Preparations are in full swing for the January 3 mega event called ‘Shivshakti Sangam 2016’ to be organised by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Western Maharashtra Prant at Marunji near Pune. Over one lakh swayamsevaks in full uniform will participate in the mega event being organised nearly three decades after 1983 Taljai event that witnessed the participation of 35,000 swayamsevaks in uniform. The then Sarsanghachalak Shri Balasaheb Deoras, whose birth centenary year is under celebration, was personally present in the camp.
Entry to the camp is by registration, and on the closing day i.e. on the midnight of December 15, the registration had crossed 1.5 lakh figure. Swayamsevaks from districts of Ahmednagar, Nasik, Pune, Sangli, Sholapur and Kolhapur will attend the camp. Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi and other senior Sangh functionaries will guide the swaymsevaks.
The bhoomipujan of the event site was performed by Sarkaryavah Shri Bhaiyaji Joshi at Marunji, a village located near IT Hub of Hinjewadi on October 18 in the presence of Swami Swarupanand Saraswati and Pimpri Chinchwad Mayor Shakuntala Dharade.
The preparations for the event began in full earnest soon after. Levelling of the 450 acre plot was the most daunting task to be performed. Some of the facts about the preparation are startling. The entire area will have a fort like wall on its four sides plus as many as 17 gates for entry. The actual ground for the swayamsevaks will have an area of 110 acres which will be divided into 80 squares accommodating 1,024 swayamsevaks each. There will be 44 ‘Siddhata Kendras’ including one for women, which will cater to basic facilities for 2,000 persons. Besides these, there will be 34 centres to collects funds for drought hit areas and another equal number of centres to display and sell the RSS literature. Drinking water facility has been provided at every 50 meter distance.
The magnificent three-storied stage will be of 70 feet height and have 56 steps. The Sarsanghachalak and Sarkaryavah will be seating at the top floor of the stage while special arrangements have been made for the VVIPs on the second and first floors. The flag-post will be 250 ft high. Parking arrangements have been made in 150 acres. It is expected that over 60,000 people would be coming to witness this historic event.
Shri Nitin Desai, who directed the mega-serial on Shivaji on television channel is entrusted the task of building the stage which will have on its backside the replica of Torna Fort from where Shivaji Maharaj began his winning streak while entrance will be riplica of Raigarh, capital for Hindavi Swaraj. Similarly, all the four entrances of Pune city will be decorated with watch towers with one ‘Mawla’ (a soldier of Shivaji) will stand in guard.
A digital exhibition displaying the journey of RSS from 1925 to date and information on its multi-faceted service activities being conducted across the country will be the special attraction of the Sangam. The entire area will be under CCTV surveillance. In addition to this there will be 8,000 swayamsevaks who will be overlooking the security and safety.
Maunji, which had been a nondescript village in the vicinity of Pune, suddenly awakened to these new vistas of development. The village that had no road up till now has a 15 km long all weather road in addition to eight others specially constructed for entry to the camp site. The Swayamsevaks of each district have been allotted a particular colour band and they are instructed to take the road of that particular colour to avoid confusion. Each one will be given an identity card with a barcode and his identity will be ascertained on the basis of that barcode. For the food arrangements of those who will be coming from outside Pune, food packets will be collected from 70,000 households in Pune city.
-Virag Pachpore in Pune
