The sense of self-respect has

to be instilled
“Our approach to rural development
should not aim at only materialistic
development. This type of approach
on the part of government agencies
and various social organisations has
made even the deprived people
paravalambi (dependant on others) by
concentrating only at their material-
istic development. They failed to in-
volve them in their activities resulting
in these people not realising the need
to achieve self-reliance. Therefore,
the feeling of self-respect that we can
solve our problems ourselves and will
not unfold our hands before others
has to be infused into them. The work
of rural development has one more
dimension. All their hidden talents,
qualities and habit of hard work will
resurface only when they are moti-
vated as per the traditional Hindu
values of life.”
—H.V. Seshadri

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 3
 Sewa Content
Sadhana
Varsh Pratipada
(March 27, 2009)

Editor/Publisher
Suhasrao Hiremath
Trustee
Rashtriya Sewa Bharati

Editorial Advisers
Mohad village of Madhya Pradesh
Shri Sitaram Kedilaya
Shri Surendra Chauhan A complete laboratory of rural development
Shri Shyam Parande Pramod Saini in Mohad 10
Shri Suresh Agrawal
Page No.
Shri Pramod Saini The sense of self-respect has to be instilled H.V. Seshadri 3
Editorial: Integrated rural development 7
Service activities at a glance 8
Best Wishes Villagers should stand on their own legs Shri Guruji 9
Accept every obstacle as a challenge: Surendra Chauhan 15
of New Year Show an unrivalled example of organic farming Nana Deshmukh 16
Change in mentality will ensure development Premchand Goel 24
(Samvat 2066) Annam Bahu Kurveeta Dr R.G. Bhat 32
Cow-based rural development R.S. Chauhan 34
to all our A pilgrimage to save the soul of the nation Suresh Agrawal 39
Now produce paper from cow dung Muzaffar Hussain 40
readers Converting soil into Amrit Mitti Deepak Suchde 41
Why vermi compost 44
Printer Twenty reasons why one should go for Natueco farming 45
kr`Hkwfe Agnihotra farming: The way for making farmers prosperous 46
Cow dung can convert garbage into useful manure 47
,&31] ,iQ-,iQ-lh- Organic farming: Ensuring a balance between plants and soil 48
Layout designing Eighteen ways how chemical fertilizers affect us 49
Nishant Computers & Printers Myths about organic farming 50
Ph.: 9899256433 Tamil Nadu: An experiment with economic empowerment 51
Karnataka: Onus of self-sufficiency lies on the villagers 54
Contribution: Rs. 30/-
HSP: Forty-day miraculous training 58
Regd. Office Andhra Pardesh:
Rashtriya Sewa Bharati Kishtpuram: Temple becomes focal point of development 60
10196A, Mata Mandir Gali Gurrewula: Addiction vanishes, devotion flourishes 61
Jhandewalan, New Delhi-55 Kollampalli: Education eradicates superstitions 63
Tel/fax: 011-23511777 Iskapalli: An ideal example of shakha-based development 64
Email: rashtriyasewa@gmail.com Kerala: A ray of development in Agastya forest 65

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 4
West Bengal: Changing face of Maa Sharda’s leelakshetra 66
Madhya Pradesh:
Baghuwar: How Bharat will become a superpower 67
Jhiri: The whole village speaks Sanskrit 69
Plasi/Hosangabad: SHG's infuse self-confidence 71
Sundrail: Eradication of social evils 72
Chhattisgarh: Amera/Tamora: Scaling new heights 73
Sonadih: A complete dispute-free village 74 Organic farming is
Bihar: Sikariya: Computer wins, gun loses 75 the remedy
Jharkhand: Impact of a silent revolution —Maya Singh 76 K.S. Sudarshan
Tilopada: A youth who made history on his own 77
Uttar Pradesh: Goria Kalan: Traditional cottage industries restarted 78
18
Devipurva: Back to the basics 79
Vantara: Organic farming: A boon for farmers 80
Dorhrighat: Crematorium turns into a Sewa Kendra 81
Ghumwati: A giant leap forward 82
Matora Durga: All localities named after great personalities 83
Nagala Vishnu: Towards total development 84
Nagla Chandrabhan: Deendayal Dham: A multi faceted project 85
Shivaji Nagar: “Hazratpur” becomes “Shivaji Nagar” 86 Harmonious
Uttaranchal: village, prosperous
Bhigun: Change visible at every step —Vishnu Semval 87 village
Haryana: A unique initiative against addiction 89
Sureshrao Joshi
Rajasthan:
Kulthana: Flood-devastated village turns into a model village
Vagadari: Change through Sant Sammelans
90
91
21
Majhola: Checkdams enhance water level 92 Reduce
Jammu & Kashmir: An endeavour to stop migration from rural areas 93 dependence on
Gujarat: Prabhat Pheri: A tool of change 94
Devgarh: SHGs: Antidote to money-lenders 95
government
Shyadala: Where whole village drinks mineral water 96 Sitaram Kedilaya
North East: Nationalist feeling shakes the alien forces
Maharashtra: Hadi: Treading the path of cooperative farming
97
98
25
Kanhewadi: Self-reliance through SHGs 99
Mehsal: All-round uplift of the deprived 100
Dhagewadi: Villagers tell the government to delete
their names from BPL list 101
Baripada: Unique experiment of forest protection 102
Samskrit Bharati: Sanskrit becoming language
of the masses —Shreesh Devpujari 103 Our concept of
DRI: Converting non-economical holdings into economical holdings 106
VHP: Scripting a new chapter 108
integrated rural
Bharat Vikas Parishad: Service as duty, not as charity 110 development
Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission: Surendra Chauhan
Seeking Narayana by serving Daridranarayana 112
Kalyan Ashram: A revolutionary change in Vanvasi life 114 28
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 5
 Help from outside will
do no good
“To try to help villagers from outside
could do no good. How to kindle a
spark of life in them that was my
problem. It was so difficult to help them
because the people had so little respect
for themselves. ‘We are cursed’, they
would say, ‘only the whip can keep us
straight’.”
—Ravindra Nath Tagore
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Gandhiji’s quest for
a model village
“I know that the work (of shaping the
ideal village) is as difficult as making
India an ideal country. But if one can
produce an ideal village he will have
provided a pattern not only for the
whole country, but perhaps for the
whole world. More than this a seeker
may not aspire after.”
—Mahatma Gandhi
6
 Integrated Rural Development
Some Unique Experiments
A S the number of shakhas grew in rural areas,
the swayamsevaks developed a feeling that they
should do something concrete for their villages
also. There are very influential shakhas in certain villages.
This strength should be utilised for social transformation
was the primary idea. When the swayamsevaks talk
about rural reconstruction their thinking is different from
the general concept of development as adopted by
government agencies, voluntary organisations or indi-
viduals. While the government agencies have huge funds
at their disposal to carry out such activities, the voluntary
organisations have enough manpower, but the involve-
ment of villagers is hardly found in their activities.
When the Sangh swayamsevaks started thinking
about rural development they decided to adopt a different
approach while keeping in mind all the existed ap-
proaches and also the approaches adopted by great
personalities in the past. The approach adopted by the
swayamsevaks is that ‘the villagers have to develop their
villages themselves and the swayamsevaks and all their
like-minded organisations will work only as a catalyst’.
The then RSS Sarsanghachalak Prof. Rajendra Singh
in the presence of Pejawar Swami Sri Vishveshteertha
called upon the swayamsevaks in Mangalore in 1995 to
develop model villages across the country. He then
outlined three priorities for them—Kshudha mukta, rog
mukta, shikshayukta grams (hunger-free, disease-free
and literate villages). After that the swayamsevaks started
this work concentrating on three points—education,
health and self-reliance. With the passage of time, as
the work grew, the swayamsevaks realised the need to
start work on some more fronts such as social harmony,
Sanskrit sambhashan, social security, cow protection,
organic farming, workers’ training, etc. and they were
also added in the priority list.
The speed of the work through this new approach
may appear slow at the moment but the original concept
with which the work had been started is still clear in
the minds of the activists. Before starting the work, they
insist on forming a committee involving the people of
all sections and communities of the village. This
committee basically takes all the decisions regarding
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Editorial
developmental activities. The basic idea behind forming
such a committee is that the people irrespective of their
narrow thinking based on politics, castes or commu-
nities, come together and jointly think of the development
of their village. Later, some sub-committees are also
formed on different issues such as education, health,
cleanliness, organic farming, cow protection, self-reli-
ance, etc.
This is truth that we did not get much success in
this field so far but the workers are seriously working.
Today, villagers in 80 per cent districts of the country
have started thinking according to this new concept of
development. There are more than 100 villages in
different parts of the country where the developmental
activities have shown encouraging results. Mohad village
in Madhya Pradesh has set many examples in self-
reliance. People from different parts of the country go
there to practically see the change. Jhiri village in the
same state has become the village where everybody
speaks Sanskrit. Similarly, all people of Muttoor and
Hosahalli villages in Karnataka also speak Sanskrit. There
are more than 25 villages in Karnataka which have been
developed as model villages.
The developmental activities in the villages are
carried out in different phases. At the very first stage
the swayamsevaks take initiative from their own homes.
In the second stage, they persuade the influential people
of the village to take some initiatives—be it for health,
education, cleanliness or organic farming. In the third
stage the general farmers are motivated to involve
themselves in these activities. The complicated issues like
social harmony or prohibition are taken up at the end
when the people of the village have developed the
mentality of change.
The work has been going on for the last 15 years.
It has infused a sense of confidence into the activists
and the villagers that they will certainly achieve success.
We have in this issue of Sewa Sadhana endeavoured
to highlight some of these successful experiments being
carried out in different parts of the country. We hope
the readers would like it and take the inspiration to
involve themselves in any of the activities in their vicinity.
—Editor
7
 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: Sewa Vibhag
Service Activities (Till February 2009)
Sl. No. of No. of Types of activities
State
No. places activities
(Prant) Education Health Social Self- Uday Prabhat
reliance Gram Gram
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1. Kerala 1477 4617 785 1016 1964 852 33 -
2. Dakshin Tamil Nadu 3167 8714 922 380 7323 89 15 06
3. Uttar Tamil Nadu 237 1346 520 310 206 - - -
Dakshin Kshetra 4881 14677 2227 1706 9493 941 48 06
4. Dakshin Karnataka 2050 7431 2217 589 2350 2275 42 18
5. Uttar Karnataka 485 1218 151 97 286 684 - -
6. Pashchim Andhra 403 731 452 53 204 22 04 03
7. Poorva Andhra 426 470 181 205 72 12 - -
Dak. Madh. Kshetra 3564 9850 3001 944 2912 2993 46 21
8. Konkan 954 1307 442 642 74 149 04 01
9. Pas. Maharashtra 361 679 218 353 44 64 07 -
10. Devgiri 544 1262 331 312 124 495 - -
11. Gujarat 429 722 275 318 49 80 09 04
12. Vidarbha 308 510 171 145 138 56 - -
Pashchim Kshetra 2596 4480 1437 1770 429 844 20 05
13. Madhya Bharat 2200 3595 2059 361 1028 147 19 03
14. Mahakoshal 1051 1233 1109 25 54 45 18 07
15. Chhattisgarh 2788 2882 2528 13 68 273 08 04
Madhya Kshetra 6039 7710 5696 399 1150 465 45 14
16. Chittor 89 304 122 65 80 37 - -
17. Jaipur 91 253 119 38 79 17 10 03
18. Jodhpur 112 197 86 29 27 55 12 01
Uttar Pas. Kshetra 292 754 327 132 186 109 22 04
19. Delhi 104 2006 598 134 534 740 - -
20. Haryana 91 427 125 37 99 166 03 -
21. Punjab 127 570 290 74 91 115 - -
22. Jammu & Kashmir 288 328 263 11 14 40 - -
23. Himachal Pradesh 46 91 64 11 04 12 - -
Uttar Kshetra 656 3422 1340 267 742 1073 03 -
24. Uttaranchal 180 254 192 32 08 22 04 02
25. Meerut 202 321 70 116 75 60 26 02
26. Brij 310 625 142 205 219 59 10 04
Pasch. U.P. Kshetra 9692 1200 404 353 302 141 40 08
27. Kanpur 191 495 192 84 169 50 15 -
28. Avadh 159 413 103 205 77 28 22 -
29. Kashi 113 558 124 200 200 34 21 02
30. Goraksh 331 364 83 97 133 51 29 -
Poorva Uttar Kshetra 794 1830 502 586 579 163 87 02
31. Uttar Bihar 48 72 24 15 08 25 20 -
32. Dakshin Bihar 148 250 108 44 49 49 09 01
33. Jharkhand 1272 1616 262 18 28 1308 04 01
Uttar. Madh. Kshetra 1468 1938 394 77 85 1382 33 02

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 8
Sl. No. of No. of Types of activities
State
No. places activities Self-
(Prant) Education Health Social Uday Prabhat
reliance Gram Gram
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
34. Utkal 998 1539 459 516 184 380 10 01
35. Dakshin Bengal 183 273 134 78 12 49 17 03
36. Uttar Bengal 154 258 24 205 01 28 09 -
Poorva Kshetra 1335 2070 617 799 197 457 36 04
37. Uttar Assam 4246 4843 231 4190 223 199 18 -
38. Dakshin Assam 432 437 26 397 - 14 10 -
Assam Kshetra 34678 5280 257 4587 223 213 28 -
Total Projects 26778 53279 16208 11665 16412 8994 408 66
1. Saksham - 68 06 45 10 07 - -
2. Vishwa Hindu Parishad 25922 72370 25922 23204 22394 850 - -
3. Vidya Bharati 9682 9682 9682 - - - - -
4. Deendayal Research
Institute 729 1000 - - 1000 - - -
5. Kalyan Ashram 10238 13969 3147 2741 6795 1286 - -
6. Bharat Vikas Parishad - 1050 - 1050 - - - -
7. Rashtra Sevika Samiti 48 461 149 41 60 211 - -
8. Vidyarthi Parishad - 168 98 57 13 - - -
Total 46619 98768 39004 27138 30272 2354 - -
Grand total 73397 151979 55206 38758 46674 11331 408 66

Villagers should stand

on their own legs
“WHEN I learnt that the villagers have joined together and with their own efforts
and a true feeling of emotional unity have laid this road, then itself I had told that
I would necessarily come to this village. Your village has progressed by one step.
Our country has spread from Rameshwaram to Badri-Kedar, and from Somnath to
Puri, and we Hindus are the masters of this land. The foreigners tried to divide us. Those people sowed
the poisonous seeds of differences of language, province, etc. amongst we brothers. Even after
Independence we are quarrelling for power with the new party differences like Congress, Socialist, Shetkari
Kam Kari Party (The farmer and labour party), etc. No doubt, every political party has a few good
persons, but the self-interest of their party comes in the way. Hence, everybody will be in search of
the mistakes of the others, to accuse. How can we develop our country depending upon the foreign
help of money or machines? All our sadhus and saints have taught us ‘to depend upon a begging bowl
and get burnt is the most shameful life’. The villagers should stand unitedly on their own legs and make
efforts for the development of the village. This is the noblest thing to do.”
—Shri Guruji at Shivane village near Pune in Maharashtra, 1952

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 9
 A view of the evening shakha in Mohad

Mohad village of Madhya Pradesh

A complete laboratory of
rural development
Pramod Saini in Mohad
* WITH 98 per cent rate of literacy, majority of the villagers speak Sanskrit.
* There are 50 types of small and cottage industries in the village of 450 families with a population
of about 4000.
* Every inch of the agriculture land is irrigated.
* Majority of the farmers have said firm no to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and
adopted organic farming.
* No family uses wood for preparing food; almost every house has a bio-gas plant.
* Awareness about protecting the environment is so widespread that every girl of the village ties
rakhi to trees on Rakshabandhan Day and resolves to protect them.
* Every house has a tulsi plant and flower garden in the premises.
* Every building has a sign of Om/Swastik and other ethical messages on the walls.
* Every house has a toilet.
* The village is free from theft, violence and all kinds of addictions including paan, biri, cigarette,
gutkha, liquor, etc.
* No dispute of the village is pending in any court or police station.
* Every family has Sangh swayamsevaks.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 10
 Having gone through these highlights,
you must be wondering whether it is a fairy
tale. But don’t be mistaken. It is absolute truth
and the village is Mohad in Madhya Pradesh,
where people are well aware of their duties and
rights. This is manifest in the escalating lit-
eracy rate, consciousness about protecting the
environment and all-pervasive religious atmo-
sphere in the village.
Born and bought up in a village I have
seen the advantages and disadvantages of
rural life very closely while doing farming till
the age of 21 years in my village under
Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Since
rural development has been the subject of my
interest, I had the desire to visit Mohad for
many years. I planned it many times but every
time it had to be cancelled due to one or the
other reason. But I firmly resolved to visit
Mohad in the last week of August and reached
there in the morning of September 1, 2008.
“We do not wish to make
the village a town. The
village will remain a
village but the technology
available in towns will be
brought to the villages
also.”
Fotunately the man behind the silent revolu-
tion in Mohad Shri Surendra Singh Chauhan
who is popularly known as ‘Bhaiyaji’, was also
in Mohad during those days. It benefitted me
a lot. Shri Chauhan is a very simple farmer, but
his association inspires everyone who comes
to his contact. It happened with me also.
Mohad falls under Narsinghpur district of
Madhya Pradesh. About 20 years ago this
village was like any other backward village of
the country. But now it has gone through a
sea change. Credit to bring about this incred-
ible change goes to Sangh swayamsevaks of
this village.
Mohad is about 100 km from Jabalpur and
falls under Kareli tehsil. It is just five km from
Kareli town. After reaching the village border,
one can realise the uniqueness of the village.
As one enters the village, a Hanuman temple
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
is standing tall to
bless everyone. A unique method to
There is a
concrete road achieve total
from Kareli to
Mohad. But when prohibition
one reaches near
THOSE who took the initiative of achieving total
the village one
prohibition in Mohad had to face court cases.
gets a feeling that
Though the court case was settled against the
one is now going
liquor mafia, several people of the village did not
to enter in a
abandon consuming alcohol. Meanwhile, a miracle
unique and divine
surfaced. There is staunch devotee of Goddess
village. This feel-
Narmada, Shri Jugal Kishore Patel, in Mohad. He
ing further deep-
regularly visits the Narmada temple for having
ens when one
darshan of the Goddess. Once, the Goddess ap-
sees the signs of
peared in his dream and told him to take her to his
Om, Swastik, etc.
home. Jugal Kishore is economically backward.
on the gate of
How to make a temple to instal the idol of the
every house or
Goddess was a big question before him. Meanwhile
building of the
a strange woman approached him and offered her
village.
whole money for building the temple. The temple
The ethical was finally built. Then Jugal Kishore went to
messages, written Bhadaghat (Jabalpur) to have an idol of the God-
on the walls of dess. The idol he selected was very costly and the
every building, artisan asked Rs 18,500 for that. But Shri Kishore
appear as an en- had only Rs 10,000. Finally the artisan refused to
cyclopedia of gen- give the idol in Rs 10,000. Disappointed with the
eral knowledge response of the artisan, when Shri Jugal Kishore
especially for turned to go back the artisan saw the idol also
those who live in turning to him. The artisan understood the wish of
metro cities like the Goddess. He gave the idol to Jugal Kishore in
Delhi. It appears the amount he had. After the installation of this idol
to be highly valu- in the village, even those who had not abandoned
able and important liquor earlier stopped it.
information like
slogans of various government departments,
information about universe, sixteen mahadan
in the life of a Hindu, messages discouraging
addiction, dowry, promoting cleanliness, pro- Every
tecting environment, etc.
Every sentence written on the walls has a sentence
new message, samskar and information. Im- written on
pressed with the unique collection of the in-
formation, I asked Shri Chauhan from where he the walls has
collected this valuable information. He replied,
“I alone did nothing. It has the contribution of
a new
all villagers. Whosoever got the information message,
from whichever source he complied and the
village Panchayat got it written on the walls.” samskar and
The ethical, rather I call them divine, information.
message written on the walls of the village
buildings appeared to have deeply been im-
11

Shri K.S. Sudarshan being welcomed by village girls during his visit to Mohad
bibed by the villagers by heart. When
I entered the village in the morning of
September 1, the thing that impressed
me the most was greetings of Jai Sri
Ram and Namo Namah even by the
kids of three-four years, who did not
know me at all, to me. On every step
the village and the villagers inspire the
outsiders. Their every activity carries a
message. The word Jai Sri Ram be-
came popular during the
Ramjanmabhoomi movement in eighties
and nineties while the word Namo
Namah was adopted during the San-
skrit-speaking camps organised by
Samskrit Bharati.
The 75-year-old Shri Surendra
Singh Chauhan, however, does not claim
the credit of the sea-change personally
and transfers it to his fellow villagers.
“I am just a catalyst; the entire devel-
opment work has been done by our
villagers,” he says. He made it clear
that he does not wish to make the
village a town. “The village will remain
a village but the technology available
in towns will be brought to the village
also,” he added.
‘Bhaiyaji’ gets the similar respect
and affection from every house of his
village, whether it belongs to a dalit,
Vanvasi family or any so-called upper
caste, as he gets in his own family. He
Sewa Sadhana Q
enters in every house as if it were his
own. Every family of the village has full
faith in him. Whatever initiative he takes
is backed by the whole village. It is
owing to such high regard that 98 per
cent of the people in the village are
literate and about one thousand people
out of the total 4000 population are well
versed in Sanskrit.
Gaon ki pratibha gaon mein, gaon
ka paisa gaon mein and gaon ka paani
gaon mein (talent, water and money of
the village should remain within the
village) is the formula on which the
entire village has been developed by
swayamsevaks. The village has highly
qualified people including Ph.Ds, LL.Bs,
engineers, etc. Shri Bhaiyaji is himself
MA in English literature. His son Shri
Sangram Singh is MA (Economics) and
the second son Shri Vikram Singh is
BA, LL.B. And all are doing farming in
the village. The village has two Ph.Ds,
dozens of post-graduate, over 20 gradu-
ates, 30 teachers, two journalists, four
engineers, three doctors, one Superin-
tendent of Police, two retired and three
serving army officers.
Shri Beni Prasad is MA, LL.B but
is happily doing farming. He has done
a wonderful work in the organic farm-
ing. He has stopped using chemical
fertilizers and pesticides and turned most
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
of his farming to organic. There are 38
tractors in the village and at least two
farming symposia are held every year
in which agriculture scientists are in-
vited to guide the farmers. The govern-
ment officers of different departments
are also invited in the village to discuss
the problems of the farmers on regular
basis.
Besides other animals, the village
has over 3000 cows and 154 bio-gas
plants. The pressure of bio-gas is more
than LPG. It is also lesser sensitive
than LPG. “Bio-gas plant has changed
our life beyond imagination. Now there
is no tension of purchasing LPG cyl-
inder or collecting woods from the
forests. It is also cheaper. It solved all
our energy and power problems,” said
seventh pass Smt. Pratibha Chauhan in
Sanskrit. She pointed out that the cow
dung produces more bio-gas than any
other animal’s dung in the plant. The
villagers have adopted Deenbandhu
model of bio-gas plant, which requires
less space and less cost. All plants are
built underground and the space over
them is used mostly for animals. Ac-
cording to Shri Bhaiyaji one plant of 2,
3, 4 and 6 cubic metres costs around
Rs 10,000, 12,000, 14,000 and Rs 16,000
respectively. This model has proved
very successful. That is why following
requests from other villages the arti-
sans of this village go to different
states to build similar plants. Now the
work is on in the village over the
experiments of running diesel engines
with bio-gas and also storing it in
cylinders. Bio-gas plants have proved
to be a milestone in protecting the
environment and forests. Tying rakhi
on trees by girls has also been taken
up as a step to protect them.
Till 20 years back, the people from
dalit communities and Vanvasis were
not allowed to even have drinking water
from the public handpumps and wells.
But now the picture has totally
changed. All people belonging to any
community can have water from any
handpump or well without hesitation.
The village Panchayat has ensured at
12
least one handpump at every 100-metre dis-
tance. The social harmony has improved to the
extent that all villagers jointly perform bhajan-
kirtan in temples and take sahabhoj together.
Those people who were earlier deprived of
performing aarti during the Durga Pooja and
Ganesh festival now happily do it along with
all other villagers. Weekly kirtan is performed
in the village temple for the last over hundred
years. Kanyapujan is also held to bridge the
gap between the upper and lower classes
during Navratras.
Adarsh Hindu Ghar competition is held in
the village every year. A few years back, this
award was won by a Jatav family of Shri
Devkaran. RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S.
Sudarshan and the late BJP leader and former
Chief Minister of Delhi Dr Saheb Singh Verma
jointly visited the village to present the award
to this family on April 11, 2000. Writing Om or
the sign of Swastik outside every house and
having a tulsi plant in the premises is part of
this 21-point programme under this competi-
tion, which is voluntarily followed by all.
The village has four schools including one
Saraswati Shishu Mandir. Every child goes to
school and those who are below three years
of age go to balwadis. All the schools begin
with Saraswati Vandana and Vande Mataram.
Interestingly, even the Muslim students sing
Saraswati Vandana and Vande Mataram with-
out any hesitation. Their parents too did not
object. They also sing Sanskrit shlokas along
with other students. Every house has the
Ramayana and the Gita and the family mem-
bers read them regularly in every morning. The
Muslim families read their Quran.
Special attention is paid to improve the
handwriting of village students. Apart from
personal efforts of Shri Bhaiyaji who still writes
very beautifully in the age of 76, Shri Nana
Labhe, a handwriting expert, is invited from
Nagpur to teach the techniques of improving
handwriting. So far, he has visited the village
nine times since 1996.
Mohad has set a noteworthy example on
Sanskrit propagation. The first Sanskrit
Sambhashan Varga was held on January 15,
1996 and so far six such Vargas have been
organised by the Samskrit Bharati. More than
1000 persons including children have learnt
Sanskrit in these Vargas. There are more than
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
The original distilled water
THERE may not be many inverters in Mohad but the number of tractors
and other vehicles in which batteries are used, is more than one hundred.
This is a fact that the batteries need distilled water frequently. Though,
it is not very costly, the distilled water we get from the market, is
sometimes fake and it is difficult for a lay man to ascertain whether it
is fake or original. But, Major (retd.) Prabhat Singh Chauhan of Mohad
has found a unique and natural substitute of the distilled water in which
there is no scope of being it fake. He collected the rainwater in a pot
and tested it by a device developed by him. He found the rain water
as the high quality distilled water. He also tested packed distilled water
purchased from the market and found that too fake. When he went to
Kareli Town to return it to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper did not
believe. But Shri Chauhan tested it before his eyes. Finally the shop-
keeper took it back. Now Shri Chauhan has educated all the villagers
how to collect and use the rainwater in batteries. Now the people of
Mohad and the surrounded villages use only the rain water in place
of packed distilled water. As a result the battery using distilled water
available in the market runs about two years but the battery using rain
water easily runs for more than three years. This is the benefit of
retaining village talent in the village.
100 minor children, who can introduce them-
selves fully in Sanskrit. A woman, Smt. Pramila Talent, water
Devi, topped the All India Kovid Exam of San- and money of
skrit, conducted by Samskrit Bharati in 2004.
the village
Under Udyan Utsava school children are
taken to village nursery twice a year and are should remain
taught about grafting. According to Shri within the
Bhagvendra Patel, superintendent of the nursery,
the nursery has more than two lakh saplings of
village. This is
rare species. Special experiments of grafting are the formula on
undertaken here. It has a variety of mango trees, which the
which produce four kinds of mangoes—
Dashahari, Chausa, Langada and Amrapali at entire village
a time. has been
A few years back the village had six leprosy developed by
patients and 13 patients of other infectious
diseases. But now all have been fully cured. The swayamsevaks.
initiative was taken by the swayamsevaks.
Though, there is no health centre in the village,
there are two arogya rakshaks who cater to the
primary health needs. Two camps of Patanjali
Yoga training have also been organised in the
village to teach proper yoga techniques. There
is also arrangement of Prakratik Chikitsa.
The village is free from theft, violence and
all kinds of addictions including paan, biri,
cigarette, gutkha, liquor, etc. It took many years
for the swayamsevaks to achieve this stage.
They had to face many problems including court
cases also. Once there were 22 liquor factories Smt Pramila Devi
13

Prominent
personalities who
visited Mohad
More than 125 great personalities
from different parts of the country
have visited Mohad so far. Besides
the great personalities people from
various villages also visited the
village to see it and emulate the
developmental model. Some of the
prominent names are given below:
RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S.
Sudarshan
Former Chief Minister of Delhi the
late Dr Sahib Singh Verma
Shri Yadavrao Joshi
Shri Nanaji Deshmukh
Shri H. V. Seshadri
Shri K. Suryanarayan Rao
Shri Madhubhai Kulkarni
Shri Sureshrao Ketkar
Shri Thakur Ramsingh
Shri Brahmdev Sharma “Bhaiji”
Shri Madan Das
Smt. Pramilatai Medhe
Shri Kunwarji Bhai Jadhav
Shri Sureshrao Joshi
Shri K.N. Govindacharya
Shri Premchand Goel
Shri Hastimal
Dr Shankar Tatwawadi
in the village. When the efforts were
made to close them, the liquor lobby
took some people of the village to the
court. But after three years, the court
decided to close the ‘factories’ and
they were finally closed down. Now
there are milk dairies at the places
where once those liquor factories used
to be run.
Now a majority of the people here
have stopped even taking tea. Sewa
Bharati unit of Mohad has produced
herbal tea, named as Kalyan Peya. It
is very useful product especially for
those who have heart and gas prob-
Sewa Sadhana Q
lems. I also tried it and
found very useful. Since
the day I returned from
Mohad I take only the
Kalyan Peya. It is basi-
cally the mixer of several
important herbs and
spices including Arjun,
Brahmi, Ilayachi, Tulsi,
Sounf, black piper,
Dalchini, Sounth,
Mulethi, Raktachandan,
Jayphal, etc.
The Sangh work in The family of Shri Devkaran Jatav showing the
Ideal Hindu Family Award
the village began in 1947
and was on even during the Emergency.
Today, every house has at least one
swayamsevak. Three swayamsevaks are
third year trained and seven have done
first year Sangh Shiksha Varga and over
20 have done Prathamik Varga. Today,
there is one evening shakha, which has
over 30 swayamsevaks including four
Muslim swayamsevaks—Habib Khan,
Rashid Khan, Jumman and Rais Khan.
“Basically the shakha develops the
genuine workers who are required for
such development. The qualities and
facilities that we wish to have for our
own families should be available to all
villagers. This is our basic thinking,”
said Shri Bhaiyaji.
Before leaving the village on Sep-
tember 2, Bhaiyaji introduced me to
Major (retd.) Prabhat Singh Chauhan
who has settled in the village after
taking VRS. He did wonderful work on
vermiculture. “Vermi is basically
bhoomiputra and is the best friend of
farmers. It is called intestine of the soil.
Major (Retd.) Prabhat Singh receiving All
India Banner of NCC from Pt. Nehru in Delhi
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
But the chemical fertilizers and
pesticides that we use have killed it.
It could become a major profession in
the villages if taken up properly and
seriously,” he said. He has promoted
the use of rainwater in batteries in-
stead of distilled water in the village.
“This is the benefit of bringing the
talent back to the village,” Shri Bhaiyaji
explained.
Every person of the village ap-
pears energetic and enthusiastic. No-
body throws garbage on streets and
every family cleanses the street out-
side their houses. The swayamsevaks
of Mohad also inspired the people of
Baghuwar, an adjoining village, which
is also being developed on the lines
of Mohad. It has also produced good
results.
At a time when villagers are mi-
grating to cities in search of employ-
ment and facilities, Mohad sets an
example as to how to develop villages
and how the facilities available in the
urban areas can be made available in
villages. That is why the people and
government officials, having interest
in rural development, visit the village
frequently and learn the secrets of this
unique development. So far more than
two hundred people including senior
leaders of RSS and many other people
have visited the village. Those who
wish to see the practical work in rural
development visit here and watch the
change with their own eyes.
14
 Accept every obstacle
as a challenge —Surendra Singh Chauhan
The rural development work of the Sangh
is going on under the guidance of Shri
Surendra Singh Chauhan, who has him-
self done wonderful work in his own village
Mohad. Pramod Saini spoke to him in
Mohad on various issues related to rural
development. Excerpts:
From where did you get the inspiration
of rural development?
As Prant Sewa Pramukh of
Mahakoshal I attended a seven-day
meeting of Sewa Pramukhs at Ralegan
Sindi, the village of Shri Anna Hazare.
He has developed his village in a won-
derful way. In that meeting I thought
if Anna Hazare could do this, why can’t
I? In 1994, I was called by Nanaji
Deshmukh in Chitrakoot where he ap-
pointed me as a university adviser.
That was an honourary post of pro-
vice chancellor. I worked there for three-
and-half years. In fact, I learnt the
concept of rural development from
Nanaji. He is my sole inspiration.
Whatever he taught me and whatever
I learnt from him I applied in my village.
What is Sangh’s concept of rural de-
velopment?
Rural development is a new word.
Actually speaking, village has been a
self-sufficient unit of administration in
our country for centuries. Village was
a family where inter-complementarity
was seen. Every house was a place for
Hindu culture, teaching and good
samskars. Everybody was aware of
protecting ecology—living with na-
ture—and everybody was healthy. That
is why we say Vishwam grame
pratishthitam. Our ancient villages were
all comprehensive. We wish to recon-
struct that old life in present atmo-
sphere. Nanaji calls it yuganukul
gramin punarrachana. Whatever in-
ventions science has made for the hap-
piness of humankind should be made
Sewa Sadhana Q
available in villages but keeping in major difficulty because we got the
mind that all the activities of village shakha workers in the village right from
development should have their moor- 1947. Every house has at least one
ings rooted in Hindu culture. Agricul- swayamsevak. They do not tend to put
ture, health, education, self-sufficiency, up any hindrance in the developmental
protection of social life and samarasata work. Naturally there are forces in all the
are the principles on which our ground- villages that enjoy in creating troubles
work is based. in all good works. But we keep such
How did you start the work in Mohad? people in front while doing the work and
also give them full credit of the work.
Basically three things are neces-
It makes them satisfied. That is why
sary for rural development. First is
there was no election in our village
temple. It is the centre of spiritual
Panchayat for 40 years. The major dif-
chetana and
plays a key
role in instill-
ing good
samskars
into villagers.
Second is
educational
institution.
When a child
goes to
school and
gets proper
samskars
there, then
t h o s e
samskars are
i n c u l c a t e d Shri Surendra Chauhan indicating to a developmental activity in Mohad
into their families also. Third is the Sangh ficulty we faced was finance. There
shakha. If the shakha is influential then were also problems in taking money
the dedicated workers, who have love for from the Block. But we never paid even
their village, are developed. This love a single penny as bribe to anybody for
basically makes them to work honestly getting the funds. Utilisation of money
and constantly. An ordinary person can- has been hundred per cent. Everybody
not work for more than one or two years. trusts in the character of the sarpanch.
He gets disappointed with growing prob- Pramanikata has been the foundation
lems. Only the person, who remains com- of developmental activities in our vil-
mitted to attain the objective, can get lage. Every obstacle was taken as a
success. I started the work on these challenge. I am not a leader. But I made
three foundations. other perople leader. The most impor-
What difficulties did you face in the tant thing is love for the people. If you
have genuine love for the people, then
beginning?
people also love you.
Frankly speaking, I did not face any
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 15
 Show the world an unrivalled
example of organic farming
Nana Deshmukh
F
ROM ancient times, India has nurtured
a democratic way of life. Democratic
traditions were not limited to adminis-
tration alone, but were inherent in the social
mores. The majority of the population was
engaged in agriculture. The farmer, the
annadatta (food-giver), was the pillar upon
The adverse which these democratic structures rested. Even
impact of under foreign rule, he maintained his self-
reliance.
chemical-based Post-Independence, however, successive
agriculture has governments have eroded the self-reliance of
forced our farmers, the guardians of democracy.
Western capitalism and Russian and Chinese
industrialised communism are equally adverse to democracy.
nations to alter Yet Indian governments have swung like a
their outlook pendulum between the two. Our rulers did not
make any effort to understand the basis of our
on agriculture. democracy.
Organic food Carried away by the mantra of
crops are sold industrialisation, our governments found it
at high prices necessary to mechanise agriculture as far as
possible. Under the influence of wealthy farm-
in these ers with large land-holdings, it tailored agricul-
countries. Our tural policy to suit their needs. These big
farmers found mechanised agriculture more
modernisation- convenient and financially beneficial. Agricul-
crazy leaders, tural policy was dictated by them and Indian
who blindly agriculture was rapidly mechanised.
aped the west, With mechanisation, the demand for fertil-
izers had to be met. Countries with a passion
are now in a
for industrialisation ask for scientific reports
dilemma. But before formulating policy. In order to enhance
can they productivity, they subject farm-soil to chemical
analysis. Thus, the demand for chemical fertil-
liberate
izers was created.
themselves from
The effect of these chemical fertilizers on
the pernicious a field is a lot like the effect of alcohol on a
influence of human being. It feels good to begin with, but
then becomes addictive and eventually de-
capitalists and
structive. Application of chemical fertilizers made
big farmers? crops vulnerable to a host of diseases. To deal
with these diseases, chemical pesticides were
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
applied. In this fashion, chemical-based agricul-
ture became the norm in industrialised coun-
tries.
Factories for the manufacturing of agricul-
tural machinery, chemical fertilizers and chemi-
cal pesticides were established by big busi-
nessmen. As a result, the farmer has had to
sacrifice his self-reliance in order to obtain
agricultural inputs and has become dependent
on capitalists. This form of agriculture is anti-
farmer and pro-capitalist.
Wealthy western nations have accorded
primacy to industrialisation and are continuing
down that path. Farming is treated as just
another form of industry. As a result, they have
been unable to truly understand the nature of
farming.
We have an ancient tradition of farming.
As a result of this long experience, our farming
practices are in absolute harmony with nature.
Growing crops is essentially an organic
process. It can be chemically analysed but to
base farming on chemical inputs is destructive
to all. The harmful effects of chemical farming
include:
1) It is anti-farmer and pro-capitalist.
2) It erodes the farmers’ self-reliance.
3) Chemical fertilizers do not boost the pro-
ductivity of land, rather they weaken it
through over-exploitation. Ever-increasing
amounts of fertilizer have to be added until
finally, the productive capacity of the land
is ruined.
4) Owing to the use of synthetic chemicals,
crops are contaminated with toxic sub-
stances, which have adverse impact on
human health.
5) Synthetic and toxic chemicals pollute not
only the soil, but ground water as well.
The adverse impact of chemical-based
agriculture has forced industrialised nations to
alter their outlook on agriculture. Organic food
16
crops are sold at high prices in these countries.
Our modernisation-crazy leaders, who blindly
aped the west, are now in a dilemma. But can
they liberate themselves from the pernicious
influence of capitalists and big farmers?
Our Indian civilisation is unique. It nur-
tures the capacity for gratitude in humanity.
Indian tradition thus venerates all beneficial
elements. He reveres the god-like Himalayas,
the goddess-like River Ganga, the life-giving
Mother Earth and the bountiful cow. The ex-
ploitation of nature for man’s own selfish ends
is thus not a part of Indian tradition. Rather
man considers himself a child of nature, who
makes his mother happy by growing strong on
her milk. Tradition has imbued the farmer with
a deep-rooted love for his land. Nurtured on
the treasures he gets from his land, he works
hard to maintain its fertility.
Our western-educated and wealth-hungry
intelligentsia has never understood the impor-
tance of our indigenous cattle. They regard the
cow merely as a source of milk. In cold coun-
tries, cows give a lot of milk. This productivity
makes them attractive to our people. A cam-
paign to introduce the Holstein, Jersey and
Swiss Brown breed of cows through artificial
insemination has been launched. Now, it is hard
to find indigenous breeds. The loss to the
nation thanks to this ill-conceived campaign is
hard to compute.
Indigenous cows are the foundation of the
traditional Indian economy. The farmer and his
cattle have always been an indivisible unit.
Cows produce milk. More importantly, they are
the basis of organic agriculture. Our western-
educated intelligentsia has not realised this.
Calves obtained from indigenous cows are
not just a source of milk but a means of
transport. Bullock-carts still account for 50 per
cent of traffic, despite the building of extensive
railway and road networks.
Cattle are an indispensable part of organic
agriculture, providing the necessary quantity
of green manure. The farmer need not spend
money to purchase this manure. Thus, cattle
are fundamental to the farmer’s self-reliance.
Agricultural implements were provided by the
village ironsmiths. The farmer was not depen-
dent on anybody. Thus, he was the strongest
pillar of democracy.
The urine of indigenous cows has proved
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Shakthi Sangamam in Tamil Nadu
effective against crop diseases. In case of Indigenous
persistent infestation, a concoction of neem
leaves steeped in cow urine for ten days and cows are the
mixed with four to five times its volume of foundation of
water, has proved very effective. To improve
crop growth, strength and productivity, spray the traditional
with a two per cent solution of cow urine 15 Indian
to 20 times between sowing and flowering. economy. The
These are tried and tested techniques. Only the
urine of indigenous cows has these properties. farmer and
Calves obtained through artificial insemi- his cattle have
nation of cows with semen from foreign breed
are not useful in agriculture or as a means of always been
transport. In the west, beef is popular. an indivisible
Traditionally, our farmers have practised unit. Cows
animal husbandry. Until 1920, one would have
been hard to find a farmer without cattle. Every
produce milk.
farmer could offer milk, curds and buttermilk. More
There was no tradition of selling milk. Cattle importantly,
were the source of agricultural wealth. They
consumed fodder, which was not part of the they are the
human diet. Productivity per acre was higher basis of
than that currently being obtained through
modern agriculture. Documentary evidence of
organic
this is available. Worldwide, organic agriculture agriculture.
is catching on. Our western-
Our country’s youth should seize the op-
portunity to demonstrate to the world a match-
educated
less example of organic agriculture. intelligentsia
(The writer is founder of Deendayal Research Institute
and has done remarkable rural development work in
has not
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.) realised this.
17
 Organic farming is
the remedy
K. S. Sudarshan
T
HE Sewa Bharati and Sewa Vibhag of
the Sangh are undertaking various ac-
tivities of rural development at certain
places of the country under the Samagra Gram
The things Vikas Yojna. Some activities are also being
which are conduced by Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan
produced in the Ashram and several other organisations asso-
villages should ciated with the Sangh.
be fully We have basically kept five dimensions of
the work before our eyes on which all devel-
prepared at the opmental activities are centred in villages. It
village level. It includes shiksha, (education), swasthya
would produce (health), samriddhi (prosperity), samarasata
more (harmony) and suraksha (protection).
In the beginning, a Gram Vikas Samiti
employment
involving 10-15 people with representation from
opportunities for all sections and communities of the village is
the rural people. formed. Then the Samiti jointly decides the
Some priorities of developmental works. The Samiti
generally finds a temple or a religious place in
cooperative
the village or a Sewa Basti where the work has
societies can to be done. Temple is the place of respect and
also be formed faith for all people. Sitting on the premises of
to market these the temple the people decide the course of
action to achieve the developmental objectives.
products.
A view of the Gram Swaraj padyatra taken out in villages of Uttar Pradesh
by Deendayal Research Institute
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Now-a-days many villages face the prob-
lem of drinking water. It is not good to depend
upon the government for solution of this prob-
lem. The villagers should themselves decide
how to solve it. It requires long-term strategies.
If there is a pond in the village it should be
deepened so that the rainwater could be stored
in it during the rainy season. There are some
other alternatives also. In the villages where
there is no pond the people can collect the
rainwater falling from the roofs during the rainy
season through cemented pipes, etc. This water
can be stored in the tanks dug near the wells
so that the well could be recharged. This
method increases the water level of the nearby
land.
The people involved in rural developmen-
tal activities should take up at least two or three
activities in a year in which all the villagers
come together and also have meals. Raksha
Bandhan, Makar Sankranti, Ramnavami, Inde-
pendence Day, Republic Day, etc. could be
such occasions to bring the people together.
They should be followed by sahabhoj (commu-
nity meal). Women belonging to all communi-
ties should prepare the food and all the people
irrespective of their castes, creeds and commu-
nities should have it together. It strengthens
the spirit of social harmony which is the pri-
mary need of development.
Education
Education is the issue that needs to be
taken up seriously. It has two dimensions. First
is education of small children. If there is any
primary school in the village, the people should
see whether the school teachers come in time
or not. In several villages it is seen that the
teachers do not come everyday. They mostly
come two-three times in a month just to com-
plete the attendance register and also to collect
their salaries. They have nothing to do with the
education of the children. In such a situation,
the villagers should jointly take a decision and
18
tell the teachers in clear words that they would
inform the higher authorities if they do not
come everyday and in time to teach the chil-
dren. Drawing salary without doing anything
would not be allowed now.
At several places it has been witnessed
that parents do not send their children to
school and engage them in minor household
or agricultural activities. Such parents need to
be motivated for sending the children to school.
If need arises a kind of symbolic punishment
like fine etc. may also be fixed just to pressurise
them in this regard. If the decision is taken by
all villagers together, it can work. Punishing
anybody should not be the objective. We have
to somehow motivate all the families to send
their wards to schools.
The second dimension of education is
public education. Apart from the minor children
there are young and elder people including
women in the village who are still illiterate.
Arrangements must be made for imparting
education to them. And this arrangement should
be made as per their convenience and not as
per our own convenience. If some people can
attend the class in the morning they should be
taught in the morning itself. If somebody has
time in the noon, night or any time they wish,
workers should be ready to teach them that
time. The objective of this exercise is to impart
education to maximum people. We must make
them literate to the level that they can at least
read the religious books like the Ramayana, the
Mahabharata, the Bhagwat, the Puranas, etc.
and can also count something.
Health
Every village has elderly people including
old women who are aware of various domestic
methods of curing diseases. In the absence of
this type of knowledge people directly move
to the hospitals. Whereas our centuries-old
indigenous and time-tested methods are very
effective even today. All such formulas should
be collected and people should be educated to
try them. Most of the health problems develop
due to the use of unhygienic drinking water.
Therefore, arrangements of safe drinking water
should be made with priority. There are various
methods of making the water hygienic. Such
arrangements should also be made in schools
and other public places.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Prosperity
Stopping the use of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides in agriculture is the immediate need Developing
of the hour. It is very dangerous for the health model villages
of both—the soil and the people. According to
experts, we eat .27 milligram poison everyday
with better
with the foodgrains and vegetables produced utilisation of
with the use of chemical fertilizers and pesti-
cides. It increases up to 100 milligram in one
the available
year. If we eat this 100 milligram at a time we resources,
die immediately. It is because of taking it in
conducting
small form people are in the grip of various
diseases which were never seen or listened in new
villages earlier. Blood pressure of young people experiments in
under the age of 30-35 years is increasing. Some
youngsters are in the grip of heart problems. agriculture,
Many have to undergo even angioplasty or cooperating
bypass surgery in the very young age. The root
cause of all these problems is basically this
with each
slow poison that we are eating everyday in our other, having
meal. Therefore, the use of chemical fertilizers commitment to
and pesticides should be stopped immediately
and organic farming should be promoted. This the work,
is a fact that the farmers would not get the cleanliness
desired results in the very first year because it
takes at least three years to fully cure the soil and
that has become poisonous with the use of arrangements
chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In the first
year, the farmers should use 25 per cent organic
for quality
fertilizers and 75 per cent chemical fertilizer. In education, are
the second year it should be 50-50 and in the the biggest
third year it should be 75 per cent organic
fertilizer and 25 per cent chemical fertilizer. In needs of the
the fourth year, only the organic fertilizer can hour. The
be used. We should use bio-pesticides in place
of chemical pesticides. nation will be
Now-a-days a new method known as prosperous
prakratik kheti (natural farming), has also been only if our
developed. Who uses fertilizers in the forests?
Even no pesticide is used there, but the soil villages are
developed in the forests is very fertile. Basically prosperous,
this fertile soil develops in the forests through
the natural ways. Tree leaves, bark of the trees
strong and
and urine of animals are discharged at this land healthy. We
there. All these have innumerable worms which
convert this material into rich manure. This
have to
achieve total
process takes at least one hundred years in the
forests. But our scientists have developed the development of
methods to make such fertile layer of soil only
our villages.
within 100 days following the same method. If
a farmer develops one thousand sq. ft. land
through this method, he can easily produce the
19

