Overseas Hindus are six crores in number. They are living in about 130 countries around the world. Nepal has 2.3 crore Hindus and Bangladesh has 1.3 crores. Then the US has 35 lakhs Hindus, while the UK has 12 lakhs. Bharat’s neighbour Pakistan has 32 lakh Hindus, while Malaysia and Sri Lanka have 20 lakh each. Fifty lakh ethnic Indonesian Hindus live mostly in Bali, Java and Sumatra islands. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has no branch in overseas countries. However, it has inspired many organisations and karyakartas to serve humanity in a selfless manner.
Pioneering Work of HSS
Today, there are 1,600 shakhas in five continents and 55 countries. There are shakhas (important centers of HSS) in Nepal, the US, the UK, Sri Lanka, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa and Kenya.
The biggest impact of the Sangh has been on the Hindu society. Hindus everywhere have started feeling a sense of unity in society. Programmes were successfully organised by the Sangh in different parts of the world. All sections of Hindu society participate in these programmes. People coming from different parts of India, speaking different languages, following different religions or sects are included without any discrimination and caste distinction.
Sangh, Sevika Samiti and Vishva Hindu Parishad are engaged in teaching Indian languages, arts and culture in many countries. The Hindu Institute of Learning in the Greater Toronto area of Canada has also been doing this for decades. VHP of the United States of America has established a Hindu University in Florida to promote Sanskrit language. Sangh work has had a positive outcome on the younger generation. Youth volunteers outside Bharat are generally free from addictions such as smoking, alcohol and drugs.
Sangh’s work in every country is independent of each other and is registered as per the laws of their countries. In most countries, Sangh operates under the banner of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh.
Formation of Hindu Sangathan
In 1936, Shri Vishnu Dayal of Mauritius came to Lahore for studies. There he joined RSS and had the opportunity to meet Dr Hedgewar. Later, when he returned to Mauritius, he used leadership qualities he learnt from shakha, to good use for the freedom struggle of Mauritius. The freedom fighters trained by him were called ‘Swayamsevaks’.
Singing Prarthana
In 1946, a ship was sailing from Mumbai to Port Mombasa in Kenya. Among the passengers was Jagdish Shastri, a young Swayamsevak from Amritsar, Punjab. On the ship, he spotted another young teenager in RSS khaki half pant. He was Manik Lal Rughani from Gujarat.
Both of them became good friends and started playing games on the deck. Some more youth joined them. At the end of their game sessions, they sang Sangh Prarthana. So, this was the beginning of Sangh work abroad – the first Sangh shakha outside Bharat was held aboard the ship SS Vasna in September 1946.
Little did they realise they were laying the foundation for one of the world’s largest Hindu youth NGO in the diaspora.
Starting HSS Work in Kenya
On reaching Kenya, Jagdish Shastri and Manik Lal Rughani with their friends formally started a shakha in Nairobi on January 14, 1947, on the holy Makar Sankranti day. In other words, Sangh abroad officially came into being on that day. Shastriji was also instrumental in spreading Sangh work in Tanzania, Uganda, Mauritius and Zambia. Later, he migrated to England and finally settled down in Toronto, Canada. Wherever he went, he continued Sangh’s work till the ripe age of 85. Dr Shankar Tatwawadiji and many others called Shastriji and Pitamah (grand old man) of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh.
The US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was bombed by terrorists on August 7, 1998, killing many Americans and Africans. Nairobi Swayamsevaks helped the fire-fighting and Red Cross authorities in putting out the fire and taking injured persons to hospitals.
Many times, Kenya faced severe drought, famine, floods and widespread epidemics. On such occasions, Swayamsevaks left their professions, businesses and went to remote places to serve the affected Africans. Once a Kenyan politician remarked that we thank America and European nations who supplied us medicine and food items. But we are more grateful to Indians who carried this material from the airport and seaport to remote corners of Kenya where it was most needed.
