An effort to reactivate temples as nucleus of social activities

Sampoorna Gram Devalaya Sandarshanaa Rath Yatra launched

Since centuries, India has been combating the menace of invasion that aimed at destroying the rich Hindu heritage of temples. The efforts have still not been completely abated. However, in spite of all these attacks, the saffron flag is still hoisting with vigour. Hence, it is the duty of each and every Hindu to preserve this rich culture and tradition so that the entire world can thrive in peace and brotherhood thereby bowing at the feet of Bharatmata.

It is with this view in mind the Hindu Devalaya Parirakshana Samithi of Musheerabad in Andhra Pradesh launched the Sampoorna Gram Devalaya Sandarshanaa Rath Yatra from June 21. The Yatra, being conducted under the guidance of Shri Kamalananda Bharati Swamiji, began with the inauguration of Shri Jnana Saraswati Ammavari Devalayam at Basara in Adilabad district.

The yatra commenced exactly on the same date as that of Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Puri. In its first phase, 26,000 villages will be covered with an average of ten villages per day. Three to four Mandals will be covered in the first phase with a total number of 1,140 Mandals. The Yatra will continue for a wide span of ten years from 2012 to 2022. At least 1,00,000 temple trusts will be formed having a strong force of 10,00,000 volunteers so as to conduct social service activities at the temple in each village. Young men and women in the age group of 18 to 30 years will be members of the service trust for each temple so as to effectively utilise the young blood for nation building.

Till the time of writing this report about 70 villages had been covered by the Yatra. When the Yatra reaches a particular village, the schedule comprises of activities such as welcome, darshan of devalaya, introduction of the village, gathering information, issuing guidelines, oath taking, election of office bearers, division of labour, finalisation of service programmes and farewell.

A wide range of developmental activities including single teacher school, libraries comprising of books on Hinduism, setting up of personality development centres, organising blood donation and medical check-up camps, maintaining goushalas, Ved Pathshalas, special traditional school for girl students, youth-centred activities, gymnasiums, leprosy eradication centres, Yoga training centres, mobile clinics and libraries, ambulance service, veterinary hospitals, self-employment training, free coaching classes, nutritious food for children and pregnant women, training in Vedic Mathematics, astrology and music, maintenance of crematoriums and assistance for final rites, anti-superstition camps, eradication of social evils such as untouchability, celebrating anniversaries of national heroes, production of panchgavya medicines and cow dung manure, production of Hindutva-based feature films and magazines, etc are initiated with temple as the nucleus. Bhakt Mandalis are also being constituted for the propagation of spiritual, philosophical and social service programmes so as to build a classless society dedicated towards the protection of environment.                     (FOC)