Sewa Bharati coaching centre in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu
foodgrains and vegetables sufficient for a fam-
ily of five people. Apart from it, he can also
earn up to Rs 15000 from this piece of land
every year.
We should It is a known fact that deforestation has
keep in mind reduced the forests cover in the country. Un-
limited trees have been cut to meet the energy
that the needs. It should not continue. A farmer having
development of two oxen and a cow can successfully run a bio-
villages should gas plant. It can meet all his energy needs and
can also produce rich manure for the field.
be based on
Solar energy is also another alternative of
the concept of energy. Earlier this technology could not work
Hindutva. as it was ineffective when there were clouds
in the sky. But now a cell technology has been
Only then can added into it which stores the energy for hours.
we ensure all- Through this new technology we can have
energy round the clock. Not only the small
round families, but we can store energy for big
development.
families or the showrooms also. It does not
We have to require the huge infrastructure needed for the
electricity.
develop a It has been witnessed that multinational
feeling of self- companies have entered even in the field of
respect among small scale and cottage industries. They have
snatched the employment from the hands of
the villagers. rural people. There is a need to find permanent
solution to this problem. We should fully
prepare the products in village itself. Lijjat
papar, developed in Maharashtra, is today
exported to all over the world. The things
which are produced in the villages should be
fully prepared at the village level. It would
produce employment opportunities for the rural
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Those parents who do
not send their children
to school must be
motivated to send them
in school.
people. Some cooperative societies can also be
formed to market the products. There are so
many small industries that can be taken up at
the village level so that a positive change can
be brought about in the life of rural people.
Security
The youth should resolve to protect their
village themselves. There is also a need to think
whether any outsider is running any conver-
sion activity or whether one is misbehaving
with the women of the village. It is not good
to depend upon the police for all such matters.
The people should think of the over-all security
of the village.
Our villages will be prosperous and devel-
oped if we develop them keeping in view these
five dimensions. We call the village, where all
these five dimensions have successfully been
implemented, a Prabhat Gram. The villages
where only two-three dimensions have been
implemented are called Uday Grams. Whereas
in the villages where only the Gram Vikas Samiti
has been formed and the people have resolved
to undertake the developmental activities are
called Kiran Grams.
We should keep in mind that the develop-
ment of villages should be based on the con-
cept of Hindutva. Only then can we ensure all-
round development. We have to develop a
feeling of self-respect among the villagers.
Developing model villages with better utilisation
of the available resources, conducting new
experiments in agriculture, cooperating with
each other, having commitment to the work,
cleanliness and arrangements for quality edu-
cation, are the biggest needs of the hour. The
nation will be prosperous only if our villages
are prosperous, strong and healthy. We have
to achieve total development of our villages.
(The writer is Sarsanghachalak of Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh. The article is based on a
conversation with him in New Delhi.)
20
 Harmonious village,
prosperous village
Sureshrao Joshi
M
ANY problems are seen at the social
level today. It has been our expe-
rience that most of these problems
have developed due to caste-based discrimina-
tion, which still appears in certain parts of the
country. Since cities are expanding very fast
The people of due to growing industrialisation, this problem
does not have much impact there. But we
so-called upper cannot say that it has completely been eradi-
castes need to cated from there too. It is still there lying deep
in the hearts of people. But compare to the
behave rural areas it has low impact in urban areas
respectfully because of uniformity of professions, modern
with the means of communication and transportation.
people of the When we look at the rural life we find that
still the localities, streets and bastis are set up
so-called lower there on the basis of castes. Even a small child
castes and of the village is aware of the fact as to who
belongs to which community. Therefore, it is
those who feel a major challenge to restore social harmony in
themselves rural areas.
untouchable We find three kinds of major problems in
rural areas. First is the entry of all people in
should also temples. Second is separate crematorium cre-
renounce the ated on the basis of caste. It is normally seen
feeling of that the people of so-called lower castes are
not allowed to cremate the dead bodies of their
inferiority. By people in the crematoriums made for the so-
and large both called upper caste people. It is a very heinous
example of discrimination. The third problem is
the sections related to drinking water. Reports of the con-
will have to flicts over these issues are very common in
take some newspapers. This is a fact that these problems
are not very serious in the urban areas. But
initiatives on we cannot say that these have fully been
their parts to resolved there too. People in urban areas also
feel neglected on the basis of castes and at
overcome these times they are made to realise as to which caste
problems. they belong. That is why this issue has raised
many questions in our mind.
When the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
started work in this field, we took this issue
very seriously. It is our experience that if a
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
respected dialogue is started with the people
in such localities, the gulf developed during the
last so many years, may be plugged consider-
ably. Therefore, the people of so-called upper
castes need to behave respectfully with the
people of the so-called lower castes and those
who feel themselves untouchable should also
renounce the feeling of inferiority. By and large
both the sections will have to take some
initiatives on their parts to overcome these
problems.
We started an experiment in Tamil Nadu.
There has been a shortage of trained priests
in village temples. This is a fact that priests are
extended high respect and regard. We have
taken the initiative to impart training of priest
to about 20,000 persons of lower castes and
also got them appointed as priests in temples.
Now the person who was untouchable for
people is accorded high respect as a temple
priest. This experiment has been very success.
Another experiment was conducted. We
organise the functions in a manner that the
people of all the sections, castes and commu-
nities participate without hesitation. Many types
of religious functions like satsang, recitation of
Ramayana and Sunder Kand, etc. are organised.
This type of function attracts the people of all
sections and communities.
We took another initiative. It is seen that
the people of so-called untouchable sections
do not pay proper attention to education of
their children. But we pay special attention to
education of such children. The results of all
these initiatives have been very encouraging.
This helps our workers come closer to the
parents of such children.
Similarly, the experiment of Sanskrit
Sambhashan has been started. Karnataka has
done it very effectively. Sanskrit Sambhashan
camps strengthen the feeling of social harmony
very fast. It is a very effective tool to bring
people closer. People of all sections and castes
21

Strengthening social harmony through common water resources
participate in such camps. We deliberately
organise such camps at the places where the
people of all communities can come. The teacher
conducting the camp also keeps in mind that
We should even the feeling of social harmony is strengthened.
By and large we have seen practically that
work beyond Sanskrit Sambhashan Vargas are a very effec-
our capacity to tive tool to strengthen harmony in the society.
get the There is one more experience. When the chil-
dren of lower castes speak Sanskrit shlokas,
government it leaves a very good impact on their parents
schemes too and the whole family develops a feeling of
respect and happiness.
implemented
There is a large section of nomadic com-
for the weaker munities in the country. They are very back-
sections and ward. It has been witnessed that discrimination
is not just caste based, but the system also
the deprived discriminates against people. These people are
communities. still miles away from the formal education and
It is our social system. But they have some marvellous
skills of handicrafts, etc. We promote their
experience that skills. We feel imparting only formal education
only a is not enough, their traditional skills also need
polishing as per the changing time and needs.
harmonious We are doing that also. Some projects have
society can been started to promote their traditional skills.
tread the path At this stage we cannot make any claim that
it has been started on a large scale but we can
of progress definitely say that a concrete work has started
and prosperity. among the nomadic communities. There are
about 45 such communities only in Maharashtra
alone which were away from the social system.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Sanskrit Sambhashan
camps strengthen the
feeling of social
harmony very fast.
It is a very effective
tool to bring people
closer. People of all
sections and castes
participate in such
camps.
We started work among them and I can say that
we are successful to bring them closer to the
rest of the society by making them self-reliant
and imparting social samskars among them.
Social harmony has another important
dimension. The well-to-do people of the soci-
ety need to think of the deprived people. Only
the monetary contribution is not enough, we
have to share their happiness and sorrows. We
organise some events keeping in mind this
objective so that people of all sections come
together and the gap developed among the
people get reduced. While working among the
nomads it was felt that they worship Lord
Shiva. Since Shivratri is the most auspicious
day for the devotees of Shiva, we celebrate it
on larger scale. It produced very good results.
Such events are being organised for the last
ten years. A large number of people come
together and participate in many activities. It
definitely reduces the gap and people come
closer from hearts. Such experiments are going
on at many places of the country.
Sahabhoj also proved an effective means
of social transformation and restoring social
harmony. Such functions are organised on
religious occasions or on any special day. This
is a fact that organising such programmes is
still difficult in the rural areas, but it becomes
an occasion to come together. Apart from
organising sahabhoj on a larger scale, it can
also be organised individually. The workers
22
 We can talk
about the
time limit
only in case
of individual-
based
projects. But
it is not
possible when
A pujari training camp in Tamil Nadu
we talk
may invite the people of the deprived and the keeping in view our own strength. We should about
so-called untouchable classes for meals at their not compete with the village Sarpanch in the
home. Workers have started work in this direc- developmental activities. All should work to- bringing
tion too. gether. We should even work beyond our
capacity to get the government schemes imple-
change in
Eradicating the inferiority complex devel-
oped in some sections of the society is also mented for the weaker sections and the de- the form of
another challenge. The educated youth who prived communities. It is our experience that
leave the villages in search of jobs mostly only a harmonious society can tread the path an
abandon this complex after getting the job or of progress and prosperity. organisation.
becoming self-dependant. But we cannot say Sometime the workers ask when will the
that they too develop the full courage. It has rural development work become effective. The The speed
been witnessed that the old generation is not rural development work cannot be bound in may be slow
ready to accept the changes immediately but any time limit. Our work is fully workers based.
the educated youth can easily be persuaded. The government can make the claim that it but the work
We are doing it also. would complete the work within the particular
time limit but as a voluntary organisation we
should
Women can play a very effective role in
this work. That is why we constitute Matri cannot make any such claim. But we can surely become an
Mandalis. Most of the self-help-groups devel- say if we have started moving the destination
oped in rural areas were developed among the will definitely come. instrument to
so-called dalit women. They were helped and Even the people who started individual bring the
guided by the educated women of the so-called efforts in this regard also took almost 20-25
upper castes. This also helps in bridging the years to show the results. We can talk about permanent
social gap. We feel if the women are motivated, the time limit only in case of an individual- change. It
this problem can be solved very easily. We are based project. But it is not possible when we
inspiring the workers to think in this direction. talk about bringing change in the form of an has always
organisation. The speed may be slow but the
The government also funds several devel-
work should become an instrument to bring the
been our
opmental projects in the rural areas. But our
workers never depend upon the government permanent change. It has always been our endeavour.
for help. It is good if we get government help endeavour.
in any project, but we always should remain (The writer is Sahsarkaryavah of RSS. The article
self-reliant. That is why we make all the plans is based on a conversation.)

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 23
 Change in mentality will
ensure development
I T is beyond any doubt that India
lives in villages and the country
cannot be developed until the
villages are developed. There was a
time when the whole world recognised
India as a superpower. One of the
reasons of it was the spiritual-based
thinking and mentality of the people.
There was complete harmony and de-
spite having the diverse castes, ways
of worship and professions every vil-
lager regarded the village as his own
family. This kind of thinking was spe-
cial characteristic of our villages all
over the country.
The whole village appeared ready
to contribute in the marriage of any girl
of the village. They had the feeling that
it is the wedding of a daughter of the
village and everyone has to contribute
as per his capacity. Whatever they
could provide like milk, clothes, cot,
etc. they used to provide. Everybody
had the feeling that no guest coming
in the village should go back with any
wrong feeling about the village. This
kind of thinking was seen everywhere
and this was the special characteristic
that impressed even the foreign tour-
ists. The rich traditions, like not to
touch the money of others, do not
indulging in theft and cooperating with
each other, were there in every village.
Basically the country got the title of
vishwaguru due to all these traditions
and high moral character of the people.
Many foreign travellers like Huen
Tsang etc. visited India years ago.
When one of them got thirsty he asked
water from an old lady to quench the
thirst. The old lady immediately went
Sewa Sadhana Q
Premchand Goel
inside and came with a glass of milk.
We knew how a guest has to be at-
tended. Once, a person was going to
meet his relatives in a nearby village.
His wife was also with him. The man
stepped forward. He saw some money
lying in the way, as during those days
the money used to be carried on horses
etc in sacks. The man put dust over the
money feeling that it could develop
allurement in the heart of the lady. The
lady was some steps behind. She looked
him doing something. She took the fast
steps and coming near to him said,
“There has been Sita also in the coun-
try where Lord Rama was born. You
have put dust on the money treating
it clay. What is the need to put dust
on the dust?” Even a so-called illiterate
lady had this kind of high thinking.
There is one more incident. A
person in a village sold his piece of
land to another person. When the
person who had purchased the land
started ploughing the land, he found a
pot full of money. He took it out from
the land and went to the person from
whom he had purchased it. He gave the
pot to him and said I purchased only
land from you. You may not know that
your ancestors had put this money in
the land. Therefore, you have it. The
former said I have sold the entire land
to you and whatever it has now be-
longs to you only. I cannot accept it.
Can we imagine this today?
Even an ordinary person of the
country had this kind of high thinking.
We have to restore this thinking today.
That is why Sewa Bharati, Rashtriya
Sewa Bharati and many other
organisations are working in this direc-
tion. We have selected several villages
across the country and have started
developmental activities there. The read-
ers will get an opportunity to read the
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
details of such villages in this issue of
Sewa Sadhana.
During the last five years I toured
the whole country. I visited many vil-
lages and had discussions with the
people of various ways of worship. A
clear change can be witnessed in the
villages where our activities are going
on. The children who once used to
abuse now speak with full respect and
touch the feet of their elders. The
feeling of cooperating each other has
increased. The experiment of satsang
by women built the spiritual atmosphere.
This type of work has begun in all the
states. Now we have decided to de-
velop at least one model village in each
district of the country. The work has
begun in this direction and very shortly
we shall see the results.
We feel that the whole country will
be developed if we are able to change
the thinking of the rural people and
ensure development in villages. It will
be an ideal situation if people cooper-
ate with each other like their own family
members. The Sewa Bharati is working
with this objective. Readers will find
the details of several such villages
where such activities are going on in
this issue. If you like it, you spare some
time to visit those villages and try to
undertake similar activities in your own
village. There are still some villages in
the country where people do not have
doors for their houses. We feel if one
starts taking a positive step he will
inspire others and in this way all the
people will stand untied and all the
villages will be developed. In fact de-
velopment of villages depends upon
the mentality of people. We have to
build this mentality.
(The writer is veteran Sangh Pracharak and
former Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh of
RSS)
24
 Reduce dependence
on government
Sitaram Kedilaya
O
UR rural developmental activities have
five dimensions—education, health,
self-reliance, social harmony and so-
We need to cial. A proper training needs to be imparted to
develop a the workers in all these five dimensions, if we
have to truly develop the villages according to
new the changing needs of the people and the
definition of nation. Training is basically not the thing to
be given rather it is the thing to be received.
education in Yogi Aurobindo says in his definition of train-
villages. ing—“You cannot teach everybody, but every-
People active body can learn.” It is the essence of training.
Training is the thing that should be received
in the field and we can just help in this task.
of education Education
should pay The education being imparted in rural and
attention to it. urban areas is uniform. One of the prime
reasons of backwardness of our villages today
The education is that the children of the villages are not
should taught how to make the village self-reliant and
develop love how to raise the feeling of self-respect. This
is the reason why almost all the villages of the
in the hearts country are today moving towards destruction
of people and not towards development. Therefore, edu-
cation is one of the most important dimensions
towards all of rural reconstruction.
things of the We need to develop a new definition of
village education in villages. People active in the field
of education should pay attention to it. The
including education should develop love in the hearts of
land, forest,
people towards all things of the village includ-
water, ing land, forest, water, animals and the village
culture—jal, jangal, jamin, janwar and jan.
animals and
If we go deeper we find that people in
the village villages do not have love for their land. If the
culture. farmers loved their land, they would not have
sold it. This is a very major problem. The rural
people, who once felt happy to offer water to
even a stranger, today think of earning money
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
by selling water even to their nearer. Is this the
modern development? There was a time when
villagers would feel grateful by offering water
to anybody. There was a tradition to offer water
to even a passerby. But today following in the
footsteps of several people in urban areas the
villagers feel why should they offer water at
free of cost. If they have to offer water that
must fetch money. It shows we do not have
love for water. Therefore, we have to develop
love for water. If we are successful in devel-
oping this love, only then will water truly
become jeevan (life).
Similar is the case with forests, which are
being damaged by none other than the villag-
ers. The feeling of earning money by cutting
trees was developed by the outsiders but it is
we the villagers who are destroying our forest
wealth for the benefits of others. The outsiders
think only of profit. That is why they allure the
rural people for indulging in destruction of their
valuable wealth. Interestingly, nobody thinks
of the consequences of deforestation. If this
trend continues the whole humanity will have
to face serious consequences.
There was a time when animals were our
real wealth. Cow was the real wealth for a
farmer. That is why the richness of a person
in the past used to be judged by the milk-
giving cows they had. But today the prosperity
is judged with the money and materialistic
wealth one has. Therefore, instead of develop-
ing the feeling to treat the cows as wealth, a
disastrous feeling is being generated that cows
are no more useful and there is no harm in
earning money by selling them to butchers.
Practically, farmers are selling their cows for
money, which proves we have lost love for
animals. Since the day machines have come in
framing the oxen have become useless and
25
they too are being sold to butchers.
It is the outcome of present edu-
cation system that the rural art, sports,
literature and even culture are at the
verge of extinction. The modern devel-
opment has poisoned the rural culture.
The so-called educated youth feel it
outdated. They enjoy the cinema songs
more than the folk songs. This is ba-
sically the most dangerous side effect
of modern education. They are not
imparted the education they should
have been, resulting in the fact that
they take the rural life as a curse. There
is an immediate need to change the
definition of education. They should be
imparted the education that develops
love to the five “Js” (jal, jangal, jamin,
janwar and jan). If this kind of training
is imparted to the workers they can
further educate the rural people. The
education system needs to be given
this kind of new direction.
Health
Apart from education, the new
thinking has to be developed towards
health needs. Thinking towards health
has today changed. In fact, the health
of a person is mortgaged at doctors
and the chemist shops. Majority of the
people think they can have good health
on the strength of money. They are
migrating to urban areas in search of
health where they visit a doctor and try
to become healthy by making heavy
payment as consultation fees and for
medicines. As a result most of the
earnings of the farmers are going to
doctors.
The thinking towards health was
different in the ancient time. Basically,
all the older women in the family were
doctor to some extent. Majority of the
things used in the kitchen those days
were no less than good quality medi-
cines which made the human body
stronger by providing balanced diet.
As a result all people were healthy and
fit. Secondly, the women knew the me-
dicinal use of all the things like veg-
etables and herbs grown in their vicin-
ity. They knew what should be taken
Sewa Sadhana Q
Pejawar Swami Shri Vishveshteerth inaugurating the Balgokulam Balmela
in case of a disease. This saved the
money of the people and did not leave
any side effect. People were well aware
how to live a healthy life. This kind of
healthy thinking has lost today. There
is a need to educate the women of
these secrets of keeping the family fit.
The workers should be trained in this
task also.
Earlier the women used to deliver
babies at home. The old women of the
family were expert in handling such
cases. One more benefit of this tradi-
tion was that the first touch that the
new born baby got was of the grand-
mother. It leaves a psychological effect.
But today majority of the babies are
born in hospitals after family spending
thousands of rupees and the first touch
that the babies get is of a nurse or a
doctor. Therefore, a child’s connection
with the family disconnects right from
the very moment he/she comes in this
world. This is one of the reasons of
deteriorating relations between the
children and their parents. By and large,
earlier the family was a solid centre of
keeping the family fit. We have to
restore this tradition and the money
going to the doctors needs to be
stopped in villages itself.
Self-reliance
Self-reliance is an important issue
on which the workers need a direction.
Today, every educated person is de-
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
pendant on others. If an educated youth
does a job in the city he becomes
dependant on others and we cannot
truly call him free. In the old days
everyone in the village was self-reliant.
Nobody needed to beg anything from
anyone. The cottage industries of the
villages were their backbones. What-
ever things they needed for their daily
life like shoes, slipper, pots, wooden
things, etc. were available in the village.
Everyone felt pride in doing his profes-
sion and the villages were self-reliant
in all respects. The strong economic
and industrial system, prevalent due to
the cottage industries, has now been
ruined by the modern education sys-
tem.
This is a fact that rural self-reliance
will remain a distant dream till we do
not stop manufacturing of small items
by the multinational companies. Gandhiji
had said if we have to make India self-
reliant we have to make the villages
self-reliant and if we have to make the
villages self-reliant we will have to
revive the rural cottage industries so
that the rural youth can get sufficient
employment in the villages itself. It is
need of the hour to develop the cow-
based agriculture and agriculture-based
industries. Many great personalities
who worked for rural development too
said this. The workers engaged in rural
development should be educated ac-
cordingly. It will help in stopping the
26
money of villages in villages itself. The
money, talent and experience which are
migrating from the villages today must
be stopped in villages at any cost.
Social harmony
We need to understand the rea-
sons why the feeling of discrimination
and untouchbility develops. Discrimi-
nation develops due to ignorance. The
only way to restore harmony in the
village is to eradicate ignorance and
promote knowledge. All kinds of igno-
rances like money, caste, language and
other materialistic things that impress
from outside, have to be eradicated.
The things that look from outside are
always against the rules of the nature.
They cannot be uniform. Therefore,
developing the feeling of discrimination
by just having a look on outer things
is ignorance. If we have to restore
social harmony we need to educate the
people to look at the internal qualities
and strength of the persons and not
the outer things. We should have the
feeling that every person of our village
is member of our own family and he is
contributing to make our own village
prosper and self-reliant. We had com-
plete harmony till the barter system was
followed. The day this system col-
lapsed the entire balance got disturbed.
The prime reason of growing ignorance
among people is the ego developed
due to money. The workers engaged
in this task have to see that all their
activities going on in the villages
should promote social harmony. They
should promote the temple and Gram
devata-centred life, which still prevent
people from committing any crime. It
was because of this system that there
were very less disputes in the past
and even if any dispute developed, it
was settled sitting in the temple or in
the feet of the Gram devata. It was
very effective system.
Social
All the things of the village like
streets, roads, temples, schools, for-
ests, ponds, etc. should always be in
a perfect condition. But today very
strange mentality has developed among
the people that all these things have
to be done by the government. That
is why majority of the people in vil-
lages are not ready to do anything
themselves. They continue to face
hardships waiting for the government
agencies to come with any scheme for
their welfare, which rarely happens. In
fact all the villages have become de-
pendant on the government machin-
ery during the last 60 years. We have
to eradicate this mentality and de-
velop the life which is disciplined and
does not wish to depend upon the
government more. In other words, if we
have to repair the village roads, temples
or clean the ponds, we should not wait
for the government. We should do it by
our weekly shram sadhana and by other
means. There is a need to develop the
mentality of donating at least one day
of our own week for the welfare of our
own village. We should treat our village
as our own family. Therefore, whatever
good we wish for our own family should
be wished and done for our village too.
Only then shall we be able to reduce
dependance on the government agen-
cies and improve the living standard in
the villages.
The government too can play a
positive role in this task. It can encour-
age the people by honouring them if
they have done any remarkable work. If
we have to save our villages, we have
to develop discipline there. When the
workers would start doing the work the
present disappointing condition will cer-
tainly improve. A glimpse of several
such activities going on in different
parts of the country has been presented
in this issue of Sewa Sadhana. I hope
it will become a source of inspiration for
the whole country.
(The writer is Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh
of RSS. The article is based on a conversa-
tion.)

“I would say that if the village perishes, India will

perish too. India will be no more India. Her own
mission in the world will get lost. The revival of the
village is possible only when it is no more exploited.
Industrialisation on a mass scale will necessarily lead
to passive or active exploitation of the villagers as
the problems of competition and marketing come in.
Therefore, we have to concentrate on the village
being self-contained, manufacturing for mainly use.
There would be no objection to villagers using even
the modern machines and tools that they can make
and afford to use. Only they should not be used as
a means of exploitation.
—Mahatma Gandhi

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 27
 Our concept of
integrated
rural development
Surendra Singh Chauhan
I
NDIA lives in villages. It does not mean
that only the majority of our population
There are still lives in villages but the values of Indian
culture are alive only in the villages. People
people in the there are the living example of inter-
village, whom complementarity. They are happy to welcome
the whole even a stranger as guest. There are still people
in the village, whom the whole village trusts
village trusts and they too remain present in all their hap-
and they too piness and sorrows. The village life is full of
happiness rather than the life in urban areas.
remain present They may be economically backward but the
in all their values of Indian culture have truly been pre-
happiness and served by them and are still being followed in
practical life. There is an inspiring example.
sorrows. The
Once, Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya got down
village life is at a railway station. It was night. Since no
full of vehicle was available, he started walking to the
destination along with his associates. When
happiness they felt thirsty at night, they saw a hamlet.
rather than the There was also a well near the hamlet. A person
life in urban was seen sleeping on a cot. A lady was also
sleeping along with her son near him on the
areas. They ground. Deendayalji awakened the man and
may be asked for the rope and the pot to take out water
from the well. The man immediately woke up
economically and offered to provide water himself. As he was
backward but to offer the water, his wife stopped him. She
the values of went inside and brought gud to eat before
drinking water. This hospitality of that woman
Indian culture touched Deendayalji’s heart. He gave a five-
have truly rupee note for her son but the lady refused to
accept saying, “You are our guest”. Tears
been preserved started rolling down the cheeks of Deendayalji
by them and after hearing these words from that lady. These
are still being kinds of incidents are common in our villages.
Once, the whole village used to be like a
followed in
family and the system of panch parameshwar
practical life. existed in all villages. All disputes used to be
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
settled in the village itself. The rural life was
well cultured, self-reliant and a harmonious
unit. The family was a unit of the village and
villages were foundation of the nation.
Our villages were self-contained. No hand
was without work. Each task had a person
assigned to it. All were complementary to one
another. There were architects and sculptors;
there were carpenters for wood work, black-
smiths for metal work, jewelers for making
ornaments, masons for house construction,
weavers for making clothes, tailors for stitching
garments, dye makers for colouring, cobblers
for making footwear. Each of them was a
specialist in his craft. There was no service for
which people had to go outside the village.
Whether it was hair dressing or bangle making,
laundering or upholstering, there were local
craftsmen available to do it. Oil, ghee, jiggery,
sugar – everything was locally available. There
were schools too – with this difference that the
tutor never accepted fees. The local doctors
served the people without fees. For exchange
or purchase there was the humble local grocer;
for worship the temple; for exercise the gym-
nasium. All commanded respect. There was
land for cultivation, trees for fruits, gardens for
flowers, cowherds for milk, ploughs for tilling,
and bullock-carts for transportation. The list
can go on endlessly.
The entire village was like one family. From
the sweeper to the Pandit, all were looked upon
with respect. Even the modes of addressing
others were full of regard and affection – Baba
(father), Dada (grandfather), Chacha (uncle),
Chachee (aunt), Bitia (daughter), and so on.
All shared in joy or sorrow. A wedding in a
family was a function of the entire village.
None lived for himself. Sharing of life was
28
the rule. Providing wells, maintaining
gardens, setting up pyau by the roads
and highway – all these were consid-
ered meritorious deeds. Wayfarers were
welcome to rest for a while and quench
their hunger and thirst.
Samskars were deeply ingrained
in the people. Soon after sunrise, the
lanes would echo with greetings like
Pranam, Jai Sri Ram and so on. Fra-
grance of sandal sticks and music of
sonorous bells emanated from the
temple. Late afternoon was a time of
entertainment and education in the tree
shade, and of Ramayana or other epic
reading. After sunset, people assembled
in the temple for pooja, aarati and
bhajan.
While all were free to do as they pleased, gymnasia flourish everywhere. Let every week
how come that there was such constant shar- be festive.”)
ing of life? Who organised it all? The fact is Besides it Gopal Krishna Gokhale inspired
that each house was in fact a Samskar Kendra Gandhiji to study the rural life. Thakkar Bapa
and Vidyalaya for ensuring that Hindu values worked for it and Sant Tukdoji Maharaj sang
are reflected in day-to-day life. From a young this rural development in his bhajans.
age all were taught to have reverence for
It is to regenerate that rich life Pt. Deendayal
mother, father, guests, village deity and also for
Upadhyaya drew attention to the basics—“Let
The legacy of
nature’s elements, like trees, water, fire, mother
earth, etc. It is from such villages that invo-
there be work for all able hands. Let each field savants like
have plenty of water.” (Har hath ko kam, har
cation of universal well being emanated. It is
khet ko pani). He laid emphasis on local Maharshi
in such environs that high ethical norms, such
employment using local raw-material. Only a Aurobindo
as regarding all beings as extensions of oneself
society which cherishes such a golden dream
and non-coveting, were nourished. To en-noble
the entire world (Krinwantovishwamaryam) was
can flourish. inspired the
the goal of our people. The legacy of savants like Maharshi Rashtriya
Aurobindo inspired the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
It is in order to re-awaken such sentiments
that Swami Vivekananda gave a call to social
Sangh to promote rural development activities Swayamsevak
in countless villages. He said repeatedly: “It is
workers to go from one end of the country to
when villages become self-respecting and self-
Sangh to
another, from one village to another, and make
the people aware of their duty and tell them,
reliant that the picture of the country can promote rural
change. Change has to take place from bottom
“Arise, awake!” And the same is the import of
upwards, and not the other way.” development
Maharshi Aurobindo’s declaration that the
village is the soul of our social life. Sant Tukdoji Maharaj has very deeply activities in
thought over all aspects of rural life. Sant
Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya too had ex-
Tulsidas while elaborating Ayodhya presented
countless
horted:
Grame grame sabha karya the concept of an ideal village. Sant Vinoba villages.
Bhave started the Bhudan Andolan. Sant
Grame grame katha shubha
Pandurang Athavale of Gujarat also carried
Pathashala mallashala various marvellous experiments in farming. Shri
Prati-parva-mahotsvah. Anna Hajare presented an ideal example of
(“Let there be assemblies of the wise in development in his village Ralegan Sindi in
each village. Let auspiciousness pervade each Maharashtra. Nanaji Deshmukh started various
village through Harikathas. May schools and experiments of rural development in Uttar

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 29
 Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
It is not at the individual or organisational
level alone that the rural developmental ac-
We ensure that tivities are going on. The state governments
the house of too have started such projects like Gokul
Garm Yojana in Gujarat, Adarsh Gram Yojana
our activist in Maharashtra. Madhya Pradesh Govern-
becomes the ment has also taken some initiatives in this
regard. But the major difference between the
practical
steps taken by the government, individual or
source of organisational level is that the government
inspiration for concentrates only at the materialistic devel-
opment. This type of work has only partial
others. We effect. No effort is made on the part of the
conduct Ideal government agencies to provide samskars for
Hindu Family families, self-respect, moral education, health,
etc. What the villages today need holistic
competition development and not the partial one. Until the
every year life of the people living in villages is devel-
oped on the basis of Indian values of life,
especially on they will not achieve all-round development.
Deepawali or All activities of rural development inspired by
Varsh the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers
are aimed at achieving integrated develop-
Pratipada to ment. Initiating the rural developmental activi-
encourage the ties, the former RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri
Rajju Bhaiya, had declared in 1995 that the
people to utmost priority should be at making the
follow the villages hunger-free, disease-free and literate
Hindu values (Kshudha mukta, rog mukta, tatha
shikshayukt”).
at home. When we select the village for starting
Those who developmental activities we ensure that the
perform the village being selected should be small. Nor-
mally the village with a population of 1000 to
best are 2500 is ideal. The first and foremost requisite
honoured. We for development is that the people of the
village have mentality of development. If the
believe that the village has the Sangh shakha the work be-
village temple, comes easier. In the beginning a Gram Vikas
school and Samiti involving the people of all sections
and communities of the village is constituted.
Sangh shakha Since Village Panchayat is there in all the
are the three villages to implement the government schemes
we work in cooperation of the Panchayat.
basic source of Besides the Gram Vikas Samiti there should
providing good be a core committee having some influential
samskars to persons which deeply think on the activities
to be taken up and also help in the imple-
people. mentation of the projects. What the village
needs first is ascertained through surveys.
We have divided the village development
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
work in three categories. First is Kiran Gram
where the work is at the primary stage and
the people of the village have made up their
mind to start developmental activities. Second
is Uday Gram where some activities have
started and if some serious efforts are made
the change will be visible soon. The third is
the Prabhat Gram where the impact of the work
is visible and various activities of develop-
ment have produced good results.
Different aspects of village development
Literacy does not mean just imparting
knowledge of reading and writing. People
should have knowledge of general rules, gov-
ernment institutions, should read the newspa-
pers and some religious books, etc. Similarly
the village should have the arrangement of
meeting the primary health needs. Our kitchen
is a mini-dispensary. The things, spices, veg-
etables etc. used in the kitchen have medicinal
value. What is necessary today is that the
women should have the medicinal knowledge
of those things. Health check up of all the
villagers should be conducted at least once
a year. The people suffering from communi-
cable diseases or any serious diseases should
be listed out and arrangements be made for
their treatment. The school children should be
educated as to how to remain fit and keep
their surroundings hygienic.
We ensure that the house of our activist
becomes the practical source of inspiration for
others. We conduct Ideal Hindu Family com-
petition every year especially on Deepawali or
Varsh Pratipada to encourage the people to
follow the Hindu values at home. Those who
perform the best are honoured. We believe
that the village temple, school and Sangh
shakha are the three basic source of provid-
ing good samskars to people. Since temple is
the place of everybody’s reverence, the priest
of the temple should be an ideal person,
having knowledge of the shastras and be
away from party politics. All temples of the
village are ours and they should be looked at
the source of inculcating good samskars into
people. The classrooms should be clean and
attractive. The school premises should also be
good. There should be coordination between
the teachers, students and the parents. Since
environment protection is the need of the
hour, tree plantation and their protection should
30
be done effectively. There should be
tulsi plant in every house as it has
tremendous medicinal values. Vil-
lages are complete units from all
angles. Efforts should be made to
stop the village money in village
itself. The highly educated people
should also remain in the village and
contribute in the development of
their village. Agriculture-based rural
industries should be promoted.
Agriculture is a criterion to
judge the prosperity of the village.
We should discourage the use of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides
and promote the use of organic
fertilizers. There are so many meth-
ods to make organic fertilizers.
Sarsanghachalak Shri Sudarshan performing gopujan at Jhiri village in Madhya Pradesh
Making the village addiction-free is
also at our top priority. The addic-
tion becomes the reason of disputes upper castes and the so-called felicitated at least once a year in public
and if we have to make the village lower castes should also be re- functions.
dispute-free we have to achieve total duced by bringing people of all the It is not expected that all activities of
prohibition. The role of women could communities together. There should rural development should be started at
be helpful in this regard. We should be big events of Kanyapujan at once. The developmental activities can be
also make all efforts so that disputes least twice a year (during the taken up in some phases. The work should
of the village are resolved in the Navaratras) and sahabhoj during be started with minor activities. The suc-
village itself. the public functions. Sanskrit cess in one project encourages people to
Restoring social harmony is also Sambhashan can also become an take other projects. There should be no
of paramount importance. No sec- effective tool of restoring social competition with the activities of Village
tion of the village should feel ne- harmony. There are some talented Panchayat. Rather we should work in
glected and there should be no people in the village like sculptors, coordination with the Panchayat.
discrimination against anyone. The teachers, students, farmers, (The writer is Akhil Bharatiya Gram Vikas
gap developed between so-called labourers, etc. They should be Pramukh of RSS)

“Your duty at present is to go from one part of the country

to another, from village to village and make the people
understand that mere sitting about idly won’t do any more.
Make them understand their real condition and say, ‘O ye
brothers all arise, awake. How much longer would you
remain asleep.’ Go and advise them how to improve their
condition, and make them comprehend the sublime truths
of the shastras by presenting them in a lucid and popular
way. Also instruct them in simple words about the
necessities of life and in trade commerce, agriculture, etc.”
—Swami Vivekananda

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 31
 Annam Bahu Kurveeta
Dr Ramachandra G. Bhat
A
S we ponder over the prevailing
world scenario on one side, we are
Grahastha in afraid of many problems like climate
the real sense change, food crunch etc., on the other side
possesses many such routes are also visible to find out
the salvation for many such burning prob-
abundant lems from the traditional knowledge sources.
quantity of It is very interesting study for those scholars
from the oriental school of thoughts who
food to share have developed a scientific temperament by
with others. the study of modern science. For me fruits
are modern in the sense that they are devel-
According to oped to meet modern needs and emerged
Yajnavalkya from the current thoughts. But, at the same
time, I am very happy that now-a-days we are
Smriti that searching for ancient roots where there are
householder many precious stones to build a temple of
becomes development in the modern context.
Now we are in search of an alternative
highly module for sustainable development rising
respectable above the experimented, so-called such mod-
ules guided by communism and capitalism. It
one who loves is very evident that swatantrya never takes
guests coming place without swadeshi. In this very thought
to his house. process sewa becomes a grand unifying, all-
permeating mantra. Scholars from the Vedas,
This culture Vedanga and other different branches of
of grhastha is philosophy must come forward to define this
very basic principle swam to purify the whole
miserably social life which comprises polity, agriculture,
missing in our industry, education, religion, human relation,
etc.
society day-by- The Upanishadic sages were fully aware
day. Now the of the mundane world and transcendental
time has come world. Their journey started from ‘preyas’
(material prosperity) and stretched to the
to restate our ‘shreyas’ (transcendental state). Welfare state
ancient values of mankind was duly taken care of. Undue
importance was not given to any unneces-
like Annam sary things. They were aware of the fact that
Bahu Kurveeta mundane world is an apparent form of spiri-
tual reality. When one understands that
at individual spirituality is the real thing for him, every-
and social thing becomes divine. This insight inspires
even an ordinary man to think something
levels. high.
In the modern world most of us are bereft
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
of this insight. Subject to this, artha and
kaama started dominating every walk of life.
The climax of this rat race is showing its ugly
face in the name of global warming, climate
change, natural calamities, food crunch and so
on so forth.
Agriculture in its real perspective
Agriculture is considered to be a part of
the Vedas. The Atharvaveda consists of sixty-
four kalas. When we study the Vedas, in
particular the Rigveda and the Atharvaveda, we
come to know that in the Vedic era they
experimented with an echo-friendly agro-sys-
tem. According to the Rigvedic hymn in
Kitavasookta agriculture becomes that type of
activity, which is essentially echo-friendly. While
criticising the gambling tendency of human
beings, krishi was recommended as a positive
activity to uplift the psychic condition of com-
fort-oriented common man. Akshairmaa Deevyah
Krshivit Krshasva is the statement from the
Rigveda recommending the positive attitude of
an agriculturist. According to the Vedic Rishi,
any activity, which is not need based, but is
tempted by mere greed eventually disturbing
the social harmony, becomes a gambling. This
is the essence of the ‘Kitavasookta’ in the
Rigveda. If we study the inside stories of
gurukulas in ‘Kritayuga’ it is evident that
students of gurukula were growing the grain
and other vegetables for their day-to-day uses.
That is how all those existing gurukulas were
self-reliant.
If we study the conditions of gurukulas in
Ramayana period as it is depicted in the original
Valmiki Ramayana or Sanskrit dramas like Uttara
Rama Charitam, krishi was considered to be
a part of gurukula education. Great poet
Kalidasa very well portrayed this very fact in
his magnum opus Abhijnana Shakuntalam.
The students of Kanva’s Gurukulam were hap-
pily involved in agro-oriented activities.
According to Bhrguvalli, a young man
Bhrgu approaches his father Varuna seeking an
enlightenment about the inherent core of the
apparent world. His teacher-cum-father, Varuna,
instead of preaching, inspires his son to un-
32
earth the reality by practicing auspicious ac-
tivities (tapas). In this process of search the
first answer Bhrgu gets is annam. Here annam
is considered to be the root cause, which
facilitates sustaining, and emergence of the
material world. In this sense, starting from very
subtlest form, atom, to the gross world all
substances becomes annam. Whatever eats
and is eaten that becomes annam in a larger
sense. This annam is nothing but manifesta-
tion of Brahman.
This way the Upanishad divinises the very
concept of annam. In another way foodgrains
are abodes of Goddess Lakshmi, the wealth.
The very concept of progress or development
is essentially spiritually rooted in the Indian
concept. Growing food and giving food is
considered to be an auspicious act of every
house-holder. According to the Vedas this is
called Ishta, Poorta and Datta duties, which
are the main duties of all ashramas.
^^vUuokuUuknks HkofrA egku~ Hkofr Izkt;k i'kqfHk%
czãopZlsuA egku~ dhR;kZA**
“He becomes a possessor and an eater of
food. He becomes great in progeny, cattle, and
the lustre of holiness and great in glory”
(Taittireeya Upanishad 3-8).
This very statement from Bhrguvalli of
Taittireeya Aranyaka tells about the quality
and utility of the food. If agriculturists do not
grow food with this quality in abundance
normally people go to unwanted and unhy-
gienic food stuffs, which harm the very system
of human body.
“To model such a village may be the work of
a life time. Any lover of true democracy and
village life can take up a village, treat it as his
world and sole work and he will find good
results. He begins by being the village scavenger,
spinner, watchman, medicine man and school
master all at once. If nobody comes near him,
he will be satisfied with scavenging and spinning.”
—Mahatma Gandhi
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
^^vgkj'kq¼kS lRo'kqf¼% lRo'kq¼kS /zqok Le`fr%A
Le`fryEHks loZxzaFkhuka foizeksd%AA** Body is a
(NUnksX;ksifu"kr~) divine
“When food is pure mind is pure. When instrument for
mind is pure there are recollections of positive
thoughts. In this process all traumas get re- achieving
leased.” dharma. In
It was very often asked by the students this
of the Upanishads that how we can relate
annam to Brahman. Here the very attitude background
towards the material world is suggested in that type of
these statements. For Hindus the body is an
abode of Brahman. Body is a divine instrument
food must be
for achieving dharma. In this background that taken for the
type of food must be taken for the nourishment
nourishment of
of the human body, which activates the upper
chamber of human body (munda). In this pre- the human
text we realise that the food is important for body, which
integral personality development.
activates the
In the Hindu family life, hospitality plays
a very vital role. Its main characteristic is upper chamber
sharing and caring. In the ancient system ^^èkU;ks of human
x`gLFkkJe%** concept was very much highlighted. body (munda).
Grahastha in the real sense possesses abun-
dant quantity of food to share with others.
In this pretext
According to Yajnavalkya Smriti that house- we realise
holder becomes highly respectable one who that the food
loves guests coming to his house. This culture
of grhastha is miserably missing in our society is important
day-by-day. Now the time has come to restate for integral
our ancient values like Annam Bahu Kurveeta
at individual and social levels.
personality
(The writer is principal, Veda Vijnana Gurukulam, development.
Channenahalli, Bengaluru)
33
Cow-based rural development
A scientist’s note on benefits of cow,
panchgavya and employment opportunities
in this sector
RS Chauhan

C OWS are considered very sacred in

Indian culture possibly due to the fact
that they are environment friendly and
important for sustaining human life. The cow
is vegetarian and provides every bit of itself
not destroy the nutrients in the food. Besides,
the smoke of gobar clears the air of germs.
Gobar has also been successfully used to
produce bio-gas (methane) and generate elec-
tricity for consumer use. Bio gas is used in
to support human life—milk, dung, urine, skin, cooking, for lighting in homes and streets. It
horn, hooves etc. can be used for driving self-combustion en-
Cow dung as gold mine gines for various uses like running a generator
to produce electricity. The slurry (residue) could
Cow dung has been considered a gold also be used for production of manure, which
mine due to its wide applications in the field when spread on crops acts as an excellent
of agriculture, energy resource, environmental fertilizer. Dung for bio-gas and its slurry for
protection and
manure provides renewable cooking energy
therapeutic ap-
and slurry for compost. Cow dung is the best
plications.
fertilizer. Composting makes it even more pow-
Dung as fuel
erful fertilizer. It is rich in nitrogen. Different
is well known
types of bio-fertilizers using cow dung and
for rural
urine and vegetative waste have been devel-
kitchen. Cow
oped using compost method and vermiculture.
dung patties
Cow dung keeps the rotting compost antisep-
(gootte) are
tic. The digester turns the dung into sterile
used for cook-
compost and all worms get killed. With use of
ing. Roasting
1 kg of cow dung with 15/16 kg of Biomas and
of potato,
similar quantity of soil from the fields, 30 kg
sweet potato
of good compost is made. This is also ap-
in it is still
proved by National Bank for Agriculture and
considered the
Rural Development (NABARD). Vermi compost
best fuel as
from cow’s dung exhibits excellent plant growth
against electric
promotion property.
oven. Tradi-
tional wisdom Panchgavya spray has been found more
says that in effective on all the crops under evaluation than
burning these the foliar spray of recommended nutrients and
cow dung growth regulators and found more advanta-
cakes, the tem- geous since it recorded higher growth and
perature never productivity than with no panchgavya spray.
rises beyond a Degraded soil is improved by layer of soil and
certain point, bio-mass with sprinkling of fresh dung slurry
ensuring over- for composting. Cow dung along with sea water
Indegenous method of extracting arka from cow urine
heating does and yeast has been exploited as a liquid cata-

