Magh Shukla 3 Vik. Samvat 2081, Yugabda 5126 : 1 February, 2025: SM 6021 (For Private Circulation only)
1. FESTIVALS:
GURU RAVIDAS JAYANTI: Guru Sant Ravidas was a great Saint, philosopher,
poet, social reformer, in Bharat during the 15th century. Sant Ravidas Jayanti
is celebrated every year on Magh Purnima with great enthusiasm and happiness,
this year it falls on February 12.
2. PROGRAMS OF RSS SARSANGHCHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: On
the occasion of 76th republic day of Bharat, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Sarsanghchalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat hoisted National flag at the premises of
Padmashree Annasaheb Jadhav Vidyalaya. During the program Dr. Mohan Bhagwat
emphasised the growing expectations from Bharat, urging citizens to work with a
spirit of dedication towards the nation and society. The event was organised by
Padmashree Annasaheb Jadhav Bharatiya Samaj Unnati Mandal in Bhiwandi,
Maharashtra.
3. PRESERVING INTEGRITY & UNITY OF NATION: RSS SARKARYAVAH:
During the 76th Republic Day celebrations in Imphal West, Manipur on January
26, RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale emphasised the unity, culture, and
responsibilities of the citizens of Bharat.
4. STRONG FAMILIES BUILD GREAT NATIONS: HOSABOLE: RSS
Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said that a positive family atmosphere fosters
‘Sanskarit’ youths, who can contribute significantly to the nation. He cited the
example of Jijamata who raised her son Shivaji Maharaj under challenging
circumstances, instilling moral values that helped him become a ruler dedicated
to serving society.
5. BHARAT’S REPUBLIC DAY 2025: January 26 marked
Bharat’s 76th Republic Day that also coincided with the 75 years of enactment of
the country’s Constitution. Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu led the celebrations with
a grand parade at the Kartavya Path in New Delhi. Indonesia President Prabowo
Subianto was the chief guest. Around 10,000 special guests from diverse fields
attended the parade. They included village sarpanches achieving targets in
flagship schemes, disaster relief workers, ASHA workers, artisans, paralympic
athletes, farmers using renewable energy, patent holders etc. The ceremony
started with Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi visiting the National War Memorial to
pay tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives for the country.
On the eve of the 76th Republic Day, Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu approved Gallantry Awards for 93 personnel from the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces, including 11 posthumous honors. She also approved conferment of 139 Padma Awards including 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri Awards. -GoTop
6. DIASPORA CELEBRATES 76TH REPUBLIC DAY: An
enthusiastic Bharatiya diaspora celebrated Bharat's 76th Republic Day at the
country's missions abroad.
In Beijing, officials and diaspora members attended the flag unfurling ceremony
on the premises of the Bharatiya Embassy.
In Singapore, students from Bharatiya schools sang patriotic songs and performed traditional dances at the chancery where High Commissioner Shilpak Ambule was joined by around 2,500 Bharatiyas living in Singapore.
In Japan, Ambassador Sibi George unfurled the Bharatiya national flag at the ceremony.
Certificates were awarded to the top performers of the Bharat Ko Janiye (BKJ) Quiz in Philippines. Around 300 people from the Bharatiya diaspora and friends of Bharat attended the function.
7. GLIMPSES OF MAHAKUMBH: On January 28, the Uttar
Pradesh government reported that the Maha Kumbh 2025 has already witnessed over
15 crore pilgrims taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam in the past 17 days,
with 3.5 crore devotees performing the Amrit Snan on Makar Sankranti and 1.7
crore on Paush Purnima. On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on January 29, 7.6
crore more devotees undertook the Amrit Snan. According to the UP government,
this Mahakumbh is projected to welcome over 45 crore visitors.
8. HSS JAPAN : DESH PREM DIWAS CELEBRATION: Hindu
Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) Japan organised Desh Prem Diwas on January 25 at
Kawasaki City Education and Culture Center. The event brought together various
communities and cultures under one roof to honor the spirit of patriotism.