Kumari Anita Patel of Hindu Sevika Samiti is working as Pracharika in Kenya. She is running shakhas for African youth and children. Nairobi was the headquarters of Pracharak Laxmanrao Bhideji for many years. Dr Sharad Hebalkarji of Maharashtra spent a few years as Vistarak in Kenya.
Impact of Shakhas in Myanmar (Brahma Desh)
Sangh work in Brahma Desh (Myanmar) was started on the sacred Makar-Sankranti Divas, January 14, 1950, by Dr Mangal Senji. He later left for Bharat and became Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana in 1987. Ram Prakash Dhirji was sent to Brahma Desh by Shri Guruji in 1956. He inspired many youths to dedicate their lives as Pracharaks. Ram Prakash Dhirji studied Buddhism deeply and organised large-scale Bhagwan Buddha exhibitions at 72 places all over Myanmar. Even Buddhist monks were mesmerised by his depth of knowledge and addressed him ‘Sayaji’ (Guruji) with devotion and respect. Impressed by the simplicity and sacrificial life of Ram Prakash Dhirji, Myanmar Government honoured him by giving him a free upper class train pass and ship to travel all over Burma. Swayamsewaks started weekly classes for children to teach Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali languages. This has enabled the Hindus to remain close to our cultural heritage. Sangh’s karyakartas ran orphanages and medical camps for both Indian and Burmese needy people. They distributed food packets and education kits during floods and calamities. Our Pracharak Dr Ram Niwas has been teaching Sanskrit and Pali once a week in universities since 2001. Jagan Mohan Bandi from Bhagya Nagar served as pracharak in Myanmar from 2015 to 2021.
Myanmar’s Chief justice Addresses RSS Vijayadashmi Utsav
Impressed by Sangh’s Seva Karya, Justice Chan Htoon (now deceased), Chief Justice of Burma, visited Bharat and participated in the Vijaya Dashami Utsav of RSS at Nagpur. Indian journalists wondered how an ardent Buddhist scholar could address a Hindu gathering. They questioned his Buddhist credentials. While answering a question, Justice U Chan Htoon said, ‘I cannot work for Hindu-Buddhist unity because Buddhism is a part of Hinduism. We all are Hindus first’. When asked to explain, he said, ‘Hinduism is like a hand and Buddhism is one of the fingers; Hinduism is an ocean and Buddhism is one of the rivers. Buddhists, Sikhs, Brahmins, Vedantis and Arya Samajis should work for unity among themselves but they should remember that they all are part and parcel of Hinduism.’
Myanmar Govt Attends Sangh Guru Puja Utsav
Noticing the selfless activities of Sanatan Dharma Swayamsevak Sangh, the Myanmar military regime wanted to give some monetary donations. Adhikaris explained that the Sangh does not collect donations from anyone. They explained Guru Dakshina Paddhati to them. Now officers of the military administration attend our Guru Puja Utsav as normal Swayamsevaks and offer Guru Dakshina. This is a great recognition for our decades of self-effacing work.
Sangh’s Role in Bharat- Nepal Relations
In the 1950s political relations between Pandit Nehru and the King of Nepal had strained. On Nehru’s advice, Lal Bahadur Shastri requested RSS Chief Guruji to use his goodwill to improve Nepal-Bharat relations. Guruji sent Uttar Pradesh Prant Pracharak Shri Laxman Rao Bhideji with a letter to King of Nepal. King visited Bharat, prayed at Kashi Vishwanath Mandir and held talks with Indian political leaders. In 1959, king Mahendra and Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru jointly inaugurated and laid the foundation of Koshi Barrage. King Mahendra requested Guruji to start shakhas in Nepal to instill discipline among Nepali Hindu youth. Bhideji was instrumental in starting shakhas in Nepal.
Gangajal to Mauritius
Senior Pracharak and journalist Baleshwar Agarwalji arranged one lakh Gangajal bottles to Mauritius – one bottle to each family. In Mauritius, the late Madhavrao Banhatti served as a Pracharak from 1977 to 1989 and Ramesh Subramaniam served there for many years.
