in particular, became
very serious. Cows, buffaloes and other animals also died. During this time,
Vignana Vihara Gudilova’s Vivekananda Hospital ambulances were rushed to the
scene for emergency services. People from other villages such as Venkatapuram
and RR Venkatapuram had abandoned their homes and ran to the villages of
Simhachalam and Adivivaram. They took shelter under the trees and in Simhachalam
temple chowltries. They were served by RSS swayamsevaks of Madhavadhara,
Sithamma Dhara and Dwarkanagaram. Food packets were prepared in houses. Lalitha
Peetham prepared and distributed some food packets. A total of 5000 food parcels
were prepared. Drinking water and buttermilk parcels were handed over to the
victims. The residents of Prahladapuram affected by inhalation of chemical gas
were given free homeopathic tablets by the people in the vicinity of
Prahladapuram. -GoTop
16. ATMA NIRBHARTA IS ABOUT GOING INWARDS : MUKUNDA CR: An
online seminar was organized on 25th May by Prajna Pravah on the topic of ‘Self
Reliant Bharat – Possibilities and Challenges’. Sri Mukunda C R, Sah Sarakaryah,
RSS opened the discussion with a keynote address. “The discussion of turning
self reliant is not unknown to us and not just happening in Bharat. Gandhiji’s
Hind Swarajya, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s thoughts, Ram Manohar Lohia’s words
have always been referred in the past with a dream of self reliant Bharat. We
need to focus on the technology building and rebuilding the same such that we
are mindful of the three Es’ – Ecology, Economy, Ethics “ he said in his key
note. Eminent panelists like industrialist Rajeev Chandrasekar, Prof Ramanjini
Gowda, agriculturist and others presented their thoughts on the much discussed
key word of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ which was coined by PM Narendra Modi recently
during his talk to the nation. -GoTop
17. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Sewa Paramo Dharmah; service is a joy in itself….service is a satisfaction in
itself. You must have observed that a person devoted to the service of others
never suffers from any kind of depression or tension. Every moment of his life
and attitude towards life exudes immense self-confidence, positivity and
vivacity. -- Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi in Man ki Baat on May 31, 2020.
-GoTop
JAI SHREE RAM
‘PUNEKAR FIGHTS CORONA’- SWAYAMSEVAK DHARMA
Pune Pattern of Seva – How RSS is
Battling Covid-19 in the City, One Home At a Time
The temperature in Pune is 40 degrees centigrade. Samruddhi Jathar walks
into a narrow lane in Bhawani Peth, one of the Covid-19 hotspots of Pune.
It is a densely populated neighbourhood with closely packed small houses on both
sides. It is oppressively hot. There is no breeze, no sunlight, just a dark
narrow lane flanked with closed iron doors on both sides. It is unusually quiet,
even though the time is 11 am.
As Samruddhi knocks on a door, her PPE kit crackles with the movement, her
gloved hands catching a Covid-19 kit are sweaty, her mask is sticking to her
face.
The door opens to reveal a woman in her late 40s, her look not very welcoming.
Samruddhi tells her that she is a volunteer who has come to conduct Covid-19
testing as part of the ‘Punekar Fights Corona’ campaign spearheaded by the RSS
Jankalyan Samiti.
Samruddhi and her team have a long day ahead of them. They walk door-to-door in
this stifling heat, convincing people to test for Coronavirus.
They have to quench their thirst with carefully measured sips of lime water, as
visiting any hygiene facility is out of question.
After six hours of non-stop walking going from door-to-door, conducting tests,
and convincing people, Samrudhhi and her team will return, completely exhausted
– not to their homes, but to the volunteer camp run by the Jankalyan Samiti.
What makes the feat amazing is the fact that Samruddhi is a student who has
volunteered to participate in this door-to-door Covid-19 screening drive. She is
not a front line health worker or a government employee. She is a member of
civil society, who has decided to be part of the screening campaign out of her
own volition.
Samruddhi is not alone. Over 800 people, including 250 health professionals from
the private sector and over 600 ordinary citizens have volunteered to be a part
of the ‘PunekarAgainst Corona’ campaign.
So what drives so many people to respond to an appeal to volunteer to go door-to
-door in some of the most dangerous Coronavirus hotspots, staying away from
their homes for more than a week and agreeing to a forced quarantine of 5 days,
fully aware of the risks they are taking on?
It can only be one thing. The spirit of Seva.