9. SDSS MAKARSANKRANTI MAHOTAV & 75TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMS:
The Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh, Myanmar celebrated Makar Sankranti and
inaugurated the celebrations of its 75th anniversary. The celebrations included
havan-puja, a rangoli competition, and a Suryanamaskar competition, organized at
14 locations across six Vibhags.
10. HSS USA ANNOUNCES 18TH ANNUAL HEALTH FOR HUMANITY
YOGATHON FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: HSS USA announced the eighteenth annual “Yoga
for Health, Health for Humanity Yogathon” or “Surya Namaskar Yajna” (SNY). This
program runs from January 18 to February 2, 2025. Since its inception in 2007,
participants from 43 states have actively participated in the Yogathon through
Yoga centers, community organizations, schools, and colleges, and also as
individuals. Regardless of their faith and belief, these participants have
performed over four million Surya Namaskars over the past several years.
11. HHC MADAGASCAR: On January 26, HSS Madagascar
hosted a Hindu Heritage Camp at Sanatan Hindu Mandir, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
39 campers along with 3 youth volunteers and 5 senior volunteers participated in
it. Yoga, memorizing Sanskrit shlokas, games, bouddhiks and cultural activities
were the highlights of the camp. The HHC concluded with the HSS Prarthana.
12. CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY OF THAILAND ORGANISES BUDDHIST
PRAYER TO HONOUR NETAJI: The Dharma Centre of Chulalongkorn University
Thailand in collaboration with Netaji Subhas Vision Thailand organised a
Buddhist Prayer Ceremony on January 18 to commemorate the birth anniversary of
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and in remembrance of the remarkable donation made by
Netaji to the university in 1945.
13. SCOTTISH HINDU FOUNDATION HOSTS PARLIAMENTARY RECEPTION
TO ADDRESS HINDUPHOBIA: The Scottish Hindu Foundation (SHF), in partnership
with Bob Doris, Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), hosted a landmark
Parliamentary Reception on Hinduphobia at the Scottish Parliament on January 21.
The Scottish Parliament has recently passed the Hate Crime and Public Order
(Scotland) Act, aimed at tackling hate crimes and fostering greater inclusivity
and equality. The act consolidates and modernises existing laws, adding
protections for various groups, including hate based on religion.
14. JAKARTA’S FIRST TEMPLE DEDICATED TO LORD MURUGAN READY
FOR INAUGURATION: The Jakarta Murugan Temple, also known as Shri Sanathana
Dharma Aalayam has been ready for official inauguration as the first temple in
the city dedicated to Lord Murugan. The temple’s grand inauguration ceremony,
known as the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, is set to take place on February 2.
15. BRITISH BHARATIYAS WELCOME LAUNCH OF BRADFORD CITY OF
CULTURE 2025: Bradford, in the Northern England County of West Yorkshire
recently launched its City of Culture 2025 festivities, with British Bharatiyas
enthusiastically joining in to showcase the region’s diversity, vibrant bazaars
and curry restaurants.
“Our communities can and should be empowered to come together, tell their story and create change in their local area. That is what the UK City of Culture competition is all about,” said Lisa Nandy, the British Indian Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. -GoTop
16. BHARAT BECOMES 4TH NATION TO ACHIEVE SUCCESSFUL SPACE
DOCKING OF 2 SATELLITES: On January 16, ISRO has achieved a historic
milestone after the successful space docking of its two satellites named Chaser
and Target under the SpaDex mission. After the stupendous success of the
indigenously developed Bharatiya Docking System by ISRO, Bharat has become the
fourth country to use this technology after the USA, Russia and China. Docking
technology is critical in assembling the space station and in crewed missions.
It provides crucial facilities including in-orbit refueling and assembling heavy
infrastructure in microgravity.
The SpaDeX mission is an important project by ISRO which is designed to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for spacecraft rendezvous, docking and undocking using two small satellites. -GoTop
17. BHARATIYA DEFENCE PRODUCTION HITS 1.27 LAKH CRORE,
EXPANDING EXPORTS TO OVER 100 COUNTRIES: Bharat’s dedication to
Atmanirbharta in defence is demonstrated by its transition from a major arms
importer to an emerging hub for indigenous manufacture. In FY 2023-24, the
Ministry of Defence reported a record Rs 1.27 lakh crore in domestic defense
production, which includes 16 Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs), over 430
licensed companies, and approximately 16,000 Micro, Small, and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs).