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 34
lyst. It is claimed that this is capable
of greening degraded land. Not only
good compost is made but valuable
organisms like earthworms are also
generated in due course which keep on
working all through. Individually or
system as a whole, bio gas slurry with
panchgavya combination is adjudged
as the best organic nutritional practice
for the sustainability of crops by posi-
tive impacts on overall performance on
growth, productivity and quality of
crops, the soil health and economics.
Modern-day ecologists say that as
compared to chemical fertilizer, which
damages the land in the long run, cow
dung actually improves the health of
the soil.
Covering seeds with dung before
planting helps protect against pests. It
is an excellent conditioner for the soil.
Mixed with mud and water, it is used
to coat the floors and walls in mud
houses. As a mud additive it dries up
slippery mud puddles and improves
water absorption of mud. Antiseptic
property is also the attribute of cow
dung, which is mixed with clay to form
a plastering medium for mud huts. Thin
coating of dung for cooking place,
havan kund, havan platform, mud
house, floors, walls provides antiseptic
surface. Mud and cow dung ashes
become like cement, having improved
resistance to disintegration. It is a
proven fact that mud huts plastered
with cow dung keep insects and rep-
tiles away. For this reason, people in
the countryside still store grain in huge
earthen pots plastered with cow dung
and urine to keep it free from insect
manifestations. Smoldering cow patties
keep away mosquitoes. Apparently, the
traditional Indian village system of
wiping the floor daily with a mixture of
water and fresh cow dung assures that
flies will not settle there. Cow dung is
naturally hot and composting makes it
hotter. It can be put in glass house to
warm them or on run pipes to get hot
water. Pots can be cleaned using cow
dung in the same way one uses brass
polish or soap. It absorbs oil and fat.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Dung ash is a very good cleaning
agent for utensils and can avoid use of
chemicals like vim, which leaves re-
sidual effect.
Thrown into pond, cow dung neu-
tralizes acid. It possesses natural anti-
septic qualities. Dung ash also helps in
controlling pests. Cow dung from a
single cow in its life span can produce
4500 litres of bio gas which is equiva-
lent to burning 6,80,00,000 tons of wood.
This will help us save 14 crore trees
from cutting and burning and thus give
environment protection. Fertilizers from
cow dung act as effective pollution
controllers for soil, water and air. Sci-
entific studies show that gobar has
been found to be resistant to solar
radiation. Experts say that pyramid-
shaped hump of cow absorbs solar
energy. Press reports have appeared
mentioning that houses coated with
cow dung plaster are saved from nuclear
radiation i.e. get protected from atomic
emissions. Our own nuclear department
should experiment on cow dung in its
laboratories for the scientific facts.
Dung, when sprayed on garbage and
waste dump, within a few hours makes
these free from all foul odors and even
flies are not attracted. Experiments are
being made near Indore (MP) to fill
cattle horns (of dead animals) with
dung. These are buried underground
before winter and in autumn they are
taken out. 25/30 gms of this enriched
dung is mixed with 10 litres of rain
water and sprayed which gives good
result.
Therapeutic uses of cow dung
Cow dung when mixed with crushed
neem leaves and smeared on skin—
good for boils and heat rashes. It is a
good alternative to toothpaste, which
is made of chemicals and bones of dead
animals causing relief in toothache.
Through many experiments on cow
dung the famous Italian scientist Prof.
G.E. Bea God has proven that the fresh
cow dung kills the germs of Malaria
and T.B. It has been observed that
smoke from ashes actually increases
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
our eyelids to close and open so many
times that lot of water from the eyes
comes out which increases the vision
of eyes of a person to old age also.
Cow dung is superior to other dung
because it is antiseptic and has pro-
phylactic (disease preventive) proper-
ties. It destroys micro-organisms that
cause disease, fermentation and putre-
faction. Other dungs need to be
composted to be purified. It should be
kept in mind that fresh cow dung is
pure but once it has laid on the ground,
the quality may change with the pas-
sage of time. Cow dung as described
in our scriptures is definite indication
of prosperity evident from Gobar-dhan
Puja, next day of Deepawali (a very
popular festival of India during October
or November).
Cow urine
Cow urine has many beneficial
properties particularly in the areas of
agriculture and therapeutics. It has also
been observed during the scientific
research that the urine of Indian cows
is highly effective and interestingly
almost nil or few medicinal properties
are present in the urine of crossbred,
exotic cows, buffaloes, etc. Recent re-
search showed that cow urine enhances
the immune status of an individual
through activating the macrophages and
augmenting their engulfment power as
well as bactericidal activity.
Addition of cow’s urine in
composting pits led to production of
superior quality vermicompost with
higher concentrations of major macro-
and micro-nutrients and was found to
be superior in terms of useful microflora
(fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes). Ap-
plication of this vermicompost in pots
significantly improved the yields of
leucerne (Medicago sativa). Cow urine
acts like a disinfectant and thus purifies
atmosphere and improves the fertility
of the land. Cow urine as such and/or
after addition of neem leaves a wonder-
ful bio-pesticide. Such bio-pesticides
are safe to use, do not accumulate in
the food chain and as such do not have
35
the harmful effects like chemical pesti-
cides. In 10 litres of cattle urine, about
2 kg of neem leaves are soaked with
some other vegetable matter and can be
used in proportion of 1:50 for spraying
in the cultivable land. Cow dung mixed
with cow urine makes excellent manure
and a natural pesticide. Pest repellent
prepared from cow urine and neem
leaves exhibits excellent insecticidal,
fungicidal and pesticidal properties and
also exerts excellent plant growth pro-
motion property. Urine utility has been
explored for generating small power to
run electronic clock and efforts are on
to light torch light bulb. Cow dung and
urine also mixed with mud and straw to
make dried cakes to be used as kitchen
fuel. When this becomes successful,
each house in rural and urban area
having no electricity can have light
without any recurring cost. It is pos-
sible that further intensive research
efforts may make it possible to use this
source of energy for illumination of a
small space in villages.
Therapeutic uses of cow urine
Cow urine has been described in
Sushrita Samhita and Ashtanga
Sangraha to be the most effective
substance/secretion of animal origin
with innumerable therapeutic values.
Taken in measured quantities, cow urine
or gau mutra has a unique place in
Ayurveda and is suggested for improv-
ing general health. Exploring its antimi-
crobial activities, it is being used to
produce a whole range of Ayurvedic
drugs. Cow urine therapy has a long
history. Some recognised it as water of
life in Vedas, sacred Hindu writing,
which is said to be the oldest books
in Asia, it is mentioned as amrita (bev-
erages of immotality), the nectar of the
God. The urine of the cow contains all
beneficial elements in it. Hence it is
natural and universal medicine that
fulfills the deficiency of elements and
reduces the increased elements in the
body and it is the quality of the urine,
which helps in curing even the most
incurable diseases. Cow urine contains
Sewa Sadhana Q
24 types of salts and the medicines
made from cow urine are used to cure
several diseases. Cow urine contains 95
per cent water, 2.5 per cent urea, 2.5 per
cent minerals, salt, hormones, and en-
zymes. It contains iron, calcium, phos-
phorus, salts, carbonic acid, potash,
nitrogen, ammonia, manganese, iron,
sulphor, phosphates, potassium, urea,
uric acid, amino acids, enzymes,
cytokine, lactose etc. Copper has the
power to destroy diseases and act as
an antidote. Cytokines and amino acids
might play a role in the enhancement
immune system. Gomutra alone has got
all such chemical properties, potentiali-
ties and constituents that are capable
of removing all the ill effects, imbal-
ances in the body. Urine kills the num-
ber of drug resistant bacteria and vi-
ruses and cures some incurable dis-
eases like cancers.
Most of the medicines are made by
distilling urine and collecting vapours.
The arka (distillate) is useful for many
diseases. A number of ailments could
be treated and this therapy is being
used even for dreaded diseases like
cancer, AIDS, diabetes and skin prob-
lems. Practitioners of Ayurvedic medi-
cine (from India) routinely use urine as
a remedy. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fun-
gal, anti-viral, anti-neoplastic (anti-can-
cer), anti-convulsive, anti-spasmodic
and non-toxic. Improvements have been
shown or reported with those suffering
from flu, sinus, allergies, colds, ear
infection, rheumatoid arthritis, aging,
bacterial/viral infections, snake bites,
chemical intoxication, chicken pox, en-
teritis, constipation, edema, baldness,
hepatitis, leprosy, obesity, gastric ulcer,
depression, heart disease, hypertension,
burns, tuberculosis, asthma, tetanus,
Parkinson disease, small pox, morning
sickness, fever, eczema fatigue etc. It is
also used as diuretic, laxative and for
treatment of chronic malaria, headaches
and fever. It is proved to be a universal
curer of blood disorders, leucorrhoea
and even leprosy. The urine of the cow
cleans the intestines and removes the
deposited material. Hence diseases like
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
fever, mouth and skin diseases, men-
struation disorders, asthma, giddiness,
increase of cough and urinary irregu-
larities in man are cured by its regular
use without any side effects. The urine
of cow is bitter, pungent, piquant, spicy,
warm and full of all the five types of
elixirs. There is evidence that the urine
of the cow works as the best appetizer.
It smoothens and nourishes the heart
and adds to the power of wisdom of
man, and increases their physical
strength as well. It increases life span
and purifies blood from all sorts of
impurities. In India drinking of cow
urine has been practised for thousands
of years. It has been experimentally
proved that among all sorts of urines,
the urine of the Indian cows is most
effective thus it is universal medicine
for mankind and cures various sorts of
disorders.
It is also very helpful in all kind of
skin problems, itching, sunburns, ec-
zema, psoriasis, acne etc. It also ren-
ders the hair soft and clean. Cow urine
is entirely sterile after excretion and has
antiseptic effect. Cow dung and urine
are the best cures for stomach dis-
eases, heart diseases, kidney ailments
and tuberculosis. Cow’s urine is pre-
scribed as an ingredient of various
plasters and mixtures (sometimes with
fermented wine) or alone, as an anti-
dote for obesity, as a purgative; for
eliminating vermin from an ulcer; vayu
disorders, abdominal dropsy and many
other diseases. It can be used for
stones (kidney, gall bladder etc.). A
glass of fresh cow urine should be
taken as a first thing in the morning for
21 days. Uric acid in cow urine dis-
solves these stones to a manageable
size. For diabetic youngsters it controls
sugar level and keeps fit. Daily doses
of 1 to 2 ounces of warm cow urine are
used to treat cirrhosis of the liver. Urine
as such and or mixed with honey/salt
is also administered for Liver and other
problems. Antimony sulfide and cow
urine taken internally are used to cure
malignant jaundice.
36
 It has a cure for athlete’s feet. It
has been observed that people clean-
ing the cow milk barn by bare foot
don’t suffer from athlete’s foot. Cow’s
urine has immunostimulant activity in
plants and animals. A herbal prepara-
tion popular in Nigeria is based on
cow’s urine and some herbs known as
cow urine concoction (CUC). Over fifty
chemical compounds have been iden-
tified in CUC. Its major pharmacological
actions are anticonvulsant and hypogly-
cemic effects. For the case of seba-
ceous cysts (large swellings that exude
a fatty liquid on bursting), incision
followed by washing with cow’s urine
is prescribed. Another treatment is the
surgical incision and the removal of fat
followed by cauterization of the wound.
Cow urine acts like a disinfectant and
prophylactic agent and thus purifies
atmosphere. A cow urine distillate frac-
tion has been identified as a bioenhancer
of the activities of commonly used
antibiotics, anti-fungal and anti-cancer
drugs. The activity of Rifampicin, a
front-line anti-tubercular drug used
against tuberculosis, increases by about
5-7 folds against E. coli and 3-11 folds
against Gram-positive bacteria. Potency
of ‘Taxol’ (paclitaxel) has been observed
to get increased against MCF-7, a
human breast cancer cell line in in-vitro
assays (US Patent No. 6,410,059). (The
Hindu, 4 July, 2002; The Indian Ex-
press, 4 July, 2002). Bioenhancers are
substances, which do not possess drug
activity of their own but promote and
augment the bioactivity or
bioavailability or the uptake of drugs in
combination therapy. Such bioenhancers
have been earlier isolated only from
plant sources. It has been found that
cow urine also act as a bioenhancer
and increases the efficacy of the anti-
biotics against infectious agents. Bio-
enhancement has also been observed
with other drugs viz. Ampicillin, Iso-
niazid, Clotrimazole, Cyanocobalamine
etc. Bioenhancer activity has been
found to reduce the antibiotic dose per
day and duration of treatment in tuber-
culosis patients.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Cow urine possesses anti-cancer
properties. Research works carried out
by Go-Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra (cow
science research centre) at Nagpur
revealed the beneficial properties of
cow urine in the treatment of cancers.
Further extensive research on cow urine
therapy against fighting carried out by
Scientists of Central Institute of Me-
dicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP),
CSIR centre at Lucknow, along with
collaboration with Go-Vigyan
Anusandhan Kendra, Nagpur confirmed
this milestone achievement. Studies
highlight the role of cow urine in treat-
ing cancers and that cow urine en-
hances the efficacy and potency of
anti-cancer drugs. Recently, this signifi-
cant achievement has been validated
by the grant of U.S. patent (No. 6896907)
in the field of treatment of cancers
(Amar Ujala, July, 19, 2005). The Indig-
enous cow urine contains “Rasayan”
tatva, which is responsible to modulate
immune system and act as bioenhancer.
Scientists have proved that the pesti-
cides even at very low doses cause
apoptosis (cell suicide) in lymphocytes
of blood and tissues through fragmen-
tation of DNA. Cow urine helps the
lymphocytes survive and not to commit
suicide. It also repairs the damaged
DNA and thus is effective for the
cancer therapy. The above two US
patents have attracted global attention.
US patents to Indian scientists on cow
urine therapy made realise that all tra-
ditional practices from Indian systems
of medicine have a strong scientific
base. The cow urine, the best therapy
that can cure disorders, is non-toxic
and can be obtained free of cost through
domestication of cow. It is an important
ingredient of panchgavya, which has
been tested by various workers for its
immunomodulatory properties and have
been reported that it enhances both
cellular and humoral immune response.
In-vivo cow urine treatment to develop-
ing chicks marginally upregulated the
lymphocyte proliferation activity.
The immunomodulatory effect of
kamdhenu arka prepared from cow
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
urine were studied in mice and it was
found that cow urine enhances both T-
and B-cell proliferation and also in-
creases the level of IgG, IgA and IgM
antibodies titres. It also increases the
secretion of interleukin-1 and 2. The
level of both IL-1 and 2 in mice got
increased by 30.9 and 11.0 per cent,
respectively and in rats these levels
were increased significantly by 14.75
and 33.6 per cent, respectively.
Kamdhenu arka, a drug made from
urine of zebu cattle has been reported
to be a potent and safe
immunomodulator, which increases both
humoral and cell mediated immunity in
mice. The cow urine was found to have
protective effect on lymphocytes of
birds undergoing apoptosis and sug-
gested the exploitation through experi-
mental trails for specific use of cow
urine as an adjunct to vaccination. It
enhances the activity of macrophages
and reduces apoptosis in lymphocytes,
thus is helpful in prevention and con-
trol of bacterial infections. Thus not
only maintain the immunity of body but
also modulate it in the positive direc-
tion to an optimum level. It has been
reported to prevent the pathogenic
effect of free radicals through cow
urine therapy. These radicals cause
damage to various tissues and attack
enzymes, fat and proteins disrupting
normal cell activities or cell membranes,
producing a chain reaction of destruc-
tion leading to the ageing process of
a person. By regular use of cow urine
one can get the charm of a youth as
it prevents the free radicals formation.
Beneficial effects of cow urine were
reported on serum biochemical profile
(total serum protein, glucose, calcium,
and cholesterol) of laying birds. Its
usefulness as antimicrobial agent, posi-
tive effect on body weight gain, hema-
tological profiles, immunomodulatory ef-
fect on both humoral and cellular im-
mune responses, and healing of surgi-
cal wound in experimental rats. The
cow urine has capabilities to potentiate
the egg production of the birds and it
can be used as a feed additive for layer
37
birds in order to get good quality
eggs. Distilled cow urine protects DNA
and repairs it rapidly as observed
after damage due to actinomycin-D
and pesticides. It protects chromo-
somal aberrations by mitomycin in
human leukocyte.
For the treatment of wounds on
body surface local (topical) applica-
tion of antiseptic powder or lotion is
recommended but in ancient Hindu
mythology use of cow urine as anti-
septic is found. Cow urine is having
antiseptic properties in wound heal-
ing and it is observed that the healing
time is somewhat less in comparison
to wounds on which antiseptic cream
was applied. Administration of fresh
cow urine orally showed added effect
on wound healing by virtue of its
antiseptic and immunologically modi-
fying properties in dogs, the healing
process was observed a bit faster
than the group of dogs which were
not given fresh cow urine orally. Urine
enemas work very well in cleansing
the colon and in providing a direct
immune stimulant effect. It can also be
used as ear and eye drops for treating
ear infections, conjunctivitis and glau-
coma. Sniffing cow urine is useful in
sinusitis and other nose problems like
rhinitis and colds. Orally taking the
middle stream of morning urine is a
good tonic and preventative in minor
illnesses. Gargling with urine is help-
ful in throat ache and also in cold.
Vaginal douche is helpful in curing of
infections. For, massaging/rubbing one
can use either fresh or old urine. Old
urine (four to eight days) is generally
more effective in massaging and nour-
ishes the body through the skin and
helps against increased heartbeat.
Fresh urine as an after-shave gives a
beautiful soft skin. Hair and scalp
massage can sometimes stimulates
new hair growth. Footbaths can be
used for any skin and nail problems
of the feet (athlete’s foot, ringworm
etc. However, the biological activity
of the cow urine needs to be explored
scientifically.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Conclusion
Cow is central to our life and bio-
diversity. Its progeny and panchgavya
have wide applications and have the
potential for sustainable agriculture pro-
duction, health and nutrition of hu-
mans, production of bio-fertilizers, pro-
duction of non-conventional energy and
for maintaining the bio-diversity of the
ecosystem. The area has tremendous
potential which has not been exploited.
By the use of chemical fertilizers, pes-
ticides and exploitation of ground water
the food grain production levels have
been obtained at a higher cost but at
the cost of the fertility and health of
Educating people about
the benefits of cow and
panchgavya can provide
solution to problems of
shortage of foodgrains,
fuel, shelter, good health,
nutrition, eradication of
poverty, and unemployment
and as an alternate source
of energy. Motivation of
farmers and other people
should be done to
preserve and conserve the
indigenous cows.
soil and also the quality of the food
produced. The only remedy to restore
the balance is organic farming and the
cow and its progeny and other animals
could provide the solution. The rearing
of cow and its progeny is a viable
alternative for removing poverty in the
rural and semi-urban areas and provid-
ing employment opportunities for a
long-term sustainable economic growth.
The knowledge about cow’s contribu-
tion to the economy, medicinal and
scientific value of panchgavya is not
known by all besides the non-availabil-
ity of the labelled cowpathy products.
By following the future strategies/mea-
sures, the tremendous cattle wealth of
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
the country can be propagated in its
proper perspective. Therefore, efforts
need to be made for public awareness
about the “virtues of cow” and its
“panchgavya”. Now people need in-
formation and data based on research.
Most of the tested practices of cow
therapy, panchgavya, agnihotra and
milk miracles are rejected as myth or
mythological adventures. It is there-
fore necessary to blend science, spiri-
tuality and wisdom. Such a blending
has resulted in US patents of cow
dung/urine and many more patents
are awaiting ahead. Grant of a US
Patents to panchgavya products has
given the ultimate stamp of approval
to Indian belief. Since the livestock
sector has great potential for poverty
alleviation, utmost importance should
be given for future research in this
field. Therefore, establishment of re-
search and development centres in
medicinal, agricultural, pharmaceutical,
nutritional, environmental, technologi-
cal areas and socio-economic utility of
godhan (cow and its progeny) should
be given priority. The panchgavya
theory of Ayurveda should gain popu-
larity not only in traditional families
but also in highly educated and sci-
entific society. An integrated approach
is necessary to promote the highly
valuable virtues and wide applications
of panchgavya.
Thus it can be inferred that
panchgavya/cowpathy, a new version
of ancient science, is definitely a prom-
ising formulation in the years to come.
Therefore, educating people about the
benefits of cow and panchgavya can
provide solution to problems of short-
age of food grains, fuel, shelter, good
health, nutrition, eradication of pov-
erty, and unemployment and as an
alternate source of energy. Motivation
of farmers and other people should be
done to preserve and conserve the
indigenous cows.
(The writer is a scientist at the Centre for
Animal Disease Research and Diagnosis
Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh.)
38
Vishwa Mangal Go Gram Yatra to begin from Vijayadashami
A pilgrimage to save the soul of the nation
Suresh Agrawal

P REPARATIONS for the Vishwa

Mangal Go Gram Yatra are in full
swing. The Yatra will begin on
Vijayadashami Day from Kurukshetra,
Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Mata
Amritanandamayi Devi, Morari Bapu,
Acharya Mahaprajna, Acharya Vijay
Ratnasunder Surishwar Maharaj,
have to be motivated to return to their
villages. The work of village reconstruc-
tion has to be resumed in rural areas
through this Yatra. Infusing a sense of
Haryana. It will culminate in Nagpur on Acharya Vidya Sagar Maharaj, various true love towards land, water, forest,
Makar Sankranti after covering the Buddhist and Sikh saints, all the four property and traditional rural culture of
whole country in 108 days in the year Shankaracharays and Gokarna the villages is the prime objective of the
2010. There will be 400 programmes Peethadhishwar Sri Raghaveshwara Yatra. Basically, all these things are
during the Yatra all over the country. Bharati are leading this Yatra. It is the facing the biggest threat in villages
The Yatra will cover a total distance of joint endeavour of all these saints. today.
20,000 km. Some sub-yatras will also They are going to give a joint call to This Yatra is the real freedom
start from various villages and will join the countrymen—Chalen gay ki or, struggle. The freedom that the country
talukas, districts and finally the state. chalen gaon ki or, chalen prakrati ki achieved 60 years back was just politi-
There will be go poojas, cultural or, chalen gramrajya se Ramrajya ki or cal. Now after 60 years, the saints have
programmes, go sandeshas by go (Turn to the cow, village, nature and decided to recreate the similar
bhaktas and artists. swatantrata sangram (freedom struggle)
It is a massive movement to pro- all over the country. It is a fight be-
tect the cows, to develop the villages tween villages and cities as well as
and bring prosperity and happiness in India and Bharat. This fight has basi-
the nation and the world. It is an agro- cally been going on for the last 60 years
socio, economic revolution, a second and the villages appear to have lost it.
Independence movement which will We have to make the villages and
spread the message: ‘Save the cow, Bharat victorious in this fight.
save the nation, save the world’. The A healthy lifestyle has to be devel-
overall objective of the Yatra is to oped in the country through this Yatra.
restore happy life in the world. Bharat We need to return to the villages and
is the soul of the world, gram is the the nature to live a healthy life. That is
soul of Bharat, agriculture is the soul why the whole world is today worried
of gram and cow is the basis of agri- about global warming and there is a
culture. When we connect all these move all over the country to save the
links we find that the cow is the soul forest, water and the nature. The people
of the whole world. of the world have realised that if they
Gokarna Peethadhishwar Sri
Needless to say that cow is being Raghaveshwara Bharati with a calf have to remain fit they will have to live
slaughtered all over the world and according to the rules of the nature.
farmers are compelled to commit sui- gram rajya to Ram rajya). They will have to return to the villages.
cide. By and large, the whole world The saints are going to educate the There is a need to carry out a fight to
appears to be treading a disastrous countrymen that the nation will not give a new direction to the village life
become developed and prosperous with-
path. It shows the life we are living is in coming days. That is why this fight
disastrous and unhappy. If we have to out the development of villages. This is going to begin from Kurukshetra. In
divine message will reach over five lakh
live a happy life, the cow slaughter has the word ‘Kurukshetra’ the word ‘kuru’
to be stopped forthwith and the atmo- villages. A revolution has to be created means ‘do’ and ‘kshetra’ means ‘field’
in villages through the Yatra. In other
sphere of self-respect has to be devel- or ‘farm’. What we today need is to
oped for the farmers. words, we have to develop love and start thinking about the field. Since it
affection in the hearts of rural youth is going to begin from Vijayadashami
Keeping in view these facts, the who are migrating to urban areas and day, the victory is certain and it would
influential saints like Yogaguru Baba those who have already migrated there definitely bring real and healthy change.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 39
 Our politicians
have committed many
blunders during the
Now produce paper
last 60 years. The In-
dian culture believes
that the real leaders of from cow dung
life are saints and not
the politicians. The Muzaffar Hussain
saints give a positive
direction to life while
the politicians think
only about the politi-
cal gains. Several great
T HERE are demonstrations, dharnas, pro-
test marches, seminars and workshops
demanding ban on cow slaughter almost
everyday. These demands have been made in the
Young Achievers Award for the year 2006. This
company is based at Burney city in Tasmania
Island. A company in Thailand used the el-
ephant dung for producing paper.
personalities like Dr country since centuries. But what is the result? The research proved that the dung of
Pranav Pandya of Still the Government of independent India thinks Indian breed cows has more fiber than the dung
Gayatri Parivar and the nothing but to find ways to collect more revenue of any other breeds of cow. When the dung
saints are going to by exporting beef. Fact is that if we have to of cross-breed cow is boiled, it produces foul
lead this Yatra. Many honestly save the cow, we will have to increase smell in the process. But it does not happen
leading and revered her usefulness in the daily life. Keeping this in in the case of Indian-breed cows. The dung of
personalities of the view, many experiments are being conducted on buffalo also has very less fiber.
country are in the cow dung and urine. By now, the maximum use
The credit to make paper from the cow
organising committee. of cow dung has been in the form of energy.
dung goes to a research scholar Dr Anuradha
Since the day, bio-gas has emerged as an effec-
Over 21 crore who belongs to Vishakhapattanam. Presently,
tive alternative to electricity and people have
people of the country she is teaching in a college at Rajmundari. She
become serious about it. The research scholars
are going to give their was awarded a doctorate degree in Economics
too have accelerated their experiments on it. The
ascent over a memo- of Education under the guidance of Prof.
latest invention in this field is manufacturing of
randum. According to Pullarao of Andhra University. She submitted
paper from cow dung. Undoubtedly the require-
an estimate more than her research paper on finance. Dr Anuradha is
ment of paper is increasing day-by-day but this
50 crore people of the the wife of Shri Ramesh Ramaswami, who is
is also a fact that the raw material for producing
country are going to fully dedicated to rural development.
paper is decreasing gradually.
resolve for the protec- According to scientists, we need about 13 She says when she met Dr Madan Mohan
tion of the village cul- trees to make one tonne paper. Now we can Bajaj in Vishakhapattanam she started thinking
ture, villages and the imagine how many trees are cut for producing about the cow. Dr Bajaj had basically exposed
cow. paper everyday. Presently, we have forests only the plight of Indian cows in his lecture deliv-
The signatures at eight per cent land. If they too are cut with ered there and he stressed the need that the
collected from the the same speed the day is not far when it will cow could not be protected till it is connected
people will be pre- become difficult for us to find trees in India. If with the economy of the country. He also talked
sented to the Presi- we have to save the country from turning into about the dung of elephant and Kangaru in his
dent of the country. a desert we will have to find an alternate raw lecture.
The Yatra seeks the material for producing paper. After hearing that lecture, Dr Anuradha
total ban on cow Paper is made in Australia from the dung of started research on the cow dung. She mixed
slaughter and the sta- Kangaru and elephant. According to scientists several chemicals with the dung. After some
tus of national animal what is needed the most for producing paper is time she successfully produced a cardboard
to the cow. It seeks cellulose fiber. The things that have thread-like from that dung. But she wanted to produce
the implementation of fiber can be used as raw material. An organisation writing paper. She continued her research. In
existing laws against in Australia has been using jute and lady finger the beginning, the paper produced was very
cow slaughter. This is plants for producing paper. The trees of coconut weak and used to break. But she found the
a call to the nation to have also been proved useful for this purpose. ways to improve its quality. Now she has
unite and uplift the An Australia-based company, Creative Paper Tas- produced the same fine paper as is available
rural India and achieve mania, has been making paper from the Kangaru in the market. This type of experiments can only
national integration dung since 1992. The manager of this company, save the cows if we are serious to save the cow
through gau mata. Joana Gear, was recently honoured with Premier and her progeny.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 40
Converting soil into Amrit Mitti
T
HINK of a natural system, such as a
forest or meadow: it thrives year after
year by recycling available nutrients.
Leaves fall off and break down; grasses and
flowers grow bloom and fade; animals die and
decompose—all life adds organic matter to the
soil.
It is beyond any doubt that healthy soil
means healthy plants. When one builds and
maintains fertile rich soil in organic matter, one
lays the groundwork for thriving plants/crops
that can develop quickly, resist pests and
diseases, and yield a bountiful crop. A good
soil can be described as one that is live,
productive and full of nutrition. We call it Amrit
Mitti (fertile nursery soil).
Building Amrit Mitti
The term Amrit Mitti is used for the soil
that contains well-composted organic parts and
mineral parts in equal volume. Mineral part is
related to available nutrient content in the soil,
and the adjective nursery relates to the factor,
which gives structure and form the soil. Nature
has originated and maintained the entire food
chain with the evolution of green plants. These
plants after death and decomposition by micro-
organisms have accumulated through the ages
a profile called soil. To build up soil, our best
resource are the plants that can grow or are
growing in the vicinity and our farm.
Composition of different parts of plant
Any newly growing part of plant contains
all micro-nutrients and phosphate contents in
it because every new cell in the meristem needs
all of these before it comes into existence. Thus
all tender parts of plants are capable of pro-
viding these micro-nutrients to us to improve
the necessary mineral contents of the soil.
When new growth begins to lose its tender-
ness and leaves expand the mineral nutrients
that are necessary for this growth which are
nitrogen, potash, magnesium, sulphur, iron
manganese and copper. Since these are neces-
sary for healthy leaves of the plants, on recy-
cling these yield minerals back to the soil.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Deepak Suchde
As leaves mature with age, calcium is
incorporated more and more in the cells. When
these leaves age and die before falling from
the plant 70 per cent of the mobile contents It is beyond
of nutrients are carried back to the plant for
further use or as a reserve for new growth. any doubt that
Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, healthy soil
sulphur, zinc, copper are such elements. But
30 per cent of the elements like iron, manga- means healthy
nese, boron, calcium are not returned to the plants. When
plant as these are immobilised in the system.
one builds
Therefore we can say that to build up
fertile soil one must learn the differences in and maintains
materials composted at different periods of fertile rich soil
their growth. Tender leaves provide zinc, boron,
phosphate and molybdenum. Matured leaves
in organic
provide nitrogen, magnesium and potash while matter, one
dried leaves provide calcium, silica, boron, iron
and manganese.
lays the
groundwork
So, one can now learn how on decompo-
sition of tender leaves and matured old green for thriving
leaves one can get all the minerals nutrients plants/crops
back for the soil. As plant grows the cellulose
and hemicelluloses components of its body that can
begin to accumulate. With further maturity the develop
lignin component also accumulates. The cel-
lulose (tender) and lignin (tough and fibrous) quickly, resist
parts of plants on decomposition yield humus pests and
and ligno protein respectively. But if we return
dead fallen leaves of a plant to the soil only
diseases, and
iron, manganese, boron and calcium are re- yield a
turned to the soil after complete decomposi-
tion.
bountiful crop.
A good soil
Preparing compost soil heaps for
Amrit Mitti
can be
While preparing compost heaps we have
described as
to remember the definition of Amrit Mitti, one that is
which says: Good Amrit Mitti=50 per cent
organic part (parts of plants) + 50 per cent
live,
mineral part (topsoil). So the two are combined productive and
in proper proportion by alternating layers of
full of
biomass and soil in form of heaps. This heap
on its own will take a long time to decompose. nutrition.
So we introduce a catalyst called Amrit Jal
(water) to accelerate decomposition.
41
 The method of preparing Amrit Mitti
Step 1: Preparing Amrit Jal: Take one litre fresh
cow dung, one litre cow urine, 50 gram black
jeggary and 10 litres of water. Mix all these
together and keep for three days. Stir the
mixture 2 to 3 times in a day, clockwise and
anti-clockwise twelve times. On 4th day, take
The term this concentrate mixture and mix it with 100
Amrit Mitti litres of water. This preparation is called Amrit
Jal. One gm of cow dung contains 33 crores
is used for of microbes. These multiply 17 times when
soil that fermented for three days. These microbes ac-
celerate decomposition.
contains Step 2: Collecting top soil
well- What we call top soil can be found below
big trees or under the bushes, in nooks and
composted corners of the path of flowing water. The top
organic parts soil should be collected by scrapping (only1
cm) the layers of any unturned soil and never
and mineral by digging. This top soil is a necessary ingre-
dient, because it contains essential minerals
parts in along with dormant forms of microbes. By
equal volume. using this top soil the bio-mass (leaves) we
provide an atmosphere to activate the dormant
Mineral part microbes. The microbes will become active
is related to when we mix the topsoil with the biomass.
Step 3A: Collect green biomass
available Collect different kinds of green biomass
nutrient
from surrounding areas. Chop green parts of
plants, leaves and let them dry. After they dry,
content in soak them in Amrit Jal for 24 hours. By
the soil, and soaking it for 24 hours all the veins in the
leaves branches get saturated with this Amrit
the adjective Jal. This Jal also provides non-aerobic mi-
crobes, which help accelerate the recomposing
nursery process.
relates to the Preparing compost heaps: Now, on the ground
factor, which put one layer of this soaked biomass and then
one layer of top soil and sprinkle Amrit Jal to
gives moist the top soil. Keep on alternating the
layers, until a height of one foot is reached,
structure and i.e., about 25 to 35 layers. In this way the
form the soil. surface area is increased which accelerates the
recomposing process. Heaps should be 3 ft
broad, 1 ft high and of any desired length. (The
quantity of biomass in the layer should be
such that it equals the mineral part after com-
plete decomposition.)
During this period keep the heap moist
(not soggy) by sprinkling it with Amrit Jal.
Nursery soil will be ready in next 30 days.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Step 3B: Preparing compost heaps by using dry
leaves
While using dry leaves for composting, we
also need to add greens. The reason for this
is that dry leaves only contain 30 per cent of
nutrition (elements), the rest 70 per cent have
already been transferred to the mother plant
before falling from the tree. Hence to fulfill the
requirement for the remaining 70 per cent of
nutrition, through experimentation we have dis-
covered that we can manage by greening the
heap through different types of seeds.
Method: Crush dry leaves-biomass in two to
three inch. This breaks the waxy layer on the
veins and ensures seeping of Amrit Jal in veins
of leaves. Arrange layers of biomass with topsoil
sprinkled in between layers as explained above.
On top after 25-35 layers add a layer of 2 inches
fertile soil or FYM or vermin compose or our
Amrit Mitti if have.
Greening the heap: Easily available local seeds
are to be collected and soaked in Amrit Jal for
eight hours. All these seeds are to be mixed
together and used to provide for greening and
basic nutrition. Use 10 gm. of all mixed seeds
per sq ft. Mulching of 4" thickness to be
provided up to germination
Grain-Rice, Jowhar, Bajra, Maiz, Wheat
Ceral-Mung, Channa, Muth, Udad
Oil seads-Groundnut, Till, Castor Mustard, Kardi
Spices-Methi, Jira, Rai, Chilly, Mustard
Vegetable- Tomatto, Brinjal, Bean, Bitter Gaud
Creeper- Cucumber, Red and Green Gaud ,Turi,
Galka
Root plants– Turmeric, Ginger, Sweet potato,
Tapioca
Fibrous plants–Cotton, Ladyfinger, Ambadi
Flowering plants–Marigold,
Herbal plants-Tulsi, Satavari, Ardusi,
Kadukadiatu
Long-life trees-Subabul, Neem, Drumstick,
Karanj, Mohua, Glericidia
These soaked seeds are then broadcast on
heaps as explained above providing the layer of
2" Amrit Mitti or topsoil or any FYM on the
heap (of biomass).
The ratio is 10 grams per square foot. The
seeds are then covered by soil. The layer of soil
used should be double the size of the seeds.
Cover the heap by 2 to 4 inches of mulch, i.e.
42
dry grass or dry leaves. Sprinkle Amrit Jal in
order to maintain moisture levels continuously.
Remove the top mulch after the seeds germinate.
Sprinkle with Amrit Jal time-to-time to maintain
the moisture of the heap.
After the first 21 days interval:
During the first 21 days from germination of
seeds, the seeds would have sprouted and
grown to some height. Harvest (cut off) 25 per
cent of the greens, without disturbing the roots.
Then allow one inch of the stem to remain on
the heap at the time of harvesting. Through this
process, we harvest tender leaves of the plant
and they are to be used in the compost heap.
After the second 21 days interval from germi-
nation, i.e. on 42 day
Let the cut sapling also grow for another 21
days. After which again cut off 25 per cent of
the growth, which will consist of matured leaves.
Put these green cuttings on the compost heap.
After the third 21 days interval, i.e. on 63 day
Let this second time cut sapling grow for
another 21 days along with not pruned plants.
On the 3rd 21st day, i.e. the 63rd day, some plants
would have started flowering. On this day re-
move all the plants by cutting from stem just
from above the heap without disturbing the root
portion. Chop them up into 2 or 3 inch pieces
and spread them out on the heap of compost.
Leave for 3 to 4 days till they become yellow.
Then dip in Amrit Jal for 8 hours and mix them
into the heap. At this stage uproot all the roots
mixed in heap properly with deep biomass in the
heap. This heap is to be kept for 30 days.
However after every seven days it should be
tilled and kept moist by providing Amrit Jal at
proper interval.
Through the greening process we start our
search for plant nutrients from our soil and
growing parts of the plants harvest various
nutrients grow vigorously. We can recycle this
whole biomass to build up the all requirement
of the soil. We are in sense repeating nature’s
grassland and pasture eco-system evolution in
our limited space. Unless we raise such greening
we lose our daily opportunity of harvesting
sunlight that is otherwise lost for ever the very
night. We can also provide nutrition to mother
earth through the six rasa (shud rus) as de-
scribed in Ayurveda. This we do when we add
seeds and green the heap.
* The sweet taste is provided through
Varyali or Sauf.
* The sour taste through Ambadi, Amli,
Tomato
* The pungent taste through Chilli
* The astringent taste through Gawar
* The salty taste through Spinach,
Rajagara
* The bitter taste through Methi, bitter To build up
gourd.
fertile soil one
Through ash we provide 100 elements to the
earth. On the 97th day, this will become the must learn the
best soil on the earth. differences in
* It will have proper CN ratio. materials
* It will have 7 pH. composted at
* It will have maximum water holding ca-
pacity
different
* It will be airy soil, which will have carbon periods of
content of 1 to 5 per cent. their growth.
* This soil will be called Amrit Mitti (nurs- Tender leaves
ery soil or masala soil or compost).
provide zinc,
* Microbial count will be highest.
boron,
* It will have a sweet smell as it emerges
with the first rainfall on the soil. phosphate and
* Through cow dung, from the Amrit Jal, molybdenum.
life has entered.
Matured leaves
* Through tender leaves, matured green
leaves and plant when in flowering stage provide
it is full of nutrition in available form. nitrogen,
* The fiber of dried leaves and stems
magnesium
becomes the structure of the soil.
and potash
Maintaining the compost heap
* Every year the compost heap reduces its
while dried
volume by 30 per cent. leaves provide
* The 30 per cent loss is due to the calcium,
conversion of carbon into carbon diox-
ide because of the heat. silica, boron,
* Mulching can minimise this, i.e. covering iron and
the heap with grass cuttings and dry
leaves the loss of nutrition can be com-
manganese.
pensated by providing ash.
* We can also maintain the volume of the
compost heap by providing back to it,
roots, leaves and branches from the
plant material harvested from this heap.
* We can minimise erosion of heap by live
mulching on it by growing Chana, Till,
Muster, Maize, Nachni and Ragi.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 43

Why vermi compost?
FIRST and foremost vermicompost relies on the introduction of
earthworms from an outside source. This not only requires
reliance on an external input or market but also may introduce
a foreign element into the delicate local ecosystem.
Earthworms are an inhabitant and indicator of nutrient-rich
soils; when such soil is created worms appear independently of
human involvement. Local earthworms are fundamentally soil-
eaters; they can descend up to eight feet and play an essential
role in bringing biomass into the soil and minerals to the surface;
their burrows provide aeration and balanced water content as well
as providing pathways and enzymes for white feeder roots.
However, worms introduced through vermicompost are biomass-
eaters; they do not serve the greater and necessary role of deep-
burrowing worms. Instead they essentially play the same role as
the microbes in decomposing and rendering minerals available to
plants and consume more energy to produce the same result.
Vermicompost is produced away from the plants in a covered
area—temperature and external factors are controlled. However,
when this compost is transferred to the field microbes present
do not necessarily adapt to the transition. During decomposition
enzymes are released from both earthworms and microbes
essential to the development of feeder roots. If composting is
done away from the field the benefits of these enzymes are lost
to plants. Human labour is also wasted moving ingredients and
compost to and from the pits.
Worms greatly increase the presence of N, P, and K in the
soil; however, many more elements are necessary for plant
growth. In addition, vermicompost is generally practiced with
fallen leaves; these leaves contain only 30 per cent of the necessary
elements having transferred the bulk back to the mother plant
upon drying. Therefore a traditional vermicompost heap utilising
only worms and dry biomass is deficient in elements necessary
for growing plants. Once soil and biomass is converted into humus
by microbes in the field, the presence of earthworms is welcome
and cherished for their great contribution to the enrichment of
the soil.
Adding ash to the compost heap
Only by * By drying the wood from the trees that
promoting the
are pruned in one’s own compound and
cow-based then burning them we can obtain this ash.
industries we * This will replace all elements in the heap,
which the plants have extracted from the
can truly soil.
make the * Every three months, ash is to be provided
farmer to the compost heap, this helps overcome
any deficiency of minerals and also helps
the father of in maintaining the pH of the soil.
the nation. * 30 grams of ash can be given per square
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
foot at intervals of 100 days.
Requirement for a compost heap
From experience it has been found that a
compost heap of 10 ft x 3 ft x 1 ft requires:
* 80 kgs of dry leaves (approx) {depend on
quality of biomass}
* 8 kgs of top soil (mineral soil)
* 300 gms of seeds of different varieties for
greening
* 200 litres of Amrit Jal—which contains
again dependant on quality fiber and dry-
ness of biomass. Two kg fresh cow dung,
two litre cow urine, 100 gm jaggery (all are
variable depending on the variety of bio-
mass you use)
All this is required for preparing one heap
So ten guntha or ¼ of an acre requires 75
such heaps which are to be prepared only once
in a lifetime.
A very important aspect of Prof. S.A.
Dabholkar’s contribution to the science of
farming is to make sure we maintain the eco-
logical balance and this is done by giving back
to nature what we have taken in the initial
stages for preparing our soil from the sur-
roundings, by an extra 30 per cent. If we do
not do this then we create an imbalance in the
eco-system. So on our farms or vegetable
gardens whatever we produce after using what
we need or supplying for the needs of society,
the balance goes back to the heap. This also
help us maintain the volume of the heap. So
we return all these things back and help recycle
them and we have indeed given back to nature.
This is a simple science providing pros-
perity to all. We use nature’s bounty not
destroying mother earth and in the process
growing organic fruits, vegetables for the fam-
ily which are free from all kinds of poisons,
chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The farmer
can become the father of the nation in a true
sense.
For further information please contact:
MALPANI TRUST, Krushi Teerth, “SHARAN”
, Village -Bajwada, Post-Nemawar, District Dewas-
.455339 (Madhya Pradesh)
Phone: Mobile:- 9329570960, 9302271797,
Email:deepaksuchde@gmail.com
Websites: - www.prayogpariwar.net,
www.sharan-india.org,
www.natuecofarmingscience.com
44
Try Natueco farming as another option
N
ATUECO farming system fol-
lows the principles of eco-sys-
tem networking of nature. It is
beyond the broader concepts of or-
ganic or natural farming in both phi-
losophy and practice. It offers an alter-
native to the commercial and heavily
chemical techniques of modern farming.
It emphasises the simple harvesting of
sunlight through the critical application
of scientific examination, experiments,
and methods that are rooted in the
neighbourhood resources. It depends
on developing a thorough understand-
ing of plant physiology, geometry of
growth, fertility, and biochemistry. This
can be simply achieved through
demystification of science.
Prayog Pariwar has demonstrated
that dissemination of relevant and of-
ten sophisticated science, which can be
achieved in the local idioms of the
common man. This can be very effec-
tive in bringing about a ‘gray matter
revolution’. With a new techniracy
(technical literacy) for the management
of soil, water and canopy of leaves, it
promises record assured yields with
minimal external inputs and optimal
harvesting of sunlight.
Understanding Natueco farming sci-
ence
Natueco farming methods go be-
yond natural farming and organic farm-
ing. In natural farming, farming is done
trusting nature through the empirical
wisdom of ages. However, Natueco
methods emphasise farming by know-
ing nature more and more through
critical scientific inquiries and experi-
ments. It is an ever-growing, novel,
unique, participatory tryst between man
and nature. Moreover, Natueco farming
is no way related to the present com-
mercial techniques of farming.
It has a new vision of infinite
resource potentials in nature and sun-
light and promises plenty for all through
Sewa Sadhana Q
harvesting all these re-
sources by increasing the
human activity.
This depends on a criti-
cal understanding of green-
ing and recycling of biom-
ass within the
neighbourhood to enrich
the structure and fertility of
soil in a calculated way. It
promises record assured
yields in a mathematic pre-
cision by understanding
plant’s geometry, cycles of
growth, and canopy (leaf
area) management with little
or no external inputs and for
optimum harvesting of sun-
light. It visualises that in
the near future, the present
money market system will
have to give way to a new
eco-economic system of
nature, i.e. energy market
system.
Natueco farming step-by-
step
Natueco farming
emphasises ‘Neighbourhood
Resource Enrichment’ by
‘Additive Regeneration’
rather than through depen-
dence on external, commer-
cial inputs. The three rel-
evant aspects of Natueco
farming are as below:
Soil: Enrichment of soil by
recycling the biomass and
by establishing a proper en-
ergy chain.
Roots: Development and
maintenance of white feeder
root zones for efficient ab-
sorption of nutrients.
Canopy: Harvesting the sun
through proper canopy man-
agement for efficient photo-
synthesis.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
20 reasons why one should
go for Natueco farming
1. It is a non-violent way of growing food—no tilling
and digging.
2. No external additives or pesticides are required.
3. The soil nourishes itself while growing food—the
method imitates natural process of top soil cre-
ation.
4. Less laborious (after three years) unlike conven-
tional farming.
5. Maximises yield/plant, which in turn results in
healthy plant which in turn makes it less suscep-
tible to pests and diseases.
6. Maximises dry matter/sq ft of available land. Make
business sense.
7. Maximises nutrition per family by diverse and
multi-crop pattern of cultivation.
8. Least water intensive—just rain-fed and what we
consume for personal use.
9. Overcomes an important constraint—a need to have
good quality of top soil on existing land.
10. Dramatically reduces our ‘eco-footprint’ and ‘food-
miles’—good for environment.
11. It is perfectly aligned with nature’s three cycles—
of matter, energy and life.
12. Increases biomass through perfect management of
sun, soil, plant and man.
13. The only occupation to set a man truly ‘free’—
free from being a slave of an employer.
14. The only dignified way to help an individual shift
from dependence on external inputs (like job,
government help, infrastructure etc) to liberation
and swaraj in real sense.
15. Provides shock absorption against ecological and
pest disasters because of multi-cropping and crop
diversity.
16. The best combination of age-old natural farming and
modern scientific intervention.
17. Not an esoteric or theoretical concept and yet leads
to wholesome and spiritual experience.
18. Possible to develop new ventures and non-exploit-
ative entrepreneurship abilities.
19. Generates a natural healing climate where automati-
cally harmony and love evolves and greed or
selfishness dissolves—no sermons or religions re-
quired to preach virtue.
20. Highly integrative—reduces sense of duality.
45
 Agnihotra farming

The way for making

farmers prosperous

At the time of
F ARMING is a very important work. That
is why a farmer is called annadata
(food-giver). Most of the professions
are agriculture-based and the farming is called
and rice, time of sunrise and some mantras.
The pyramid shape container has a unique
effect that is why agnihotra is performed in
this container only. The dry cow-dung in small
backbone of the economy. But today the farm- pieces has to be kept in this container for five
agnihotra we ers are very depressed and disappointed. They to seven minutes before conducting the
have to offer are on the path of disaster due to uncontrolled agnihotra. The fire has to be lit with the help
only two use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The of kapoor and even the match stick has to be
fertility of soil is fast
ahutis in the declining and the cost
fire—one of of production is increas-
ghee made of ing. And what we are
producing with the use
cow milk and of the heavy quantity
the second of of chemicals is nothing
rice. The most but poison.
A farmer knowingly
effective time
uses chemical fertilizers
of performing and pesticides in the
agnihotra is vegetables and sells
them in the market. On
sunrise and the other hand, a farmer
sunset which grows vegetables with
could be agnihotra method by
using bio-fertilisers and
different in sells them in the market.
different areas. The first knows that he
Therefore, one used poison in the field and is not happy while thrown away, not in the container. At the time
the other is satisfied that what he sold in the of agnihotra we have to offer only two ahutis
has to market is amrit. Both earn money from agricul- in this fire—one of cow ghee and the second
ascertain the ture produces. But one has the pain that he of rice. The most effective time of performing
time of sunrise is selling poison, while the other is extremely agnihotra is sunrise and sunset which could
satisfied that what he grows and sells is amrit. be different in different areas. Therefore, one
and sunset at has to ascertain the time of sunrise and sunset
The vegetables grown through the
the place agnihotra method not only make the person at the place where one has to perform agnihotra.
where one has who eats them healthy, wealthy and wise but It does not take more than 20 to 25 seconds
also protect the environment. The need of the in offering the ahutis and it hardly takes two
to perform the to three minutes to fully burn the whole ma-
hour today is that we should go for the farming
agnihotra. that not only gives money but also satisfies terial.
the growers. Needless to say, the agnihotra One basic rule of agnihotra is that it
performed properly has a healing touch. It should be performed at the correct time. The
requires five basic things—a container made of two mantras to be recited at the time of sunrise
copper, dry cow-dung, ghee made of cow milk are: Suryay swaha. Suryaya idam na mam and