At a time when the state of Maharashtra is battling the deadly pandemic called
Covid-19, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is doing what it does best – relief
work under the most trying circumstances.
An interesting ‘Pune Pattern’ is emerging as an effective case study to identify
and contain the spread of the virus.
It involves teams of trained doctors and Sangh volunteers going door-to-door in
the Covid-19 containment zones and conducting tests to identify infected
patients.
The numbers are impressive. In less than three weeks, more than 13,000
households in containment areas have been covered by this team of volunteers and
doctors in a stupendous effort.
More than 62,000 people have been screened in about a 100 testing spots. More
than a 1,000 people have been identified for further treatment.
‘Punekar Against Corona’ is a combined effort by the RSS Jankalyan Samiti (RSSJS),
Pune Municipal Council and PPCR (Pune Platform For Covid-19 Response) – an
initiative by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA).
The city of Pune is seeing one of the worst outbreaks of Covid-19 in the
country. The city administration has identified over 60 Covid-19 containment
zones in Pune. Most of these containment zones are located in densely populated
areas, where tiny dwellings stand cheek-by-jowl and hygiene facilities are
common across households.
Understanding the need to increase testing in containment zones to fight the
Coronavirus spread, the RSSJS came forward to start one of the largest volunteer
driven civil society initiatives in the country to combat Covid-19- door-to-door
mass testing for Coronavirus – in the identified containment zones.
On 24 April, RSSJS first sent out appeals to the medical community and civil
society requesting for volunteers to do door-to-door screenings in containment
areas identified by the Pune Municipal Corporation.
The appeal received a wide response. More than 250 medical professionals
volunteered. Apart from the doctors, 675 RSS swayamsevaks volunteered for this
effort, including several women.
The medical professionals and Sangh volunteers who agreed to give their time to
conduct mass screenings in containment areas were called for training at
designated centers. They were clearly apprised of the risks and were informed of
the safety protocols to be followed while conducting door-to-door screening in
infection zones.
The training sessions were attended by the municipal authorities, medical
professionals as well as senior Sangh functionaries like Ravi Wanjarvadkar, who
has considerable experience in disaster management.
After the first training session, door-to-door screenings were started from 27
April. The screening campaign is a result of seamless cooperation and
coordination between municipal authorities and civil society, spearheaded by the
RSSJS.
While the PMC provides logistical support like police presence and ambulances
for the volunteer teams to travel and testing kits, PPCR (Pune Platform For
Covid19 Response) – an initiative by the MCCIA – has sponsored the PPE sets,
safety gear and other things needed for the campaign.
It is not easy work. Volunteers have to be constantly on their feet for more
than seven hours, clad in their PPE kits, masks and gloves in 40 degrees heat.
Access to hygiene facilities is limited. They have to follow a strict treatment
protocol and most importantly, they cannot return to their families while on the
job.
After their quota of five days is over, the volunteers have to stay in
quarantine for four days in designated facilities run by the RSS.
The volunteers are then tested for Covid-19 infection on the fifth day. They can
return home only if the results come negative.
A great example is the Thakar family. Abhay Thakar, his wife Rajashri and
daughter Samruddhi all volunteered for the screening.
Their decision was supported by the 82-year-old matriarch of the family, Abhay
Thakar’s mother, who agreed to be on her own for the 10 days of the screening
and quarantine.
The Thakar family would leave their volunteer camp in the morning in an
ambulance provided by the Pune municipal corporation, fully equipped in a PPE
kit, mask and gloves and go from door to door in the containment areas,
convincing people to do testing.
Many of the containment areas like Bhawani Peth and Kasba are Muslim majority
neighbourhoods.
The volunteers initially had a tough time convincing residents to get screened,
but they never lost their enthusiasm.
Rajashri says that spending the whole day in a PPE kit in the hot Pune summer
was uncomfortable, but as it was an opportunity to do something for the society,
she continued to persevere.
The young mayor of Pune, Murlidhar Mohol as well as the deputy municipal
commissioner of Pune, Rubal Aggarwal have publicly acknowledged the efforts of
this campaign led by the RSS. (www.vskbharat.com May 20, 2020 )
Sewa Paramo Dharmah; service is a joy in itself….service is a satisfaction in
itself. You must have observed that a person devoted to the service of others
never suffers from any kind of depression or tension. Every moment of his life
and attitude towards life exudes immense self-confidence, positivity and
vivacity. -- Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi in Man ki Baat on May 31, 2020.
-GoTop
SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN vishwav@bol.net.in http://shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com