Bharat’s export portfolio includes a wide range of advanced defensive equipment, such as bulletproof jackets and helmets, Dornier (Do-228) planes, Chetak helicopters, quick interceptor boats, and lightweight torpedoes.
Bharat currently exports to over 100 countries, with the United States, France, and Armenia ranking first through third in terms of defense exports in 2023-24. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh aims to expand defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029. -GoTop
18. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Beyond the senses are the objects, beyond the objects
is the mind, beyond the mind, is the intellect, and beyond the intellect is the
great Atman. — Katha Upanishad -GoTop
JAI SHRI RAM
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SHAKHA: FROM ME TO WE– SYNERGISING REPUBLIC
As Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh seeks
to further expand its reach in the centenary year, it is important to understand
that the intent behind shakha was to work in a way where ‘we’ is highlighted. It
creates a sense of belongingness among all participants whether the young or
grown-ups. It is not about creating individual glories
Madhubhai Kulkarni
The founder of Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, is not important just for being
one of the great people born in the 20th century. It can be said that he was
born with the idea of samashti (collective whole) in mind. His unique style of
functioning can be characterised by minute observation of the situation,
analysis of the surrounding events, conclusion of that event from a social point
of view and then thinking about self-regarding action in that situation. A
report of a meeting was printed in the newspaper namely Maharashtra published in
Nagpur at that time. It said, “Some people abruptly stood up in the middle of
the meeting. Within five seconds, all the people on the Walker Road side stood
up as if they had been electrocuted and started running, clutching their lives
as if they were being chased by a tiger. The lamps of the Kitson lights fell
down by the impact of the crowd and got extinguished. The running crowd hit the
wall of the Venkatesh Theatre. A stampede ensued. Many lost their sticks, some
lost their shoes, caps, dupattas and dhotis. The crowd of 4,000 people was seen
cowering in fear within a fraction of a second. After an inquiry, the real
reason was found. A man sitting in the middle of the meeting felt a tadpole
under his feet. So he got up to look down. Five to ten people sitting close to
him also stood up. Someone shouted ‘Snake! Snake!’ As soon as people heard it,
they started running. Seeing one, the other also started running in fear. 99
percent of the people ran away without understanding why they were running.”
Had we been there at that time, or read this news, we would have exaggerated
about it to others and had fun for some time. A meeting of 4,000 was disrupted
by a mere frog! Those who were not in the meeting must have laughed after
reading the news. Many must have exclaimed about the silliness of our people. Dr
Hedgewar was not in Nagpur that day. On reading about it in the Maharashtra
newspaper, he was perplexed. He purposely met some organisers of the meeting.
“Leave the audience aside, why didn’t you come forward in time and stop the
people?” he asked. “What could I have done alone?” was the response he got from
everyone. We too hear the phrase ‘What can I do alone’ many times. Whether a
Hindu is in a meeting, on a pilgrimage, or at the Kumbh Mela, he is always
alone. This inferiority complex of loneliness would lead the Hindu society to
selfdestruction, felt Dr Hedgewar. A Hindu should feel that I am not alone, the
society around me is mine. The sentiment of ‘Not Me, but We’ should be nurtured
in the Hindu society. The work that started with this thought by Doctor Ji is
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Shakha is the journey of an individual from Me to Us – The contraction of ego and the expansion of collectiveness. The songs sung in the Shakha are simple, straight and reinforce the sense of “we” (vayam). For example, l We (not Me) reside in the mountains, we will be servants of Shivaba (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj).
* All the unshakable boundaries of personality have been crossed, the image of the great person has been established in the vast heart.
* In the egoistic cell, where the virtue of manhood has been locked up, that cell has been divided into this vast life now.
* Will the organs live without the body, will the components live apart from the society, life is lived by this principle, the society is considered as the whole family, leaving its own selfishness.
The stance since day one has been ‘Society belongs to the Sangh and the Sangh belongs to society’. Shakha belongs to the village, to the entire settlement. No matter what caste the Swayamsevak running the Shakha belongs to, the thought is always of the entire village, locality.