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 46
Prajapataye swaha. Prajapataye idam
na mam. The two ahutis have to be
offered at the time of sunset and the
two mantras to be recited at that time
are: Agnaye swaha. Agnaye idam na
mam and Prajapataye swaha.
Prajapataye idam na mam. The ash left
in the container after one agnihotra
has to be brought out before perform-
ing the other agnihotra. The ash
should be collected in any sack or
container etc as it is not only a good
medicine but also a good quality ma-
nure. The ash made of dry cow dung
is itself a very high quality drug. The
agnihotra increases the medicinal value
of ash many fold.
Agnihotra in the field
Prepare the field for sowing the
seeds as is normally done and resolve
not to use the chemical fertilizers, pes-
ticides etc. at all. The organic fertilizer
or vermi compost can be used. After
sowing the seeds, perform agnihotra in
the field both the times. A platform may
be created in the middle of the field for
this purpose. Any person can perform
agnihotra. If one person is away for
Cow dung: Convert garbage
into useful manure
A recent experiment has
proved that the cow dung
can convert any type of
garbage into useful manure. Dis-
posal of garbage and medical waste
is fast becoming a severe head-
ache in cities. If the medical waste
is burnt it generates air pollution,
which further increases the prob-
lems. The Government of India,
through a notification issued on
July 27, 1998, issued directives
about disposal of the medical waste.
The government insists on instal-
lation of incinerators in hospitals to
Sewa Sadhana Q
any work the second or third person
can perform it. It has to be done from
the time of sowing the seeds to the
time of harvesting the crop.
Seed treatment
The seeds that we sow in the field
have to be treated in cow urine and
agnihotra ash. Whatever seeds have
to be sown should be soaked in the
cow urine first. They should be dried
up in the shade. The seeds have to
be soaked in the mixer of cow urine
and agnihotra ash. Since the seeds of
wheat, rice etc. are sown in large
quantity, it is not practical to soak
them in the cow urine. Therefore, the
cow urine may be sprayed over them
after spreading them over the floor.
They can also be collected in a cloth
soaked in cow urine. If one has suf-
ficient agnihotra ash that could also
be spread in the field before sowing
the seeds. It could be spread in any
quantity. If it is not possible to per-
form agnihotra in the field the ash
must be spread. No matter whether the
crop is infected or not the ash water
(mixer of agnihotra ash and cow urine)
dispose of it but such incinerators
have been installed only in the big
hospitals and the medical waste of
small hospitals and nursing homes
still remains indisposed of. By and
large it is not the complete solution
to the problem. Experiment has
proved that this garbage and waste
can successfully be disposed of
with the help of cow dung. Accord-
ing to this method, the waste is
mixed with the slurry of bio gas
plant which converts it into useful
manure. The manure produced by
this method also does not give any
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
has to be sprayed. The mixer of 100 litre
general water, five litre cow urine and
two kg ash makes a good quality spray
water. It should be sprayed at least two
or three times during one crop. The
difference between organic farming and
agnihotra farming is that agnihotra has
to be performed everyday.
Agnihotra may be performed at
home also where it gives complete peace
and protects the house from many dis-
eases. Today the farmers are pained at
the growing use of pesticides in the
field. They know that whatever they are
growing is poisonous. It develops a
feeling of guiltiness among them. The
agnihotra saves them from this feeling
of guiltiness or to feel ashamed. This
Vedic method of agnihotra has been
revived by Madhavaswami. Thousands
of farmers are today drawing benefits
from this method.
Those interested to have more in-
formation on agnihotra can contact:
Madhav Ashram,
Sihir Road, Bairagarh, Bhopal
(Madhya Pradesh),
Phone: 0755-521403
foul smell. A three-centimetre layer
of cow dung is spread over this
waste. After that it is covered
with a three-centimetre layer of
soil. After some time some plants
grow on it which absorb all poi-
sonous extracts from the waste.
Within four-six months this pit is
uncovered and the manure is fil-
tered. Now it will have two parts—
the useful manure and the waste
of plastic, steal, glass, etc. The
manure produced by this method
is very good in quality.
47
 Organic farming

Ensuring a balance between

plants and soil
T HE Atharvaveda says: “Return
as much you take from the soil.”
It can be done to some extent if
we follow the organic farming. Organic
farming is not just using the organic
fertilisers, it is maintaining balance be-
tween the plants and the soil.
The approach and outlook towards
agriculture and marketing of food has
seen a quantum change worldwide over
the last few decades. Whereas earlier the
seasons and the climate of an area de-
termined what would be grown and when,
today it is the ‘market’ that determines
what it wants and what should be grown.
The focus is now more on quantity and
‘outer’ quality (appearance) rather than Akhil Bharatiya Gram Vikas Pramukh Shri Surendra Singh Chauhan (right) in his
intrinsic or nutritional quality, also called organic field in Mohad village of Madhya Pradesh
‘vitality’. Pesticides and other chemical
of unsustainability. The effects already food and agriculture seem to be the
residues in food and an overall reduced
show farmers committing suicide in agro-chemical companies, seed compa-
quality of food have led to a marked
growing numbers with every passing nies and—though not related to the
increase in various diseases, mainly
year; the horrendous effects of pesti- chemicalisation of agriculture, but
various forms of cancer and reduced
cide sprays (endosulphan) by a gov- equally part of the ‘big money syn-
bodily immunity.
ernment-owned plantation in Kerala drome’ responsible for the farmers’
This immense commercilisation of some years ago; the pesticide-contami- troubles—the large, multi-national com-
agriculture has also had a very negative nated bottled water and aerated bever- panies that trade in food, especially
effect on the environment. The use of ages are only some instances. The foodgrains.
pesticides has led to enormous levels of bigger picture that rarely makes news This is where organic farming
chemical buildup in the environment, however is that millions of people are comes in. Organic farming has the
soil, water, air, animals and even in our still underfed, and where they do get capability to take care of each of these
own bodies. Fertilisers have a short-term enough to eat, the food they eat has problems. Besides the obvious immedi-
effect on productivity but a longer-term the capability to eventually kill them. ate and positive effects organic or
negative effect on the environment where Yet, the picture painted for the future natural farming has on the environment
they remain for years after leaching and by agro-chemical and seed companies and quality of food, it also greatly
running off, contaminating ground water and governments is rosy and bright. helps a farmer to become self-sufficient
and water bodies. The use of hybrid Another negative effect of this in his requirements for agro-inputs and
seeds and the practice of monoculture trend has been on the fortunes of the reduce his costs.
have led to a severe threat to local and farming communities worldwide. Despite Chemical agriculture and agricul-
indigenous varieties, whose germplasm this so-called increased productivity, ture and food distribution systems it
can be lost for ever—all this for ‘produc- farmers in practically every country has developed, propagated and sus-
tivity’. around the world have seen a down- tained—and now shares a symbiotic
In the name of growing more to feed turn in their fortunes. The only benefi- relationship—affects each of us in many
the earth, we have taken the wrong road ciaries of this new outlook towards ways.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 48
 Eighteen ways how
chemical fertilizers affect us
T ODAY’S chemical farms have
little use for the skilled hus-
bandry which was once the
guiding principle of working the land.
The emphasis today is solely on pro-
ductivity-high input in exchange for
high returns and productivity (mostly
diminishing now however for farmers
worldwide). Four important consider-
ations—what happens to the land, the
food it produces, the people who eat
it and the communities which lose out—
are overlooked.
Land exhaustion: The constant use of
artificial fertiliser, together with a lack
of crop rotation, reduces the soil’s
fertility year-by-year.
Fertilisers: High yield levels are pro-
duced by applying large quantities of
artificial fertilisers, instead of by main-
taining the natural fertility of the soil.
Nitrate run-off: About half of the ni-
trate in the artificial fertiliser used on
crops is dissolved by rain. The dis-
solved nitrate runs off the fields to
contaminate water courses.
Soil erosion: Where repeated deep
ploughing is used to turn over the
Bio-pesticide from
cow urine, neem and
tulsi
COW urine is antitoxic. It is both
antiseptic and antibiotics, as it kills
the germs. Add 50 gm garlic, one kg
neem, aak and tulsi leaves in 10
litre cow urine and leave it in a
container for 15 days after tighten-
ing the cap. After that, boil it till the
cow urine reduces to five litres.
Then filter it and preserve in a glass
container. The mixer of one litre
pesticide in 100 litre water can be
sprayed on the crops as pesticide.
It does wonder.
Sewa Sadhana Q
ground, heavy rains can carry away the
topsoil and leave the ground useless for
cultivation.
Soil compaction: Damage to the structure
of soil by compression is a serious prob-
lem in areas that are intensively farmed.
Conventional tillage may involve a tractor
passing over the land six or seven times,
and the wheelings can cover up to 90 per
cent of a field. Even a single tractor pass
can compress the surface enough to
reduce the porosity of the soil by 70 per
cent, increasing surface run-off and, there-
fore, water erosion. In the worst cases,
the surface run-off may approach 100 per
cent—none of the water penetrates the
surface.
Agricultural fuel: As crop yields grow,
so does the amount of fuel needed to
produce them. European farmers now use
an average of 12 tonnes of fuel to farm
a square kilometre of land; American farm-
ers use about five tonnes (1987 figures).
Biocide sprays: The only controls used
against weeds and pests are chemical
ones. Most crops receive many doses of
different chemicals before they are har-
vested.
Curelty to animals: On most ‘modern’
farms, all animals are crowded together
indoors. Complex systems of machinery
are needed to feed them, while constant
medication is needed to prevent disease.
The cruelty involved in managing, breed-
ing, growing and slaughtering farm ani-
mals today is unimaginably repulsive and
horrifying.
Animal slurry: With so many animals
packed together in indoor pens, their
manure accumulates at great speed. It is
often poured into lagoons which leak into
local watercourses, contaminating them
with disease-causing organisms and con-
tributing to algae-blooms.
Imported animal feed: Many farms are
not self-sufficient in animal feed; instead
they rely on feed brought into the farm.
This often comes from countries which
can ill-afford to part with it.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Stubble burning: In countries where
stubble is burned, large amounts of
potentially useful organic matter disap-
pear into the sky in clouds of polluting
smoke.
Loss of cultivated biodiversity: Large
and other chemical farms tend to be
monocultures growing the same crop
and crop variety.
Threat to indigenous seeds and animal
breeds and spices: Native cultivars
and animal breeds lose out to exotic
species and hybrids. Many native
animal breeds are today threatened
with extinction. The same holds true
for many indigenous plant varieties
which have disappeared within the
space of one generation.
Habitat destruction: Agribusiness farm-
ing demands that anything which
stands in the way of crop production
is uprooted and destroyed. The wild
animals and plants which were once a
common sight around farms are de-
prived of their natural habitat and die
out.
Contaminated food: Food, both plant
and animal products, leaves the farm
contaminated with the chemicals that
were used to produce it.
Destruction of traditional knowledge
systems and traditions: Rural indig-
enous knowledge and traditions, both
agricultural and non-agricultural, are
invariably connected to agriculture and
agricultural systems.
Control of agriculture inputs and food
distribution channel: The supply and
trading in agricultural inputs and pro-
duce is in the hands of a few large
corporations. This threatens food se-
curity, reducing the leverage and im-
portance of the first and the last part
of the supply chain—the farmer and
the consumer.
Threat to individual farmers: Chemical
agriculture is a threat to their liveli-
hoods and changes their lifestyles,
unfortunately not for the better.
49
T HERE are a number of myths
that surround organic farming,
both in favour of and against.
Some of the more common ones are:
Yields in organic farming are lower
than chemical farming: Not so. When
properly followed, yields in organic
farming are, in the long run, far greater
than those obtained by chemical farm-
ing. In horticulture crops, the effects
are even better. A look at agriculture in
Punjab tells the full story. In the origin
of the ‘Green Revolution’, Punjab’s ag-
ricultural yields have remained the same
for the past many years while the
quantity of agro-chemicals required to
maintain these static yields have
steadily increased.
In the case of a chemical farm
converting to organic, however, there is
often a loss in yields and it takes a few
years before yields increase and
stabilise at a level often higher than
that achieved under a chemical regime.
It is therefore recommended to convert
gradually over a period of three to four
years if income from the farm is a key
issue.
Organic farming is not economical:
Again, not so. While certain practices
such as composting and mulching do
entail greater costs on account of
labour, the overall cost of cultivation is
usually lower than chemical farming.
An important point to note here is that
the farmer has to be self-sufficient in
his requirement for composts and pest
control measures (easily done), other-
wise economics do get skewed.
You can’t supply enough nutrients by
using composts: This is a common
argument put to use by all detractors
of organic farming, especially academi-
cians. If one calculates the percentages
of nitrogen, potassium and phospho-
rous in fertilisers and composts, the
difference is indeed vast. Going by
these ‘scientific’ calculations, one may
find that in lieu of say 200 kg of mixed
fertilisers, one needs over 30 tonnes of
composts, fairly impossible to supply
two or three times a year. In organic
Sewa Sadhana Q
Myths about
organic farming
farming, however, the concept of feed-
ing the plant does not exist. The at-
tempt here is to feed the soil, keep it
healthy and living and keep a process
in motion. Much of the work is done
by the numerous soil organisms and
microorganisms that thrive in ‘living’
soils. The various practices of organic
farming ensure that soil fertility is
maintained and this symbiotic relation-
ship is kept alive and vibrant. The
analogy we can think of is meeting
your day’s entire nutritional require-
ments (calculated for you by a dieti-
cian) by swallowing a few tablets and
capsules. Your nutritional needs are
met, but will you remain healthy?
There is big money in organic farm-
ing: A myth propagated by over-enthu-
siastic supporters perhaps. So far in
India, most organic farmers have turned
(or in some cases remained) organic
because of their beliefs. The ‘organic
market’ exists for a small number of
farmers who have access to a few
specialised outlets. Otherwise, till people
wake up, it is difficult to see every
organic farmer getting a premium for his
(undoubtedly superior) product. An op-
tion for exports has also opened in the
last decade, which organic farmers can
explore only if they are ‘certified’ as
organic. There are a few internationally
recognised agencies operating from
India who inspect and certify organic
farms.
The non-use of chemical fertilisers
and pesticides is organic farming: The
last important myth is that simply avoid-
ing the use of chemical fertilisers and
pesticides is organic farming. That is
not so. While organic farming is all
about maintaining soil health (‘feeding
the soil’ rather than ‘feeding the plant’),
it entails producing the highest yields
possible, in a sustainable, eco-friendly
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
manner using a number of techniques.
Indeed, for any agriculture system to
succeed, it must take a responsibility
towards feeding the earth. Organic farm-
ing entails a lot of hard work and even
systems like do nothing (or natural)
farming—as used so effectively by
Bhaskar Save at his Gujarat farm—entail
tremendous understanding of nature,
natural agriculture, the local ecosystem
and require a little hard work even though
the name may suggest otherwise!
External inputs, even if eco-friendly
or bio-degradable are ecologically ques-
tionable and commercially unsustainable
for an organic farm. Work is hence
required on-farm to produce inputs such
as composts and bio pesticides.
Miraculous manure
COULD you believe that only 25
gm manure is sufficient for one
acre agriculture field? But it is
true. The technique to make the
soil fertile by using this much
manure has been developed by Dr
Rajesh Dube, director of Biody-
namic Technology Propagation
Centre, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
He has named it as ‘BD 500’.
Take a horn of the died cow to
prepare this manure. Burry the
horn (after filling cow dung into
it) in a two-feet-deep pit during
the month of September-October.
Sufficient moisturizer has to be
maintained around the pit. Take
out the horn from the pit in the
month of March-April and store
the manure from it in an earthen
pot at any cool place. Mixer of
this 25 gm manure in 13.5 litre
water can be used in one acre
field.
50
 Self-Help Groups in Tamil Nadu
An experiment with
economic empowerment
Kesava Vinayagan
S
elf-Help Group (SHG) is a
programme implemented in Tamil
Nadu about 12 years back by
Sewa Bharati. After a decade it has
become a silent revolution of economic
empowerment and socio-political sys-
tem of the state. Since 1999, Sewa
Bharati has been working in this micro
credit delivery system, which has at-
tracted the attention of the entire na-
tion. To start with the scheme has been
implemented for women and now it is
getting popularity among men too. Sewa
Bharati alone is guiding more than 4000
women SHGs throughout the state and
above 400 men SHGs.
The scheme
SHG is nothing but a small coop-
erative unit comprising of 20 or lesser
number of people. They are organised
in a group with a name and three office
bearers who manage the group and
maintain the accounts and bank opera-
tions. Each member is made to save
money on a regular basis and the
collected saving money is given as
loan to the members at a nominal in-
terest. The entire transaction is trans-
parent and properly audited. After run-
ning with their money for six months
they are eligible for financial assistance
from banks or any other financial insti-
tution. The interest on this financial
assistance is very low so that the
members of the group get rid of their
high interest borrowings. The members
of groups are encouraged to start their
own business or production unit so
that they get profit. For this purpose
banks are readily extending advances
with appropriate subsidies.
It has become a regular scene in
almost every village in Tamil Nadu. The
Sewa Sadhana Q
remotest Vanvasi village in the Western
Ghats is not spared. Women sitting in
a circle as if they are playing the
famous “Passing the parcel” game. It is
nothing but the weekly meeting of SHG
women, held on the same day of every
week, mostly held in the afternoons.
For the members of the group the
meeting is more important than their
favourite TV serials, because it is a
path to self-reliance. All the days of
dependance have gone and the SHG
women having regained the glory of
Vedic period. For, the SHG scheme is
like a Kalpataru—the epic tree that is
capable of giving everything the owner
needs. The coming generations will
never fail to worship the inventor of
this twenty-member “wonder machine”.
Economically described as “the
micro-credit delivery system”, the SHG
scheme is a system, leading to the best
form of savings one could have, the
best loan facility one could avail, and
the best way to improve economic
esteem. The interest, the members of
the SHG pay for their loans, is the profit
they get when the group ripens. In
addition SHGs empower women, en-
lighten them intellectually, and organise
them to avail the advantage of func-
tioning as a group. Without SHGs these
women might not have excelled the
techniques of banking—depositing and
withdrawing money and dealing with
the negotiable instruments like cheques,
promissory notes etc. The SHG scheme
has emerged as an invincible programme
to reap the best out of even an unedu-
cated rural or Vanvasi woman, and has
attained a culminating point even ex-
ceeding the forethoughts and visions
of the founding fathers of the scheme.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Tamil Nadu
In a village called Thirparappu,
SHG was formed by Sewa Bharati, which
comprised of 18 women belonging to
one particular caste and two members
from another caste. The caste associa-
tion of that village advised the women
of their caste to remove the women
belonging to the other caste and run
the group. They refused bluntly and
firmly. The caste association tempted
them with an interest-free loan of one
lakh rupees to the group to remove the
two women belonging to the other
caste. The SHG members turned down
this offer and defied any discrimination
in the name of caste among them. This
trend is getting momentum among the
SHG members with amity and benevo-
lence.
Organised mode of operation
strengthens the society. It has always
been a difficult task to organise women
of the society but the SHG scheme has
made this dream come true. In a remote
Vanvasi village called Kodithuraimalai,
SHG women resolved to execute a noble
idea. After every weekly meet all the
members gathered to work in the farm
of one member of the SHG without any
payment. The owner of the land offered
them lunch and evening tea. The next
week the same activity happened in the
farm of another member. This rotation
of work is carried out in the farm of all
the members in a regular turn. The
resultant yield of self-reliance is prom-
ising both materialistically and socially.
Alcoholism is a menace in our
society and it is very difficult to do
away with it. The SHG women achieved
a few victories in this field too. In a
village called Thenkarai a liquor shop
was situated near the only pathway
leading to the village. This resulted in
a lot of hardships to the school going
girls returning from the school in the
evening. The women returning from
their workplace were put into trouble
51

Meeting of a Vanvasi women SHG in Kanyakumari district
by the behaviour of alcoholics who
used to come to the shop in a large
number especially in the evening. The
villagers, took up the matter with the
authorities concerned, several times di-
rectly and through various associa-
tions, but the shop was not shifted
from the place. The SHG women of that
village informed about the difficulties
caused by the liquor shop to Sewa
Bharati activists. The women were
advised to present the matter before
the District Collector under the SHG
banner in person. The gravity of the
problem expressed by the SHG women
was appreciated and the District Collec-
tor ordered to shift the government-
owned liquor shop to another place.
And it is no more an arduous task for
women to approach the bureaucratic
systems, to derive the needed results
in order to eradicate social evils
afflecting the society.
The village called Maruthancode
withnessed a unique revolution. The
SHG women ruined one production unit
of spurious liquor under the banner of
Ayurvedic medicines established in their
locality by some antisocial elements
thereby manufacturing large quantities
of intoxicating drink called Arishtam,
which was sold at a cheaper price. The
drink worked as a slow poison for the
persons who consumed it resulting in
Sewa Sadhana Q
incapacitation. Some persons even died
of various unknown ailments caused
by it. Since the unit was situated near
a temple and a bus stop, the problems
created by the presence of the unit to
the women going to the temple and
waiting for a bus were concerned with
their security. Sewa Bharati SHGs for
women in the village decided in one of
their weekly meetings to root out the
menace of the spurious liquor-produc-
ing unit. On 22-02-2003 all the members
rounded up the unit and staged a
demonstration. The owner of the unit
locked the building and ran away. The
crowd was persuaded by Sewa Bharati
organisers to disperse and a complaint
was lodged in the Police Station con-
cerned. The police were reluctant to
take any action on the ground that the
owner possessed a license for the unit.
The SHG women with much persever-
ance and belligerence knocked the doors
of local Court and filed a law suit, to
unravel the mysteries and mischief in
issuing such licenses, and proved the
violations of the terms of the license by
all such license holders in black and
white and managed to get a decree
dated 07.01.04, in their favour. This
judgement proved to be a yardstick for
the entire state of Tamil Nadu. During
the entire processes the goondas hired
by the owners of the unit threatened
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
the women. Now the village is free from
the menace of the spurious liquor,
thanks to the efforts of the SHGs and
Sewa Bharati. The women are up in
arms to fight the social evils. The
owners of such units presented the
details of this case and a paper regard-
ing the menace of Arishtam before the
Madras High Court where the criminal
petitions were filed against the District
authorities to get a judgement banning
the production and sale of Arishtam
throughout the entire Kanyakumari
district.
In the suburbs of Nagerkovil town
there is a small village called
Sarakkalvilai, wherein one Shanthi aged
23 years who is a widow having a
three-year-old female child happens to
be the daughter of a member by name
Bhathirakali belonging to Buvaneswari
SHG. The SHG members took into con-
sideration the future of Shanthi in one
of their weekly meetings and decided
to arrange for her remarriage. Every-
thing was planned and executed in a
fantastic way. On 10.06.03 Shanthi
entered a new life with an understand-
ing partner Somalingaom. The SHGs
funded and organised the marriage
function. The people of the village were
astonished by this activity of the SHG
and extended all their support. During
the visit of the Sewa Bharati office-
bearer the mother of Shanthi, Smt
Bathirakali, was in tears while describ-
ing the incident.
In a village called Aramannam near
Kulasekaram the incident was even more
appalling. One widow lived in
Aramannam working as an agriculture
coolie and her two adolescent daugh-
ters, namely Kalarani and Anitha,
worked in a private firm in Andhra
Pradesh. She died of cancer leaving
behind the two daughters as orphans
after spending all her earnings on her
treatment. The two daughters who came
to take care of their mother in the
hospital were left with nothing but the
corpse of their mother. There was
nobody to help even for the funeral.
The Sewa Bharati SHG members took
the initiative and arranged for the fu-
52
neral after performing all the last rites.
They arranged for a safe place for their
livelihood with suitable jobs, and took
all initiatives to arrange for their mar-
riages. One Panchayet member of the
locality took the lead and with the
generous contributions from all the
SHGs across the District and various
other organisations the marriage of
Kalarani was arranged with Iyappan on
07.02.02 and that of Anitha with Ganesan
on 03.11.03. Many women belonging
to Sewa Bharati SHGs attended the
functions. Even the minister belonging
to the district graced the occasion and
also contributed for the function.
Helping the needy is another im-
portant social change that is happening
almost everyday in the district through
SHGs. Financial assistance for the sick
persons, accident victims, victims of
calamities like fire accidents, have be-
come a normal routine for the SHGs.
In a village called Anchukandarai
near Kulasekaram one Shri Raju suffer-
ing from heart disease was very sick
and needed a surgical treatment ur-
gently. The surgery had been arranged
at the Medical College Hospital in
Thiruvananthapuram. The SHGs in the
village resolved unanimously to con-
tribute the needed amount of Rs 5000
from each member belonging to all the
ten SHGs of the village. The amount
was presented at the annual day func-
tion to the eight-year-old daughter of
the sick person who received the
amount with moist eyes. Raju has sur-
vived surgery and is doing well even
now.
In Thadikkarankonam, a beautiful
village situated near Western Ghats,
live many plantation workers, some of
whom migrated for the sake of employ-
ment and have settled there temporarily
in huts made of thatched roofs situated
in the village. A family comprising of an
old widow lady, her daughter, who is
also a widow, and her three-year-old
daughter, migrated from a distant place
and settled in Thadikkarankonam in a
thatched roofed hut. The young lady
was employed in a local farm and with
her meager income they were running
Sewa Sadhana Q
the family. The lady joined a Sewa
Bharati SHG as a member. On a fateful
day, their hut caught fire and they were
left with nothing but the clothes they
were wearing. The magic of SHGs
worked in the favour of the helpless
family. All the members of the SHGs
contributed and bought all the needed
construction materials, and with their
physical help they constructed a new
hut for the family within a day. They
also provided them with the cooking
vessels and a set of dress to each
member of the family.
In short, the
wonder that is
Self-Help Group is
creating a niche
for itself to attain
gender equality,
empowerment and
justice preserving
our cultural and
traditional values.
The experience of Seethai, a mem-
ber of Sree Mutharamman SHG, in a
Vanvasi village called Kadapparai near
Patchiparrai in the Western Ghats is
really thought provoking. This par-
ticular village has to be reached only
by foot, that too by climbing steep
cliffs. Sewa Bharati constituted a SHG
in that village. In these villages the
people who lend money to those who
are in dire need of money, the money
lenders, taking undue advantage of
their miseries, enslave the Vanvasis in
exchange of money. One particular
member of this SHG Smt Seethai’s
father borrowed Rs 10,000 twenty years
back from one Thavasi Muthu, a mon-
eylender. He took away all the agricul-
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
tural produces of the land owned by
this Vanvasi family. After joining the
SHG, Seethai wanted to release their
land from the clutches of Thavasi
Muthu. By this time the Group was
ready for getting loan from their bank.
The bank sanctioned the loan worth Rs
60,000 to this SHG. Seethai approached
Thavasi Muthu, and asked for the
account of their loan so that she can
settle the account as soon as she gets
the loan from the SHG. Thavasi Muthu
calculated for three days and said that
she had to pay Rs 60,000 for the return
of their land again. She informed this
in SHG meeting and the members unani-
mously decided to give away the entire
bank loan amount of Rs 60,000 as a
loan so that, she is released from the
borrower and she again became the
owner of her father’s property. Now
with the income from the land she is
repaying the loan regularly and having
surplus money for savings.
These are a few examples of the
social engineering that has been pos-
sible in the name of Self-Help Groups.
Similar incidents are a routine where
Sewa Bharati SHGs are functioning.
The SHGs have contributed to the
service projects carried out by the Sewa
Bharati especially in the case of Anbu
Illam (an orphanage), which was inau-
gurates on 02-05-2004 and accommo-
dates 18 children now. Sewa Bharati
SHGs have become the rice bowl for
the poor and the needy by which these
women contribute rice exclusively not
only to Sewa Bharati Anbu Illam but
also to four other orphanages function-
ing in Kanyakumari District. This rice
comes as a share from the rice taken
for cooking by the SHGs women mem-
bers everyday which is collected at the
weekly meets and the scheme is named
“Sharatha Devi Pidi Arisi Thittam”.
In short, the wonder that is Self-
Help Group is creating a niche for itself
to attain gender equality, empowerment
and justice preserving our cultural and
traditional values.
(The writer is general secretary of Sewa
Bharati, Tamil Nadu.)
53
 Karnataka Onus of
self-sufficiency
lies on villagers
D
URING the year 1995 at the congrega-
tion of Samarasata Sangam held in
Mangalore, Pejawar Swami Sri
Fourteen Vishveshteerth blessed 31 village Pramukhs in
Prabhat the presence of the then RSS Sarsanghachalak
Shri Rajju Bhaiya. These villages were selected
Grams in to be developed as Swavlambi Grams, i.e. self-
Mangalore sufficiency in three basic requirements of life,
namely food, education and health. Under this
Vibhag, three scheme, villagers come together to discuss and
in Shimoga decide about these spheres and resolve to be
self-sufficient. The resources are mobilised by
Vibhag and the people themselves through daily savings/
one in offerings of mushti dhan (handful of rice/
pulses/ cereals) and/or golak (one coin per
Tumkur day).
Vibhag have This experiment produced good results in
a number of villages and transformed the
been project into Gram Vikas Yojana. With the pas-
developed in sage of time the approaches were also modified
viz. Shiksha, Swasthya, Sanskar, Samriddhi,
Karanataka by Samarasata and Suraksha (education, health,
October 2008. samskar, prosperity, social harmony and secu-
rity). Depending upon the requirements and
A woman making a bombooo basket in a village in Karnataka
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
availability of resources, both human and mon-
etary, priority is given to a particular subject.
Some villages have been raised to the status
of Prabhat and Uday Grams all over the state.
Fourteen Prabhat Grams in Mangalore
Vibhag, three in Shimoga Vibhag and one in
Tumkur Vibhag have been developed in
Karanataka by October 2008. While there are
38 Uday Grams in Mangalore Vibhag and four
in Shimoga Vibhag.
The Prabhat Grams under Mangalore
Vibhag include Bedagudde, Konaje, Kerekadu,
Nitte, Thekkatte, Kanyadi, Kodmannu, Arala,
Neththarakere, Punacha, Kalladka, Idkidu,
Palthady, Kalanja. The number of Uday Grams
in this Vibhag are: Palapachchery, Eniyarpu,
Prathapnagar, Peruvody, Kinya, Kompadavu,
Malali, Kallabettu, Sanooru, Hebri, Mudradi,
Koteshvar, Siddapur, Aajri, Uppunda, Gangolly,
Shibaje, Maladi, Kalmanja, Miththabagilu,
Andinje, Pharangipete, Ammunje, Sangabettu,
Devasya Moodooru, Kavala Padooru, Vogga,
Kumbdelu, Maani, Narikombu, Savanooru,
Punachappady, Kadaba, Ajjavara, Jalsooru,
Peraje and Ubaradka.
Prabhat Grams under Shimoga
Vibhag are Maththooru, Karanagiri and
Helegaru. There is one Prabhat Gram
in Tumkur Vibhag. Uday Grams in
Shimoga Vibhag are Indiranagar,
Mallapura, Maruthipura and
Nagalapura. There is no Uday Gram in
Tumkur Vibhag so far.
Bedagudde
Bedagudde village is situated
along the border of Kerala devoid of
any basic amenities such as roads,
water and electricity. The villagers
were under the clutches of Muslim
moneylenders for their monetary re-
quirements.
54
 Education: The village today has two pri-
mary schools and one high school. It also has
two government-run Anganvadis. Passing per-
centage, which was below 80 per cent, has
increased and now it is above 90 per cent.
School children actively participate in public
functions. Van Mahotsav is organised in the
village for the last three years. Water conser-
vation has also commenced. Economically-de-
prived students are provided with books, school
uniform, school bags, etc. due to which atten-
dance in schools has increased. All persons
below the age of 35 years, can now read and
write. Hence, there is no illiterate in the village.
Health: Since awareness about cleanliness
was very low, hygiene consciousness was
created by continuous counselling. Similarly,
concern for environment has increased. Earlier
people used to go out on nature’s call. Now
all houses have been provided with toilets.
Problem of potable water scarcity was solved
through government-sponsored water supply.
Medical camps of various departments,
namely general medicine, eye camp, etc., are
organised. Sickness and allied problems have
reduced (except epidemic Chikunguniya which
is now under control). A blood donation camp
is organised in which 28 persons participated.
A blood donors’ list is also maintained with 12
persons opting to donate blood whenever need
be. Medicinal plants have also been grown.
Samskar: Due to Balagokulam, Matri
Mandals, Satsang and Bhajan Mandal, desired
changes can be witnessed among children,
women and general public. Bhajan, evening
prayers, atithi satkar and concern for the poor
can be seen. Tulsi plants have been planted
in front of all the houses. Temple premises are
well maintained. All these activities are re-
flected in reducing bad habits. Consuming
liquor, playing cards, lottery, chewing gutkha,
smoking, etc., have been reduced considerably.
Prosperity: Six self-help groups (two for
men and four for women) with membership of
78 persons are being operated in the village.
The members have started business, opened
shops and are actively participating in social
and cultural activities. Shram sewa is a regular
feature. Roads are repaired, temples and schools
are cleansed through shram sewa. Rural arti-
sans are encouraged. Carpentry, jewellary, ag-
Sewa Sadhana Q
ricultural labourers, bidi rolling etc. are major
occupations. Main crops of the village are
rice, areca and coconut. Growing vegetables
is encouraged. Mechanised farming is prac-
tised to some extent. Ploughing with ox and
bufallos is still in practice. Human resources
are also made use of. Saavayava krishi is
being popularised. Twenty five per cent of
agriculturists are using organic manures. Water
conservation programmes of various types
are conducted. Rainwater harvesting is being
popularised. Rainwater harvesting is prac- Economically-
tised in around 20 per cent houses.
deprived
Social harmony: Untouchability is not
parctised in public places like temples, students are
schools, hotels and water resources. Skir-
provided with
mishes among various communities have re-
duced. People are awakend to fight for Hindu books, school
cause. Borrowing money from Muslim mon-
uniform,
eylenders has reduced considerably. Similarly,
rampant selling of cows to butchers has also school bags,
reduced. Gram suraksha team has been etc. due to
formed. The team has started functioning and
awakening people against anti-social elements. which
The exercise has started producing good attendance in
results.
Konaje
schools has
increased. All
Konaje village is situated on the hilly
area in the outskirts of Mangalore city. This persons below
is a place where the Mangalore University
has its headquarters. Sangh shakha is regu- the age of 35
larly conducted in the University campus. years can now
The population is mainly comprised of read and
constructions workers. Two temples and a
write. Hence,
community hall (total estimated cost exceeds
Rs. six lakh) have been constructed entirely there is no
with shram sewa. Only the expenditure on
illiterate in
building material was incurred. More than five
km of road was constructed. A small bridge the village.
connecting two parts of the village has also
been constructed. House repairs for the poor
and other allied works have been undertaken.
A pond, which is the water resource for acres
of paddy fields has been desilted through
shram sewa.
Entire village folk participates in the
sahbhoj (mass feeding) arranged after public
poojas. Youths have intercepted vehicles car-
rying cows to slaughterhouses. The culprits
have been apprehended by the police with
the help of the local people.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 55

A project for small children by Hindu Seva Pratishthan
Nitte
Developmental work is being conducted in
association with Nitte Education Trust and
The school Justice KS Hegde Foundation in the village. A
project named Nerekare Kshema in which 10-
dropout rate, 15 houses are constructed as a cluster has also
which was 25 been started. One person is selected from the
per cent, has cluster and he instils a feeling of swabhiman
and swavalamban into the village folk and also
been brought oversees the project. They are guided and
down to five monitored by senior workers. This helps the
rural people in their basic education and also
per cent. in acquiring professional qualification and skills.
Passing
This village has educational facility from
percentage has Shishu Mandir to Post-Graduation. Two Shishu
gone up to 75 Mandirs, two non-formal education centres. a
primary school, a high school, a Jr. college, a
per cent from first grade college, an polytechnic, an engineer-
65 per cent in ing college and a post-graduation college are
also there in the village. About 120 students
government
(including 25 in engineering college) are study-
schools and to ing in different schools and colleges with
95 per cent concessional fees. After the 10th standard they
are offered various job-oriented courses viz.,
from 70 per turner, electrical winding, electrical wiring, com-
cent in private puter basics, tailoring and vehicle driving, to
schools. take up self-employment. A total of 34 girls from
the North-East have also been provided with
free hostel, boarding and education.
Training camps in organic farming are
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
conducted with the assistance
of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.
Rainwater harvesting work-
shops are organised in different
parts of the village. Training is
also imparted in a special type
of paddy cultivation, i.e. “Shree
System” in which less water is
required and more output is
gained. Six wells have been dug
in water scarcity areas and they
are maintained by local people
for keeping water clean.
Thekkatte
Sewa Sangam Shishu
Mandir is the focal point for
manifold activities conducted
through which the dream of
attaining social transformation
is setting foot firmly in Thekkatte
village.
The village has two Shishu Mandirs, five
primary schools, two high schools, two col-
leges and four Anganwadis. The school drop-
out rate, which was 25 per cent, has been
brought down to five per cent. Passing per-
centage has gone up to 75 per cent from 65
per cent in government schools and to 95 per
cent from 90 per cent in private schools.
Twenty-five per cent to 30 per cent of school
children participate in social activities.
People are switching over to Ayurveda
from allopathic medicine system. A blood do-
nors’ list of 50 persons is maintained. When-
ever hospitalisation is required, free treatment
is arranged.
Fifty-five self-help groups with 400 mem-
bers have been promoted for swavalamban
among women. Water conservation workshops
are organised. Desilting of village lake and
water conservation programmes are undertaken.
This benefits 50 families which were faced with
the problem of scarcity of water during sum-
mers. Now they are getting potable water for
the entire year.
Kodmannu
Kodmannu is a remote village in Bantwal
taluk far away from a town. Bidi rolling and
agriculture are the major occupation in the
village. Self-help groups are promoted to en-
56
courage the habit of thrift. Rice, areca and
coconut are the major crops of the village.
Farmers are switching over to organic farming
and vermiculature. Rainwater harvesting is prac-
tised for agriculture. About 25 per cent of the
farmers are having desi breed of cows.
Arala
Seventy-six self-help groups with a mem-
bership of 798 are operating in Arala village.
Nine months’ tailoring training was arranged in
which 18 women were benefited. About 50 per
cent of the peasants have taken to organic
manure. About 50 per cent of animal husbandry
and dairy development works are Swadeshi.
Out of three milk societies one is Mahila Co-
operative Milk Society and is working well.
Farmer’s meet is regularly held and experiences
are exchanged. Shram sewa in village temple
is a regular feature. On an average five times
in a year 60 persons offer five hours’ shram
sewa in the village temple. The village temple
has been reconstructed and 40 persons offered
shram seva every week. ‘Mushti Dhan’ and
‘Golak’ have been arranged for the financial
support.
Idkidu
Idkidu when translated to local dialect
could be understood as one which is thrown
away. In fact this was the case when village
re-organisation was undertaken. However, dur-
ing birth centenary year of Dr K.B. Hedgewar,
this village was chosen for Gram Vikas. RSS
Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan visited
this village during December 2007. Hundred per
cent attendance was recorded in the Gram
Samiti meeting. Gram samavesh was also held,
where people participated with full enthusiasm.
Sahbhoj was arranged in the temple.
All types of rural-related problems did exist
here. But owing to concerted efforts new build-
ings, play grounds and other facilities have
been arranged. Arrangements have also been
made to enroll dropouts into the schools.
More than 175 self-help groups are oper-
ating in the village. Three co-operative societ-
ies are catering to the economic needs of the
village. All the three co-operative societies are
rendering exemplary services. They have jointly
constructed a small bridge at a cost of Rs
50,000 across a rivulet dividing the village and
it reduced the distance to the nearest town
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Vittal, by five kms. A road about 1.5 km long
has been constructed by the people themselves
by shram sewa.
Three co-operative milk societies function
in the village. About 50 per cent of the houses Three
have cows. The milk supplied to Karnataka
co-operative
Milk Federation by these three co-operative
milk societies is around 2200 litres per day, societies are
which is an all-time record for the whole taluk. catering to the
Cow dung has helped in increasing bio-gas
plants and bio-manure. economic
There are approximately 750 families in the
needs of the
village. Volunteers have visited 712 houses and village. They
created awareness about need for water con-
are rendering
servation. Initially the response was poor. A
veterinary doctor of this village prepared a exemplary
topographical model depicting the borewells, services. These
open wells, and other water sources and dem-
onstrated to the villagers about the wastage of
societies have
water. This made the people realise the calamity jointly
that is going to happen if water is not con-
constructed a
served. Now, about 200 houses are practising
water conservation. small bridge
at a cost of
Palthady
Rs 50,000
Twenty per cent of the population in
Palthady village is from sewa bastis, who is across a
socially and economically backward. Consum- rivulet
ing liquor, gambling, eating beef and similar dividing the
vices were common. There were no schools in
village and it
the vicinity of six kms two decades ago. Chil-
dren had to walk five km for lower primary and reduced the
seven km for higher primary schools. During
rainy season, the village is divided by a rivulet distance to the
flowing in the middle of the village, causing nearest town
more distress. In the year 1989 a Shishu Mandir Vittal, by five
was started. Later, due to the concerted efforts
km. A road
by the committee, initially, a government school
was started. Now, there are two lower primary about 1.5 km
schools, two higher primary schools and a high
school. long has been
Sewa basti people who consist 20 per cent
constructed by
of the total population were eating slaughtered the people
cow meat. Now, owing to various programmes themselves by
they are assimilated with others. Untouchability
is totally eradicated. People move freely in all shram sewa.
functions and houses for sahbhoj. No consid-
eration of caste and creed is found in any place.
Efforts made to fish in the troubled water by
some Leftist organisations, were foiled by the
locals.
57
 Hindu Seva Pratishthan

Forty-day miraculous training

Dr Shikaripura Krishnamurthy

I
came across an enterprise, which distant north-eastern states and served women, who have learnt Sanskrit, natu-
had given jobs to forty persons. the people there. They are spread out in rally speak Kannada in a more cultured
I searched for its owner and found almost all villages/towns and cities of way and effectively than the common
that it was a woman. She was an Karnataka. Those who have retired from people. During the training period the
energetic and enthusiastic young lady. full time service activities have now elder sewavratis (sisters) help them
In this competitive world of business settled down as home-makers and apart correct their behaviour and pronuncia-
I had to appreciate her entrepreneur- from inculcating the rich ehtos and values tion. The “oral instructions” like this is
ship. What did I come to know when of our enriched culture in their families essential for all and is a must particu-
I was searching the secret of her suc- through cultural transformation they larly to those who are interested in the
cess? She was a sewavrati, trained by have taken up leadership in different social work. Singing songs helps in
Hindu Seva Pratishthan (HSP). Even social service activities too. They all improving the clarity of expression and
today, she believes the secret for her have a single-voiced opinion that the fine-tuning the tone and modulation of
success lies in the training she received extremely useful training they received the speech. When the young trainees
from the HSP. for forty days helped them in living on sing songs and shlokas in monotone,
Another story is one can observe the dis-
that of a woman who cipline of a regimented
was facing indifference, army. There are separate
neglected and disap- sessions meant for prac-
pointing situation in her ticing the modulation in
husband’s house. She clarity of pronunciation in
was running a small small groups. Similarly, the
shop and turned it into sessions to practice spo-
a strong financial/emo- ken Sanskrit, singing
tional base for her fam- songs, etc., help in en-
ily through hard work hancing and in
and enthusiasm. She customising special skills
was able to transform in the young ladies. Along
the drunkard husband, with oral communication,
married her sisters-in-law ability to write is also es-
Women Sewavratis at a training camp of HSP
and helped in improving sential. When hand-writ-
the living standard of her family. When a life full of entrepreneurship and also ing of some of the trainees is not good
I tried to find out her background, it full of adventure and moulded them enough, it will not attract to anyone to
was revealed that she had worked as into an extraordinary woman. look at even though the contents might
a sewavrati with the HSP for four What is in the training? be informative and excellent. For this
years. She owes all her success to the In the forty-day training, all the purpose there are sessions for improv-
forty-day training she got from the essential requirements for leading a ing the handwriting also.
HSP. If we go on searching, we may good life are included. Yoga and medi- Self-motivated and moving camp
come across hundreds and thousands tation, which gives peace to the mind The entire programme is planned
of such examples. It is heartening to and body; route march, folk dance with and conducted by the trainees attend-
note that this is the biggest achieve- sticks, plays, karate etc. energetic ac- ing the camp absolutely themselves, in
ment of the HSP in its 25 years of tivities to strengthen the physical different groups. The cleanliness group
existence. strength, are all included in the training. keeps the camp absolutely clean daily.
The forty-day training along with The eternal excellent language, which They themselves clean their staying
varieties of smaller duration of trainings gives enormous scope to express one’s place, toilets, bathrooms, surroundings
have taken the capabilities of these thoughts, is Sanskrit. The speciality of of the camp and keep them neat and
young women to greater heights. There the training is inclusion of training/ tidy. There are no servants in the camp.
are brave women who had gone to the practice in spoken Sanskrit. The young All the trainees work in different groups,

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 58
i.e., residential groups, security groups,
food/catering groups, guests/visitors
groups, medical groups, training groups
etc., and by the time the camp is
concluded they would have worked in
all the groups and become an expert in
all the fields. Their specific jobs/re-
sponsibilities are assigned to them in
the meetings held at the beginning of
the camp. These self-motivated young
ladies complete all the tasks in the
camp in an orderly way without any
supervision. This itself is a lesson for
those who visit the camp. Even those
who do not do such things in their
houses do it here happily. This is
known to all those who have been in
the camp and those who visit the camp
also. The educative slogans on the
walls, the hospitality shown to the
guests, expert and experienced persons
who come for lectures to share their
experiences all have been unanimous
about the eminence of the hospitality
shown in the camp.
Development of philosophical attitude
The philosophical culture is prac-
tised by these youth during their
evening bhajan sessions. Without dis-
criminating between the Gods, here the
equality amongst all castes and creeds
is witnessed in prayers to Gods. Which-
ever festival falls during the period of
the camp, arrangements are made to
celebrate them with joy and fervour.
The participants are given an insight
into the meaning (both social and re-
ligious) and the importance of the ob-
servations of the festivals.
Self-confidence through speeches
The only way to increase the self-
confidence of a person is by delivering
speeches or developing speaking skills.
All require the skills to talk in front of
persons unhesitatingly and coura-
geously. There are persons who have
something in their mind and talk some-
thing else on the stage and become a
matter for laughter due to stage fear.
Most of the people when asked to
speak on the dais becomes nervous.
Whereas, the trained sewavratis can
courageously speak at length, with
clarity, depending on the circumstances/
propriety. On account of this, they get
Sewa Sadhana Q
empowered to face anything and every-
thing in their future life. In the camp
they practice extempore speeches, group
discussions, giving lectures, etc., apart
from practicing delivering neatly
speeches for welcoming, introducing,
conveying vote of thanks, etc., to those
who visit the camp.
Refinement of inner mind
Still the scope for refinement re-
mains to and brighten the artistic tal-
ents of the trainees in painting, draw-
ing, dancing, singing etc. There is a
good opportunity of watching, observ-
ing and learning the varieties of pure
forms of Indian arts. In the forty-day
period they learn enough subhashitas
(shlokas/words of wisdom) in Sanskrit,
apart from practicing some Veda man-
tras, along with their meanings. There
is a saying regarding Sanskrit
Subhashitas Sangrahi navasidathi,
meaning “the person having thorough
knowledge of subhashitas can never
face defeat”. This training gives perfect
solutions to problems, such as disillu-
sionment/lethargy/hesitation/indiffer-
ence/aversion/postponement of work,
etc., that are faced normally in one’s
field of activity.
Development of mental faculty
Daily in these classes guest lectur-
ers are invited, who apart from deliv-
ering lectures, also involve trainess in
discussions, conversations, question
and answer sessions, thereby help the
trainees improve/acquire their knowl-
edge. They are exposed, to start with,
to some knowledge about Veda,
Upanishads, epics the like Ramayana,
the Mahabharata, Puranas etc. and
move on to the recent science innova-
tions, arts, technologies, social studies,
history etc. In this fashion they get
accustomed with many subjects and
get an insight into knowledge-bank.
Another speciality of this training are
sessions where they are made to learn
about the working techniques and
organising skills. Many capable and
proven leaders from the Sangh-associ-
ated organisations visit the camps.
Personality development
Some of the subjects/points cov-
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
ered under the personality development
course include: what leadership means,
its concepts, ways and means of devel-
oping the leadership, introduction to
resources, mobilisation of speciality of
human resources; identification, compi-
lation, development and proper/methodi-
cal usage of valuable national wealth;
goals/targets for personal life, an insight
into the personal capabilities, informa-
tion regarding their strengths and weak-
nesses, sources influencing the person,
boundaries which are of consequences,
methods of getting forward with self-
valour/courage keeping aside the divine
power, developing characters of identi-
fying the others and universal gather-
ing, methods of dealing with others
without a quarrel, planning for achieving
even the impossible things, courage to
march ahead by breaking the irrelevant
and old barriers, identifying the excellent
universal practices and follow the same,
awareness regarding the successful
traditional and scientific Hindu method-
ology of living which have not been
affected/destroyed by the efflux of time,
the effects and disadvantages of illegal/
immoral methods/violations of the tradi-
tions, co-ordinated development of all
the four parts of personality— physical,
mental, philosophical and educational,
art of convincing, method of achieving
self-confidence, twelve secrets of suc-
cess, surrounding walls of inspirations,
methods of commencing activities leav-
ing behind the lethargy, taking decisions
after effective group discussions, etc.
The biggest wealth acquired by the
sewavratis from this training is that,
when they become aware of the slip-
pages they switch on to self-control
modes and protect themselves. In the
circumstances, there is no necessity for
these youth, when they move from one
place to another for social work, to lead
them by holding hands or spoon-feed-
ing. They are courageous youth. Many
other institutions and the government,
who have seen/observed these trainings,
send their teams to Hindu Seva
Pratishthan for getting training for em-
powering the woman.
(The writer is a professor in Mangalore and
HRD expert.)
59
 Andhra Pradesh Kishtpuram
Temple becomes focal point of development