Pujya Mata Amritanandamayi’s visits SL
Within hours of December 26, 2004 tsunami, 700 of our volunteers were involved in rescue and rehabilitation services. Our Pracharak Ramaji flew from Malaysia with many relief materials. He stayed in Sri Lanka to oversee the rescue and relief operations of HSS and Sewa International. On our request, the famous saint of India, Pujya Mata Amritanandaji, came to inspect the flood affected areas of Sri Lanka. She was welcomed at the airport by the then Prime Minister himself and arranged a special plane for her to visit the flood affected areas. Thereafter, Mataji visited the areas under the control of LTTE. President Chandrika Kumaratunga also welcomed her in the palace. Mataji won everyone’s heart by building 1, 000 houses for the tsunami affected Tamils and Sinhalese. In Sri Lanka, the Sangha organises public Ganesh Utsav to inspire the vast Hindu society.
Overcoming Obstacles in Malaysia
Pracharak Ravi Kumar first visited Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia for one week in November 1982. There were many obstacles in starting Sangh’s work in Malaysia. Lakhs of Tamil Hindus were taken away as labourers by the British 150 years ago. Naturally, they had no knowledge of the Sangh and due to the propaganda of the newspapers, they thought it best to stay away from Sangh. Activities of the Sangh started in Malaysia in 1983. Today, many youths are active in Hindu Seva Sangh.
Helping Flood Victims
Gemas area in Central Malaysia was flooded during rains in 1984. Poor Hindus living in low lying areas were the most affected. Sangh Swayamsevak Paranthaman and his friends helped the affected people to take shelter in a Hindu temple nearby. They served them food and attended to their injuries. The local Hindus were totally surprised by these acts of selfless service. They said, ‘floods are a common experience every 2-3 years.
Municipality comes to our help after three days and some political party workers come after five days. But this is the first time a Hindu organisation has come to our assistance within 24 hours’.
Blood Donation Drive
Sangh organised blood donation drive every year on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti in October. Once there was a fire in a factory and many Indian workers were struggling for their lives. Government Hospital appealed on TV for blood to save the lives. Hundreds of Swayamsewaks spontaneously lined up in queue and donated blood. A new awakening was seen among the Hindu youth.
Removing Caste Differences in Padang Jawa
Hindus in Padang Jawa observed caste differences. The so-called higher caste Hindus would conduct puja in a temple on Friday and the alleged lower caste Hindus were allowed to worship on Tuesdays. This practice was going on for several decades. After starting Sangh shakha, Ramalingam and Subramaniam went from house to house in the professed lower caste areas and spread the Sangh motto of ‘We are Hindus, We are One’.
They started English and Mathematics tuition classes in the temple premises on Mondays and Wednesdays for students of both areas. Shakhas were also attended by Hindu youth from both areas. After a few months, elders in the society also approved the activities of the Swayamsevaks. Pujas and festivals are now performed in the temple together on the same days.
Protest in Malaysia to Save Hindu Mandirs
Malaysian administration was demolishing grand old Hindu temples one after the other in the pretext of road-widening. Ramaji, Waytha Murthy and a few advocates, created an organisation named HINDRAF (Hindu Rights Action Force) and started a nationwide movement. HINDRAF organised a mass rally to save Hindu temples. This was the largest demonstration in the history of Malaysia. It drew the attention of world press and TV media. Government stopped bull-dozing temples. Later, the ruling party suffered a huge loss in the elections and the Prime Minister had to resign.
Buddha Exhibition in Thailand
A large-scale Buddha Exhibition was arranged in a prominent park in Bangkok in the 1990s. Senior Pracharak Ram Prakash Dhirji was the chief architect. It was visited by thousands of Thai Buddhists including monks. Many Ambassadors of countries like South Korea, Sri Lanka and Indonesia requested the organisers to plan a similar exhibition in their countries. A surprise visitor to this exhibition was respected Sanya
Dharmashakti, Privy Council Chief. He said he had never seen a Buddha Exhibition of this magnitude and grandeur. On his request, the exhibition was extended for one more week for the benefit of students from schools and colleges. Later, Buddha exhibitions were organised in other cities of Thailand.
