Pramod Kumar
Having begun with the objective of sensitising the villagers, especially the youth, to initiate different activities themselves for their development, the Bharat Parikrama Yatra concluded on July 9 at the same venue in Kanyakumari from where it had started on August 9, 2012, also the anniversary of Quit India Movement. After walking 26,650 kms distance in five years as per the Indian calendar (4 years 11 months as per the English calendar) the Yatra exhorted 10 lakh villagers by directly visiting 9,000 villages. Over 20,000 youth were sensitised to join various developmental activities through 1,000 exclusive meetings with them. Also the Yatra interacted with over 10 lakh students in about 1,500 educational institutions all over the country.
During the Yatra, Shri Kedilaya fixed very strict rules for himself. He had meals only once a day and that too through bhiksha only. He walked bare footed for about 10-15 kms every day. His primary task after entering a village was to get in touch with the youth and prominent members of the village and discuss important issues including care of sick, differently abled, visually challenged persons, etc. Then he took a round of the entire village and got himself engaged in a collective session of prayer at the village temple. That helped in creating a bond of oneness with the people. It also made the villagers realise that villages were, once upon a time, a single encompassing family. However, this feeling has taken a back seat now due to various reasons. During the village gathering, he discussed various issues including cow-protection, organic farming, indigenous seeds, preserving village culture, conservation of trees, etc. and exhorted the villagers to think for their development themselves and stop depending upon the Government for everything. Then, the journey resumed to the next village. This was the overall routine that he followed for five years. The slogan coined by him for the Yatra, ‘Know Bharat, Be Bharat and Make Bharat Vishwaguru’, explains the whole thinking behind this endeavour.
Bharat Parikrama Yatra was basically a follow up action of the Vishwa Mangal Gau Gram Yatra, conducted from September 28, 2009 to January 17, 2010 with the objective of sensitising people about the protection of the cow, environment and problems of villages. In 2009, the Yatra went on for three months by vehicles, but now Sitaramji covered that distance on foot in five years.
On Guru Purnima i.e. on July 9, the Yatra concluded with a special Parikrama from Vivekananda Memorial to Kanyakumari Temple followed by Nirmalya Darshanam. A special prayer was offered at the southernmost tip of Bharat. Vishwajegeeshu yajna was performed praying to make Bharat a Vishwaguru. Poornahuti in the yajna was offered by RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat along with Shri Kedilaya and Kshetra Pracharak Shri Stanumaalayan. RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale and many other senior Sangh functionaries were also present. It was followed by a grand valedictory function in the evening at Nagaraja Thidal, Nagercoil, in Kanyakumari District. Sarsanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat, Sahsarkaryavah Shri Dattatreya Hosabale, VHP general secretary Shri Champat Rai, Union Minister of State for Shipping , Road and Transport Shri P. Radhakrishnan, Swami Chaitanyananda Maharaj from Vellimalai Ashram, actor director Shri Kalaimaamani Visu and lyricist Shri Shri Piraisudan graced the occasion.
Shri Mohan Bhagwat expressed thanks to all those who supported the Yatra. He said Kanyakumari is the same place from where Swami Vivekananda had started his journey to awaken Bharat and spread the message of India to the world. As Sitaramji started Bharat Parikrama Yatra from the same place, it is a good sign of change. “The Yatra proves that significant transformation is possible by visiting the villages. This Yatra is a milestone in preparing the Indian mindset to lead the world. Our task is not merely to felicitate Sitaramji for the bold step that he had taken five years ago, but to start concrete follow up action to finish the tasks that he has underlined. We have to start from ourselves. As the people continue to join, the change will be visible on the ground. Gradually, entire Bharat will stand up with full vigour to lead the world. Let us start the work from today itself,” Shri Bhagwat inspired.
Blessing the gathering, Swami Chaitanyananda Maharaj said the Punya Bhoomi Bharat is the land of great culture. Citing the example of a section of media for projecting the country in a bad manner, he appealed to the people and media to bring out this abode of culture—the driving force of the country. “Parikramas have been part of our land and many saints like Adi Shankara, Swami Dayananda, Guru Nanak, Swami Vivekananda and Jain Sadhus did Parikramas. Likewise, in this Kaliyuga, this continuous non-stop walkathon for 26,650 kilometers in, 1,795 days covering 1,765 villages of 23 states gives us a great feel that our nation is one in spite of various diversities,” said Shri Champat Rai.
Hailing the great work of Shri Kedilaya, lyricist Shri Piraisudan stressed the need to create awareness for protection of the country’s culture. Patriotic feeling should be deep rooted and respected, he said. “Having started with few people’s support now Sitaramji is being received with great enthusiasm by thousands of people. A path encircling Bharat Mata shown by Sitaramji should be followed to see and do good deeds in the society,” said Sh P Radhakrishnan.
Enthusiastic multifaceted persona Shri Visu enthralled the audience in his own style. While many of his known circles questioned his attending the RSS function, he said even if they say it as an extremist organisation, he will attend all such functions whenever invited. He also appealed to Shri Piraisudan to openly acknowledge that we belong to RSS. 73 year-old Visu said it is only this stage where he was not given any script and attended the programme in spite of illness and his wife being in ICU.
“It is the Bharat Mata who did the Parikrama,” said Shri Kedilaya while thanking all the families, well-wishers, media, Vishwa Samvada Kendra Bengaluru, etc for their support in making the Yatra a great success. “Gram Rajya is Ram Rajya. This Yatra makes an appeal. Everyone should go to one’s village and take care of the environment and other things there,” he said. Appealing towards village upliftment, he said the pledge towards making Bharat a Vishwaguru should be taken forward. If this positive vibration prevails in our land, we can move towards Satyug, he added.
When Shri Sitaram Kedilaya started this walkathon on August 9, 2012, many people raised questions over his health and also the stamina as to how he at 68 would walk 10-15 kms everyday, what is the need to walk in this modern age when one has various means of travelling, etc. But all those apprehensions proved wrong. Sitaramji did not fall ill for even one day during the Yatra. The success of this walkathon is an example for all to see that no obstacle can block the path when one is determined to create history. The Yatra has generated positive energy in villages, which needs to be used in follow-up activities.
(With inputs from VSK?Chennai)
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