K
ISHTPURAM village is lo-
cated in Khammam District,
about 10 km from Sathupalli
town of Andhra Pradesh. Sangh shakha
began in the village 15 years ago. Since
then many swayamsevaks have com-
pleted Prathamik, Pratham, Dwiteeya
and Triteeya Varsha Sangh Shiksha
Vargas. We always used to discuss the
practical and direct impact of shakha
work on society. Finally we have started,
initially in a small way the following
sewa programmes.
The ancient Sri Ram temple of the
village has become a motivating point
to improve the relationship between the
villagers. The villagers have decided to
construct a Hanuman temple. All the
swayamsevaks performed kar seva and Meeting of the Gram Vikas Samiti
contributed enthusiastically in the con-
struction work. Now this temple is the started for the purpose of encouraging and responsive, friendly behaviour of
focal point for all activities. saving and utilising the same money in the swayamsevaks, the membership
Many people in the village are a proper way. In the beginning, the has now increased to 140. Sree
daily earners and small farmers. Sree organisation was started with 60 mem- Anjaneya Grameen Vikas Samiti also
Anjaneya Grameen Vikas Samiti was bers. Because of efficient management started an office in the village. A plot
has been purchased in a sewa basti
to construct a shed and running
school there. A homeo dispensary
with free supply of medicines, a li-
brary and also a tuition centre in the
village have also been started.
All the second year Sangh
Shiksha Varga trainees visited the
village in May 2008 and observed the
developmental activities. Akhil
Bharatiya Gram Vikas Pramukh Shri
Surendra Singh Chauhan also visited
the village at that time and observed
all these activities and later guided the
workers in respect of future course.
With the support and co-operation of
all the swayamsevaks, the villagers
are successfully running all these
activities.
People in Kishtpuram village performing gaupujan
Ponnaganti Joga Rao

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 60

Addiction vanishes, devotion flourishes
A
well-known verse of the Rigveda
says:
Samano mantrah samitih samanee
Samanam manah saha chittam esham
(May the thinking among all of you be
similar; May all your decisions be unani-
mous. May the same thoughts occupy your
minds; May all have like-minded attitudes.)
The desire to enrich life in the villages
on such firm foundations led to an inspiring
developmental project in a remote region of
Southern Bharat. Gurewula is a village deep
inside the dense forest region of Western
Andhra Pradesh. Swayamsevaks reached
that village in the eighties. But no work was
possible for several years because of ad-
verse circumstances. Almost after a decade
in 1991, a Sangh Pracharak went to settle
there. He happened to belong to the same
region originally.
When he arrived there he saw that the
village was in the grip of Naxalites. The
terrorists also enjoyed the confidence of
some families of the village. In fact the writ
of the terrorists ran large in the surrounding
hundred-kilometer-long stretch. The village
is almost 150 km from the district head-
quarters, Warrangal. Even the divisional
headquarters, Eturanagaram, is about 35 km
away and could be reached only on foot
or through an occasional tractor. Even this
access was cut away in the rainy season;
boats plying across the Godawari River
were the only means of transportation.
This situation naturally proved to be a
blessing for uninterrupted Naxalite activi-
ties.
Because of the distant location of the
school and lack of transportation facility,
80 per cent of the people were illiterate,
and many took recourse to drinking and all
other evils. Inter-community quarrels were
common. There was a school up to 5th
standard for the namesake. Neither teacher
nor students were there, and none cared to
enquire what was happening.
There was an old and dilapidated Ram
Sewa Sadhana Q
Gurewula
Mandir. But when people were indifferent
even towards themselves, who had time for
God! But the surprise is that even in such
a setting there used to take place bhajans
once a week. The village had a population
of about 1,500, including a sewa basti
inhabited by about 300 people. The silver
lining was that some years ago government
established a post office and a primary
health centre and a police station. There
was a branch of Punjab National Bank too.
There were two youths who had re-
ceived First Year Sangh training but who,
naturally, had kept themselves aloof be-
cause of Naxalites’ dominance. So, as a first
step, efforts were made to trace them. Their
availability helped the initial work.
At present there are
about fifty
karyakartas who form
a cohesive team.
Different committees
meet every month.
Refresher training
programmes for
workers are held
every three months.
Temple brings about a sea-change
All the old and new karyakartas met
together on the auspicious day of Varsha
Pratipada in 1991. All offered reverential
homage to the Sangh founder and, as
swayamsevaks customarily do, recited the
Ekatmata Stotra comprising the names of
nation-builders and eminent savants both
past and present. After exchange of views
they all decided to renovate the Ram Mandir
before the ensuing Ram Navami, which was
six months away. Because of the mood of
enthusiasm and involvement they were able
to complete the Mandir even before the set
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
date. In the wake of all this, Ram Navami
was celebrated with great fervour and ju-
bilation. There was an impressive shobha
yatra (procession) in the village. It was for
the first time that such a procession also
passed through the sewa basti. It was
welcomed warmly by the basti-dwellers.
The event radically changed the atmosphere
in the village.
Soon people started discussing mea-
sures for improving the conditions in the
village; thus house-to-house contacts started.
A meeting of the Gram Vikas Samiti was
called, in which women and basti-residents
too participated eagerly. Committees were
formed for different purposes such as
Mandir maintenance and Mandir manage-
ment. Bhajan began on every Saturday, the
day sacred for Lord Hanuman. The hard
work of the school committee resulted in
transformation of the school. When due to
transfer of the only two teachers the school
was teacherless, three youths of the village
worked as makeshift teachers so that the
school could function uninterruptedly. In
two years time the school was placed on
a firm footing. Inspired by this experience,
interest in school education came to be
revived in the neighbouring villages too.
Once interest was generated, karyakartas
lost no time in interacting with the people.
This resulted in increase in attendance in
schools.
A youth organisation, Veer Hanuman
Yuvak Sangh, was formed. It carried on a
campaign for planting a large number of
fruit-bearing and other useful trees, and
against proliferation of harmful crops like
tobacco. The ecology of the village im-
proved. People now have plentiful supplies
of vegetables. The habit of mutual co-
operation received a boost. People also
began to reflect: What do we need the
most? How can it be secured? Because of
such responsiveness, work progressed
steadily. To add further impetus, the
Vijayadashami day was utilised.
Conquest over stagnation
Naturally, the Ram Mandir was the
61
 As a consequence of the change that has taken place in the
minds of the people, the Naxalites quietly withdrew from this
area. They no longer receive any sympathy in this region.
centre of all activities. It was with the
temple restoration that the social recon-
struction initiative had commenced.
Vijayadashami symbolises the victory of
the good over evil. It is considered auspi-
cious to begin any task on the Vijayadashami
day. The villagers decided to strengthen the
educational work began earlier. The percent-
age of literacy grew from 10 per cent to
60 per cent. Most of the youth had already
learnt to read and write. However, special
effort was needed to develop the youth
coming from sewa basti. Not only did
literacy spread; evils like untouchability too
had disappeared in a most natural way.
The Yuvak Mandali ran a Bal Samskar
Kendra in the evenings at the temple itself.
They also added a Samskar Kendra for girls,
which functioned in the afternoon every
Friday. Thus, education and the task of
imparting samskars progressed simulta-
neously.
Health care
It is well known that a sound mind
needs a sound body. With this in mind, a
homoeopathic dispensary was started. It
soon became quite popular. If any villager
fell ill, the villagers no longer worried
because of their inability to pay exorbitant
medical bills. They had their own dispen-
sary and a doctor to care for them. How-
ever, preventive health care is more impor-
tant than curative measures. This was
achieved through a daily shakha and a
gymnasium.
Despite all this, some deep-rooted
problems still remained to be tackled. Con-
sumption of distilled liquor was still a
problem. To wean people away from this
addiction proved a major challenge. By
strenuous efforts, a lot of persuasion and
the willing co-operation of the youths of
sewa basti, the making and selling of liquor
was stopped eventually. Even ‘customary’
drinking during festivities ceased, because
of increased awareness. On the positive
side the regular bhajan mandali, Ramayana
reading sessions, mass programmes on Ram
Navami, Navratri, Ganeshotsav, etc., had a
Sewa Sadhana Q
salutary influence on the minds of the
people.
Women in the vanguard
Women too did not lag behind, whether
in acquiring education or absorbing
samskars, whether in celebration of reli-
gious festivals or shramdan (community
labour). Women of the village made their
own significant contribution to cultural re-
newal through activities like sacred bath in
the river, fasting on prescribed days, Deepa
Pooja, orderly maintenance of the house,
etc., all in a manner designed to reflect
Hindu samskars.
Moulding the intellect
Intellectual cultivation too has to ac-
company moral samskars. People also need
to be made aware of day-to-day happenings
in the country. For this purpose, two
libraries named after Saraswati and
Vivekananda were started to serve men and
women of the region, facilitating the bor-
rowing of books for reading at home. A
reading room too was started in the Ram
Mandir where, in addition to daily, weekly
and other periodicals, magazines dealing
with agriculture, health, etc., were also
made available. This is an activity serving
people of all ages.
Shramdan
Alongside this, the importance of vol-
untary contribution of physical labour for
community causes was also emphasised.
The primary school was functioning in a
thatched hut. People instinctively felt that
the school deserved a better place. All the
villagers joined hands, and a beautiful build-
ing came into existence within a couple of
months. As wood was easily available, it
was extensively used. In monetary terms
the building would perhaps be worth more
than Rs. one lakh, which, of course, does
not include the cost of labour voluntarily
contributed by the residents. After this
added facility was made available, the school
was extended up to 8th standard. Apart
from the school, a gymnasium and a Sangh
shakha too function in the same premises.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Developmental efforts need an economic
base too. While the people are willing to
work hard, there is dearth of land. Many
therefore are engaged in collecting tendu
leaves from the forest which has a good
market.
Savings
As activities grew, the importance of
saving too dawned on the people. Soon the
Pavani Bachat Sangh was established with
85 members. The number has now in-
creased to 200, and deposits have crossed
Rs. five lakh. Each member has to deposit
a minimum of Rs. 25 every month. Loans
for emergencies are given to poor people
at a nominal interest rate. The Bachat Sangh
promises to grow in size in future.
Savings are useful for both individual
and community purposes. Utilising their
savings, the villagers constructed a Bhajan
Mandap auditorium adjacent to the Mandir,
equipped with a loudspeaker and other
facilities. The Bhajan Mandap is now the
venue for not only regular bhajans but also
for all community programmes.
Workers training
When all is said and done, much hinges
on the availability of dedicated karyakartas.
At present there are about fifty karyakartas
who form a cohesive team. Different com-
mittees meet every month. Refresher train-
ing programmes for workers are held every
three months. There are separate training
programmes for new workers from time to
time. It must, however, be said that the real
training is what has been transpiring in the
minds of the people because of all this
activity.
As a consequence of the change that
has taken place in the minds of the people,
the Naxalites quietly withdrew from this
area. They no longer receive any sympathy
in this region. Even the neighbouring vil-
lages are now comparatively free from the
Naxalite menace. Thus, constructive work
done in Gurewula has set a trend for other
villages to follow—a consummation de-
voutly to be wished.
62

Education eradicates
superstitions
K
OLLAMPALLI is a village with 6000
population under Palmur district of
western Andhra Pradesh. Since there
are many ponds around the village, it became
popular as Kalnulpalli (village of ponds) and
this Kalnulpalli later came to be known as
Kollampalli. There are many temples in each
locality of the village. Though, agriculture is
the main profession, people are engaged in all
types of activities. Some are engaged in beedi
making. Most of the agriculture is rain-based.
There is a Sangh shakha in the village
since 1977. The work of rural development also
began at the almost same time. After the year
2000 it is being carried out under the banner
of Aditya Gram Vikas Samiti.
Earlier, the children of only upper castes
used to go to school. A Shree Keshav Shishu
Mandir was started with nominal fees for the
children of economically backward classes,
sewa bastis and Vanvasis. The arrangements
for imparting good samskars were also made
through Adult Literacy Centre, Periodical Lit-
eracy Centre, Coaching Centre, Bal Samskar
Kendra, etc. There are plannings to take up
more activities for literacy.
People had many health-related problems
due to consumption of many kinds of tobacco
products. Most of the women were anaemic
due to the bad habit of addiction. The Gram
Vikas Samiti organised periodical discussions
on health, diet, hygienic drinking water, and
also organised health check up camps for
them. The sapling of Tulsi was planted in
every house and people were educated to take
benefit of the domestic methods of treatment.
People were in the grip of many bad habits like
playing cards the whole day, consuming liquor,
smoking, gutkha etc. People were mobilised
with the help of Shishu Mandir, bhajan
mandalis, saving groups, festivals, community
labour, etc. and now majority of the people
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Kollampalli
have said no to the addictions. There are Untouchability
planning to start more projects to achieve
complete prohibition. Earlier Hindus too used in the village
to visit a nearby dargah and it was a custom
to offer sacrifice at the dargah before starting
was to the
any auspicious work. They also used to par- extent that
ticipate in Moharram processions. But now
majority of the Hindus have stopped visiting there used to
the dargah and participating in Moharram be separate
processions.
Women of the village did not have the
cups and
habit of participating in the festivals or uniting glasses for
at one place. With the efforts of the
swayamsevaks they started gathering at the the
temple once a week. The cutting tailoring untouchables
centre, saving group, Matri Mandli etc gener-
ated a feeling of self-confidence among them. in hotels and
Now they are ready to participate in any public
function.
restaurants.
Apart from promoting traditional agricul- But now it
ture, people were imparted training in incense has changed.
sticks making, detergent power, bathing soap,
etc. Farmers are being educated to stop the Earlier, dalits
use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and
adopt organic farming.
were not
A training camp was also organised with allowed to
the help of CAPART for the protection of enter temples.
environment. More than 150 toilets were built
in the village and saplings of various trees But now
were planted at both sides of the road. It also
enhanced the beauty of the road.
people of all
Untouchability in the village was to the
the
extent that there used to be separate cups and communities
glasses for the untouchable people at hotels
and restaurants. Now it has been stopped. assemble in
Earlier, dalits were not allowed to enter temples. the temples
But now people of all the communities as-
semble in the temples of sewa bastis. The of sewa
workers have meals in the families of sewa
bastis and people of all the communities par-
bastis.
ticipate in the public functions.
63
 Iskapalli
An ideal example of
shakha-based
development
I
SKAPALLI is a village of fishermen with 8000 popu-
lation. It is situated at eastern coast of Andhra Pradesh.
The basic source of all the developmental activities in
the village is Sri Ram temple of the village. In the beginning
some people used to disturb, torture and threat them. Once
all the villagers jointly retaliated, which resulted in the goons
never turning back.
Three is every effective Sangh shakha in the village.
The number of trained swayamsevaks is more than 80. There
are 60 ghoshvadaks in this village alone. Forty-eight
swayamsevaks have done first year Sangh Shiksha Varga
while 21 did second year and eight received the training of
third year. The number of uniformed swayamsevaks is over
350. Five Pracharaks and three Vistaraks also came out from
the village. Almost every house has swayamsevaks. A
shakha is conducted at the village school premises. It is
a very inspiring example of shakha-based rural development.
There is one morning and two evening shakhas in the
village.
Before the beginning of the rural development activities,
a Matasyakarasai Kshetram Samiti was constituted to
organise all the fishermen. Its members formed youth groups
to carry out various activities. The people assemble at the
Durga Mandir in the evening and sing bhajans everyday.
Some times this bhajan programmes are carried on over-
night. Most of the bhajans are sung in Telugu and Hindi.
A unit of Durga Vahini has also been constituted. There is
a separate cutting-tailoring centre in which over 200 girls
learn cutting-tailoring. There are 63 self-help groups for
women to ensure self-reliance. There is one matri mandali
also.
The community centre has been constituted with the
help of local people, which cost around seven lakh rupees.
A health centre has also been set up by collecting Rs 25,000.
The health centre meets all primary health needs of the
people.
The local festivals like Ganesh Puja, Durga Puja,
Ramnavami, etc. are celebrated jointly. Over one thousand
people of the village between the age of 12 and 35 years
do not smoke at all. The anti-addiction and anti-corruption
campaigns have been launched by the women in this village.
There is complete harmony in the village. Some Christian
missionaries had made efforts to convert some Hindu, which
were foiled. Both internal and outer atmosphere of the
village is according to the ideals of the Sangh. This is one
of the Prabhat Grams.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
A little help changed
the life of a child
Computer training centre run by Sewa Bharati at a village in Tamil Nadu
NE day a teacher of a project and I were going to
O see a service project by bus. A small boy of 9-10
years of age was selling hairpins in the bus. He came
to us and repeatedly requested us to purchase the hairpins.
He said if we purchased the pins from him he would be able
to purchase a pencil for writing. Hearing this, I wished to
know more about him. I asked him whether he would really
purchase a pencil from this money. He confidently said yes.
We then purchased some pins from him. We told him to come
to his school.
After a few days we found some time and reached his
school. It was the time of interval. Then also the boy was
found selling hairpins outside the school. We went to the
school principal and enquired about the boy. The principal
called his class teacher too who said the boy is talented and
is serious about his studies. He belongs to a nomad
community and is economically very backward. We told the
principal that we wish to make arrangement for his further
studies. The principal too was happy to hear this proposal
from us.
After one week, we again visited the school and taking
the principal with us went to the post office and got an
account opened in the post office. We deposited some
amount in that account. We requested the principal to care
the boy properly.
After a few days we went to his house also. It was very
poor family but was happy to get financial help from us. His
mother told us about sending the second child also to school
and she would work hard for it.
There are so many children who can grow if get some
support. Therefore, as a social activist we should always be
vigilant and try to help the needy.
—Kumari Indira, Sewavrati, Araindagi, Tamil Nadu
64
 Kerala
A ray of development in
Agastya forest
I
N the southern district of
Thiruvananthapuram, there is a hill
forest named after Maharshi Agastya in
the Western Ghats. It is believed that this
forest was blessed with the footprints of
the great saint. There are 27 settlement
colonies in this forest inhibited by Kani
community. One has to travel 36 km by bus
and then 16 km on foot to reach these
settlements.
Two primary schools from Arun to
fourth standard were started here by Sewa
Bharati to provide education to the children
of these settlements. The first school was
started in 1984 at an interior place known
as Aamala. Owing to various problems and
dangerous trekking for reaching this place,
the school was shifted to a place known
as Pothode in 1991. This school covers nine
settlement colonies.
In 1994, a sub-centre was started in
Kamalakam, which covers eight settlements.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Vidya Bharati) syl-
labus has been adopted in these schools.
Children have to walk two-three km to
reach these schools daily.
Apart from normal studies, Balagokulam,
bhajan, Matri Mandalam, parents commit-
tee, pooja, medical camps, rice and cloth
distribution are some of the other activities
done by the Sewa Bharati in this region.
Maha Shivratri, Janmashtami, Raksha
Bandhan, Guru Dakshina, Deepavali, Inde-
pendence Day, Ramayana Paravm are also
celebrated to instil the Bharatiya value and
feeling of patriotism into the people around.
At present, four sewavratis are serving
in these two schools. There are 30 children
studying in Pothod school and 38 study in
Kamalakam school. Local Vanvasi people
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
fully cooperate in all the activities of the schools.
Sewa Bharati is proud of its achievements
during these 24 years hard work. Many children
have passed plus two standards. They have
achieved self-confidence to meet the challenges
In 1994, a
of time. But still some parents do not send their sub-centre
children to schools due to some misplaced
beliefs. Some do not have enough cloth and
was started
food. They are reeling uder high poverty. Sewa in
Bharati is trying to help them out of these
problems. Kamalakam,
We believe that we have to overcome many which
hurdles to uplift these people. Sewavartis like
Shobhana in Kamalakam and Sivashankari in
covers eight
Pothod are toiling very hard to instil a feeling settlements.
of oneness into them. Solar energy is used to
supply electricity for them so that they can Vidya
watch television and listen radio. Bharati
Some days children cannot attend the
schools because their dress is washed and it syllabus
does not dry up the other day. They have only has been
one set of dress to wear. Our sewavratis tried
to collect clothes and supplied them. Many days adopted in
some reach school without having their break-
these
fast. Though they are poor, many shy to express
their feelings of not having their breakfast on schools.
that day. We ask the children in the morning
whether they had their breakfast. We supply
Children
Kanji (rice boiled with water) to those who have to
come without breakfast. Some feel shy to tell
that they did not have breakfast continuously. walk two-
But we understand their feelings and help them. three km to
We arrange to prepare food to help these
children. reach these
We earnestly appeal to all those with a kind schools
heart to come forward with assistance so that
these under-privileged Vanvasis can stand side daily.
by side with self-pride and confidence.
(Sreekrishna Bala, Samskara Kendram,
Kamalakan, Thiruvananthapuram)
65
 West Bengal Changing face of Maa
Sharda’s leelakshetra
S
AMAJ Sewa Bharati, Paschimbanga Prant, Kendra, Swamiji Sishu Kendra, Free Coaching
has selected some villages for total de- Centres for V to VIII classes, Dr Hedgewar Chari-
velopment. These villages have witnessed table Dispensary, Library, Jhola Pustakalaya, Book
very positive change and are on the path of Bank, Ma Sharada Matri Mandali, etc. Apart from
development. these activities they also organise distribution of
Out of 250 clothes amongst distressed old women and chil-
Ichapur
families Ichapur is a village under Asansol district
dren, distribution of water at the time of Gajan
more than Mela, Annual Function, Rakhsha Bandhan Utsav
where most of the inhabitants are economically
etc.
half are able and socially backward. The village was deprived
of health, education etc. Vivekananda Vikas Pichakhali
to make Parishad, Durgapur, started service projects for Sunderban is famous forest in India for its
toilets with improving the life of villagers. Vivekananda natural beauty and royal Bengal tiger. Pichakhali,
Shishu Sanskar Kendra and a remote village of the
the help of Sunderban area, is situated by
Pathdan Kendra (coaching
local centre) have imparted moral the side of river Piali and 26
Panchayat education and are able to km away from Canning Town.
instil the sprit of patriotism It is a village of about 800
and as a into the students. These stu- people. Shri Srijan Hazra, Sah
result the dents also now influence their Sewa Pramukh of Sunderban
village is parents on similar lines and District, started Ma Annapurna
the parents are ready to join Gram Vikash Samiti a few years
becoming hands with the Parishad. back. A shakha is running
prosperous. The late Malay Roy regularly here now. Shri Hazra
took Homeo Arogya Mitra
Gram Vikas Tailoring Training Centre
training and started first
benefitted more than 200
Samiti holds women. Parishad is pleased Homeo Sewa Kendra and af-
meeting ev- with the fact that many of terwards Bhagini Nivedita
the pass-outs from this train- Sishu Sanskar Kendra, Jhola
ery month. It Pustakalaya, Bhajan Mandali, primary school, chil-
ing centre spend time to volunteer for the centre
has created to achieve its mission of self-reliance. Ma Mansa dren health checkup, arrangement of vermi com-
fund by Self-Help Group for men and Ma Durga Self- post training etc. A specialist homeo doctor Dr
Help Group for women are running according Gopal Kar also visits Sewa Kendra once in two
collecting to their own skills and capabilities. months for treatment of critical diseases. Out of
token money Tajpur
250 families more than half are able to make toilets
with the help of local Panchayat and as a result
from mem- Tajpur is a village under Tarakeswar district the village is becoming prosperous. Gram Vikas
bers of the and is situated in the middle of Swami Samiti holds meeting every month. It has created
Ramakrishna Paramhansa’s and Ma Sharada’s fund by collecting token money from members of
Samiti and birth places. These two places are recognised the Samiti and the same is spent for developing
the same is as holy places not only in West Bengal but also the village.
spent for all over India. Tajpur village is Leelakshetra of
Ma Sharada. The people of these villages have been
developing To make Tajpur a model village the villagers benefitted by various ongoing activities of the
area and are motivated to participate in the sewa
the village. formed Ma Sharada Gram Vikas Samiti and
as well as developmental activities.
started various projects like Dharma Jagaran

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 66
 Baghuwar Madhya Pradesh
How Bharat will
A prabhat pheri is taken out in the
become a superpower village early in the morning for the last
more than 50 years. People singing
bhajans, keertan walk around the whole
Pramod Saini village. People from all communities,
lage chief made me understood the castes, and sections participate in the

D
URING my visit to Mohad, I
reason why elections for Sarpanch and prabhat pheri without any hesitation.
had an opportunity to visit
the Panchayat had not been held in this “The prime objective of the prabhat
Baghuwar also, a well main-
village since Independence. Every time pheri is to motivate people for doing
tained village, just two km away in the
the whole Panchayat is elected unop- good works,” says Shri Narayan Prasad
west of Mohad. The style of develop-
posed here. The party politics is seen Narolia, a third year trained
mental activities adopted in this village
needs to be emulated if we really wish
to make the country a superpower. The
village has presented an example worth
emulating in respect of utilising the
government funds granted to the vil-
lage Panchayat.
With the entry into the village one
finds that it is really a unique village.
A big board has been installed at the
main entry point proudly displaying the
information that every house of the
village has a toilet. From this point the
road divides into two streets leading to
different localities. Both the streets are
free from potholes and dust, i.e. well-
maintained streets.
Following a similar well-maintained
street we reached the house of deputy
From right, Thakur Surendra Singh, Shri Narayan Prasad Narolia,
village chief (upasarpanch) Thakur Shri Surendra Singh Chauhan and Shri Ramesh Singh
Surendra Singh. What wondered me
the most was the well-maintained street dominating other villages during the swayamsevak of the village who has
ending with the beginning of his house. elections of Parliament or Assemblies retired as principal from a school. Simi-
His house is about 10 meter inside the and the people are seen divided even larly akhand Durga path is held in the
street. That length of the street is still to the extent that they treat each other village during navaratris for the last 50
kuchcha. Entering his house, the first as real enemies. But during any of the years.
question I asked him, “You have done elections in Baghuwar only one table It has become a habit of our people
a very remarkable developmental work is kept outside the polling booth and to usurp money from the developmen-
in your village, but why is this short the representatives of all parties sit tal fund granted by the government.
length of the street still pending near together. How we can ensure better The late Rajiv Gandhi and now his son
your own house?” What he said opened development in our village dominates Rahul Gandhi admitted that hardly 15
my eyes. He said, “This is my personal the agenda in carrying out develop- paisa reaches the real beneficiaries and
work which cannot be done by the ment works. Therefore, there is no dis- the rest amount is usurped by the
developmental fund of the Panchayat. crimination in the village in carrying out middlemen and the officers involved in
I will get it done from my own pocket development works. the project. But Baghuwar village is
when I have money.” different. Nobody can here even imag-
Prabhat pheri since 50 years ine of such swindling. There is a tra-
This answer from the deputy vil-

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 67
dition in the village to add some village encroaches the street or the deputy director agriculture, captain in
amount of money by the villagers road. All the localities have been de- the army, wing commander, MBBS
(mostly similar to the amount sanc- veloped with planning. The beauty of doctor, three BAMS doctors, three
tioned by the government) in the Harijan basti attracts all. It is the most Ph.Ds and more than 20 graduates are
fund granted by the government and beautiful locality of the village. All the people of the village who earned
that the whole money is spent in the villagers wish to go to it for a walk pride for the village. Wherever they
project. Shram sadhana has become everyday. All the localities have entry work, they do not forget their village
a habit in the village. Sometimes if the gates which have been built by the and also ensure their contribution in
government has sanctioned Rs two village Panchayat. the developmental activities.
lakh for any project the villagers All walls appear preaching Free from disputes
through their contribution enhances
this amount up to six lakh. For ex- Like Mohad, all walls of the houses No dispute of the village ever
ample, the government granted Rs in Baghuwar teach the villagers to reached the police station. They are
two lakh for building community become a good citizen. Highly valu- resolved in the village Panchayat itself.
centre, but the villagers having col- able information on morality, environ- No dispute of the village is pending in
lected their contribution spent ment, prohibition, universe and the any court. There is a Ramayana group
Rs five lakh on this project. One more
interesting thing is that the commu-
nity centre was built in Harijan basti
of the village. Similarly, the Panchayat
received Rs 2.5 lakh for stop dam but
the villagers spent Rs five lakh. Rs 1.5
lakh were received for the Manas
Satsang Bhavan but the villagers
spent more than rupees five lakh.
Similarly, Rs 1.96 lakh were received
for upgrading the school up to high
school level but the villagers spent
3.5 lakh. Spending the government
money in this way is a samskar that,
if adopted by the whole country, can
really make India a superpower even
within one decade.
The money speaks
The every penny spent in devel-
opment of the village catches the The community centre built in the Harijan basti of Baghuwar
eyes. For example the school building
has been built so beautifully that one nation, teachings from religious books in the village, which conducts Ramayana
is moved from heart. The atmosphere etc. can be seen on any of the wall. The Path on every Tuesday and Saturday.
in the school appears very marvel- information is so useful that when the There are about 35 tractors, 51 bio-gas
lous. One who enters the school local Collector Shri Manish Singh vis- plants, 25 handpumps, 20 compost fer-
premises does not wish to go back. ited the village he described it as a tilizer plants in the village of about 1600
The awe-struck paintings and general ‘marvellous’. He opined that all the people.
knowledge written on the walls at- students preparing for Union Public According to Shri Narayan Prasad
tracts every visitor. Service Commission examination must Narolia there is at least one person in
There is a toilet in every house. visit this village before appearing for every house who is active in any of the
There are underground water chan- the exams. Following his advice, two Sangh activities. The village has also
nels for drainage with chambers built batches of such students visited the bagged many awards. The President of
at certain distance for cleaning. The village. The building of village India honoured it with the award of
underground channels have been con- Panchayat has complete information of Nirmal Gram. The work on water har-
nected with old well so that the water the village including the details of the vesting has also been started in this
level gets recharged. Nobody in the talented people of the village. Principal, village.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 68

The whole village speaks Sanskrit
J HIRI is not an ordinary village of
Madhya Pradesh. There may be
poverty and many other prob-
lems like in any other village but this
village has a distinguished identity. It
is because of this identity that the RSS
Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan
visited this village on February 10 this
year.
What makes this village so special
is that all people of the village speak
Sanskrit. The educated, illiterate, farm-
ers, women and even minor children
speak Sanskrit fluently. This is the only
village in north India where people in
such a large number speak Sanskrit.
The credit to bring this change goes to
Samskrit Bharati that has been con-
ducting Sanskrit Sambhashan classes
here for the last six years. Earlier some
people of the village knew Sanskrit but
the efforts of Samskrit Bharati truly
made Sanskrit language of the masses.
During his visit, the
Sarsanghachalak started his speech in
Sanskrit. He performed go pooja. He
also felicitated the Samskrit Bharati
activist Vimla Tewari who played a key
role in helping the villagers to learn and
use Sanskrit in their daily conduct. The
Children learning Sanskrit at a school in Jhiri
Sewa Sadhana Q
Jhiri
Elder people of the village speak fluent Sanskrit
whole proceedings of the function
were conducted in Sanskrit. Shri
Sudarshan expressed satisfaction
over the integrated rural develop-
ment activities being conducted in
Jhiri by the villagers. He appealed
to the villagers to start organic and
natural farming and stop the use of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides in
the farming. “After Sanskrit, Jhiri
should become a model village in
the use of organic and natural farm-
ing so that we can proudly present
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
this village as a model in the country,”
he said.
Jhiri falls under Rajgarh district of
Madhya Pradesh. The total population
of the village is 976 and all of them
speak Sanskrit in all their daily conduct.
Samskrit Bharati activist Vimla Tewari
came to this village in the year 2002 and
staying here taught Samskrit
Sambhashan to the villagers. She not
only taught the divine language but
also developed interest for the lan-
guage. Now she has become daughter
of the whole village.
The villagers greet each other with
Namo Namah. Their morning begins
with Suprabhatam and the day ends
with Shubhratri. Special classes for
teaching Sanskrit are organised in the
village every morning and evening. Not
only Jhiri, but the people from some
adjoining villages, such as Mundala
and Susahedih also come to attend the
classes. Anybody who reaches the
village feels thrilled.
There is a small waterfall (jharna)
in the village, which actually became
the reason of naming this village as
Jhiri. The swayamsevaks started the
69
rural developmental activities in the
village about 12 years back. The work
began on Makar Sankranti Day. There
is one influential shakha today. More
than 25 activists are Sangh Shiksha
Varga trained. The village shakha
developed the workers up to the
Vibhag level. Some youth also came
out as Pracharaks and Vistaraks.
Veteran Sangh Pracharak and the then
Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh
H.V. Seshadri also visited the village.
The first task that was taken up
by the villagers was to resolve the
drinking water problem. The whole
region was facing a draught-like con-
dition due to lack of rains. The water
level too was fast going down. There
was big problem of water during the
summers. The people did not have
Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan accepting greetings of villagers in Jhiri
water even for the animals. The vil-
lagers visited the officials and politi-
to take up some more projects. All the projects for making the women self-
cians many times for a solution but
water channels were made pucca. A dependant were also started by starting
got nothing except hollow assurances.
temple was built and the foundation handicrafts and embroidery training
Then the villagers decided to resolve
stone for a community centre was centres. When the Garm Vikas workers
the problem on their own. They col-
laid down. But after some time an- went to Bhopal to purchase the tenth
lected money and got a tubewell dug
other problem surfaced. Since water embroidery machine the shopkeeper
up. Fortunately the experiment proved
level declined due to lack of rain, the asked: “Is there really consumption of
to be a success. A fund was then
tubewells too stopped taking out ad- so many embroidery machines in such
created to provide drinking water in
equate water. Again the government a small village?” All this happened due
every house with the help of a pipe-
officials and political leaders were to the efforts of the villagers. Now the
line. The villagers who were strug-
contacted but in vain. But the villag- situation is that the girls of the relatives
gling for even a drop of water got
ers were not discouraged. They of Jhiri villagers come to the village
plenty of water.
started building stop-dams to store during summer vacations to learn all
Everybody was happy. But then the rainwater. This experiment worked. these things. The village turns into a
a new problem unfolded. The people It not only stored the rainwater but big camp during holidays and summer
did not realise the importance of also recharged the water level of the vocations. The girls not only learn
water and it was seen flowing in the land. The whole water that was stored embroidery and cutting-tailoring in the
streets creating mud. The Gram Vikas in the stop-dams was used to re- training centres but also get various
Samiti then met again and decided to charge the wells. It proved so suc- kinds of samskars.
construct a water channel to release cessful that not only the tubewells of All these efforts have been made
the waste water. The villagers then Jhiri, but the wells, handpumps, wells to make the people of the village self-
performed shram sadhana. The whole of the adjoining villages under the reliant. To make it more effective the
waste water was collected in a tank radius of three km were recharged. youth were imparted many kinds of
outside the village and was utilised
Apart from all these projects training like electric motor winding,
for irrigation. It improved the produc-
some different kinds of activities were carpenter, blacksmith, barber, etc. Some
tion of crops. All these efforts and
also started in the village. The teach- youth of the village were sent to cities
their success infused a sense of self-
ers of the village got the village for getting expertise in these trades.
confidence into the villagers.
school converted into a private Now they do not let the villagers go
A feeling that we have to de- school and made endeavours to enroll to cities for all these services. This
velop our village ourselves devel- the drop-out children and persons saved the village money in village
oped in every villager. They decided including girls and women. Some itself.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 70

SHGs infuse self-confidence
N
OTHING could be unfortunate
for the labourers if they do not
get work in their own village.
They never dream for the basic facili-
ties in life. Getting the meals of both
the times is their only dream. Similar
was the condition of majority of the
families in Plasi village under
Hosangabad district of Madhya Pradesh
about five years back.
But today the village has set an
example in the field of self-employment.
Nobody is unemployed in the village at
the moment. That is why the state
A meeting of rural SHG members in Madhya Pradesh
government felicitated the village with
the model village award in the year
2003.
It is due to self-employment that
everybody has any work today. No-
body sits idle. The women of the vil-
lage too have received respect and
recognition since the day they started
earning money. Everybody in the vil-
lage is literate now. Women bring out
their own newsletter, Binna, with the
help of Gram Sewa Samiti and Hunger
Project. It is published once in two or
Sewa Sadhana Q
Plasi, Hosangabad
Lakshmi Lata Singh
three months. The success stories of
self-employment and problems of
women in Hosangabad district are car-
ried in the newsletter.
About five years back the labourers
of the village used to go to other
villages for work where they got mea-
gre money, hardly Rs 20 to 25. Once,
working in field the activists of Gram
Sewa Samiti motivated a woman labourer
Chhotibai to form her own self-help
group and also told her various meth-
ods to increase her income with the
help of the SHG. The idea clicked
Chhotibai and she started the process
of forming a SHG. She is just third
standard pass. She contacted the
women of her village Plasi and moti-
vated them to join the SHG. After much
persuasion only 13 women could be
mobilised. She formed her SHG and
named it Jagriti Self-Help Group. These
women started contributing Rs 20 per
month. With the help of SHG the women
started growing vegetables in the fields.
Some started the work of making papar
and several started the work of selling
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
readymade garments. By and large each
women of the group started earning
about Rs 75 per day. Seeing their hard
work and success, some landlords of the
village donated five acre land to them.
This encouraged some more women to
form their own group. Not only the
women but men too formed their own
SHG.
Even the girls going to school
formed their own SHG and collected Rs
1200. This money is given at the interest
of Rs 5 per cent. The money earned from
the interest is spent on purchasing
books, dress, etc. for the economically
deprived children. They also help the
unemployed youth who are searching
jobs.
The Jagriti SHG helps the needy
people of the village. The group not
only made the women self-reliant but
also helps them in getting education.
The women of this group have formed
Annakosh in their village. Every women
of the village contribute one handful of
foodgrain and two rupees on 10th day
of every month. The foodgrain collected
in the Annakosh is distributed among
physically-challenged and economically-
deprived people and the money col-
lected is spent on meeting medical needs
of needy sick people. With the help of
the village Panchayat they have now
started a school up to the eighth stan-
dard. There are three teachers in the
school. If there is no teacher the edu-
cated girls teach the children.
By and large the people of this
village have set an example of self-
employment. Now they do not need
anybody’s help rather they help others.
If the people of other villages emulate
this example they can also contribute in
their development.
71
T
HERE are people of 29 castes in
Sundrail, which lies under Dhar
tehsil of Madhya Pradesh. Their
main profession is agriculture. There are
29 temples in the village. Farming is
done in the village with modern tech-
nology. There have been diesel engines
in the village for irrigation since 75
years. Irrigation is also done with elec-
tric motors for the last 43 years. Now
the facility of irrigation by Narmada
River has also been there for the last
25 years. The village Panchayat was
elected unopposed from 1952 to 1977.
Presently, the animal market of
Sundrail is among the very big markets
of the state, where two oxen were sold
at Rs 76,000 and a mare was sold at Rs
one lakh five thousand. Traders from
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Gujarat visit the mar-
ket on every Thursday to sale and
purchase the animals.
Sundrail has always been forward
with regard to education. The first school
in the village was set up by Dhar
Province in the year 1900. A middle
school was set up in the fifties and a
secondary school began in 1972. Now
there are separate schools for both
boys and girls up to the secondary
level. A public school, Ashok
Montessori School, was set up in 1983.
This school is not run by any caste,
section, group or organisation. It is run
by the villagers jointly. It is an example
in the whole Indore region. Two more
schools—Surya Vidya Niketan in 2000
and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (English
medium school) in 2006 were started.
The village has been honoured by the
state government for excellent women
education in the year 1986. At that time,
the state government had granted Rs
25,000, a memento and a citation as the
award. Many of the youths of the
village are working abroad. One youth
is IAS and many others are doctors and
engineers. By and large there is 87 per
cent literacy in the village.
After going through this detail, you
must be thinking that it is a very pros-
Sewa Sadhana Q
Sundrail
Eradication of
social evils
perous and modern village. Undoubt-
edly it is a prosperous village, but not
modern. It was in the grip of various
social evils. There was a tradition in the
village to feed meals to thousands of
people after the death of any family
member. Many families had to borrow
money from the moneylenders at an
interest rate of Rs 5 to 10 per cent per
month.
About eight years back, the
swayamsevaks decided to eradicate this
evil. They formulated a strategy with
the help of villagers. They conducted
a signature campaign against the evil
and over 75 per cent of the youth not
only participated in the campaign but
also submitted their signatures against
it. They also persuaded others to give
their ascent.
After the signature campaign, the
majority of the people assembled at the
village temple premises and resolved
that neither would they feed meals to
anyone in case of death in the family
nor would they go to have this kind of
meal in future. The village elders rather
took the decision to visit the family in
which somebody passed away, to consol
the family member.
It was not easy to implement the
decision. Once an influential person of
the village did not accept the decision
of the village elders and got prepared
meals for over 2000 people after a death
in his family. The village committee
members visited every house of the
village and persuaded the each member
not to participate in the feast in the
interest of the village. As a result
nobody turned up to have that meal
and the whole meal had to be fed to
the animals. After that incident, nobody
in the village dare disobey the village
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
committee. Now a new tradition has
been started in the village that if any-
body wishes to spend some money in
memory of their beloved one, either
they donate anything in the temple or
help in making furniture, etc. of the
school. The Sangh shakha has been
runing in the village since 1940.
The habit of resolving their prob-
lems at their own has taken deep roots
in the village. To resolve the drinking
water problem the villagers laid seven-
km-long pipeline to bring the Narmada
water up to the village. This work was
done by the village Panchayat with the
help of a bank. It was first of its kind
experiment in the whole state. Now the
villagers get sufficient drinking water
and they regularly make payment of the
bills. Nobody stops the payment of
electric department. Every house has a
valid electricity connection and the bills
are paid in time.
The villagers also have taken an
initiative to upgrade the breed of ani-
mals. They rear good quality bulls and
special building was constructed in
2003 for keeping such bulls. A Shiv
Mela is organised in the village to
encourage the villagers to rear cattle.
The winners are also felicitated.
The farmers use high-quality
seeds. The sugarcane fields of the
village attract the attention of all.
There are two sugarcane crushers and
two sugar mills also. The cultural
activities of the village are very fa-
mous. The artists of the village were
once honoured by Dhar Maharaj
before 1947. At that time the Maharaj
had given Rs 701 as prize money. The
present government too honoured the
artists and they are invited to perform
in big events.
72
 Amera Vanvasi village
Scaling
new heights
A
MERA village is about 40
km from Kavardha town.
The Mahabharata fame
Lonhadipur (now Pachrahi) temple is
about 1.5 km from this village.
Majority of the people in the village
are Vanvasis. The total population is
about 600. The village was very
backward with regard to education,
which was exploited by the Christian
missionaries. They opened an ashram
in the village to carry out their
nefarious design of conversions. Not
only in Amera, but the conversions of
people in surrounding villages had also
started.
It was at that time that a
swayamsevak Shri Phulchand Jain
started Vanvasi Ram Primary School
there. After some time the Mahavir
Baiga Ashram and Buddhadev Primary
School were also started to impart
good samskars among the people. The
Sangh shakha, began in the village on
September 15, 2001, has today two
second-year, two first-year and ten
Prathamik Varga-trained
swayamsevaks. Now there are regular
morning and evening shakhas. Prabhat
pheri is taken out in the morning
everyday. The Ramayana mandali
organises weekly path on every
Tuesday. Dharma Raksha Sena has
also been constituted. There is one
mahila mandali also. Youth have
formed a ‘Bol Bum Samiti’ to bring
holy water from Amarkantak to offer
at Budha Mahadev in Kavardha.
Amarkantak is about 200 km from
Kavardha and these youth cover this
distance on foot. Ganesh festival and
Navaratris are also organised in the
village. Earlier, there was no public
Sewa Sadhana Q
celebration of festivals. Rather people
used to participate in the prayer meet-
ings of the church.
Villagers do traditional farming.
Now a women SHG has been formed.
A ‘Ramkothi’ has been formed to
collect foodgrains for the needy people.
There is one skilled carpenter who
makes very beautiful furniture. People
from surrounding villages also come
here for getting the furniture made.
The cow urine is collected from the
village and is supplied to Mahavir Baiga
Ashram for extracting arka for pro-
ducing bio-pesticides. Many people of
the village have now been imparted
training of extracting arka from the
cow urine and they are successfully
doing it.
Presently, there is no feeling of
untouchability among the villagers. All
people participate in the religious, fam-
ily and public functions. Once the
village was completely illiterate. But
today one youth has completed twelfth
and many students are studying in 10th,
11th and 12th. Study classes are con-
ducted to eradicate illiteracy completely.
A girl looks after the work of Anganwari
after completing 10th standard. Now
there is one government girls’ school
also in which about 100 girls study.
Health check-ups of the villagers
are conducted once a year by Bharatmata
Sewa Samiti. They are provided free
treatment on every Sunday. There are
arrangements of treatment by tradi-
tional herbs. There is complete prohi-
bition in the village. No dispute is
pending in any court. The work in the
village has also inspired the people of
other villages and they have started
taking similar constructive initiatives.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Chhattisgarh
Tamora
Temple:
Harbinger
of change
THE Sangh shakha is the source
of all developmental activities in
this village. It is about seven km
from Balod town. The shakha
has been going on here for the
last six years. A Dharma Jagaran
Samiti has been formed, which
organises mahaarati in the local
temple. This aarati is basic foun-
dation of awareness in the village.
All the villagers assemble near the
Mahamaya temple at 7 am on
every Sunday and perform the
mahaarati. The aarati is followed
by speech of a dignitary. After
that people take prasad and go
back to their homes. All those
who participate in the mahaaarti
donate something in the temple
and the money collected is spent
on constructive activities like
helping the orphans, etc. The
temple has adopted some orphan
girls.
People of all the communities
freely participate in the aarti.
Sometimes sahbhoj is also
organised. About 400 people
participate in the aarti on every
Sunday, which has left a good
impact on the people of other
villages. The Samiti with the help
of the villagers planted saplings of
various useful trees on the banks
of the village pond. Some ar-
rangements of irrigation have also
been made by making a checkdam
on the canal.
73
 Sonadih