Impact of Shakhas in England
In the 1960s, many Indians from Africa migrated to England. Soon shakhas were started in England by Swayamsevaks coming from Africa. The sanskars, sewa, sangharsh, taught in shakhas have saved Hindu society in times of crisis. In 1972, Idi Amin, the military dictator of Uganda, expelled Indian-Ugandans. Racial discrimination in African countries forced lakhs of Hindus from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia to migrate to the UK as refugees.
But very soon they established themselves as teachers, traders, doctors, lawyers, engineers and entrepreneurs. Today many malls, shops, businesses, housing complexes are owned by Hindus.
A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2007 found that the British Hindus have the lowest poverty rates and highest employment rates among different ethnic minority groups in Britain. On the other hand, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and black Africans have the highest poverty and unemployment rates. Hindus who came to UK as refugees from Africa in the 1960s have progressed economically and now own stores, shops and malls. They are among successful accountants, barristers, consultants, directors, engineers, pharmacists, teachers and professors.
HSS has contributed enormously towards fostering dedication, discipline, devotion and unity among migrant Hindus. Many police officials who have attended HSS camps as chief guests have urged HSS to open its shakhas to British children so that they will also imbibe discipline and civic sense. Many prestigious institutions are wary about giving their premises on rent for overnight stay camps. Their experiences showed that their campuses would be littered with beer bottles and many of their plants uprooted and statues defaced. But they never experienced such mischief from HSS and so are very happy to offer their premises.
World Hindu Conference in the UK
VHP UK in 1989, in cooperation with 300 local Hindu organisations, conducted a three day Virat Hindu Sammelan. One lakh delegates attended at Milton Keynes, UK on the occasion of the birth centenary celebrations of Dr Hedgewar. Prominent personalities like Pujya Swami Satya Mitranand Giri ji, VHP International President Vishnu Hari Dalmia, Sudarshanji of RSS, Lata Mangeshkar, Sidhir Phadke and Anup Jalota attended the conference. UK police were worried about security arrangements for such a large gathering. But intelligence report informed the Home Ministry that since HSS was the chief organiser, there will not be any mismanagement.
Next year in 1990, UK Prime Minister Smt. Margaret Thatcher attended Makara Sankranti Utsav of Finchley shakha in North London. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said we are proud that organisations like Sewa International are active in our country.
Providing Food During Floods
When there was a flood in Scotland, the people there were surprised when they saw that our workers had reached them by boat carrying khakhra and samosa with bread-butter to serve them.
Commitment of Karyakartas
The city of Leicester in England was the headquarters of Pracharak Dr Shankar Tatvavadiji for many years. Dr Sanjeev Bhai Ojha of Rajkot and Chandrakant Sharmaji of Rajasthan were also Pracharaks in England and Europe for some years. Sangh has earned the respect of the British society sheerly by the dedication of innumerable karyakartas.
Jeetubhai Kotecha was always punctual in attending shakhas and prompt in discharging any responsibility reposed on him. On one occasion in 2002, he was busy sending emails to karyakartas about an oncoming HSS function till night 10:00 pm.
Karyakartas were shocked to hear the next day that he had passed away at 11 pm, just one hour after completing his assignment. UK karyakarta Anil Pota was involved in starting shakha in Hong Kong and Bhupat Shah was instrumental in opening Sangh work in Australia.
Having said this, in the midst of the international crisis, Bharat is making economic progress despite the Corona infection. Bharat is sending grains, medicines and vaccines to Europe, Turkey and other countries. At such a critical time, leaders of many countries are visiting India with the hope of world peace. The world considers India as the country of Bhagwan Ram and Bhagwan Buddha. Therefore, Hindus need to wake up, awaken the Hindu Samaj, recognise their inner strength and showcase their universal spirit. Only when Hindus wake up, the world will wake up – the faith of humanity will wake up.
Comments