The Sangh has not adopted the method of making an individual great or becoming a leader. The basis of the Shakha is collectivism. The nature of the Shakha is collective games, collective march or drills, collective exercises, collective singing and collective prayers. The intention is to create a sense of ‘We’ among the participating children, youth and adults. The word we itself is full of confidence. The Shakha started in 1925.
The sense of ‘We’ created in the minds of some youth in Nagpur ensured the protection of Hindus during the 1927 riots that took place in Nagpur. The scope of ‘We’ is infinite. There are more than 80,000 shakhas that create a sense of ‘We’ in the society. Be it Arunachal, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, this effort is going on everywhere. The word ‘We’ is full of affection. There is an instinctive tendency to offer help in times of crisis like earthquake, flood, cyclone, famine, and drought. We means empathy. Songs that inculcate such emotions are sung with great enthusiasm in Shakhas. For example,
* The brother who wanders behind, holds his hand and walks with him; let everyone have food, clothing, home, facilities, education, and all the benefits easily accessible. No signs of high, low, untouchability; only the same blood flowing in everyone’s veins and the tradition of belongingness remain.
* Pure platonic love is the basis of our work. Tears are flowing continuously from millions of eyes today. Countless brothers are suffering today. Remove sorrow and give happiness to everyone, this is the only conduct, this is the only behaviour.
What cannot be done with ten speeches is achieved with one song. The Shakha awakens a sense of duty in society. “Bharat is my country and all Bharatiyas are my brothers and sisters”; our National Pledge begins with these lines. Sangh has adopted the phrase Bharat Mata ki Jai from day one. Everyone present at the Sangh Shakha collectively says, Bharat Mata ki Jai. No matter how big the group is, whether it speaks different languages, follows different sects, or is of different status, when everyone says Bharat Mata ki Jai in one voice, the depth of the words ‘Bharat is my country’ automatically increases. When the fraternal sense of being children of the same mother grows, fraternity is developed. All distinctions based on high and low, untouchability, language or province, north-south or east-west cease to exist. Loving everyone equally and following the rules comes naturally. Not just rights, but a sense of duty is awakened.
It has been 99 years since the work of the Sangh began. The Sangh has achieved considerable success in instilling the ‘We’ sentiment. The Sangh plans to further expand its reach in the centenary year. There are many individuals and organisations who are willing and doing all sorts of small and big works for the benefit of the society. The idea is to reach out to all of them. Plans are being made.
There will be no question of differences of minds, and the whole society will be able to witness the miracle of the spirit of We. These five topics have been chosen for the centenary year.
* Personal, family and social conduct must be harmonious. Untouchability should go lock, stock and barrel
* The capacity of imparting moral values in our family must increase
* Everyone can inculcate some simple habits to keep the environment clean. Water must be used carefully in the home, industry and agriculture. Birthdays can be celebrated by planting a sapling. Single use plastic can be removed from our usage and waste can be disposed properly
* Observance of civic duty – Includes things right from following traffic rules to voting without fail while choosing a candidate
* Swadeshi conduct – Living with Self-Respect – Swadeshi conduct creates employment. If everyone uses at least one piece of Khadi cloth, many people will get employment. One should think about how much Swadeshi principles can be brought in hymns (bhajan), food (bhojan), house (bhavan), language (bhasha), and attire (bhusha)
Importance of Self-respect
It is important to have respect for our country, mountains, rivers, our sages, sants, scientists, artists, brave warriors, along with all our languages. The upcoming generation should inherit this self-respect.
The more this sense of ‘We’ is awakened, the more resurgent Bharat can be experienced.
We are the sons of Amrita, we are the sons of this earth; Let us shine brightly today, the future belongs to the motherland.
What profound thoughts Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar had behind the Nagpur meeting stampede incident! Isn’t this a complete transformation process for the individual and society, given that our country has gained the Shakha that enhances the sense of ‘We’ by eliminating the vice of “self-centred attitude” of just ‘Me’?
https://organiser.org/2025/01/26/275214/bharat/shakha-from-me-to-we-synergising-republic/ -GoTop
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