A complete dispute-free village

S ONADIH comes under
Janjgir-Chanpa district of
Chhattisgarh and is situated
on the banks of Lilagar river. Earlier,
well in the board exams for the last
three years. There are efforts to start
a residential school in the coming days.
Environment: Though the village is
above the age of 60 years are
offered special respect under the
programme of matripooja. Rangoli
competition is organised on every
the villagers were not able to have situated in Dalha mountain range of Deepawali. There are efforts to
even one crop in a year due to lack Goddess Vishekhari, the region had lost build a Hanuman and a Sri Ram-
of irrigation. The villagers then built most of the trees due to illegal defor- Janaki temple in the village.
a dam over the small rivers origi- estation. The government planted trees A management committee in-
nating from Dalha mountain and by at 72 acres of land in 1988. The volving all sections of the village has
constructing a 600-metre-long ca- villagers decided to protect those trees. been formed to look after various
nal they stored the rainwater in the Besides the government arrangements developmental activities. This com-
pond of the village. Some new of protecting the trees, the villagers mittee also resolves the disputes. As
ponds were also built and the old also appointed additional guards. The a result no dispute of the village has
ones distilled. It is due to these monthly honorarium of the guards was been registered in the police station
efforts that ninty per cent of the too paid by the villagers. They set up or any court for the last 10 years.
agriculture land here is now irri- a public fund to meet these types of There are also different committees
gated and farmers can easily have expenses. Today the trees worth billons for education, agriculture, forest,
two crops in a year. of rupees are available in this forest. health etc.
Education: Since there was only The tradition of planting saplings at
one government-run primary school different places still continues here.
in the village, the literacy rate was
very low and there was complete
Social harmony: All deities of the
village are worshipped jointly. The
Unique way
lack of higher education. The vil-
lagers formed a Siddheshwar Gram
temple of Mata Chaura Devi is among
the most revered places where special of electricity
Bharatiya Shikshan Samiti and started pooja is offered on every Thursday.
a high school. The educated people Keertan is performed in the evening. generation
of the village made some additional Special arrangements of pooja are
arrangements to help the school- made in the temple during the PEOPLE do not believe that elec-
going children. That is why the Navaratras. Besides the kalash yatra, tricity can be generated with the
students have now been performing kanyapujan and sahbhoj, the women help of bullocks. But this is true.
This wonder has been done by
Kanpur Goshala Society. The So-
Recharging water level ciety even wondered the scien-
tists of Indian Institute of Tech-
nology, Kanpur, by demonstrating
through wells this experiment of electricity gen-
eration through traditional meth-
THE rainwater which flows out of the village can recharge the water level
ods. In this method, two bullocks
if stored properly. If this water is stored in a pit, dug about three metre away
move a machine connected with a
from the well, this can successfully recharge the water level not only of the
dynamo, which can generates two
well but of the whole adjoining area. The pit should have about three metre
KW electricity. This two KW elec-
thick layer of sand concrete, small stones and then a layer of sand. During
tricity can light two bulbs in 60
the rains if the water is stored in such pits, it reaches down into the land
houses. If this method is adopted,
through the well. Farmers in Ratlam, Mandasore and Neemach in Madhya
no village will remain without elec-
Pradesh have done it successfully. It is a very simple and cheap way of
tricity.
recharging the water level.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 74
 Naxalite-affected Sikariya village
Computer wins,
gun loses
Ashish Kumar ‘Anshu’
S IKARIYA village under Jehanabad region
of Bihar was known for the extreme
Naxalite violence till seven years back.
Even the police used to avoid going there. The
meaning of going there was nothing but sui-
cide. The region had been a stronghold of
Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) for decades.
The MCC cadre ruled here under the leadership
of Dr Binian. Innumerable innocent people
were killed in the Naxalite violence. “About 48
massacres were reported in this region from
1980 to 2002, which, according to government
statistics, claimed the lives of over 600 inno-
cent people. The actual figure of the victims
was more than 1000. But now the picture of
Sikariya has changed. A new hope of peace
and progress is surfacing in the village,” says
local journalist Mritunjaya Kumar.
This hope of peace and progress was
brought about by the village chief Shanti Devi.
She belongs to the section of the society
which is called ‘deprived’. She has not only
changed the picture of her village but also
presented a unique example before the whole
country. She says, “MCC, violence, killing and
guns have become the things of past in Sikariya.
Now the villagers think nothing but education,
development and non-violence.”
Shanti Devi is completely illiterate. Her
husband Raj Vallabh Prasad too had education
up to primary standard. He is a daily labourer
and lost one of his hands in an accident. The
financial condition of the village is not better.
Despite all these problems development of the
village is Shanti’s priority. She represents the
society whose almost one generation was
brought up playing with guns and bullets. It
is due to her efforts that the children of the
village now have pen in their hands instead of
guns. They go to school and learn computer
and internet. Installing computers in the village
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Bihar
where even the electric poles are yet to be
installed cannot be seen as a minor develop-
ment. Not to speak of providing electricity,
many villages in the Jehanabad region have
not yet been provided with even electric poles.
Shanti Devi
The villagers in Sikariya have made arrange-
ments for a generator to run the computer.
“When I was to come here from Patna to teach
computer I was afraid. But when I came here The main
I found a totally changed picture,” says Ashu
Kumar who teaches computer to the children.
agenda of
The main agenda of Shanti Devi is edu- Shanti Devi
cation, health and cleanliness. It is because of is education,
her efforts that every house has a toilet. She
not only persuaded people in this regard but health and
also provided money to certain families from cleanliness. It
the Panchayat fund. Self-help groups (SHGs)
were constituted to financially help the women. is because of
Now many of them have started their own
her efforts
business. She has also started campaigns
against superstitions prevailed among the that every
people.
house has a
It was not an easy task for an illiterate
housewife to lead the village and not just
toilet. She
leading but making the village a role model in not only
whole Bihar. She gives credit of all this cour-
age to her husband who supported her in all persuaded
circumstances. She does not want to remember people in this
the problems that she faced and the threats
she received from the Red goons. She only regard but
thinks of peace and progress. also provided
Shanti Devi is an inspiration for the women money to
who feel that they are housewife and cannot
do anything. Those who know Shanti Devi, certain
say she was entirely a housewife and a very
simple lady before becoming the village chief.
families from
But now she is leading the whole village the
successfully. She has proved that if one has
commitment and firm determination, no hurdle
Panchayat
can stop the way. fund.
75
 Jharkhand
T
HE process of social change is
very slow and it goes on for
longer time. The lasting change
comes only when the workers adopt
the method from heart and dedicate
themselves to it. Though it takes time
to mould the society as per the method,
the change we then see is lasting and
has impact for long time. Such a change
has come among the women of Self-
Help Groups in Jharkhand. Though the
Sewa Bharati is serving the society
through various other activities also, I
wish to mention only the change ap-
peared through the SHGs, because I am
closely associated with them for a long
time.
There are over 1400 SHGs in
Jharkhand. Every group has 15-20
women. This number goes over 25,000.
Today these women are writing a new
chapter of change after achieving self-
respect and self-dependence with the
help of SHGs.
SHGs have brought about a sea-
change and awareness among the
women. SHGs not only developed a
feeling of taking group decisions but
also to get rid themselves of the
clutches and atrocities of private mon-
eylenders. They not only changed their
own life but also extended a helping
hand to the needy persons of the
society. Women of a group in Ranchi
helped in an eye operation of a minor
child at Shankar Eye Hospital in
Chennai.
The women in the group of Meera,
Rani and Neetu make bari, papar, pickle,
spices, juit bags, etc. Arati, Anuradha
and Sanyukta impart training of making
candles, growing mushroom, making
jam and jailly and also sell the goods
made by them. Malati and Keshwanti
of Tupudana received the training of
making bangles of lakh and goods of
juite from Jaipur. Now they not only
make all these things themselves but
Sewa Sadhana Q
Impact of
a silent revolution
Maya Singh
also impart training to other women.
They organise stalls of the goods made
by them under the banner of Sewa
Bharati in various fairs and exhibitions.
Some try to sell the products in local
markets while some move up to Delhi
to participate in the trade fair organised
at Pragati Maidan every year.
The group of women led by Malati
of Tupudana purchased a tractor with
the help of a bank and earned money
by running it on hire. When the Block
SHGs have
brought about
a sea-change and
awareness among
the women.
Development Officer of Khunti mis-
guided Mateshwari Devi regarding the
time of foundation stone laying cer-
emony of a road at 6.00 am in the
morning, she, along with other women,
went to the spot at 4.00 am and blocked
the road to protest against the BDO.
Finally, Malati got the contract of
making that road and she did the work
with dedication. The SHG of women led
by Arati of Namkom purchased an auto-
rickshaw and got contracts of building
roads, ponds and government build-
ings.
The women take part in social
activities also with full activism. Sarika
of Khunti district foiled the game plan
of a married person who was going to
marry another woman despite having
one wife. She earned praise from the
people through this conduct. Similarly,
Arati, Sanyukta and Anuradha of
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Namkom jointly got a wedding cer-
emony stopped as the groom was ad-
dict. They also forced the groom’s
parents to pay the expenditure of the
bride’s family on the marriage. They
later married that girl with a suitable
boy after some time.
The women of Bokaro who mostly
work as midwives helped their hus-
bands who are mostly rickshaw-pullers
and work as collie, to learn at least
doing signature. Now they proudly say
that nobody in their group is illiterate.
They are also very punctual in their
activities, which is praised by all.
Sumitra Devi and Manodevo of
Dhanbad admit that their life has
changed considerably after joining the
SHGs and Samskar Kendras run by the
Sewa Bharati. They not only felt the
change in their individual life but also
got more respect by their husbands
and the society. The women of Gumla
purchased foodgrains in bulk and sale
it after some time, which helps them in
earning good profit.
A girl of Gumla was not going to
her in-laws’ house. She had the bad
habit of fighting with everybody. She
put various allegations against her hus-
band and every time refused to go with
him. The women of SHG persuaded her
husband and sent her with him. They
also got the promise of her full security
from her husband. The women of Pakud
district organised a mass marriage cer-
emony and got married 125 pairs.
Such change comes silently and
leaves lasting impact. All this has been
possible only due to the involvement
of the workers with the projects from
hearts.
76
 Gopi Chaki of Jharkhand
A youth who made history
on his own
T
ILOPADA—a Vanvasi village of
Jharkhand—is scriptig a new chapter
in the field of self-reliance and self-
respect. No great personality or political,
social or religious leader is behind this revo-
lution but a very simple rural youth who
could not even complete his education has
caused it. The youth—Gopi Chaki—is 22
years old, who has given a new direction to
the rural prosperity and agriculture on the
basis of organic fertilizer. Gopi has educated
the farmers of his village how to earn money
even without having any modern knowhow.
Born and brought up in a
very poor Vanvasi family Gopi
Chaki has not only improved
his living standard but also
shown a new path to the
youth of his village.
Tilopada is a very small
village under Chakrapur dis-
trict of Jharkhand, about 42
km from district headquarters.
This village does not have
even a road or electricity.
Majority of the people are
farmers and their agriculture
is based on rains. That is
why they hardly grow the
foodgrains to earn two square meals. His
father has about five acres of land but he
could not fulfill even basic needs of his
family. The poverty is to the extent that Gopi
had to discontinue his education for some
time. But today Gopi can easily earn about
Rs 10,000 per month through organic fertilizer.
Not only the farmers but many voluntary
organisations and forest department are now
his clients. Gopi supplied organic fertilizers
worth Rs one lakh only to the forest depart-
ment in three months. He has just received
the demand of over seven lakh, which he is
trying to meet with the help of the youths of
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
his village. He not only manufactures fertilizer but This change
also markets it himself.
This change in the life of Gopi came after
in the life
joining Ekal Abhiyan of Birsa Sewa Sansthan. of Gopi
After completing matriculation from the Sansthan,
came after
he joined it as an Acharya. The Sansthan is run
by its associate organisation, the Vanbandhu joining Ekal
Parishad. It is at this Sansthan that Gopi received Abhiyan of
the training of making vermi compost. After the
training he started his own plant after purchasing
Birsa Sewa
worms worth Rs 1500 from the Sansthan. When Sansthan.
Gopi used to collect animals dung in the village,
After
people used to laugh at him. They used to say
if the dung can be put in the completing
field directly what is the need for matriculation
such a lengthy procedure. This
discouraged Gopi for some time
from the
and in this process some of the Sansthan, he
worms also died. He realised the joined it as
importance of it when some
people belonging to an an Acharya.
organisation approached him for The
purchasing worms. By that time
the 1500 worms had multiplied
Sansthan is
into over 10,000 worms. He sold run by its
5000 worms in Rs 2500. After associate
that he never looked back and
started working on war-footing. organisation,
Today he is able to make the
about 35 quintal vermicompost every month. It is Vanbandhu
sold at Rs 5 per kg. He not only increased the
production of his own field with the help of Parishad. It
vermicompost but also made one of his barren is at this
pieces of land fertile. Now he and his friends
purchase dung full of trucks. It has increased the
Sansthan
income of all those who rear cow and her progeny. that Gopi
received the
Now Gopi has resolved to create a team of
similar youth in the vicinity of 30 villages who training of
make organic fertilizers themselves and further making
train more youth. Now Gopi is doing graduation
in history. Vikas Bharati has honoured Gopi with vermi
Swami Vivekananda Sewa Samman. compost.
77
 Uttar Pradesh Goria Kalan
Traditional cottage in-
dustries restarted
It was very
G ORIA Kalan comes under Sitapur dis-
trict of Uttar Pradesh. It was selected
for rural development activities about
five years back. The population of the village
difficult to is about 10,000 and people of almost all com-
munities live here. The main profession of the
enter the
people is agriculture. There is one sewa basti
village during also where mostly the landless labourers live.
There are three temples which were renovated
the rainy by the Gram Vikas Samiti.
season. Now Before starting the developmental activi-
with the ties the Gram Vikas Samiti listed the priorities
and decided what to be taken up first. Every
initiatives third Saturday of the month was fixed for
taken by the shram sadhana. It was very difficult to enter
the village during the rainy season. Now with
Gram Vikas
the initiatives taken by the Gram Vikas Samiti
Samiti not not only the main road, but most of the streets
only the main of the village have been repaired and bricks
have been laid. The discharge of waste water
road, but most from houses has been connected with the
of the streets waste water channel built both sides of the
main road. Therefore, there is no mud any-
of the village
where in the streets. Keeping in view the
have been requirements of the village, the Gram Vikas
repaired and Samiti formed some sub-committees also for
cleanliness, health, awareness, education,
bricks have Dharma Jagran, agriculture, cottage industries,
been laid. The etc.
discharge of Earlier there was not even a primary school
in the village and the children had to go to a
waste water nearby village for studies. Therefore, only a
from houses few children could go to school. The Shiksa
Prasar Samiti took an initiative and the Samiti
has been head Shri Ramprakash Vajpayee donated his
connected with land for the school which now provides edu-
the waste cation up to the eighth standard. This school
has recently been transferred to Vidya Bharati.
water channels There are plannings to upgrade the school up
built both to 12th standard.
sides of the There is one Samskar Kendra where chil-
dren come for two hours to get moral educa-
main road. tion. A bhajan mandali has also been formed
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
which perform bhajan-keertan on every Tues-
day.
The health committee organises health
camps every year to conduct health check-up
of the villagers. The cooperation of Dr Tushar
Rastogi, Dr Vivek Vaishya and Dr Vijay Gupta
is noteworthy in organising such camps. The
swayamsevaks also made arrangements for
necessary medicines. The knowledge to stay fit
by changing the lifestyle and keeping the
surroundings clean is imparted through the
seminars and symposia.
The sub-committee constituted for cottage
industries decided to revive the traditional
cottage industries of the village. A villager Shri
Vishwanath Vajpyaee used to make chak in the
village. But he had shut down the work. Now
that work has been restarted. There are about
eight families of potters who had also stopped
making earthen pots. Now they all had starting
working as labourers. The sub-committee re-
solved their problems and persuaded them to
restart their work. Now they are earning good
money from this business. A self-help group
has also been constituted. It has received a
monetary help of Rs 30,000 from a local bank.
There is a planning to start a group indus-
try with the help of this money. The SHG is
soon going to start a milk dairy. There are
efforts to start the work of making pickles,
sauces, jams and jellies, etc. in the village. The
local Fruit Promotion Officer has been con-
tacted for it. After imparting training to some
people this work will be started on individual
or group level. The small farmers are being
encouraged to start farming of medicinal herbs,
spices, vegetables, etc.
The agriculture committee has been en-
couraging the farmers to adopt organic farming.
Symposia are held to educate the farmers of the
side effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
and the benefits of organic farming.
78
 Devipurva
Back to the basics
I
T was impossible to think of reforms in Devipurva
village of Unnao district just two years back. Over
eighty per cent illiteracy, no school, mud on the streets
everywhere. But since the day the farmers started organic
framing the picture started changing. The organic farming is
the method of farming in which the farmers have to invest
the minimum—no need to purchase seeds from the market,
no need of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, therefore no
need to take loans from anywhere. The people of urban areas,
who are afraid of growing diseases due to chemical fertilizers,
are the new consumers of their products. They are ready to
buy organic products even by paying more.
The farmers have realsied the benefits of organic farming.
When the young farmer Bhagwan Deen detected insect in the
field of chilly, he sprayed jeevamrita (mixer of cow dung, cow
urine, gud, pulses of moong and urda and flour of grams)
on the field. He could have used pesticides also but he did
not. He is now happy not because all the insects died but
he did not need to spend even a single penny. Right from
the beginning he did not need to purchase anything from the
market. Now the crop is ready to harvest and he will save
whatever earns. In such cases if there is any natural calamity,
his labour may go waste but now he will not suffer any
economic loss as he did not spend anything on it. He did
not join the list of the farmers who commit suicide due to
heavy loss in the farming. Secondly, this illiterate farmer
discharged his duty to the nature. He also did not let his land
go non-fertile due to the use of chemical fertilizers.
Bhagwan Deen is not the only farmer who is doing
farming like this. The list goes endless. When these farmers
started the experiment of organic farming some people ques-
tioned whether they will be able to produce what can be
produced with the help of modern machines and chemical
fertilizers. But the final outcome proved that they earned more
than those who used chemical fertilizers. The farmers produce
everything whatever they need today in their fields. The
scientists of IIT Delhi and Kanpur praised their method of
farming. Kanchan Chaudhary of Jyotibaphule Nagar says that
the chemical fertilizers have made their land almost barren and
they can now grow nothing without increasing the quantity
of fertilizers every time. The chemical fertilizers and pesticides
killed all the useful earthworms. But the result of the organic
farming is different. The farmers in Devipurva have also
adopted the model of cooperative farming. Many scientists
visit the village to encourage them and also to guide. If the
same method is adopted by the big farmers also this may
produce unbelievable results.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Surabhi Shodh Sansthan, Varanasi
Convert Karuna Kendras
into Kranti Kendras
T
HE compassionate people provided shelter to old,
sick, injured and handicapped animals including
cows by opening goshalas. But today cows and
other animals are facing an extremely serious threat of
extinction. Neither cows nor other animals were being repro-
duced in the proportion in which they are being slaughtered.
There are 268 animals against 100 people in developed
countries. While in India there are only 38 animals on 100
people. The number of cows in these 38 animals is just nine.
The goshalas could have been very helpful for their pro-
tection, but nothing to this effect happened. That is why
Mahatma Gandhi had said that those who run goshalas
should have more expertisation, specialisation and courage
to conduct new experiments than the traders and entrepre-
neurs.
The conveners of Kashi Jeevdaya Vistarani Goshala and
Pashushala of Varanasi have shown some courage which not
only helped in protecting the animals but also protected
other creatures. An energy plant was set up in California to
produce energy from the dung of 30,000 old, handicapped
and unfertile cows. It not only produced 15 MW energy but
also produced 160 lakh tonne manure and 60,000 gallon cow
urine for bio-pesticide. The scientists have admitted that cow
dung absorbs radiation and that is why radiation-free tiles
are being produced from the cow dung.
If goshalas motivate the people in each and every
village of the country to take full benefit of the cow urine
and dung, more than half the country’s population can get
essential energy. It will not only protect the animals but will
also stop deforestation. It has been proved beyond any
doubt that many critical diseases have been cured with the
medicines produced from cow urine. The animals which once
used to provide milk worth Rs 600,000 crore, transportation
worth Rs 500,000 crore, organic fertilizers worth Rs 300,000
crore, bio gas worth Rs 300,000 crore and saved the
petroleum worth Rs 300,000 crore, have been rendered
useless by the inventions of modern machines being used
in farming. The Non-Conventional Energy Ministry, Agricul-
ture and Animal Husbandry departments must pay attention
to these facts.
The merciful people should admit that if they convert
the Karuna Kendras into Kranti Kendras they can infuse
a new life into the Garm Lakshmi, Gram Saraswati and Gram
Durga. The balanced, all-round and lasting development of
the world depends only upon the cow-centred lifestyle, cow-
79
based agriculture and cow-
based industries. The power-
centred development has just
benefitted the World Bank
and World Trade
Organisations and these eco-
nomic powers have converted
the whole world into a market
as well as the people into
consumers. Only the cow-
based comprehensive devel-
opment can save the world
from the destruction.
Surabhi Shodh Sansthan
has set up a Surabhi Gram at
National Highway No 7. It is
near Dagmagpur Railway Sta-
tion, 45 km from Varanasi and
25 km from Mirzapur. About
29 hectares of barren land
has been made fertile here by
storing rainwater. Besides
growing various kinds of
crops, some medicinal herbs,
forestation and bee-keeping
were also done. The villagers
were provided free saplings
of neem, papaya, banana etc.
for the protection of environ-
ment. The people were im-
parted training in cow-based
integrated rural development
by organising agriculture and
cow-rearing seminars.
The other projects taken
up by the Sansthan included
water harvesting, soil test-
ing, protection and promo-
tion of Gangatiri breed of
cows, manufacturing and test-
ing of organic fertilizer, pro-
duction of vegetable, spices,
medicinal herbs, Graha-
Nakshtra Vatika, etc. The
Sansthan conducts various
experiments with the active
involvement of local people.
It has also been proved that
a family can easily survive
on one acre of land if the
farming is done with the help
of the cow and her progeny.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Vantara
Organic farming:
A boon for farmers
V
ANTARA is near Shahjahanpur.
During 1980s the whole village
was involved in making spurious
liquor. Not only men, but women too
were involved in this trade. The cases
of fighting and violence were common
in the village due to liquor. In the year
1982, a person known as Ramesh Bhaiya
came here, who changed the life of the
villagers. He used to live in Chhitepur
village. After completing the tenth stan-
dard he started giving tuitions to the
children as he had to bear the expenses
of the education of his younger brothers
too.
After collecting some money he
restarted his education and completed
LLB. While pursuing his studies he
developed a feeling of meeting Vinoba
Bhave as he was very impressed with
his views and the initiatives. He went to
Maharashtra along with his friend and
got the opportunity to meet Vinobaji.
Vinobaji asked him what he wanted to
become in his life. He said, “A success-
ful advocate.” Vinobaji said if you be-
comes a lawyer you will always pray
for more conflicts in the society so that
you get more cases. What if you change
a village by your efforts to the extent
that not a single conflict takes place
there?
These words of Vinobaji moved
Ramesh. After sometime he got married
with Vimla. After the wedding, both
started educating people of new methods
of farming. When they reached Vantara
in 1982, the situation there was very
disappointing. He decided to stay in the
village. When the villagers did not give
space to live, they made a hamlet near
the crematorium. His wife Vimla started
imparting training of cutting-tailoring and
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
embroidery to the women and Ramesh
taught the farmers about new methods of
farming. The farmers had sufficient land.
What they needed was motivation. They
were taught the benefits of organic farm-
ing. They were also advised to work in
group so that they can grow more crops
in a season. He motivated the people not
to consume liquor.
There was a piece of land which had
become non-fertile due to a brick kiln.
The District Administration consulted the
agriculture scientists to make it fertile.
The scientists prepared a package of four
years to make it fertile. When Rameshji
was consulted he claimed to make it
fertile only within one year. The District
Collector said if he makes it fertile in one
year the entire piece of land would be
transferred to him. Rameshji accepted the
challenge. He first collected all the stray
and injured cows in that land so that their
urine and dung could be mixed in the soil.
He did it for about six months and the
land became fertile even before the comple-
tion of one year. As per its commitment,
the District Administration decided to
transfer the land to Rameshji. But he did
not accept the land rather got it trans-
ferred to Vinoba Sewa Ashram. Now
there are about 250 injured cows in this
Ashram. Over 6000 quintal of organic
fertilizer is made from their dung every
year in this Ashram.
More than 35 women of the village
are now associated with the Ashram and
help in making organic fertilizer and bio-
pesticides. The state government also sent
Rameshji for training in Agriculture Man-
agement Programme at IIM Ahmedabad.
The effort of one person changed the life
of the whole village. Rameshji did nothing
but motivated the people.
80

Crematorium on the bank of Sarayu
turns into a Sewa Kendra
A
group of swayamsevaks once
decided to improve the condi-
tion of an ancient crematorium
near the Sarayu River. Their firm deter-
mination has today resulted in a miracle
that the people, who used to fear vis-
iting this place even in the day, now
visit it even at night to get mental
peace.
This crematorium
is in Dohrighat village
under Mau district of
Uttar Pradesh. It is an
ancient place where it
is believed that Lord
Rama and Parasuram
had met. It is because
of the meeting of two
haris (gods) that the
place was named as
Do-hari. It is situated
on the Azamgarh road.
The swayam-
sevaks first met the
village Pradhan of
Dohrighat and re- The
quested him to help in the project.
Then they met the then Vibhag
Karyavah Shri Jitendra Rai and sought
his help in the transfer of land. Some
local farmers also helped in this task.
Today, this crematorium has become a
very big Sewa Kendra where people
from far distance come. Impressed with
the beautification of the spot, two films
were also shot here.
It is sprawling on two hectare land.
A beautiful garden has been created all
around with a variety of trees and
flowers. A 20-feet-high statue of Bharat
Mata has been installed within the map
of Akhand Bharat. There are mountains
and a mini form of ocean too. The
“ocean” has different maritime crea-
Sewa Sadhana Q
Dohrighat
Yashodanand
Lord Shiva. Bhagirath is seen walking
tures like fishes, crocodiles, tortoise ahead of the Ganga playing shankha.
etc. On another side of this ocean there All the idols are very tall.
is a 10-feet-tall idol of Lord Shiva along A big auditorium has been built in
with different forms of Goddess Parvati. the premises with the capacity of 500
There are 12 Shivlingas around the idol people. Some ethical messages have
of Lord Shiva. Ganga River has also been written on the walls of all build-
been seen originating from the hairs of ings. Daily yoga classes are conducted
in the auditorium in
which presently 80
people take part. The
people coming with
dead bodies also take
rest here. Some special
ghats with proper shade
have been built at the
River.
The crematorium
has been developed on
a bigger scale where 50
dead bodies can be cre-
mated at a time. Dead
bodies from far-flung
areas like Mau and
Azamgarh are also
statute of Bharat Mata built at the crematorium brought here for crema-
tion. On one side of the
The crematorium is premises there is a big sanctuary where
sprawling on two various kinds of animals have been kept
and are looked after properly. Especially
hectare land. A the injured animals are looked after here.
beautiful garden has An eye donation centre has also been
built. At least five or six workers remain
been created all round the clock to look after the arrange-
around with a variety ments of the premises.
Sarayu Mahotsava is held once a
of trees, flowers. A-20- year in which thousands of people par-
feet high statue of ticipate. This function goes on for three
days. By and large this project has
Bharat Mata has been emerged as an effective centre of social,
installed within the religious and environment protection ac-
tivities in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
map of Akhand Bharat. (The writer is Prant Sewa Pramukh of Gorakash
Prant)
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 81
 Ghumwati
A giant
leap forward
C
ONSIDER this picture of a village: A
farmer, tired, instead of working on
the field he rests under a tree and he
goes to sleep. The bullocks graze idly along-
side. When an outsider passes this way, he
should be lucky to leave with his clothes
intact. Walking alone on the road after dusk
is quite risky. It does not need much imagi-
nation to infer that the village had fallen on
bad times.
Ghumwati in Muzaffarnagar district of
Uttar Pradesh was once such a village. A
swayamsevak who had undergone the second
year training of the Sangh and was entrusted
with the responsibility of Mandal Karyawah
decided to change the profile of the village.
At first he started a shakha. Youths partici-
pated enthusiastically. Gradually he cultivated
the households. The organised strength of
the youths had its own influence on the
village. When the Sangh swayamsevak started
persuading and talking to the goonda ele-
ments, the latter reacted differently. Some
said, “It will be better for you to keep away
from rowdies.” Others asked, “Are you plan-
ning to get elected as village chief?” Even his
own father advised him, “You are taking a big
risk. Times are bad.”
But the karyakarta was not frightened,
and persisted. His undeterred work yielded
fruits. The goondas gave up their bad ways.
He was able to win the hearts of the youth.
Work started, slowly at first. Through volun-
tary labour the roads and drains became
operational. The Gram Pradhan himself be-
came a swayamsevak and initiated a cleanli-
ness drive from his own doorsteps. Soon
others too responded and the village began
to look clean. These steps had an impact on
the minds of people too. None now feared
that they might be looted on the road as in
the past. All can now move about freely. Now,
elders are respected and people from outside
are warmly received. It is no longer a degen-
erate village that it was. Of course, it is just
a beginning. A lot remains to be done.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Bullock-driven tractor:
Advantage galore
T
HE importance of bullocks can-
not be undermined in the coun-
try like India where people have
small fields. They are the biggest support
for the small farmers. They are the best
means of pollutionless and low cost
farming. They are useful in transporting
the agriculture produces. Even today sev-
enty per cent of the total transportation
in rural areas is done with the help of
bullocks. According to a study, there are
7.40 lakh bullocks in the country. The
average horse power of a bullock has
been recognised from ½ to ¾ and they
can work at least 1000 hours in a year.
According to an estimate, the energy of
the total bullocks
in the country is
equal to 1.5 crore
tonne petroleum
energy. The mar-
ket cost of this
energy is more
than Rs 8000 crore.
In other words we
save this much
foreign exchange
with the help of
the bullocks every
year. It also helps
in controlling pol- A bullock-driven tractor in Bhilwara, Rajasthan
lution which is generated through the use
of petrol and diesel.
According to an estimate about 2.5
lakh tractors are sold in the country
every year and with the use of one
tractor four bullocks become useless. The
scientists of Jodhpur Drought Research
Institute recognised the reduction of these
traditional means in farming as the main
reason of repeated drought. The machines
like tractors not only damage the fertility
of soil but also ruin plants which protect
the environment from droughts. The
govansh is the worst affected by tractors
as about 25 lakh bullocks are rendered
useless and are sent to slaughterhouses
every year.
Bharatiya Govansh Samvardhan
Pratishthan in association with the
Santosh Engineering Company,
Bulandshahar, has produced a bullock-
driven tractor. It is as useful as the
diesel-driven tractors. It is driven by
bullocks. Not only a trained person but
even by an old man, women, or the
children who do not know at all plough-
ing can also use it. One also does not
need to move on foot as is done while
traditional ploughing. It has a chair to
sit on. Not only this, it has a shade
also so that the work can be done in
scorching sunshine heat or in raining.
There is a place to keep a water bottle
also. Almost all the works of farming
can be done by adding additional tools
in it. The total cost of this plough is
Rs 17,000. But it is sold to farmers at
Rs 9000 by Bharatiya Animal Welfare
Board.
A tractor normally works for about
1000 hours in a year and consume about
5000 liter diesel. By and large a tractor
consumes diesel worth Rs one lakh
every year. Its performance is equal to
that of four bullock-driven tractors. Not
only diesel, one has to spend money on
its maintenance, etc. Whereas a pair of
bullocks consumes fodder to the tune of
Rs 14,600 per year and the money
spent on fodder of four pairs of bul-
locks is Rs 58,000. The farmer who
keeps four pairs of bullocks instead of
one tractor can save money to a great
extent. It will not only save money but
also help in preserving the animal wealth.
The dung and urine that the bullocks
discharge would be an additional source
of organic farming.
82
T
HE rural development activities
in Meerut Prant are in full
Matora Durga/Sitapur Lotani Alawalpur
swing. Though the work has
begun in many villages, the mention of
a few villages is relevant here. All are All localities named
Prabhat Grams and the impact of the
work is clearly visible there.
The first village is Matora Durga.
after great personalities
It falls under Dhampur district and has agitation. Now all the guests are wel- There is one Bal Samskar Kendra
the population of about 1800 people. comed with the dishes prepared at where the presence of maximum chil-
The village has both the RSS and home. All posters of films have been dren is ensured. There is one cutting-
Rashtra Sevika Samiti shakhas. The removed from the houses. Women per- tailoring centre. Women conduct weekly
Gram Vikas Samiti as well as some sub- form weekly keertan in the temple on keertan and deeppuja on Sharad
committees for education, health, every Monday. Majority of the houses Purnima. Bhajan-keertan is held in all
Dharma Jagaran, agriculture, women and have been persuaded to construct toi- the houses for all nine days during the
festivals have been formed. There is a lets and girls of the village wear only navaratris. The experiments of organic
Saraswati Shishu Mandir which has descent dress. They have said a firm farming have begun. Health check-up is
become a very effective conducted regularly and
tool for inculcating good discussions of farmers is
samskars among the vil- also held with the agri-
lage children. culture scientists and ex-
There are six locali- perts. Vermiculture and
ties in the village and all compost are made in the
have been named after village itself. Regular
great personalities includ- sahabhoj is also con-
ing Dr Hedgewar, Dr ducted. Annual function
Ambedkar, Swami of the school is con-
Vivekananda, Madhav ducted. Different kinds of
Sadashivrao Golwalkar, competitions are also
Subash Chandra Bose and held among students and
Hakikat Rai. the winners are granted
The Gram Vikas Samiti prizes. The katha by a
Akhil Bharatiya Gram Vikas Pramukh Shri Surendra Singh Chauhan
ensures cleanliness in the guiding the villagers of Matora Durga
leading saint is organised
village through shram at least once a year and
sadhana. All the houses have the signs no to skirts, jeans and T-shirts. the recitation of Sunder Kand is also
of ‘Om’ on the gates. Tulsi has been The other Prabhat Gram is Sitapur held every month.
planted in all the houses under a cam- Lotani. It has the population of about The third village is Alawalpur
paign. One street has a very impressive 1300 people. The Sangh shakha is run under Baghpat district. The Sangh
line of flowers at both sides. All the regularly in the village. A yoga class of shakha began here in 2000. The
public places have been repaired with women is also conducted everyday. swayamsevaks first built boundary wall
the help of shram sadhana. The name Gam Vikas and other Samitis have also around the village temple with shram
of the village was got corrected in been formed. Four localities of the village sadhana. A farmer Shri Dharmpal at-
government records from Matora Darga have been named after great personali- tended the training camp of organic
to Matora Durga. Rakhi is also tied to ties. Kanyapujan is done every year. farming and started work on it. A total
trees on Rakshabandhan Day every Vijayadashami festival is celebrated of five Self-Help Groups are going on
year and people ensure protection of together in which the all villagers come in the village. The women group of
those trees throughout the year. Under together and have sahabhoj. ‘Om’ is SHG conducts weekly keertan in dif-
another campaign the Peepal trees were written on the gates of all houses. ferent families. There is one Samskar
planted in the village and also ten Every house has tulsi plant. A book, Kendra also. Akhil Bharatiya Garm
surrounding villages. Sangh Gatha, was distributed in all the Vikas Pramukh Shri Surendra Chauhan
Women of the village got all the families. Eye camps are organised regu- visited this village on September 26,
shops of liquor closed through an larly. 2006.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 83

Towards total development
H
OLI is a season when the
courtyards and roads are
colourfully decorated. People
greet one another heartily. In many
households elderly women narrate in-
spiring mythological stories like that of
Prahlad to the young ones. The Holi
ritual also symbolises offering oneself
in total dedication for a cause. In the
village Nagla Vishnu under Agra dis-
trict too the Holi festivity was in full
swing. All were no doubt performing
havan and proclaiming “Prahlad Ki
Jai”. But one individual began to in-
trospect – “Am I living a worthy life?”
His name is Nahar Singh.
As is customary, people were busy
greeting one another; the young sought
blessings of the elders. Amidst all the
revelry Nahar Singh declared in public:
“On this holy day, I am taking a solemn
pledge never to drink again. May the
Fire-God Agni be my witness.”
All the people present were over-
joyed. But the surprise of the elders
knew no bounds. They wondered: “This
person has been such a habitual drunk-
ard. What has now made him give up
drinking?” The answer was plain. What
had inspired him was the exposure to
Sangh samskars. Some felt that he
would soon return to his old ways. But
he proved them wrong. In fact he then
made it his concern to persuade others
too to give up drinking. Such is the far-
reaching effect of the samskars in Sangh
shakhas.
Unfailing source of samskars
It was not long before people of
the village began to gather in the local
temple not for worthless chatter, but for
constructive discussions and people of
all castes came together as never be-
fore—Thakurs, Jatavs, Valmikis and
others. They chose a senior college
lecturer as the coordinator of village
Sewa Sadhana Q
Nagla Vishnu
development efforts. A weekly satsang
on Tuesday, the sacred day of Lord
Mahavira, has now become a regular
feature.
A day-long training programme
was arranged to improve the skills of
karyakartas. Over fifty persons from
various sections participated in it.
Committees were set up for different
tasks. Education, cleanliness, promo-
tion of dharmik temperament, environ-
mental conservation, agriculture, free-
dom from addictions—these were iden-
tified as priority issues. All the eleven
members of the committee on addic-
tion vowed in the meeting itself to give
up smoking and consumption of to-
bacco, etc., in any form. Three shop-
owners vowed not to sell such prod-
ucts. By now, liquor consumption and
People of the village
began to gather in the
local temple not for
worthless chatter, but
for constructive
discussions. People of
all castes came
together as never before.
gambling had already decreased. Since
then, addiction has gone down by over
80 per cent. The effort are still contin-
ued.
Education, the trigger of development
Education is the cradle of culture,
and is in fact itself an index of culture.
It was therefore decided to take it up
on a priority basis. Initially, children
between the ages of five and seven
were targeted. A campaign was taken
up to impress on elders the need to
send their children to the school. Soon,
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
almost 65 per cent of children began to
attend the school. The quality of the
primary school was also improved by
interacting with the teachers. Sant
Doodhadhari Maharaj, who has estab-
lished an inter college a kilometre away,
has his Ashram in the village and
continues to provide spiritual guid-
ance. Swayamsevaks started holding a
coaching class after the morning shakha
every day.
Women’s constructive role
Soon, the truth of the adage that
the mother is the first Guru of a child
came to be reflected in the village. The
women began to bestow greater care
not only on education and upbringing
of the children but also on maintenance
of the households. Work of the Rashtra
Sevika Samiti too commenced. Those
who have had exposure to the joy of
learning are being emulated by others.
Women of the village meet every week
in the temple for exchange of thoughts
and planning the activities. Naturally
girls’ education has picked up.
A changed scenario
In most villages the situation is so
depressing and the lack of basic facili-
ties so pronounced that the youths are
eager to move away to the cities rather
than stay in the villages. But the situ-
ation is changing rapidly for the better.
Not only are basic facilities like good
roads, medical care and education avail-
able locally; increased awareness about
the evils of addiction has made life
more refined. Occasional quarrels are
settled locally. One youth, by giving up
smoking and saving that money, was
able to buy an almirah in a year’s time.
Instances like these are looked up to
by others. Milk dairies are providing
substantial local employment to many,
and this is a major step in making the
village self-sufficient.
84

Deendayal Dham:
A multi-faceted project
R
EJUVENATION of the villages
is obviously the key to steady
national development. A trend-
setter in this regard is the village called
Nagla Chandrabhan in Mathura District
of Uttar Pradesh. The village is now
famous as Deendayal Dham, named
after the reputed scholar and social
worker who articulated the philosophy
of Ekatmamanav
Darshan (Integral Hu-
manism) as an answer to
humanity’s varied prob-
lems. He was a saintly
person, an exemplar of
plain living and high
thinking. He believed in
action rather than mere
words. Uplifting the bot-
tom most segment of so-
ciety was his life-long
passion. Many are the
institutions and develop-
mental projects that he
inspired. Among these
are the plethora of activi- Distinguished
ties centred in this vil-
lage which happened to be his birth-
place.
A unique memorial
A memorial building in his name
housing a pictorial exhibition relating to
his life work and a library were set up.
This complex was the venue for all the
endeavours initially; now, however, each
sector of activity has grown immensely
and has its own separate structure.
Earlier there was only a primary school.
Now it has grown immensely, and a
Saraswati Shiksha Mandir and a
Saraswati Vidya Mandir have been
added. Over four hundred children from
about 25 villages attend these schools
Sewa Sadhana Q
Nagla Chandrabhan
now. Similar Saraswati Shiksha Mandirs these are attended by about 100 chil-
and single teacher schools have been dren every day.
started in other villages of this Block, Inculcating samskars
which are attended by 1,690 children
Most Shiksha Mandirs run Samskar
from 55 villages. The vast network is
Kendras in the sewa bastis in their
manned by 46 teachers and coordi-
regions. About 250 boys and girls are
nated by an organising committee.
making use of these Kendras. About
Jan Shiksha Kendra 150 of these are basti dwellers. Samskar
As the activities grew in the re- Kendras have an important role in kin-
dling interest in educa-
tion.
Owing to many
years’ efforts, Deendayal
Dham village now has
almost 100 per cent lit-
eracy. The literacy drive
is being extended to 63
other villages in the
Block.
There was no facil-
ity for High School edu-
cation for girls. To fulfill
this need, the Deendayal
Upadhyaya Kanya
guests inspecting a science exhibition at Deendayal Dham Mahavidyalay was
started. This will meet the
requirements of girl students from about
gion, an apex body to coordinate edu-
100 villages. The Smarak Bhavan in-
cational efforts was formed. Through
cludes a library and a reading-room
this ‘Jan Shiksha Samiti’, 250 single
which proved very popular and is very
teacher schools, 280 Shiksha Mandirs
useful medium of awareness building.
and 60 Vidya Mandirs are functioning.
Over 1,600 teachers are involved. These Health care
schools are together catering to the The memorial runs a dispensary for
needs of 48,544 children from 2,607 the benefit of all the surrounding vil-
villages. The apex committee functions lages. The periodical eye camp per-
from Deendayal Dham. In order to de- forms 200-250 operations and provides
velop occupational skills, a vocational eye glasses to the needy. Likewise,
training centre too has been started. every year tricycles are given to the
This is being developed as a fully self- handicapped. Keeping in view environ-
contained residential facility for about mental health, varieties of trees have
50 students. Two Samskar Kendras are been planted. There is also a nursery
functioning in two sewa bastis, and for distributing saplings.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 85
Drinking-water
As water in most wells was salty,
women had to fetch drinking water from
the only sweet water well which was a
great distance away. Fortunately, two
bore-wells dug by the Memorial yielded
sweet water. The villagers’ joy knew no
bounds. By their own hands they laid
the pipe-lines and a dozen outlets were
conveniently located. The women are
freed from the travails of carrying head
loads of water everyday. The mainte-
nance is done by the villagers them-
selves.
Women’s training
Recognising that women’s economic
and social security is the foundation of
a healthy society, a tailoring training
centre for women was started. Using
this as a focal centre, several samskar-
giving activities have been started.
Women attending the centre are also
active in spreading literacy. A shakha of
Rashtra Sevika Samiti also functions
here. Till now, some 750 women from 20
villages have completed their training
and have improved their living stan-
dards.
Many sided activities
In addition to tree planting, trials
are being conducted to explore what
vegetables and other plants can be
grown in the briny water here. One of
the cottage industries of the region is
the manufacture of Ayurvedic prepara-
tions, namely Chyavanprash, Triphala,
etc. Bee keeping is another local occu-
pation. To encourage self-employment,
the Vidyalaya provides training in the
making of candles, soaps, wheels, etc.
The response has been encouraging.
One family produces a ‘surf’-like deter-
gent, and the entire production is bought
by local residents within two or three
days. It has been planned to introduce
computer training. As cattle are basic to
rural economy, a goshala is being de-
veloped. Bio-gas production is also
being encouraged. The residues will go
to make excellent compost manure. Tra-
ditional methods of using cow’s urine in
certain medical preparations are being
tried.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Shivaji Nagar
‘Hazratpur’ becomes
‘Shivaji Nagar’
D
EVELOPMENT needs a posi-
tive attitude on the part of the
people and congenial envi-
ronment and some external assistance.
When all these factors synchronise,
progress is fast-paced. Hazratpur is a
village with a mixed population of
some 1,200, just three kilometres from
Bulandshahar. When the
Ramjanmabhoomi movement swept the
country, this village too energised it-
self. The karyakartas stepped up their
activities so as to divert people’s en-
thusiasm in constructive directions.
They asked the villagers: “Do you
have at least a mandir to express your
religious sentiments? Is the atmosphere
here conducive to progress? Don’t
you want to change?”
This set the people thinking. As
a first step, they decided to build a
temple. Because of their determination,
a Devimata Maindir·was.ready within
five months. This demonstrated that a
great deal could be achieved through
harmony and co-operation. Religious
feelings became strengthened. Regular
sankeertan began to be held every
Saturday. On Sunday mornings people
gathered for shramdan (community
labour).
Men, women and youth—all joined
to make the temple a live centre. They
equipped the temple with a loudspeaker
and other facilities. Through shramdan
the main roads were made tidy, giving
a new look to the village. An evening
of sports was organised for the youths.
This led to the formation of a shakha
soon. More and more youths were
attracted to Sangh work. Now there are
five karyakartas who have undergone
Sangh Shiksha Varga training, one of
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
whom is a Tehsil Karyawah.
Development picks up momentum
The environment for all-round de-
velopment was thus created. The
karyakartas first concentrated on ac-
tivating the primary school. After the
villagers tidied up the place, they held
discussions with the school teachers.
The village Sarpanch made avail-
able a part of his own house for the
use of school. A Saraswati Shishu
Mandir was started there. House-to-
house contacts increased. This led to
activities like satsang, medical camps,
community gatherings, etc.
The enthusiasm of women resulted
in starting a tailoring training centre
and weekly meetings. They started dis-
cussing how to make the home and the
village clean and beautiful. Any out-
sider passing this way can now see the
difference between this village and the
others.
Education, the nucleus
State-level functionaries of Sangh
too began to visit the village from time-
to-time. The villagers expressed the
desire for a full-fledged school, and
made available over a three-acre of land
to Vidya Bharati. Through the com-
bined efforts of the villagers, a Saraswati
Shishu Mandir and a regular Vidya
Mandir up to 12th standard have come
into being. Not only the local children,
but also those from about 20
neighbouring villages attend the school.
The villagers decided that in order to
reflect the inspiration behind all these
activities, the Shishu Mandir and the
Vidya Mandir should both be named
after Chhatrapati Shivaji. The village
itself has now come to be known as
‘Shivaji Nagar’.
86
 Uttaranchal
Bhigun village, Tehri Garhwal

Change visible at every step

Vishnu Prasad Semval

B
HIGUN comes under Tehri dis-
trict of Uttaranchal. It is in the
east of Budha Kedar, a holy
pilgrimage place in the Balganga Valley.
The famous Bal Khileshwar temple,
where Balkhilya rishi is believed to
have performed tapasya to appease
Lord Shiva is also very close to the
village. The place where sage Bhrigu
had performed tapasya is about one km
from this place. It is now known as
Bhriguvan. Bhrigu Mountain and Bhrigu
Kunda are also visible from here. It is
because of its association with the
sage Bhrigu that it has been enjoying
a distinguished place since ancient time.
An organic fertilizer training centre run by Utttaranchal Daivi Apada Peedit Sahayata Samiti
Many reputed astrologers have been
here. By opening a Sanskrit school in sistants and provided them both medi- Parishad.
this village Shri Sapteshwar Nand cines and the Bible for free distribution. The first meeting of the Gramotthan
Shastri, whom the Tehri king Shri They had to face strong opposition in Project in the village was held on
Narendra Shah used to extend high Bhigun. The opposition was so strong December 31, 1989 and a committee was
regard, connected many scholars with that the missionaries had to suspend constituted. There are only 920 people
the village. That is why Bhriguvan their activities for some time in this in the village. But they were divided.
village enjoys high respect in the whole region. The villagers could collect the First of all the Gramotthan project
region. strength to oppose the missionaries decided to remove the feeling of divi-
At the time when people in this because of the patriotic spirit devel- sion and several activities successfully
region were struggling for food, clothes oped among them by the Sangh shakha. united the people. After that the project
and houses, the people of Bhigun had When this matter went to the then constituted several sub-committees to
constructed a 2.5-km-long canal for Prant Karyavah and patron of promote social harmony and also started
irrigation through shram sadhana in Uttaranchal Utthan Parishad Dr several other activities.
1922. The canal brought a revolution- Nityanand, he was very much impressed Pravasi Panchayat: Many people
ary change in the farming of this re- with the courage the people of Bhigun of Bhigun work as astrologers and
gion. demonstrated. He visited the village on karmakandi pandits in plain areas of
Since the region was deprived of August 22, 1989. The whole road was the country. The Pravasi Panchayat
even the primary health facilities during damaged due to heavy rains but Dr was constituted to connect them ac-
1988, the people had to go to Tehri and Nityanand reached Bhigun even after tively with the village. These people
Chamba for the treatment of even minor walking on foot for many kms. He still extend full cooperation in rural
diseases. The Christian missionaries addressed a gathering of the villagers. development activities of the project.
exploited this situation and started dis- He then selected the village to start all- Mahila Mangal Dal: The contribu-
tributing free medicines in the villages. round rural development activities un- tion of women is always more than the
The missionaries appointed health as- der the banner of Uttaranchal Utthan men in the protection and preservation

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 87
of forests and water. The practical Besides Bhigun, Dr Nityanand has started many rural
example of it is the shining 15 sq. km-
long forest which is protected by the developmental activities in Uttaranchal. He has started
women of Bhigun. It is because of the a similar comprehensive rural development project in
efforts of women that this forest could
come up. Earlier there used to be hardly Maneri where the positive changes in the area are
any tree on this land. Bhigun Village clearly visible. His efforts of rural reconstruction have
Panchayat was honoured on August
15, 2003 by the Divisional Forest Of-
received acclaimed from all. Dr Nityanand has also
ficer for this outstanding work. Earlier been honoured by many organisations for his
too the women group of this village
had been granted a memento by the
outstanding work in rural development.
forest officer.
The role of village deity has been More than 25,000 patients have been school. The help from other people was
very crucial in the protection and pres- provided medical treatment so far by also sought for constructing the school
ervation of this forest. When the women this dispensary. An eye camp was building, Mahila Milan Kendra, etc. A
decided to protect this forest, all the organised at Binakkhal in which 32 temple was also built in the village to
people took a pledge before the village patients were successfully operated instil spiritual samskars into the people.
deity not to damage the The pravasi people
forest at any cost. helped generously in
Though, the people of this project. The idols
Bhigun did not damage were brought from
the forest due to the Jaipur to install in the
fear of village deity, the temple. The annual
people of other villages function of the temple
did everything to dam- and gramotsava are
age the forest. Then, the jointly organised on
women of the village June 9 for the last 15
appointed forest guards years. All people of
at their own expenses. the village participate
Prohibition: People in the event. A weekly
in all the villages of Ramayana path is
Uttaranchal are in the organised so that the
grip of addiction. Ma- people could keep their
jority of them consume houses and the village
liquor. Bhigun was also clean. The project runs
no different from them. Dr Nityanand welcoming Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan at Maneri project six Self-Help Groups
The workers of of women and saving
Gramotthan Project opposed all the upon. accounts of all the
groups have been opened in the
people indulging in making liquor. They Environment protection: During a banks.
with the help of women and youth picnic programme organised in 1993 the
completely closed down the liquor workers found deforestation on large Besides Bhigun, Dr Nityanand
plants. Today, nobody in Bhigun con- scale in the region. They, with the help has started many rural developmental
sumes liquor. It is a major achievement. of over 400 women tied rakshasutras activities in Uttarakhand. He has
started a similar comprehensive rural
Health: Dr Hedgewar Trust do- around the trees with the help of Lok development project in Maneri where
nated a mobile medical van to Bhigun. Jivan Vikas Bharati, Budha Kedar, so the positive changes in the area are
It was flagged off by the late Bhaurao that deforestation could be checked. clearly visible. His efforts of rural
Deoras. This van started treatment of And this idea worked. reconstruction have received ac-
people at 25 places of Bhilangana and Education: A Saraswati Shishu claimed from all. Dr Nityanand has
Balganga valley. Later, Bhrigu Arogya Mandir was started in the village to also been honoured by many
Dham Charitable dispensary was set up provide quality education to the chil- organisations for his outstanding work
to provide permanent medical facilities. dren. A villager donated land for the in rural development.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 88
 Haryana

A unique initiative against addiction

Prof. Suresh Singhal

A
BOUT ten years back a person Kabir Basti in Charakhi Dadari on the A committee has also been formed
decided to survive only eating occasion of birth anniversary of Sant in Kabir Basti with the efforts of Shri
fruits so that he can give a Kabir. Besides the activists of Arya Rajesh Kumar, Shri Omprakash and Shri
practical message to those who are in Samaj and Sewa Bharati, various distin- Naresh. This committee decided to
the grip of addiction that if he can guished people of the village were also perform Nasha Mukti Yajna on every
survive without anna (foodgrains) why present on the occasion. The side ef- Amavasya. Besides this, another com-
can’t they survive without liquor and fects of addiction were highlighted. mittee—Jeevan Jeene Ki Kala Samiti—
other kinds of addictions. Everybody The people of Kabir Basti also prom- performed a yajna in the village and
knows addiction is a bad habit but the ised to render all kinds of help in this motivated people against the addiction.
addict does not want to abandon it. task. By now, the whole Hadoda village
Working on this has become addiction
issue for the last ten free. People in adjoin-
years without eating ing villages too have
anna, the Sewa Bharati resolved to abandon
activist Shri Ramnivas this bad habit and
Harodiya formed a they are still living
Nashamukti Chetana with their resolve.
Yajna Samiti. The Samiti Some more people
organises yajnas with have abandoned con-
the objective of motivat- suming liquor but
ing people indulging in they have not de-
addiction to abandon clared their names so
the bad habits. far. Some more people
The first yajna un- are trying to aban-
der the banner of this don this bad habit.
Samiti was held in vil- By and large
lage Hadoda under the many kinds of activi-
guidance of Shri A nasha mukti yajna being performed at a school in Haryana ties are going on in
Meghraj Arya. Village the villages of
Haryana. Besides eradicating the social
chief Shri Vijay Singh became the A 21-member Nasha Mukti Chetna evil of addiction some people at Kanalasi
yajman along with his wife. After per- Yajna Samiti was formed in Hadoda
village of Yamuna Nagar district are
forming the havan a discourse was village under the chairmanship of vil-
working to promote eye donation. They
held highlighting the side effects of lage chief Shri Vijay Kumar. The Samiti
have filled up forms expressing their
addiction. All people of the village has decided to perform yajna on every
resolve to this effect. Even women of
assured the Samiti and the Sewa Bharati Amavasya and it has unanimously been
the village, elder people and children
workers that their efforts would not go decided that nobody in the village will
have filled up the forms. This work is
waste and they would help in this consume liquor on that day. The yajna
going on in Kanalasi village and people
endeavour. Those who are in the grip was performed at the samadhi of
in the adjoining villages too have
of addiction also wish to abandon it Dadabhai in which Shri Chandra Singh,
shown interest and they have con-
but are not able to leave it. The villag- Shri Hiralal, Shri Omprakash, Shri
tacted Sewa Bharati activists to start a
ers assured to help such people so that Ramesh Kumar and Shri Rajkumar re-
similar activity in their villages.
they can live a peaceful and happy life. solved to abandon addiction. It was the
(The writer is state general secretary of Sewa
The second yajna was held at first victory of the Samiti. Bharati.)

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 89
 Rajasthan
H ANSERA village is situated at
National Highway No. 15 while
moving from Lunkaransar to
Bikaner. The population is around 1500.
The village was afflicted with all the
problems such as illiteracy, unemploy-
ment, health, etc. Here too the
swayamsevaks of the local Sangh
shakha resolved to change the picture
about five years ago.
The swayamsevaks while involv-
ing some youth of the village formed
a Self-Help Group. All the members
decided to deposit a certain amount of
money with an authorised person. This
amount is given to a needy person on
Sodabas
Eco-friendly
pumpsets
IT will be a revolution if the water from
the well reaches the field without elec-
tricity and diesel engine. A farmer of
Alwar, Rajasthan, has done it. He has
invented a ‘machine’ which is driven by
a camel or a bullock. He has named it
modern rahat. The farmer claims that he
can draw more than 16,000 litre water
from a 60-ft-deep well within an hour
and the field can be irrigated with this
water by installing 8-19 fountains. Shri
Sube Singh Chaudhary of Sodabas vil-
lage under Mundavar tehsil has devel-
oped this technique and he is success-
fully drawing water from his well for
irrigation. This animal-driven machine
does not need petrol or diesel at all. Shri
Sube Singh claims that if rain gun foun-
tain is fitted with the water tank it can
irrigate two bigha land in six hours. This
machine basically has a wheel, pulley
and ring, which were purchased from a
junk dealer.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Hansera
SHGs: Impetus
to development
interest. But everybody who takes the
loan returns it in time. There are six
SHGs in the village and 70 families are
associated with them. These groups
have distributed Rs three lakh for loan.
Impressed with the success of these
groups the local branch of a bank has
started giving loan and grant. The group
members have started manufacturing
dental powder, soap, incense sticks,
and utensils cleaning powder in the
village. Rajasthan Go Sewa Ayog has
imparted the training of making all these
Kulthana
The flood-devastated village
turns into a model village
KULTHANA had suffered heavy
losses during the devastated flood
of 1989. A total of 84 families had
totally been ruined in the floods.
The Sangh swayamsevaks of the
district took it as a challenge and
decided to not only rehabilitate the
village but also to make it a model
village. The task of rehabilitation
and reconstruction was assigned to
Sewa Bharati.
The flood had destroyed the
only one source of water, a pond,
also. The government officials
assured the villagers to dig up the
pond again but nothing happened
even after running pillar to post for
months. The Sewa Bharati activists
educated the farmers that the pond
will never be dug up waiting for
the government and it is better they
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
things. The swayamsevaks, through this
way, have successfully connected the
village development with the cow.
In order to increase the greenery
cover in the village the swayamsevaks
have set up a nursery. Saplings of tulsi
and fruits have been planted in majority
of the houses and people have been
educated with medicinal values of tulsi
plant. A library has been started in the
village so that the people get healthy
and latest books for reading. It has
hundreds of valuable books.
should do it themselves. The people
understood the apathy of the govern-
ment and started shram sadhana.
Finally the pond was dug up within
a very short span. It is now the main
source of water for the whole village.
After solving the problem of
water the villagers started work on
environment protection and arranging
employment opportunities. More than
200 trees were planted. It includes
20 trees of apple-shaped ber (plum).
Now farmers are taking their com-
mercial benefit. A Homeopathy health
centre has also been started by the
Sewa Bharati. There is one balwadi.
Bhajan sandhya is organised regu-
larly. The villagers perform shram
sadhana at least once a month. By
and large Kulthana is moving towards
becoming a model village.
90
 Vagadari
Change through sant
sammelans
EVEN after Independence, only those places,
which were politically significant, received the
attention of the policymakers for development.
Not only the villages, even districts remained
backward due to this type of negligence. When
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh started de-
velopmental activities in such areas some senior
RSS functionaries made such backward places
as their permanent karmabhoomi. Dungarpur is
the district in Rajasthan, which has been ne-
glected both politically and administratively.
Vagadari village comes under this district. People
were in the grip of superstitions and producing
and consuming liquor was a profession. Both
the man and woman used to consume liquor
together. This was the best medium of entertain-
ment for them after the whole day’s hard work.
When parents were busy in consuming liquor,
who cares for the children?
It was in this situation that the
swayamsevaks formed Jagaran Jansewa Mandal
for the all-round development. The Mandal
started the first project in the village in May
2001. Former RSS Pracharak Shri Moolchand
Lodha is head of this Mandal. Some sant
sammelans were organised to change the men-
tality of the villagers. The workers are of the
opinion that if villagers abandon the bad habit
of consuming liquor the process of development
will be accelerated. Apart from educating the
people about the bad effects of liquor they were
advised not to attend the sant sammelans after
consuming the liquor.
Health has always been connected with
superstitions in the village. There has been a
tradition in the village to cure all the diseases
through superstitions. But now the Mandal has
started a health centre and people were per-
suaded to take its benefit. The villagers were
also imparted training of conducting new experi-
ments in agriculture. A night hostel has also
been started in the village where the students
of 20 families study at night. A centre to improve
the breed of animals has been started too. All
these projects have brought about a positive
change in the mentality of the villagers.
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Bhemai
An exemplary work
of development
G
RAM Vikas Samiti was constituted in the village on Vijayadashami
Day about seven years back. This was the beginning of devel-
opmental activities in the village. Though some people of the
village had started thinking about development soon after getting
Independence, it received a new direction after the constitution of the
committee. The political rivalry had a deep impact in the village, which
became the reason of various problems. But the swayamsevaks took it
as a challenge and moved the developmental activities forward. In the
beginning ethical messages were written on the walls of eight houses.
Then the villagers were requested to rear cows. In the beginning there
were 15 cows but now there are over 80 cows in the village. All the 150
families have tusli plants.
The road of the village was made of concrete with the help of the
Panchayat. Some people made the arrangements of discharge of waste
water by laying a pipeline on their own expenses. The main road of the
village was widened and the unused well of the village was covered. The
water management committee started a project ‘Apana Gaon, Apana Kam’
and made the arrangements for sufficient water. The village bus stand
was beautified.
Some people of the village donated Rs 3.60 lakh for building a
Samskar Kendra. The work is on over this project. All members of the
committee not only perform shram sadhana but also make some monthly
contribution regularly. Sahbhoj is shared by all the people on festivals.
People do not discuss the disputed issues on that day, which helps in
maintaining harmony.
Apart from organising monthly meetings, satsang and keertan are
also performed by the Mahila Samiti. Discourses by saints are also
organised. A big public meeting is organised in the village on Deepawali
day everyyear in which the complete account of all the Samitis is
presented before the public and plans are made for the next year. The
persons who contributed remarkably in the rural development work are
felicitated. Some farmers have organised their fields through mutual
exchange and roads to reach the farms have also been made through
shram sadhana.
Mass-wedding ceremony has been organised in the village twice and
a Ganga Jal Kalash Yatra is organised by those people who go for
pilgrimage. Apart from the government efforts the villagers also have done
tree plantation, water harvesting, etc. The saplings of medicines and fruits
have been planted in the school and other public places.
Vivekananda Navyuvak Mandal organises sports competitions of
kabaddi and volleyball at the village and district level. Special cleanliness
campaigns are undertaken on Holi, Deepawali, Navaratris etc. Most of
the youth of the village are free from all kinds of addictions. The people
of the village who are working in the Gulf countries also contribute
monthly for the development of their village. There are bio-gas plants
in 70 families. It has put a check on deforestation also.
91

Majhola
Check dams enhance
water level
M AJHOLA village comes un-
der Dungarpur, a Vanvasi-
dominated district of
Rajasthan. About one decade back it
was known for wrong reasons. All the
inhabitants are Vanvasis. There was a
primary school but only 112 students
used to attend it, whereas there were
over 500 children in the village at that
time, who could have gone to school.
There are conflicts in the village every
day and some influential people used
to charge money from both the parties
for resolving the disputes. There were
so many bad habits and social evils
due to illiteracy. People in almost all the
families used to consume liquor. The
maximum use of Mahua was for prepar-
ing liquor.
It was very difficult to bring a
change in the condition when liquor
used to be produced and consumed in
every house and crime had become a
part of people’s daily life. It became
Manpur
Complete ban on plastic
ALL the developmental activities have
been carried out in Manpur with the
help of the villagers. The village has
the population of 500 people. There is
a swayamsevak in every house and the
shakha is conducted regularly. There is
hundred per cent literacy in the village.
The farming of wheat and soabean is
done without chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. Only the swadeshi seeds
are used. Over 75 per cent of the
farming is organic. The village youth
organise weekly ‘Sunder Kand’ recita-
tion and women conduct aarti every
day.
Over 70 per cent of the families
have toilets, which helps in ensuring
Sewa Sadhana Q
more difficult when they were told to
shut down the liquor producing plants.
In this situation the Sewa Bharati work-
ers started the work with organising
satsang. With the involvement of the
villagers it was decided to organise
satsang on Amavasya and Poornima
days. With the passage of time the
people were motivated for developmen-
tal activities. Since the number of chil-
dren going to school was very less, it
was decided to send the maximum num-
ber of children to school. It was decided
that those who attend the satsang must
send their children in the school. When
the number of students grew the school
was also upgraded. As a result those
students who stopped studying after 5th
standard also resumed their further stud-
ies. Today, there are more than 450
children in the school.
When education spread, it left a
good impact on their parents too. The
villagers started sitting and discussing
cleanliness. The villagers have built a
pond through shram sadhana. It has
become a major source of water in the
village. The villagers have completely
banned the use of plastic. There is a
tradition of mass marriage and many
families follow it. Bio-pesticide is made
in the village with cow urine. Mosquito
coil is made from the cow dung. There
are more than 300 boxes of bee keeping.
The village is completely free from
loans. Whosoever takes the loan, re-
turns it timely. There is no police case
in the village and no case is pending
in any court. Even there is no political
rivalry. The villagers have made a two-
km-long road through shram sadhana.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
things together. Earlier very few people
had employment, but now majority of
them have some sorts of job. Since
Majhola is near the city some villagers
have started growing vegetables and
selling them to the city. It increased the
income of the farmers. Those who were
engaged in producing liquor also stopped
it and have started other works.
At this stage people also thought
about improving their farming. Since
chemical fertilizers and pesticides are
very costly and harmful for the agricul-
ture, they started using manure made of
cow dung and bio-pesticides made from
the cow urine. It not only reduced the
expenditure but also increased produc-
tion. The feeling of cooperation devel-
oped among the villagers and some
farmers started doing farming work to-
gether.
The involvement of the people has
increased in social activities. Bhajan-
keertan are organised on every
Amavasya and Poornima days at the
village temple. A community centre was
built with the contribution of Rajya Sabha
MP Shri Kanakmal Katara. Shri Somaji
Bhagat of the village donated land for
the community centre.
The villager jointly installed the
statute of Swami Vivekananda at the
crossing of the village. The statue was
donated by Shri Shankarbhai Gehlot of
Mumbai. The land for installing the
statue was donated by Shri Limba Balat.
Not only the community centre but also
a concrete road and a check dam on the
river were built with the joint efforts of
the villagers. The check dam helped in
increasing the water level of the village
wells. Those who were in the grip of
addiction have abandoned the bad habit.
The impact of superstitions and social
evils has decreased. Two Bal Samskar
Kendras have been started to impart
good samskars among children. The
celebration of birth anniversaries of
Swami Vivekananda and Guru Govind
Singh, and Ganeshotsav were also
started. Sports and some other compe-
titions are organised in which majority
of the students participate.
92
 Jagriti Project of Sewa Bharati Jammu & Kashmir
An endeavour to An office was also established at Siot
and all the members of local committee
as well as the members of Sewa Bharati
stop migration from were present on bhumi pujan ceremony.
Three experts from Agriculture
University of Jammu were invited to
rural areas give proper guidance/demonstrations
in allied activities such as vermiculture,

I
T has been observed that the the experts adopt-
unemployed rural youth who are ing allied agricul-
not well qualified generally do not ture activities for
share “agricultural activities” with their sustainable pro-
families or are not interested in carring duction and finally
on their forefathers’ profession any more and regular
more. This thought has gone deep into money generation
their minds due to urbanisation and per unit area.
easy money received by them by sell- Apart from
ing their ancestral land. This wrong grains/cereals cul-
perception has to be got cleared from tivation, allied ac-
their minds. The movement of youth tivities like
from rural areas to cities in search of goshala, flower
jobs or livelihood has to be stopped as cultivation, mush-
early as possible otherwise this down- room cultivation,
ward graph may lead the country to the cut flower, bee
doorsteps of a disaster. keeping for honey Rural youth working in the field
To overcome this menace some production, vegetable cultivation, agro- composed fertilizer, mushroom and sea-
cultivable area needs to be selected forestry, ornamamental plantations com- sonal vegetable cultivation. Two acre
where the misguided youth can be post fertilizer, vermiculture, etc can be land was tilled properly where wheat was
motivated by imparting proper guid- included in the youth awareness cultivated with the help of enthusiastic
ance/demonstrations in respect of cul- programme. Owing to the scarcity of youth of the local area. At the demon-
tivation of high yielding varieties, latest water in the area, rainwater harvesting strative land mustard, carrot, cabbage
knowhow assistance and guidance from techniques also need to be initiated for and seasonal vegetables were cultivated
promoting veg- with the help of local farmers.
etable production. In a shed, mushroom and dhingri
The work un- have also been grown for demonstration.
der Jagriti Project While discussing the irrigation sources
was started by a the Sewa Bharati was told by the com-
committee of five mittee members that the water level is
local members from very low there. So, it was advised by the
Siot tehsil and experts to install a boring motor pump for
seven members regular water supply in the farm, which
from Sewa Bharati. may cost Rs 2.5 lakh as a permanent
Along with 2.5 acres expenditure. It also requires fencing of
of land at Siot, one the total area under cultivation. The
acre land was ac- vermiculture and compost fertilizer
quired by Sewa projects have also been started.
Bharati for demon-
A team of Jagriti Project strative activities.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 93
 Gujarat Prabhat Pheri:
Tool of change
T
HE rural development work is
not very old in Gujarat. But in
a short span it has shown en- Surendranagar district. It is just seven harmony. There is a Samaj Mandir built
couraging results. Today, there are three km from the district headquarters. A by Sewa Bharati in the village.
Prabhat Grams and 32 Uday Grams in total of 1766 people, including 884 man According to Shri Danubhai H.
the state. The impact of the work is and 882 women, reside in the village. Parmar, a member of the Gram Vikas
clearly visible in all the Prabhat Grams. Their main profession is agriculture. Samiti, the Samiti took up various de-
Whereas in the Uday Grams the devel- There are some farm labourers also. velopmental activities in the village after
opmental activities have begun very There is a primary school and two Bal 1988. Some activities include family
effectively and very soon they would Mandirs. There is one Ayurvedic dis- survey, ban on the use of gutkha,
produce desired results. Over a dozen pensary. An Ayurvedic Medicine Box is prohibition, blood test, writing ethical
villages among the present Uday Grams also available from the Sewa Vibhag of messages on the walls, writing ‘Om’ or
may soon convert into Prabhat Grams. the Sangh. There is a big pond in the ‘Vande Mataram’ on gates, providing
The Gram Vikas Vibhag has decided to village. A tubewell has been dug up to the list of Swadeshi goods in every
develop at least one Prabhat Gram in provide drinking water to the villagers. house, making arrangement for drinking
each district of the state and the work
The Sangh shakha had begun in water at the bus stand, bathrooms for
has already begun in that direction.
the village in 1983. It is the basic women, providing some amount to girls
The villages that have been devel- instrument of bringing change here. at the time of admission in a school,
oped as Prabhat Grams include Devgarh There are separate bhajan mandalis of decorating houses on the new year,
(Vyara), Kathada (Surendranagar) and men and women and a prabhat pheri organising discourse of saints, Sanskrit
Kerali (Gondal). The Uday Grams in- is conducted in the village every morn- sambhashan camps by Samskrit Bharati,
clude Shengava (Valsad), Mandir ing. Many festivals like procession of training camps for workers, resolve to
(Navasari), Patelvadi (Surat Mahanagar), Janmashtami, Jandarshan Ekadasi, provide work for the artisans of the
Bhankhetar (Bharuch), Soliya (Narmada), Satyanarayana Katha, Ramdev Mela, village in village itself, bus and train
Amalpur (Chhota Udaipur), Kothav etc. are celebrated to strengthen social time table, animal hospital, donation
(Vadodara), Danteshwar (Vadodara
Mahanagar), Manli (Dahod), Jotwar
(Panchmahal), Umeta (Anand), Vamali
(Khera), Ramdevnagar (Paladi), Sanjay
Nagar (Naranpura), Indiranagar
(Sabarmati), Sankalchandani Chali
(Maninagar), Shahvadi (Amraivadi),
Janata Nagar (Bapunagar),
Khodiyarnagar (Naroda), Tintsar
(Modasa), Malpur (Himmatnagar),
Bhadrada (Patan), Kotada (Palanpur),
Gochnad (Radhanpur), Jashapur
(Jamnagar), Sapar (Surendranagar),
Rapar (Morabi), Gotamnagar (Rajkot
Mahanagar), Bileshwar (Somnath),
Umethi (Junagarh), Phulpur (Amareli)
and Thadaj (Bhavnagar).
Kathada
It will be relevant to mention here
the developmental activities being car-
ried out in Prabhat Gram, Kathada. This
A woman in Kutch doing the embroidery work
village comes under Dasada tehsil of

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 94
box for prabhat pheri,
cleanliness drive, home Devgarh
made dish competition,
survey of illiterate per-
sons, medical camps,
literacy camps, Vedic
SHGs: Antidote to
Mathematics camps,
tree plantation, blood
donation camps, Bal
money-lenders
Samskar Kendra, farm-

T
ers meetings, etc. H E
Vanvasis
There is a shakha
of this
of women also which is
village under
run by Rashtra Sevika
Surat district are
Samiti. There are three
now very happy.
saving groups. There
They are living a
is a fodder committee,
satisfied life. But
which makes arrange-
this had not been
ment of fodder for the
so for a long
animals.
time. It started
Naye Thorana only a few years
There is a village back. A few years
called Naye Thorana back the village
near Rajkot. The youths was a prime cen-
of the village were full tre of liquor
of enthusiasm and smuggling. Many Women learning cutting-tailoring with the help of SHG at Devgarh village
organised programmes people in the vil-
like medical camp, fit- lage used to make and sale liquor. Naturally, crops. If they are timely provided with money
ness competition for after consuming liquor fights erupted almost they can grow more and good corps. Keeping
boys, exhibition of everyday and sometimes it used to take a this in view they started a Self-Help Group,
gymnastic exercises, fatal turn. which collected about 1.25 lakh rupees within
and a dispensary. En- two years. Encouraged with this success a
Sometime back a school teacher, Shri Rai
couraged by public re- separate SHG for women was also created
Singh, started a Sangh shakha in this vil-
sponse, they undertook which collected Rs 41,000 only in a span of less
lage. When he realised that the youth of the
a campaign against than one year. The direct benefit of these SHGs
village are fully in the grip of liquor trade
addiction. To awaken proved that the farmers did not need to go to
and have no future, he started opposing the
religious feelings they private moneylenders for borrowing money at
production and sale of the liquor. In the
organised discourses the time of sowing the crops. Since the farmers
beginning he had to face stiff opposition
of saints. They also got money timely and without any trouble they
from some people. But after sometime some
held a children’s rally purchased good quality seeds and manure
families, which had been ruined due to
to inculcate samskars which increased the production of their crops.
liquor, started supporting him. All the
in them.
swayamsevaks attending the shakha also The swayamsevaks then formed a peeyat
As a result, in the supported this move. The liquor lobby did mandali (water group) to ensure water for
course of a year, many not expect the unity of the youth in such irrigation. The group educated people about
youths and elders be- a large number. Finally the production of the need of water harvesting and recharging
came associated with liquor was stopped. It was a very big suc- water level of the land. They also installed
sewa karya. After the cess which encouraged the swayamsevaks. about 80 bio-gas plants in the village, which
people’s involvement made the life easier. Watching the activeness
became strong, various After this success the swayamsevaks
of the youth, women also came forward and
constructive activities realised that the farmers are not able to have
by forming the Gayatri Mahila Griha Udyog
have gained momentum. sufficient production from their fields due to
they started manufacturing incense sticks.
lack of money at the time of sowing the

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 95

Where whole village drinks mineral water
A
T a time when more than 40 per
cent people of the country do
not get adequate hygienic
drinking water, there is a village,
Shyadala, under Surat district of Gujarat
where all the villagers drink mineral
water. The people of this village have
jointly installed a mineral water plant in
the village. People in the village do not
waste their time in petty politics rather
they engage themselves in construc-
tive activities. Many people have settled
abroad but they have not forgotten
their responsibility to their motherland.
One such NRI helped in getting the
mineral water plant installed. This plant
produces about 2.5 litre mineral water
everyday and it is provided to all the
people at a cost of 25 paisa per litre.
A family is provided maximum 20 litre
water per day. The plant is managed by
a committee of five youth. The people
Shyadala
Politics could never
dent the cooperative
system in this village.
No strike was observed
in the sugar mill so
far. The shareholders
of the mill have also
now built an eighty-bed
hospital, which serves
the patients of about
50 villages.
of the village had also set up a sugar
mill about five years back. After the
success of this mill, the people thought
of installing a mineral water plant. The
cable TV network of the village is also
managed by a committee of five per-
sons. Not only this, the people have
constructed a road through shram
sadhana.
Politics could never dent this co-
operative system. No strike was ob-
served in the sugar mill so far. The
shareholders of the mill have also now
built an eighty-bed hospital, which
serves the patients of about 50 villages.
The milk production is also managed
on cooperative basis. The whole sys-
tem has been computerised. People
make organic fertilizers also from the
waste of sugarcane and sell it to the
villagers on a nominal price only. At a
time when cooperative system is get-
ting failed at certain parts of the coun-
try, there is a need to draw inspiration
from this village.

Mustard oil as A village that

alternate fuel for
vehicles
FARMERS need diesel to run tractor or any other
engine and they have to run pillar to post to get diesel.
It becomes an uphill task during the summers when
there is high demand of diesel. RSS activist Shri
Shankarlal has found an alternate of the diesel. He
successfully demonstrated it before the public by using
mustard oil in the vehicles like tractors, buses, trucks,
etc. Many farmers are now running their vehicles with
this fuel. Shri Shankarlal claims that the mustard oil
proves very cheaper than diesel and does not increase
air pollution. He demonstrated it before the then Union
HRD Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi and shown him
a jeep running on the alternate fuel. If this experiment
works, it will not only save the foreign currency but
also increase the income of the farmers.
saves 1000 cows
If the stray cattle including the cows are
protected jointly by the people it can save
them from going to slaughterhouses. People
of Mukam village under Bikaner district of
Rajasthan proved it by opening a goshala
where more than 1000 cows and their prog-
eny are being protected. The villagers first
formed a committee and with the blessings
of Mukam Gaddi Peethadhishwar Shri
Ramanand Acharya started the work. The
villagers also extended full cooperation to the
committee. An animal fair is organised here
after every two years. The Samiti has also
started the efforts to save those cows which
otherwise would die during the draught.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 96

Nationalist feeling
shakes the alien forces
T HE work of rural development is slowly
getting momentum in the north-eastern
region of the country. The activities
have attracted the attention of people and
many activities of education, health, samskar,
agriculture, self-reliance and cow protection
have been started in many villages. The pro-
cess of Kiran Gram has been completed in 15
villages. Village committees, comprising of at
least seven persons in each committee have
been formed. Some sub-committees for educa-
tion, health, samskar, self-reliance, agriculture,
cow protection, etc. have also been formed.
Out of these 15 villages, two villages are in
Tripura, four in Manipur and nine in Barak
Valley of Silchar, Karmkunj and Haflang Vibhag
of Dakshin Assam. Now the process of turning
these Kiran Grams into Uday Grams has been
initiated and very soon the positive result will
be visible.
The committees constituted to spread the
education have contacted more than 2000
people. These committees are going to start at
least one coaching centre in all the 15 villages
by March this year. Different kinds of compe-
titions to encourage education among the
people have also been planned in coming
months.
Under the health scheme, Arogya Rakshak
camps are regularly held in the whole region
and people are educated about health needs.
The Arogya Rakshak scheme has proved to be
a hit in the north-east region. Arogya Kendras
have been started in all the 15 Kiran Grams.
The training of embroidery and cutting-
tailoring is imparted in seven Kiran Grams to
instil a feeling of self-reliance into women.
These seven villages include Leimarang under
Vishnupur district of Manipur, Tispari village
of Senapati district, Khonod village of Ghobal
district, Uribam village of Imphal district,
Sonapur in Hailakandi district, Muktsara village
in Lakhipur district and Tinkhal village in
Shribhumi district. Three special training camps
from June 17 to 26, 2008 in Teenkhal village,
from November 7 to 17, 2008 and a ten-day
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
North-East
North-East
camp in Koyar Tea Garden were held to impart Sewa Bharati activists at
a training camp in
training in embroidery and cutting-tailoring. Prant Shribhumi district
Pracharak Shri Balram Das Rai, North East embroi-
dery and cutting-tailoring training incharge Shri
Jaikumar Sharma and Prant Sewa Pramukh Shri
Subhash Nath were also present at the camps. Smt.
Jumanath and Smt. Alonath, two female activists,
The response
imparted the training of cutting-tailoring. A total to these
of 99 trainees participated in the camp. Besides the activities is
professional training, the trainees were also im-
parted the knowledge of Bharat Mata Vandana, producing
Saraswati Vandana, songs, etc. Discussions on positive results.
an ideal Hindu village, Hindu women, Swadeshi
and current situation of the north-eastern region
The rural
was also held. Two similar camps at Kalkalighat development
village under Shribhumi district (from December 22, work is
2008) and at Ningadhirvang village of Vishnupur
district (from January 2, 2009) were also held. generating a
Trainings camps at Jaipur and Sonapur villages in patriotic spirit
Silchar and Dhurmatnagar of Tripura will be held
in March this year.
among the
With the beginning of these activities an people and the
atmosphere of social harmony is being developed anti-social
in the whole region. People now share each other’s
happiness and sorrows. The response to these
elements will
activities is producing positive results. The rural have to leave
development work is generating patriotic spirit the region
among the people and the anti-social elements will
have to leave the region shortly. shortly.
97
 Maharashtra Hadi village in Konkan Prant
Treading the path of
cooperative farming
H
ADI falls in Sindhudurga district of
Maharashtra. Out of its 11 localities,
two are in a gulf which have about
2000 population. Sixty per cent of this popu-
The activities lation are women. Since people do not have
of anti-social work in the village for the entire year they
elements have migrate to Mumbai and other cities in search
of jobs after the paddy crops and only women,
been curbed children and elderly people remain in the vil-
by the lage. Most of the people here are below the
poverty line.
villagers
There was one more problem. Almost all
jointly. They the anti-social elements, who were expelled
now fight from Mumbai, started living here. As a result
violence, dacoity, terror, smuggling of liquor
unitedly and various other anti-social activities were
against all flourishing in the village. It was putting the life
such activities. in danger to reach the village after sunset.
It was in this atmosphere that Dr Dihoji,
The mentality Tehsil Sanghachalak of RSS, started his weekly
of villagers dispensary in this village in 1980. He also
started a weekly shakha. After hard work of
has changed
one year this shakha became daily and started
remarkably. producing various active workers. After some
This is the time the shakha became very influential and
various Sangh functions were started to be
reason the celebrating.
villagers have During the year 1995, the Sangh decided
now started to select one village for development from each
district of the country. Hadi was also selected
resolving the from Sindhudurga district. The Shivsfurti Gram
local dispute Vikas Mandal was formed to start these activi-
in village ties. In the beginning the streets of the village
were repaired with the help of weekly shram
itself and no sadhana. Then people were guided about clean-
case is liness and hygiene so that diseases can be
prevented to break out. Some functions were
allowed to go also started to be observing. One of them was
to the police
Shivjayanti. The rural developmental activities
station or the received a boost after the visit of Akhil Bharatiya
Gram Vikas Pramukh Shri Surendra Chauhan in
court. the year 2000. After his interaction with the
villagers a new energy and enthusiasm devel-
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
oped among them and their participation in
developmental activities increased consider-
ably.
Shri Chauhan again visited the village in
2005 and till then the situation had improved
to a great extent. After his guidance the Gram
Vikas Mandal started meeting regularly. The
prominent workers started sitting together at
least once a week. Training camps were also
organised. Now a coaching centre is run for
two months every year for the help of the
students appearing for tenth standard exami-
nation. Now there is a gym also in the village
and sports competitions are held regularly.
Medical examination of the children going to
schools are conducted regularly. They are
regularly immunised. There is one bhajan
mandali in all bastis for promoting spiritual
feelings. There are eight saving groups—four
by women and four by men. More than 80
families of these groups have started their
own employment activities with the monetary
help of these saving groups.
In order to earn more profit from the
crops the farmers of the village have now
started selling the agriculture produces
through cooperative system. The experiment
of cooperative agriculture has also been
started. About ten families now grow veg-
etables, groundnut, etc. under this group.
This experiment has been a success and the
number of such groups is increasing.
The activities of anti-social elements have
been curbed by the villagers jointly. They
now fight unitedly against all such activities.
The villagers have resolved that no anti-
social activity would be allowed in their
village. The mentality of villagers has changed
remarkably. This is the reason the villagers
have now started resolving the local dispute
in village itself and no case is allowed to go
to the police station or the court.
98
 Kanhewadi

Self-reliance through
Self-Help Groups
K ANHEWADI falls under Khed tehsil
of Pune district. It is about 50 km
north of the district headquarters.
There are mountains around the village. The
been elected the sarpanch the first thing that
was done by this team was to install the statue
of Dr Hedgewar.
After the installation of the statue the
population is around 2500. Some Vanvasi fami- swayamsevaks realised their responsibility. They
lies also live on the nearby hills. The entire land thought that the village in which the statue of
of the village is stony and Sangh founder had been After
there is no permanent source installed must be a model
of water. The atmosphere was village. The efforts in this
constructing
full of illiteracy, conflicts, regard began right from the school
infightings and poverty. But the first day of the in-
today it is a model village. stallation of the statute. building the
The villagers have changed First of all Shri Shivshakti
the total picture of the vil- Gram Vikas Mandal was
youth ensured
lage. formed and majority of that every
There has been a saint, the youth were made its
Mahant Bhuvneshwar member. The Mandal
child of the
Maharaj, in Kanhewadi. He decided to make arrange- village should
met the then RSS ments of water for irriga-
Sarsanghachalak Shri Guruji tion. It was decided to go to school.
during the Goraksha move- make small dams to store Special
ment in sixties. He developed the rainwater. The activ-
a feeling of starting a Sangh ists stored the water of attention was
shakha in the village. He a small water channel
requested the Sangh func- originating from a hill.
paid on the
tionaries to start the shakha The experiment proved a Vanvasi
by sending any trained success and arrange-
worker. It was on his request that Shri Nimaseji ments for irrigation of the crops were made. children
was assigned the task of starting the shakha. After the success of this project the workers living on the
The shakha began and soon attracted the decided to build a school. All the people
majority of the village youth. During the birth offered shramdan. The building was built and nearby hills.
anniversary year of Dr Hedgewar in 1989 the
swayamsevaks decided to install a statue of Dr
the people contributed shramdan worth Rs two Their parents
lakh. After constructing the school building the
Hedgewar at the Panchayat Bhavan. youth ensured that every child of the village were
The party politics had till then surfaced the should go to school. Special attention was paid
village. The village sarpanch was a Congress on the Vanvasi children living on the nearby
persuaded to
supporter and he opposed the installation of hills. Their parents were persuaded to send send them to
the statue. It angered the swayamsevaks. The them to school. Even a road was made through
Panchayat elections were approaching. The shramdan for these children to reach the school. school.
villagers decided to field Nimaseji and some This conduct of the villagers proved that the
other people of the village in the election. whole society is ours and we all have to unite
Fortunately, all these people won and Nimaseji it. The local Sangh shakha has swayamsevaks
was unanimously elected sarpanch. Having from all sections of the society.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 99
 After these activities the
swayamsevaks decided that no dis-
pute of the village should reach the
police station or the court. There-
fore, they formed a Nyaya Samiti and
it was unanimously decided that
everybody will respect the decision
of the Samiti. After 1989 Nimaseji
was unanimously elected sarpanch
of the village. He voluntarily relin-
quished the responsibility in 2000.
The village today has complete unity
and all sections of the society are
involved in the village development
activities. Now the people are work-
ing for achieving complete prohibi-
tion.
The villagers thought that it is
necessary for all-round development
of the village that the money, talent
and water of the village should re-
main in the village and efforts should
be made to make the people self-
reliant. The Reserve Bank of India
had started the scheme of self-help
group. Later, it was merged with the
Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar
Yojana of central government in 1999.
Under this scheme a group of 10-20
persons is created and they contrib-
ute some money every month. The
money is later granted to the needy
members on easy interest rate. Such
SHGs were formed in Kanhewadi.
When the groups worked well the
local bank started giving loans for
some activities. The women started
growing vegetables and fruits with
the help of the bank loan. They also
started weaving clothes and also
cutting-tailoring. It helped them fi-
nancially.
In order to protect the environ-
ment the people banned cutting the
trees. As a result there is a good
cover of greenery around the village.
Regular health checkup of the villag-
ers is conducted. Every house has
been provided with toilets. Every
house has electricity connection. In
a nutshell, one statue of the Sangh
founder changed the picture of the
entire village.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Mehasal
All-round uplift of the
deprived
M EHASAL is a small village,
about 28 km from Miraj town
of Maharashtra. The village
was highly neglected before 1958. After
that the sugar mills set up in this region
helped in improving the income of farm-
ers. It made the people prosperous. But
a section of the village, Harijans, re-
mained untouched from this develop-
ment. Most of these people did not
even have two square meals. Their
fields were mortgaged with the private
money-lenders and they had to work
without payment at their home as well
as in their fields. Even the people of
upper castes too used to force them to
work for free. These people had neither
houses to live in nor clothes to cover
the body.
This condition of his fellow villag-
ers moved Trayambak Mahadev Deval,
son of a local landlord, who had just
returned from England after completing
his studies. He decided to improve the
condition of these people. He formed a
cooperative society of landless people
and decided to set up a dairy project.
The problems began right from the
beginning. The bank was not ready to
give them loan without a guarantor.
Trayambak Mahadev himself gave the
guarantee of these people. Finally 90
per cent of the Harijan families pur-
chased she-buffalos. Then the problem
of fodder for animals developed. They
decided not to have meals of afternoon
from the landlords in exchange of fod-
der for their animals. But the idea did
not work for long and it was essential
for them to have their own land back.
When government records were seen it
was found that the government had
allotted some pieces of land to certain
people of Harijan community near the
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
village river but they were still occu-
pied by the local leaders and the
landlords. Besides this, about 40 acres
of their land had been mortgaged with
the moneylenders. Over Rs 1.5 lakh
were needed to free this land from the
moneylenders. Shri Deval appealed to
the villagers to deposit their savings
with the society. The appeal worked
and very shortly the society collected
Rs 1.25 lakh. Remaining Rs 25000 were
donated by some people and finally
the loan of the moneylenders was
returned and the lands of the Harijans
were freed.
It was the beginning of good days
for them. Besides growing fodder at 10
acres of this land, farming was started
at the remaining 30 acres of land.
Within several months the society not
only returned the money collected from
the villagers but also purchased addi-
tional 30 acres of land with the money
earned through dairies. Now these
Harijans are earning handsome money
by growing grapes in their fields. The
people who once did not have even
two square meals are living a happy
life.
After improving the income of the
villagers, Shri Devale is now working
on the project of providing houses to
all. The model of the houses that he
has prepared for them includes not
only the residential rooms but also
rooms for the animals and a bio-gas
plant. The manure produced by the
bio-gas plant will be purchased by the
cooperative society. These efforts have
not only brought a healthy change in
the life of the deprived people but they
have also imbibed a sense of self-
confidence among them.
100
 Vanvasis of Dhagewadi tell the local administration
“Delete our names from the BPL list”
OME areas of Nagar district in
S Maharashtra are Vanvasi domi-
nated. The highest place of the
state, Kalasubai, lies in this region.
Dhagewadi is a village in this region,
thoroughly deprived of basic facilities
including roads, etc. It was difficult to
reach the village even by foot. There
are about 300 people of 75 families
belonging to Mahadev Koli Vanvasi
community. Only 148 of the total 371
hectare agriculture land was fertile. The
persons, who had played a key role in
the army of Chhatrapati Shivaji, were
facing a very tough time due to defor-
estation. Since land was not plain the
rainwater did not stop and it was dif-
ficult to have more than one crop in a
year. The production was very low
which was insufficient for the whole
year. That is why the male people of
the village used to go out in search of
jobs, leaving the children, women and
older persons behind in the village.
The school-going children had to
go out of the village after the fourth
standard. Just a distance away from the
village there is a Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram
hostel in Akola. A child, Bhaskar
Paradhi, of this village went to the
hostel for his studies. After completing
matriculation residing in the hostel he
developed feeling to do something for
his village. His friends living in the
village also agreed with him. But no-
body knew how to do this.
At the same time, Suyash Chari-
table Trust of Pune organised a 40-day
farming training camp. Bhaskar Paradhi
participated in the camp. This trust was
formed by Shri Mohan Ghaisas,
Mahanagar Sanghachalak of Pune, with
the inspiration of the then organising
secretary of Kalyan Ashram the late K
Bhaskar Rao. After receiving the train-
ing of growing vegetables, animal hus-
bandry, how to get benefit of the
Sewa Sadhana Q
government schemes, etc, Bhaskar re-
turned his village.
The whole village was below the
poverty line. But the villagers had some
very rare qualities like no fighting, no
politics, no habit of consuming liquor, etc.
Bhaskar Paradhi himself started rearing
goats and conducting some experiments
in the field. He also educated the villag-
ers. They also worked on water harvest-
ing which helped in agriculture. New ex-
periments were started in the agriculture.
About ten years back the farmers started
growing tomato. Suyash Trust provided
good quality seeds of tomato and also
taught them how to grow the saplings,
how to use the pesticides and manure,
how to irrigate, and finally how to sell the
produces in the market. The activists of
Suyash visited the village every week to
help the farmers. The experiment worked
well and the farmers started getting hand-
some income. Meanwhile, they developed
a problem of selling the produces in the
market. They decided to make tomato
sauce in the village itself and market that
on good prices. When RSS
Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan vis-
ited the village they presented one bottle
of sauce to him, which he later presented
to the then Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari
Vajpayee. Shri Vajpayee acknowledged the
receipt of the bottle through his letter to
the villagers.
It was at this stage the villagers
decided to work for their village develop-
ment. They took up the Harigarh Project.
They selected 22 acres of barren land and
decided to grow trees in it. They planted
5000 trees of Neelgiri around a piece of
land so that the pressure of wind could
remain slow. In the middle they planted
1500 saplings of cashew and amala. They
irrigated the saplings by bringing water
from two km distance during the summers
season. This experiment too proved to be
a success.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Now the villagers realised the need
to have a good quality road. The
people performed shram sadhana and
made the road within one weak. The
road helped the people take the agri-
culture produces to market easily. They
also built four small dams with shram
sadhana. Six check dams were also
constructed with the help of the gov-
ernment. Now the water stored in the
dams was sufficient till February. Im-
pressed with the initiatives of the
villagers, the government also pro-
vided fund for digging three wells. A
dam was also built with the help of
Suyash Trust. The water harvesting
and with the use of modern agriculture
machines it became easy for farmers to
take three crops in a year. It also
increased the production.
All these activities encouraged
the people to take up more develop-
mental projects. They started a
balwadi for the children. Bio-gas plants
were installed. Shram sadhana once a
week continued. Dairy was also started
by purchasing 30 cows. Finally the
people stopped going outside the
village in search of jobs. Some reli-
gious activities were also started.
Satsang and bhajan mandalis were
formed. Harinam Sankeertan is
organised every year in which people
from 10-12 adjoining villages partici-
pate.
Now the villagers of Dhagewadi
have taken a very interesting imitative.
They have requested the local admin-
istration to delete their names from the
Below Poverty Line (BPL) list as their
financial condition has improved. This
change presents an exemplary example
to be emulate by the entire nation,
especially at the time when people are
becoming more dependent on the gov-
ernment and are ready to shed blood
for seeking reservation.
101

Unique experiment of forest protection
Baripada, a Vanvasi village in
Maharashtra, had all the problems, like
illiteracy, health, unemployment etc
which are found in other villages, just
about ten years back. The people were
disappointed to the extent that they
had stopped dreaming of a happy life.
In this situation an activist Shri Chetram
Panwar reached the village. He is post
graduate. When he saw the condition
of the villagers depending upon the
government for even the minor work,
he too once became disappointed. He
formed a Self-Help Group involving
certain youth and gradually developed
the feeling among them that they would
achieve nothing if they continue to
depend upon the government. If they
Bio-diesel: Heralding a new era
INDIA became self-sufficient in
foodgrain production after the Green
Revolution. Now a bio-diesel revolu-
tion has been started to produce alter-
native fuel from vegetables and botani-
cal products. Since we have to export
most of the petroleum and diesel, this
bio-diesel revolution, if proves suc-
cessful, can make us self-sufficient in
petroleum field too. It can also prove
to be a milestone in the development
of our villages. The scientists have
found the plants of Ratanjot, Jatrofa
and Karanjia very useful for bio-diesel.
These plants can be produced even on
the barren land and its trees can pro-
duce fruits and seeds for a long period.
The research wing of Indian Oil Corpo-
ration has grown the plants of Karanjia
on a 70-acre piece of land. Head of this
wing Shri D K Tuli collected some
seeds of Karanjia and used their oil
with the diesel in his own vehicle. This
experiment proved to be a success.
Interestingly, there is no need to make
any alteration in the engine to use this
fuel.
Sewa Sadhana Q
Baripada
have to bring any change in their life
they will have to act themselves. Fi-
nally, some youth joined him and this
is how some activities were started.
The life of Vanvasis is closely
associated with the forests. But the
uncontrolled deforestation had ruined
the forest itself. The villagers were
motivated to first protect the forest and
then plant new saplings. As a result,
greenery resurfaced in the ruined for-
est. The efforts of Shri Chetram Panwar
and the villagers of Baripada were
recognised even by the Frorest Depart-
ment by felicitating them publicly.
Apart from the protection of for-
ests, some other activities were also
started. A Kabaddi competition is
Finding it very useful the central
government is promoting the research
in this field. The Indian Railways too
has agreed to work on a similar project
in collaboration with the Indian Oil
Corporation. According to the project
details, the Railways would grow the
trees of Jatrofa on 500 acres of land and
the seeds of these trees would be
purchased by the Indian Oil Corpora-
tion. The bio-diesel, produced from it,
will be supplied to Indian Railways.
Similarly, the seeds of Ratanjot are
also being used for producing bio-
diesel. These trees can also be grown
on a barren land. Once grew, they can
give seeds for 40-50 years. This tree is
not eaten or damaged by the animals
and its oil can be extracted through the
traditional machines used in villages for
extracting mustard oil. Impressed with
its usefulness, some farmers in Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have started
growing these trees.
Apart from the seeds of Ratanjot
and Karanjia the scientists have also
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
organised in the village every year in
which all villagers participate. It is
followed by sahabhoj every year. Teach-
ers should come to the school in time
is not monitored only by the villagers
but the students too remain vigilant.
Today, the village school has hundred
per cent attendance. The people have
also jointly set up a sugarcane crusher
and rice mill.
Shri Chetram Panwar inspired the
villagers to develop their village them-
selves. Now the villagers do not de-
pend upon the government for any
work. Even the village security is en-
sured by the villagers themselves. All
the disputes of the village are settled
in the village itself.
successfully produced bio-diesel from
molasses of sugarcane. They have named
it ethanol. The Government of India has
made the mixing of ethanol in petrol
compulsory in nine states and four Union
Territories from January 1, 2003. The
production of ethanol at Sangali, Miraj,
Nasik of Maharashtra and Barellie of
Uttar Pradesh has already been started.
Like Green Revolution, the bio-diesel
revolution may also prove to be a good
sign for the farmers and the people living
in villages. It will strengthen the rural
economy. Today we have over 10 crore
hectare barren land in the country. If
these trees are grown only at three crore
hectare barren land it will produce nine
crore tonne seeds which will produce
two crore tonne bio-diesel. This bio-
diesel can be extracted by the farmers at
their villages themselves and it can be
sold at the grocery shop. There will be
no need to install refinery and petrol
pump for its cleaning and distribution. It
will also generate more than one crore
employment opportunities in rural areas.
102
 Samskrit Bharati’s efforts bearing fruits
Sanskrit: Language of
the masses in villages
S
ANSKRIT sambhashan is one of
the prominent aspects of rural
development work being under-
taken by swayamsevaks across the
country. This experiment has proved
very successful in propagating Sanskrit
even in the remote villages. There are
a number of villages in the country
where all daily conducts of life are
conducted only in Sanskrit. The promi-
nent villages in this group are Muttoor
and Hosahalli in Karnataka and Jhiri
and Mohad in Madhya Pradesh where
Sanskrit has truly become language of
the masses. More than 95 per cent
people of Muttoor and hundred per
cent people in Jhiri speak Sanskrit.
Muttoor, Karnataka
Apart from Muttoor, Hosahalli and
Jhiri, Mohad and Baghuwar in Madhya
Pradesh and Ganoda under Banswara
district of Rajasthan are also the vil-
lages where Sanskrit is spoken by
majority of the villagers. Not only for
asking well being of each other but
even while ploughing the fields, talking
on telephone, purchasing goods from
the grocer’s shop, getting the hair cut
at barber’s shop, preparing food in
kitchen etc. people freely speak San-
skrit. The containers having spices and
other things in the kitchen too contain
the names in Sanskrit. Nobody in these
villages thinks what will happen by
learning Sanskrit. Whether it will help
in getting a job or not. It is our lan-
guage and we have to learn it is the
only feeling amongst them.
Muttoor, the village of about 2000
inhabitants, is located about 8 km south
of Shimoga. The Tunga river flows
Sewa Sadhana Q
Shreesh Devpujari
gently on one side of the village square. premises clean’, ‘keep the river clean’
Its fame as the Sanskrit Gram has spread and ‘trees are the nation’s wealth’ are
far and wide. Sanskrit is the spoken also written in Sanskrit and painted on
language of over 95 per cent of the walls reflecting ancient values. There
people here. Soft and dulcet, a conver- are families who have written on their
sation sounds like a Vedic recital. doors—‘You can speak in Sanskrit in
Though it is a journey, which began this house’. This is basically to tell the
about 500 years ago, Sanskrit has been visitors that in case they are fluent in
modified as per the modern needs here the language they can talk to them in
by Samskrit Bharati. As one enters the Sanskrit. Perhaps this inspired the se-
village he is greeted with
bhavatha nam kim? (What
is your name?), coffee va
chaayam kim ichchhathi
bhavan? (What will you
have, coffee or tea?). The
pronunciation of Hari Om
instead of ‘hello’ and
katham asti instead of
‘how are you?’ are com-
mon here.
Everybody—men,
women, children, literate
or illiterate—freely speaks
Sanskrit. Even the Muslim
families speak Sanskrit
without hesitation and as
comfortably as is spoken New generation grows up speaking Sanskrit in Muttoor
by the Hindus. Their children are found nior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj to de-
in the streets reciting Sanskrit shlokas. liver a 20-minute power-packed speech
Even while fighting and playing cricket in Sanskrit when she visited the village
in the grounds children freely speak during campaigning for Shimoga by-
Sanskrit. When one walks down a few election.
paces from the school where one Study of the language here begins
touches the ratha veethi (car street) from Montessori level, where kids are
and graffiti on the walls what grabs the taught rhymes and told stories in San-
attention is: Maarge swachchataya skrit—even Chandamama and comics
virajate, grame sujanaha virajante printed in Sanskrit are available here.
(Cleanliness is as important for a road While the hoary language is a compul-
as good people are for the village). sory subject in schools, teachers and
Other slogans like ‘keep the temple even students talk to each other in it.
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 103

People of Jhiri welcoming Shri K.S. Sudarshan by showering flowers
Muttoor is not a cloistered hermitage
shy of the outside world. Many of its
youngsters have moved to cities in
search of greener pastures in pursuit of
higher education. Some are teaching
Sanskrit in universities across the state
and more than 150 youngmen and
women are in the field of IT as software
engineers. Many foreign students also
visit the village to learn Sanskrit and
stay with them in true guru-shishya
tradition.
For more than 25 years now the
village has been in the forefront of a
movement to keep spoken Sanskrit
alive. And one can notice the difference
from the minute he steps into the vil-
lage. According to Shri M.B. Srinidhi,
Dakshin Karnataka secretary of Samskrit
Bharati, the seed for change was sown
in 1982 when Samskrit Bharati organised
a 10-day Sanskrit Sambhashan camp to
teach the villagers spoken Sanskrit and
people in this primarily agricultural
society eagerly took part in the camp.
In the local Sharada Vilasa High School,
Sanskrit is compulsory till class VIII to
X. So, the present generation too has
learnt to speak it. Mothers taught the
children Sanskrit at home.
The credit for this silent revolution
surfacing the country to popularising
Sewa Sadhana Q
in Delhi, Haridwar, Meerut and Baraut.
Now he teaches Sanskrit to his fellow
villagers. All his family members too
speak Sanskrit.
Jhiri, Madhya Pradesh
Jhiri comes under Rajgarh district of
Madhya Pradesh. Total population of the
village is 976 and all the people including
small children, women, elder people,
school-going children, literate and illiter-
ate speak fluently in Sanskrit. Samskrti
Bharati had started conducting Samskrit
Sambhashan camps in the village in 2002
through an activist Vimla Tewari. She had
come here only for one year. But in that
one year she developed so much interest
of the villagers to the divine language
that everybody in the village turned to
learn Sanskrit. Now all the villagers love
Vimla as their own daughter. RSS
Sanskrit goes to Samskrit Bharati. Thou- Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan
sands of its activists are burning the visited this village on February 10. He
midnight oil to move forward this was so much impressed with the com-
movement. According to information, mand of the villagers over Sanskrit that
about 1200 sambhashan vargas had he, while touring the village, touched the
been held in rural and slum areas of the feet of elderly women at four places and
country since 2005 and thousands of sought their blessings. The morning of
people learnt Sanskrit in them. the people in this village begins with
It is not necessary for a person to Namo Namah and ends with the greet-
be literate for learning Sanskrit. Un- ings of Shubhratri. Shri Sudarshan
doubtedly, a literate person can pick up honoured Vimla Tewari for her outstand-
the language easily, but an illiterate ing performance in propagating Sanskrit
person too can learn it. There are thou- in the village. The Sanskrit Sambhashan
sands of people who were earlier fully classes in Jhiri are conducted both in the
illiterate but now speak fluently in morning and evening. Impressed with the
Sanskrit. One
such example was
seen in Baoli vil-
lage under
Baghpat district
of Uttar Pradesh
where a 50-year-
old Shri
Jaiprakash speaks
fluent Sanskrit.
Shri Jaiprakash
has never been to
school but he
learnt Sanskrit
only in four camps
of Samskrit
Bharati organised Children of Mohad who speak Sanskrit fluently
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 104
noble command of the villagers on the Mohad and
divine language the people of some Baghuwar, Madhya
adjoining villages like Moondala and Pradesh
Susahedih also come to Jhiri to learn The total popu-
Sanskrit. Anyone who visits this village lation of Mohad is
is thrilled seeing all people speaking about 4000. But
fluently in the God’s language. more than 1000
Ganoda, Rajasthan people speak San-
skrit. Samskrit
Ganoda is a village under Banswada Bharati organised
district of Rajasthan where a large num- six sambhashan
ber of people speak Sanskrit. In this vargas in the vil-
Vanvasi-dominated village, Sanskrit is lage resulting in not
slowly becoming a way of life. Slogans only the small chil-
in Sanskrit make the village walls, the dren but even the
language spoken in practically every old women speak-
house and every school-going child ing Sanskrit flu- Shri K.S. Sudarshan felicitating Smt Vimla Tewari in Jhiri
rattling off a few sentences. “Almost ently. Pratibha
everyone can speak or understand San- Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru,
Chauhan is just seventh pass but can Vijayawada, Chennai and Thrissur.
skrit in this village,” says Naresh Doshi.
speak Sanskrit freely. Now she has A Saraswati Sewa Yojana has been
About ten years ago Ganoda was like
taught Sanskrit to all her family mem- started to translate important books of
any other village of Rajasthan but now
bers. The village Panchayat takes other languages into Sanskrit and the
it has special place. Now all the Sanskrit-
special steps to popularise Sanskrit in translation work of 350 books is under
speaking people in this village have
Mohad. Even Scheduled Castes & process. A shabd shala has been set up
resolved to make Sanskrit the second
Scheduled Tribes and Muslim fami- in Tirupati to develop new words keep-
language of the Wagdi-speaking popu-
lies speak Sanskrit without hesitation. ing in view the new inventions in the
lation. “My mother cannot speak San-
Similar picture can be seen in field of science, etc. The experts will coin
skrit very well but everyone else man-
Baghuwar village, which is near new words according to the Panini gram-
ages. Now I have attended a few
Mohad. In Jhiri, the farmers while mar, which can be used by all. A website
Sambhashan Vargas and we are slowly
ploughing their field even order their of Samskrit Bharati,
trying to teach others,” says 14-years-
oxen in Sanskrit and the oxen too www.samskritabharati.org/sbindia, is
old Dharmesh Joshi. The ultimate aim of
follow those instructions. under process and will be inaugurated
the people here is to make Ganoda a
unique and model Sanskrit village. Their This movement by Samskrit soon. The talks are going on for produc-
punch line is “don’t say hello, say Hari Bharati will move further more effec- ing audio books as the youngsters and
Om.” tively in coming days. Work is going corporate people do not have sufficient
on at various time to read books.
projects to A samvad shala has been started in
popularise the Delhi for those who want to speak San-
language. Corre- skrit fluently. People come to samvad
spondence shala for a-14-day residential training.
courses are of- People from all states excluding Arunachal
fered in eight lan- Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and
guages including Pondichery have taken part in the samvad
Hindi, English, shala. Participants from 18 countries
Gujarati, Marathi, including USA, Russia, China, Germany,
Tamil Kannada, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Telugu and Korea, Poland, Ireland, Ukraine, Trinidad,
Malayalam. The Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambo-
eight centres that dia, Nepal and Bhutan also participated
run the courses in it.
include Delhi,
(The writer is Akhil Bharatiya Prakalp Pramukh
Women of Jhiri talking to each other in Sanskrit J a i p u r , of Samskrit Bharati)

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 105
 Deendayal Research Institute
Converting non-economic holdings
into economic holdings
I NDIA is a country of villages. It is
in the villages of India that her moral,
social and economic strength lies. If
India has to become a developed and pros-
perous nation, the 6.5 lakh villages have to
be developed and made prosperous. Keep-
ing this into mind Deendayal Research
Institute (DRI), set up in 1968, is currently
working to validate Pt. Deendayal
Upadhyaya’s philosophy of ‘Integral Hu-
manism’ under the inspirational guid-
ance of Padma Vibhushan Shri Nanaji
Deshmukh. Models for rural develop-
ment have been developed to achieve
overall socio-economic development
and reconstruction of the Indian soci-
ety. The development programmes have
been carried out at various centres,
namely, Gonda, Chitrakoot (Uttar
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh), Nagpur,
Beed (Maharashtra).
DRI’s Chitrakoot project is a
self-reliance campaign, an integrated
and holistic model for the development
of rural India. Foremost among the
aspects covered in self-reliance cam-
paign is income generation. This is achieved
by introducing watershed and soil manage-
ment techniques wherever necessary; new
and improved farming technologies through
2.5 and 1.5 acre model farms that enable
small and marginal farmers, who account for
80 per cent of the rural population, to look
after the family needs plus savings; and by
increasing non-farm sector income through
entrepreneur training and the formation of
income-generating self-help groups (SHGs)
that both stand alone, and vertically inte-
grated.
Agriculture is the mainstay in villages.
Development of agriculture in villages can
bring perceptible change in the life of
farming communities. However, the condi-
tion of farmers is miserable, owing to very
low productivity of crops and livestock. To
enhance the productivity and make these
villages self-sufficient in food production,
Deendayal Research Institute’s Krishi Vigyan
Sewa Sadhana Q
Amitabh Vashistha
Kendras (KVKs) located at Satna in Madhya
Pradesh, Chitrakoot and Gonda in Uttar
Pradesh and Beed in Maharashtra are involved
in promoting sustainable agriculture through
introduction of improved farming technolo-
profit-making ones is through intensive use
of land through diversification of crops. So,
in order to improve the economic and social
status of these targeted groups of farming
community, an effort was made by
gies. After Independence, our agricultural Deendayal Research Institute to develop
policies were influenced greatly by the needs some technologies for the benefit of mar-
of big landlords. As a result, the needs of the ginal farm families. In this regard, a 2.5 and
large majority of small peasants were ne- 1.5 acre horticulture-based farming system
glected. That is why even after 63 years of model has been formulated and tested at the
KVK farms with the objective of pro-
viding sustainable food and nutritional
security along with sufficient income.
After the success of these models at the
KVK farm, the models have been rep-
licated at farmers’ fields for further
validation and to help spread it to other
neighbouring farmers.
More than 85 farmers are practis-
ing 2.5 acre and about 16 farmers are
practising 1.5 acre farming system model
in the district. The model has not only
provided food and nutritional security
to the farm families but also provided
Nanaji Deshmukh participating in the yatra
some savings (Rs 5000 to 26000 per
Independence, three-fourth of our agricultural annum after meeting out their family re-
land remains uneconomical. Because of this quirements and expenses) besides, increas-
lacuna in our agricultural policies, small farm- ing farm employment from 56 to 115 days.
ers remain below the poverty line, and our DRI validated the model on 1.5 acre
country has not prospered agriculturally. More in Dewara village in Majhgawan Tehsil
than 80 per cent of Indian farmers own two between 2005-06 and 2006-07. The results
and half acre or less land. Their share of obtained on the 1.5 acre farm of Shri
cultivated land is about a third of the total Ansuiya Kushwaha corroborate the con-
available agricultural land in the country. Over cept of farm planning on a small-land
the time, owing to high population growth holding as per family requirement.
that caused a division of land holdings, and
a very slow growth rate of the rural economy, Shri Ansuiya Kushwaha of village
the pressure on land has been steadily increas- Dewara in Majhgawan Tehsil, having six
ing and the number of small and marginal family members possess 1.5 acre of land.
farmers has been growing. These farmers can A detailed survey of the farm family con-
play a leading role in the development of the ducted in the year 2005 revealed that the
country by contributing to the nation’s capital farmer despite having 1.5 acre of land and
formation, if their uneconomic holdings are a well–perennial source of water, was not
converted into economic ones. However, with in a position to earn enough to feed his
the traditional cropping system, small and family well. The causes of low income were
marginal farmers are finding it difficult to found to be under-utilisation of available
produce adequate food to feed their families. resources and traditional system of farming.
The only way to convert these holdings into The cropping pattern being adopted by the
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 106
 Layout and planning of field
Kharif
Paddy (JR-353) – 0.5 acre
Soybean Brinjal Tomato Okra Lobia Spinach Radish
(NRC-37)- (Kashi (Kashi (Kashi (Kashi (All (Pusa
0.25 acre taru) amrit) Vibhut) Unnati) green) Chetki)-
0.03 acre 0.1acre 0.06 acre 0.03acre 0.03acre 0.03acre
Blackgram
(PU-30)- Chilli(Kashi Anmol) 0.1acre Cucurbits- Turmeric (shoruma)- Zinger (Nadia)-
0.25 acre 0.08 acre 0.01acre 0.05 acre

Rabi
Mustard (NDR-8501) – 0.25 acre Gram (JG-63) - 0.25 acre
Wheat Radish (Japanese Pea Tomato Potato - 0.13 acre Cauliflower Carrot
(WH- White)-0.05 0.05 0.03 (K-1)- (Pusa
3020) – acre acre acre 0.05 Keshar)-
0.5 acre acre 0.01acre
Coriander- Onion (ALR)- Garlic- Turmeric Zinger
0.03 acre 0.05 acre 0.05 acre (shoruma)-0.01acre (Nadia)-0.05 acre

Zaid
Moong – 0.25 acre
Fallow- Lobia (Pusa
0.5 acre Komal)-
0.05 acre
Radish –
0.05 acre
farmer was paddy-wheat.
The farmer was getting 31.80 quintal
yield with gross income of Rs. 19,682.50
by investing Rs. 2,453 on purchase of
critical inputs (seeds, diesel, fertilizers and
pesticides). Whereas, the annual family
expenses (food, clothes, education, house
maintenance, social functions and miscella-
neous) were calculated at Rs. 37,339.00,
thus showing a net deficit of Rs. 20,109.00
per annum.
With a view to converting uneconomi-
cal landholding into economical one, inten-
sive cultivation on one and half acres of
land was undertaken with the active par-
ticipation of farm family between 2005-06
and 2006-07 in line with the concept of 1.5
acre land holding utilisation, the cropping
pattern being followed by the farmer was
changed. The planning and layout of field
was done on the basis of food requirement
of the family. The area under each crop was
allotted on the basis of average productivity
Fallow - 0.25 acre
Tomato Fallow Cucurbits -
0.05 acre 0.03 0.13 acre
acre
Spinach- Corinder - Fallow-0.01acre
0.05 acre 0.05 acre
of crop in the region. Crop calendar for the
whole year was prepared to enable the
farmer to perform various cultural opera-
tions timely as shown in the above layout
plan.
This resulted in substantial increase in
yield and income over the traditional sys-
tem of cropping. Shri Kushwaha has har-
vested 13.22 and 13.35 quintals foodgrains;
3.48 and 3.81 quintals pulses; 3.19 and 3.14
quintal oilseeds; 54.49 and 60.93 quintals
vegetables; 5.38 and 5.89 quintals spices
during the year 2005-06 and 2006-07 re-
spectively, which is more than his annual
family requirement of foodgrains (12.65
quintals), pulses (1.74 quintals), oilseeds
(2.87 quintals), vegetables (6.55 quintals)
and spices (1.50 quintals). The production
of vegetables throughout the year (47.94
and 54.37 quintals) was so more than the
required one (6.55 quintals) which gave Shri
Kushwaha an opportunity for earning cash
through sale of the surplus vegetables.
Okra Fallow-
(VRO-6)- 0.01acre
0.05 acre
Fallow-0.03 acre
Spices production was to the tune of 3.88
and 4.39 quintals during the year 2005-06
and 2006-07 respectively, which again of-
fered scope for cash earning. The farmer
obtained gross income of Rs. 65,417 and Rs.
76,662 from the same holding by investing
Rs. 7,640 and Rs 5,670 on purchase of
critical inputs (seeds, diesel, fertilizers and
pesticides). After excluding all the annual
family expenses, a net saving of Rs. 18,095.00
and Rs. 29,049.00 was achieved during the
year 2005-06 and 2006-07 respectively.
Deendayal Research Institute is confi-
dent that this horti-based farming model for
converting non-economics holdings into eco-
nomic holdings (small and marginal landhold-
ings) is both sustainable and replicable. It can
be a remedy to the agony of the millions of
small and marginal farmers. DRI’s confidence
in this model is reflected by the recognition
provided to this model by Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 107
 Vishwa Hindu Parishad
Scripting a new chapter
W
OULD you like to stay at a place
where there is dirt, filth, foul smell,
complete disorganised atmosphere,
and people enjoy playing cards rather than
doing any job and the school-going children
bring liquor for them. Once, the picture of
Kalpguru village in Andhra Pradesh was like
that. The village falls under Medak district of
Western Andhra. Though, there was a
Though all Vishveshwar temple in the village, but who
these efforts takes care of the temple when people do not
even take care of themselves? Nobody was
took 15 years there to give a direction to the village till 1988.
to show the It is in this condition the Vishwa Hindu Parishad
resolved to change the life of the villagers.
results, the In the beginning the village temple was
change renovated with the help of some villagers. But
some influential people of the village started
surfacing in opposing the efforts of VHP. Those who were
Kalpguru is involved in renovation of the temple were even
insulted. The villagers were told as to how
very effective. these outsiders can renovate our temple. What
Impressed will happen if the temple was renovated? The
youth working with them are wasting their time
with these and they should engage themselves in other
positive activities.
changes, But the VHP workers were fully aware that
the beginning of the reconstruction of the
people of the
village will begin with the renovation of the
surrounding temple as majority of the people in the village
were religious. When the renovation work was
villages too
started these religious people joined the activ-
have ists as per their capacity. Some donated money
while some offered labour. This unity of reli-
expressed the
gious-minded people in the village was a be-
desire to start ginning of a bright and secure future. When
the renovation work completed those who were
similar
once opposing the work also got silent. A total
activities in of Rs 48000 were collected from the villagers.
This amount was spent on the renovation of
their villages.
the temple. An idol of Lord Kashi Vishveshwar
was installed there. Only the renovation of the
temple changed the mentality of the people
who used to waste their time in playing cards.
The children who once used to bring liquor for
them also started going to school straightway
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
and the atmosphere of conflicts and fighting
converted into mutual respect and brother-
hood. Meanwhile, a Sangh shakha also began
in the village.
With the construction of the temple, bhajan,
keertan and satsang began there. Women too
started visiting the temple to perform regular
pooja. After that Sri Kashi Vishveshwar Samiti
was constituted to carry out various develop-
mental activities in the village. The Vivekanand
Rural Saving Group was constituted in 1994 to
help the economically deprived people of the
village. Many people started own business
with the help of the loan taken from the saving
groups. Now the group has more than four lakh
rupees as saving amount. A Saraswati Shishu
Mandir was started up to the fifth standard.
Now more than 300 students study in the
schools.
With the help of the Sangh swayamsevaks
saplings of tulsi plants have been planted in
every house. Though all these efforts took 15
years to show the results, the change surfacing
in the village is very effective. Impressed with
the positive change visible in Kalpguru, people
of the surrounding villages have also expressed
their desire to start similar activities in their
villages.
This is just a glimpse of the sewa work
being done by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in rural
areas. The VHP’s service activities began in
1966 with the formation of a hostel at Talasari
in Thane (Maharashtra). It was the first service
project by VHP. But today it has created a huge
network of service activities across the country.
The Sewa Vibhag of the VHP was basically
formed after the infamous incident of mass
conversion in Meenakshipuram. Today, the
Sewa Vibhag runs more than 72,000 service
projects through more than 200 different trusts
and organisations. The total projects include
26,000 educational projects, 23,204 health
projects, 850 self-reliance projects and 22,394
social welfare projects.
Bal Kalyan Ashram
When the whole society thinks about the
108
orphan children, how can they
be called orphan? It is with this
thinking that the orphanage
homes were renamed as Bal
Kalyan Ashram. One such Bal
Kalyan Ashram was started at
Fonda in Goa about 30 years
back. Today, this project has
become very popular and many
renowned people of the society
have associated themselves with
it. It is basically an effort to
make children self-reliant. Wed-
dings of the children of Fonda
and Belgam Ashram are also
performed to give stability in
their life. A total of 14 Bal
Kalyan Ashrams are being run
and there is a move to open
one such Ashram in every dis-
trict.
Pazhassi Bala Mandiram, Kerala
Hostels
There are 105 hostels and 15 residential In the first phase, the arrangements for 25
schools in different parts of the country. These patients were made and the building to accom-
hostels have proved to be very useful for the modate 100 such people is under construction.
VHP to get large number of fulltime workers. There are centres for the deserted women in The Sewa
Some of them have become Pracharaks and Mangalore, Goa and Nagpur. Vibhag of the
Vistaraks in the Sangh. For the benefit of the
The Banswara and Beawar projects in VHP was
children of leprosy-affected people there is one
Rajasthan have proved to be a hit. Under these
hostel in Gulbarga (Karnataka), one in
projects more than 650 schools are being run basically
Kotkapura under Faridkot district of Punjab
and two projects are in Haridwar. There are 16
in the Vanvasi areas. The areas, which once formed after
had the influence of Christians and Muslims,
hostels and 19 schools in the north-east.
are today echoed with the slogans of Jai Sri
the infamous
Health incident of
Ram and Bharat Mata ki Jai. Not only this,
Sanjivani hospital of Ahmedabad, eye hos-
more than 70,000 people of these regions have mass
pital of Pune and Ashwini Hospital of Karnataka
returned home, i.e Hinduism.
have earned a good name and reputation in the conversion in
field of medical science. Modern treatment is More than 250 self-help groups, run in
provided there with state-of-the-art technol- Kerala, have proved to be very helpful in Meenakshipuram.
ogy. The cost of treatment is more than 50 per making the women self-reliant. Ayurvedic Gram Today, the
cent less than the market prices. In special Yojna is also being run in 13 districts of the
state. The work on planting more than 10 lakh
Vibhag runs
circumstances free treatment is also provided.
There are also some small medical centres. In trees of Ayurvedic herbs at 30 acres of land more than
Orissa, the Vanvasi boys and girls are provided by Vishwa Bheshjam Service Society is 72,000 service
primary health training under the Charak Health underprocess.
Scheme and then they are appointed at the
projects
Work in sewa bastis
village Panchayat level to look after the health through more
needs of the local people. A total of 133 Many Bal samskar kendras, balwadi and
cutting-tailoring centres are being run in the
than 200
workers are today working at 111 villages in
16 districts of Orissa. sewa bastis of Nagpur, Kanpur, Prayag, Thane different trusts
A new project known as ‘Rugnashrya’ has and Portblair. They have proved to be very and
been started for the attendants of the patients helpful in eradicating untouchabilty and
coming for treatment at Goa Medical College. strengthening social harmony. organisations.

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 109
 Bharat Vikas Parishad
Service as duty, not as charity
E STABLISHED in 1963, Bharat
Vikas Parishad is a service-
cum samskar-oriented, non-
political, socio-cultural voluntary
organisation. It is dedicated to the
development and growth of the
country in all fields of human en-
deavour—cultural, social, academic,
moral, national and spiritual—by
promoting a sense of patriotism,
national unity and integrity. Its vision
is swasth samarth sanskrit Bharat,
i.e. physically, economically and mor-
ally strong India.
Its objective is to
organise the elite, intel-
lectuals and the well-to-
do people and to moti-
vate them to serve the
poor, disabled, illiterate
brethren not as an act
of charity but in the
true spirit of our cul-
tural tradition of service
as duty. On the birth
centenary of Swami
Vivekananda, i.e. on
January 12, 1963, the
Citizens Council set up
by leading industrialists
and social reformers
such as the late Lala
Hans Raj and Dr Suraj
Prakash, initially to
mobilise citizens’ efforts to fight the
Chinese attack, was renamed as
Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP). It was
registered as a society under the
Societies Registration Act 1860 on
July 10, 1963. Bharat Vikas Parishad
is thus motivated and guided by the
ideals and teachings of Swami
Vivekananda.
The maxims
The action plan for implementa-
tion of Parishad’s policies and
Sewa Sadhana Q
programmes is executed through the
following sutras (maxims):
Sampark (fellowship): Identify and
establish personal contacts with the
persons who will enroll themselves
as members to accept responsibility
and render effective assistance in
Parishad’s activities.
Sahyog (cooperation): Enlist active
co-operation and support of influen-
tial persons and give them respon-
sibility.
Winners of Bharat Ko Jano competitions
Samskar (moral orientation): Edu-
cate and orient members and well-
wishers by inculcating in them a
positive awareness of the noblest
aspects and the spiritual values of
our heritage.
Sewa (service): The logical culmi-
nation of efforts put in during the
foregoing stages is service—selfless
and dedicated service—not as an act
of charity, condescension or favour
conferred on the recipient, but in the
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
true spirit of our cultural tradition
treating service as worship.
Samarpan (commitment): All these
maxims are indispensable for proper
grooming of the citizens and their
family members towards the service
of our motherland.
The Parishad is a service-cum-
samskar oriented, socio-cultural fam-
ily-based voluntary organisation,
where both husband and wife join
as members to serve the society. The
members meet their own expenses
while participating in its
activities and also con-
tribute towards admin-
istrative expenses of the
organisation. Funds col-
lected for projects and
programmes are kept
separately and are spent
100 per cent exclusively
for the designated pur-
poses. The Parishad lays
emphasis on developing
the competence of the
beneficiaries through
their involvement so that
they are no longer de-
pendent on charity and
lead a dignified and
honourable life.
Samskar
Under the activities
aimed at imparting samskars the
Parishad conducts national
samoohgan competition, Bharat ko
Jano (Know your Bharat), Guru
Vandana Chhatra Abhinandan, per-
sonality development, Bal Sanskar
Shivir, folk song competition, cel-
ebration of birth and death anniver-
saries of great personalities, adult
literacy camps, etc. The national
samoohgaan competition is conducted
at three stages in Hindi, Sanskrit and
110
regional languages. The biggest char-
acteristic of this programme is that
all the artists participating in the
programme wear only Indian dresses
and use the Indian musical instru-
ments. For the competition—Bharat
ko Jano—the Parishad has published
a book providing extensive informa-
tion about the glorious achievements
of ancient India, Indian culture,
dharma, Indian great personalities,
pilgrimage places, etc. Both the
programmes have instilled a feeling of
patriotism into the participating stu-
dents.
Helping the physically challenged
Helping the handicapped persons
to fully participate in social and na-
tional life of the country is one of the
important programmes of the Bharat
Vikas Parishad. Beginning with the
establishment of its first Viklang Centre
in Delhi in 1990, there are now 13
Viklang Sahayata Kendras in various
states, which provide artificial limbs
free of cost to the needy persons
through their centres as well as by
organising camps.
These centres provide artificial
limbs, calipers, hearing aids, medi-
cines, special shoes, and tri-cycles. In
addition, there are mobile workshops
which manufacture artificial limbs.
Some of the centres have taken up
special programmes to help polio
victims by organising their operations.
It may be mentioned here that the
centres are equipped with the most
modern equipments to manufacture
artificial limbs and other attachments.
The trained technicians at these es-
tablishments, through R&D, have de-
veloped improved limbs, which are
not only very light but also highly
efficient. The limbs manufactured by
the centres are rapidly fit, cosmeti-
cally and functionally close to human
walking, running, climbing, swim-
ming, driving, etc. The disabled per-
sons, after the fitment, can even lift
heavy weights and work in work-
Sewa Sadhana Q
shops and farms.
Bharat Vikas Parishad is the only
non-governmental organisation that
renders service to the largest number
of handicapped persons in the coun-
try year-after-year. The Parishad has
so far provided artificial limbs, tri-
cycles, wheelchairs and hearing aids
to about 2.65 lakh handicapped per-
sons costing over Rs. 32 crore free
of cost.
Apart from providing artificial
limbs and other aids to the disabled
persons, Bharat Vikas Parishad is
now actively working for their re-
habilitation so as to enable them to
The work of integrated
rural development is
done by the Parishad
with the financial
support of Dr Shiv
Jindal and Smt. Sarita
Jindal (Jindal
Foundation, Canada).
By and large, the
Parishad has adopted
850 villages and slums
for development.
live an independent life. A number of
such centres are functioning in
various parts of the country.
Union Minister of Social Welfare
and Empowerment, Smt. Meira
Kumar, attended one artificial limbs
distribution function in Delhi last
year. She expressed wonder over the
distribution of artificial limbs on such
a large scale. She said, “Today, I am
convinced that Bharat Vikas Parishad
is the organisation working for the
uplift of the society. The limbs
provided by the Parishad are not only
very useful but are also very strong.
Earlier I did not know that the
Parishad is working on such a large
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
scale. The presence of so many
people in this programme also
symbolises the acceptance of the
Parishad’s work in the society.”
The services rendered to the
physically-challenged persons have
received kudos from all. The Presi-
dent of India honoured the Delhi and
Ludhiana Chapters for the outstand-
ing services. Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh too felicitated the
Ludhiana Chapter in 2007.
Rural development
The work of comprehensive rural
development is done by the Parishad
with the financial support of Dr Shiv
Jindal and Smt. Sarita Jindal (Jindal
Foundation, Canada). The projects
has been implemented successfully
in Sundernagar (Uttar Pradesh),
Dunera and Lohat Baddi (Punjab),
Khajjiyar (Himachal Pradesh),
Ikalaspur (Andhra Pradesh),
Mohabbatpur (Haryana), Kalivas
(Rajasthan), Ilbosa (West Bengal),
Kumbarakoppalu (Karnataka), Dunge
(Maharashtra), Rampur Garwal
(Jammu & Kashmir), Konothukunnu
(Kerala), Bangar (Madhya Pradesh),
Bornalkola (Assam), etc. Under this
project every selected village is pro-
vided Rs 18-20 lakh annually. By and
large, the Parishad has adopted 850
villages and slums for development.
The Parishad also runs many
projects for the help of Vanvasis.
Many hospitals, schools, libraries,
samskar kendras, hostels, archery
training centre, vocational training
centres etc. are run in north-eastern
states of the country. Different
branches of the Parishad runs over
1100 permanent projects across the
country. Over 1.5 lakh saplings are
planted every year by the Parishad
activists. Today the Parisahd has
about 1100 branches with more than
77,000 members. The Parishad has
divided the country into 17 regions
and 52 prants and today it has work
in all the prants.
111
 Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission, Kerala

Seeking Narayana by
serving Daridranarayana
S
WAMI Vivekananda Medical Mission,
Muttil, Kalpetta, was established in 1972
under the inspiration of the rousing call
of Swamiji to seek Narayana by serving the
daridranarayana. This home of service came
into being as a small free dispensary in a
building donated by the late freedom fighter AV
The mobile Radhagopi Menon of Muttil. It soon developed
into a charitable hospital with the generous
unit of the help of funds and equipments from Swami
Mission looks Vivekananda Medical Mission, Mumbai, and
philanthropic trusts and the well-wishers of
after six sub- Wayanad, the Vanvasi district of Kerala. The
centres in Mission workers under the guidance of veteran
Sangh Pracharak, the late K Bhasker Rao,
different collected funds and medicines throughout the
state. It is registered under the Societies Reg-
parts of the istration Act, 1860 and is managed by a com-
district and mittee of 15 members. It is also exempted under
Section 80 G of the Income Tax Act. Dr
conducts Dhananjay Sagdeo arrived from Nagpur in
diagnostic September 1980 offering free services and this
gave a fillip to the Mission’s activities.
and Major facilities
treatment The main facilities available in the Medical
camps in Mission are out patient department, In-patient
ward (30 beds), maternity ward, well-equipped
Vanvasi laboratory, pharmacy, X-Ray unit, ECG, EEG,
ultrasound scan, gastro endoscopy, TB micros-
areas, schools copy and treatment centre, pain and palliative
and hostels care clinic, sickle cell anemia diagnostic, coun-
selling and treatment centre, multi specialty
for Vanvasi clinics for medicine, ENT, skin, gynecology,
children thus dental, pediatric, surgery, eye and finally the Mobile unit
ambulance service.
taking The hospital has three full-time resident
medical care medical officers, ten visiting specialists and
necessary para-medical staff. All Vanvasi pa-
to the very tients reaching the hospital are given free
doorsteps of treatment. The in-patients are given food also.
High protein diet is provided to TB patients and
the ailing. children suffering from malnutrition. Routine reach its health services to more than 90,000
investigations in the laboratory are also carried
out free-of-cost.
With the help of the Comtrust Eye Care
Society, Calicut, screening camps for cataract are
conducted regularly at the Mission Hospital at
Muttil and its rural centres. Confirmed patients
are taken to Calicut for operation. All these are
provided free to all Vanvasis.
The incidence of sickle cell disease (SCD)
among the Vanvasis of Wayanad was found out
by Dr DD Sagdeo of the Mission and it was
brought to the notice of the Government and the
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
New Delhi. This led to the initiation of Sickle Cell
Anemia Control Programmes of the Institute. The
diagnostic, treatment and counselling centre
provides counselling to the patients and their
parents. Pre-marriage counselling, drugs (includ-
ing hydroxy urea) and all connected investiga-
tions (including x-ray and ultrasound scanning)
are provided free-of-cost. A monthly free clinic
for SCD patients is organised at Mananthavady
sub-centre also.
The Mission organised South India Confer-
ences on Sickle Cell Disease in 2005 and 2007 in
which experts from Delhi, Pune, Vellore etc. and
doctors from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala
participated. This conference was attended by
WHO expert Dr Graham R Sergent of Jamaica,
West Indies. A separate Trust by name SCARF
was formed to continue the campaign against this
dreadful genetic problem.
The mobile unit of the Mission looks after
six sub-centres in different parts of the district
and conducts diagnostic and treatment camps in
Vanvasi areas, schools and hostels for Vanvasi
children thus taking medical care to the very
doorsteps of the ailing.
These activities enabled the Mission to

Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009) 112
patients last year. (Hospital 60,000, mobile units
18,000, Swasthya Mitras 12,000).
Other projects
The Mission is the mother NGO for
Wayanad district under the RCH Programme of
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Government of India. It also participates in
AYUSH, a holistic project of utilising the dif-
ferent systems of medicines—Ayurveda, Yoga,
Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy—introduced
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
This includes awareness campaign, cultivation
of medicinal plants, conducting yoga classes
in schools and arranging Ayurvedic and Ho-
meopathic medical camps in selected villages.
The Mission was awarded the Certificate
of Appreciation of the State Government as the
best NGO participant in the implementation of
Revised National Tuberculosis Control
Programme in 2002. It continues its active
participation in the Programme as a Micros-
copy and Treatment Centre. Pulse polio
immunisation is another government project in
which the Mission Hospital is an active par-
ticipant.
The Bamboo Craft Training Centre which
was started for the rehabilitation of SCD pa-
tients unable to take up any heavy work has
trained 180 patients and it continues its activi-
ties. The Swasthya Mitra Project of the Mis-
sion was initiated for training the health work-
ers to visit Vanvasi areas and look after the
health care of the people and guiding them in
conducting their lives in a clean, neat and
hygienic way. They also distribute simple
medicines. Ninty-eight trained workers are now
in charge of 148 Vanvasi localities. Periodical
refresher courses are also arranged for them.
Bal Samskar Kendras have been organised
in 100 localities, where children meet once a
week and receive instructions on right conduct,
moral education, music and cultural activities.
The total numbers of children are attending
these Kendras are 1425.
Grameen Vidya Kendras are functioning in
100 Vanvasi colonies where school-going chil-
dren up to the seventh standard and dropouts
are brought together in the evenings and given
tuition. A total of 2541 students are attending
these Kendras. Children are provided nutritious
refreshment also. According to the teachers of
the regular schools those attending the Kendras
have improved their standards remarkably. Read-
Sewa Sadhana Q Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
ing rooms and libraries have been arranged in
four sub-centres of the Mission. The Vidya
Kendras also provide mobile library service.
Self-help groups have been arranged for
Vanvasi women in colonies where Grameen
Vidya Kendras are functioning. The SHGs are
aimed at consolidating and improving the The
women power of their villages. The members
meet once a week and discuss ways and contribution
means of improving their villages with activi-
ties such as cultivation of vegetables, con- of the
ducting awareness classes and improving
their saving habit by depositing weekly col-
Mission in
lections in banks. Micro Insurance (Jeevan
Madhur Policy of LIC) is propagated by the
providing
Mission to develop savings habits among the health
people. The Dhanwantari Mandir at the Hos-
pital campus provides consolation and peace services to
of mind to the patients and bystanders.
The extensive service activities of the the
Mission throughout the district have resulted
in the Vanvasi brethren seeking medical aid
Vanvasi
when any illness troubles them instead of
leaving it to fate as in former days. This also
brethren
is an encouragement to the Mission to offer was
its services with renewed dedication.
Recognition recognised
The contribution of the Mission in pro-
viding health services to the Vanvasi brethren by the
was recognised by the State Government in
1981-82 by sanctioning an annual grant. The
State
Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of In-
dia, began its financial assistance for the
Government
mobile unit in 1991-1992 and the hospital unit in 1981-
two years later. The Tribal Integrated Devel-
opment and Education, Mumbai, is aiding the 82. The
projects of Swasthya Mitra, Grameen Vidya
Kendras, Libraries and SHGs. Jankalyan
Awards
The Janakalyan Samiti, Pune, honoured
Samiti,
the Mission with Shri Guruji Puraskar in 1996
and the Government of Madhya Pradesh se-
Pune also
lected the Mission for its first national award, honoured
Thakker Bapa Sewa Samman in 2008. The
Mission had the blessings of several great it with
personalities, namely Swami Ranganathananda
of Sri Ramakrishna Ashram, Swami Shri
Vishveshteerth of Pejawar Math, former RSS
Sarsanghachalaks Shri Rajju Bhaiya, Shri K.S.
Guruji
Sudarshan, Kalyan Ashram founder the late
Ramakant Keshav Deshpande, the late
Award in
Dattopant Thengadi, Shri Nanaji Deshmukh, 1996.
and Shri Dharmadhikari Virendra Hegde.
113
T HERE are about 10 crore Vanvasis
among the 100 crore population
of the country. Except Punjab,
Haryana, Delhi and Pondichery they can
be found in all the states. There are
about 600 Vanvasi communities in the
country and unfortunately all live in a
very miserable condition. They are very
innocent by nature which became the
reason of their exploitation by some
alien forces. The most painful fact is
that even after Independence no con-
crete action plan has been formulated
for their betterment and whatever has
been done is mostly on papers, nothing
on the ground.
Pained at this miserable condition
and exploitation of a large section of
Vanvasis the late Ramakant Keshav
Deshpande, having worked with the late
Thakkar Bapa for several years, founded
the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan
Ashram on December 26, 1952 with the
sole objective of their total uplift. The
then Maharaja of Jashpurnagar Shri
Vijaybhushan Singh Judev generously
helped in this pious task. With the
passage of time many service projects
were started with the objective of unit-
ing the Vanvasis, making them prosper-
ous and instilling a feeling of patriotism
so that they could feel themselves to be
a part of the greater Hindu society.
Schools
Kalyan Ashram basically runs two
kinds of educational activities—formal
and non-formal. By and large over 28,000
educational projects are being run all
over the country in which more than
one lakh Vanvasi students study. The
formal schools include Ekal Vidyalaya,
night schools, adult literacy centres,
samskar kendras, etc. These centres
have created an educational revolution
among the people and they are now
very serious not only to send their
children to schools but also about study-
ing themselves. Many children who
studied in Ekal Vidyalayas have now
completed higher education.
Hostels
Kalyan Ashram also runs over 200
hostels at different places of the coun-
try. Over 8000 students study while
staying in these hostels. The children
who are not able to continue their
Sewa Sadhana Q
Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram
A revolutionary change
in Vanvasi life
Kripa Prasad Singh
education due to poverty and other rea-
sons are kept in these hostels and ar-
rangements are made for their education.
Apart from education they are also im-
parted good samskars and the feeling of
patriotism. Many students who studied
in the hostels are now active workers of
the Kalyan Ashram. There is a village,
Akola, under Ahmednagar district of
Maharashtra. A youth, Dashrath Kekare,
studied at the Muhak Students Hostel up
to 12th standard. He has now become an
orthopaedic surgeon. Though he runs
his own nursing home in Pune, he is an
active worker of Kalyan Ashram.
Forty-two developmental blocks in
Chhattisgarh are affected with Naxal vio-
lence. Four years back 376 children of
this region became orphan. Their parents
were killed by the Naxalites. Fifty chil-
dren of them were admitted at
Matrichhaya Vanvasi Students Hostel in
Durg district.
Health
The condition of health is very poor
in Vanvasi areas. The traditional knowl-
edge of treatment used in the past in the
rural areas is now disappearing. Many
people die due to lack of timely treat-
ment. Under the health projects, various
hospitals and dispensaries have been
opened by Kalyan Ashram and several
mobile dispensaries have also been
started. Health camps are also organised
as per the requirements. Last year more
than 12 lakh patients were treated at
various health projects run by Kalyan
Ashram. Educated youth of villages are
imparted training of first aid and are
provided with medicines to cure the pri-
mary diseases in their villages. Besides
this an Arogya Rakshak scheme has
been launched in 30,000 Vanvasi villages.
When diarrhoea broke out in eight vil-
lages under Hailakandi district of Assam,
which claimed the lives of 19 people, the
Varsh Pratipada, Vikrami Samvat 2066 (March 27, 2009)
Kalyan Ashram workers rushed to the
spot. When the vehicle could not reach
there they walked for three hours and
provided medicines to all the people.
When the government doctors were
contacted by the villagers they said
they would not go till adequate secu-
rity arrangements are made for them.
Since diarrhoea had broken out due to
unhygienic drinking water, the Kalyan
Ashram workers installed 23 handpumps
for the villagers.
Sports
The Eklavya Sports Project was
started to promote the sports skill of
Vanvasi youth. So far, five national
sports meets in Mumbai (1987), Indore
(1990), Udaipur (1995), Ranchi (2001)
and Amarawati (2007) have been
organised by the Kalyan Ashram with
this objective. From Sardar Milkha Singh
to Limbaram, many national and inter-
national-level sportspersons have par-
ticipated in these national sports meets
and guided the Vanvasi youth. Shri
Budhva Bhagat inaugurated the na-
tional sports meet of 2001 in Ranchi.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI)
sent its representatives at the meet and
selected hundreds of sportspersons for
its projects. At the Amarawati sports
meet, held in 2007, the army officers
selected nine Vanvasi sportspersons
from the meet itself.
Self-reliance
The Kalyan Ashram has started
thousands of self-reliance projects in
villages. Self-help groups have been
started in over 1500 villages. More than
1000 cutting-tailoring centres are being
run. Harinachapur village under Gumla
district has been developed as a model
village. The change in the village is
clearly visible.
(The writer is national joint general secretary
of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.)
114