NAGPUR: The annual Vijayadashami Utsav and shastra pujan (worship of weapons) of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Nagpur Mahanagar, a leading organisation of women dedicated to the nation’s all-round progress and cultural renaissance, was held today with great enthusiasm, dignity and grandeur in the spacious grounds of the Mahatma Gandhi Centennial School in Jaripatka. This year’s celebration is a milestone in the organisation’s history, because on this auspicious day the Samiti proudly enters the 90th year (navati purti varsh) of its continuous nation-building and social awakening work.
Vandaniya Pramukh Sanchalika (chief) of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Ma. Shantakka, guided the gathering as chief speaker. Presiding as chief guest was Mrs Anuradha Prabhudesai, founder and president of the renowned Laksh Foundation in Pune. Also on the stage were Chitratai Joshi, Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Karyavahika (All-India Joint Secretary) of the Samiti, and other senior local office-bearers. Distinguished citizens of Nagpur, office-bearers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and various social and cultural organisations, and thousands of women with their families were present to witness the event.
Women Must Recognise Their Inner Strength; Youth Must Become Carriers of World Welfare: Ma. Shantakka
Delivering the keynote address, Vandaniya Pramukh Sanchalika Ma. Shantakka placed the role of women and young people at the heart of nation-building. She said that in today’s changing global and social environment, women must step beyond their traditional limits and recognise their boundless inner strength. This strength, she said, should not be confined to the family but used for the upliftment of society and the nation.
Turning to the younger generation, she asserted: “There is a pressing need today to bring about a positive change in our young people’s thinking and daily conduct. Until our youth are connected to their roots and to India’s glorious values of life, we cannot see India established as Vishwaguru (world teacher). We must make collective efforts to instil good values in young people and make them true carriers of world welfare.”
Resolve for the Coming Decade and the Importance of Sattvic Thought
Sharing the Samiti’s vision for the future, Ma. Shantakka explained how the organisation will expand its work over the next decade (10 years). She said the Samiti is working on new dimensions to reach every corner of the country and make women organised, safe and self-reliant.
Underlining the importance of values and the shakha system, she offered a graceful metaphor. “Just as a sattvic (pure and wholesome) diet keeps our body healthy and free from illness, so noble, nation-devoted and sattvic thoughts refine our mind and intellect. Our daily shakhas are not merely centres of physical exercise; they are veritable schools that build citizens of strong character, discipline and dedication to the nation.”
Warning Society of the Invisible Danger of “Mental Naxalism”
In the most important and sensitive part of her speech, the Vandaniya Pramukh Sanchalika launched a sharp attack on forces she said were trying to tear apart the country’s internal security and cultural fabric. She described “mental Naxalism” (ideological Naxalism) as the greatest invisible danger facing the country.
Warning in a very grave tone, she said: “There are people active in society today with a deadly and poisonous mindset, who call themselves enlightened and spread confusion in society. These ‘mental Naxals’ are polluting the minds of our younger generation and misleading them against the country’s system and culture. Their only aim is to destabilise and weaken India from within. Every family in the country, and mothers in particular, needs to be very careful and vigilant against this invisible ideological war.”
A Soldier’s Mother Is an Epic in Herself: Mrs Anuradha Prabhudesai
Chief guest Mrs Anuradha Prabhudesai, president of the Laksh Foundation, which brings the valour of the Indian Army to the public, stirred an unprecedented surge of patriotism across the pandal (marquee) with her stirring, emotional and spirited speech. She shared stories of the sacrifices of Indian Army soldiers and the struggles of their families.
Paying tribute to motherhood, Mrs Prabhudesai spoke a poignant line that moved every eye in the audience to tears and every heart to pride. “If an ordinary child is like a single letter, the mother who shapes that child is a beautiful anthology of poems; but the mother who sends the piece of her heart to lay down his life on the nation’s border, the life of that soldier’s mother is truly a vast epic.”
Praising the discipline of the young sevikas on the ground, she expressed confidence that the values being instilled by the Rashtra Sevika Samiti would not go to waste. She said that the remarkable physical ability and mental resolve these young women had shown on the field made it clear that these same disciplined young women would go on to lead the country and society in a new, alert and capable direction.
Shastra Pujan by Rite and Ritual, and the Sevikas’ Display of Valour
In keeping with the age-old Vijayadashami tradition, the programme was formally inaugurated by the chief guests with the lighting of the lamp and shastra pujan amid Vedic chanting. Scriptures and weapons were worshipped as symbols of the worship of shakti (power).
Afterwards, sevikas in the Samiti’s full uniform (white garments and a sari or suit with a pink border) gave such a display of their physical skills on the field that the gathering was left astonished. Demonstrating their unique inner strength and strict discipline, the sevikas presented the following displays:
Yogasana and exercise yoga: A fine display of the balance of body and mind.
Dumbbells and tal yoga: Physical formations performed to rhythmic music and beats.
Dand (lathi): A precise demonstration of the ancient art of self-defence and attack.
Gof: A display of collective coordination and artistic formations using rope.
Ghosh (band) pathak: When the sevikas’ band marched past with its well-rehearsed tunes and steps, the entire premises echoed with songs of patriotism.
Presence of Dignitaries and Conclusion with Vande Mataram
The historic and grand 90th-year celebration was graced by the presence of Ma. Chitratai Joshi, Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Karyavahika of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Other central, regional and Nagpur Mahanagar office-bearers of the Samiti were also present. Senior office-bearers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, along with many distinguished citizens from Nagpur’s social, educational, business and cultural circles, took part in the event.
After the physical displays and the speeches steeped in fierce patriotism, the whole programme concluded with a collective rendition of the national song “Sampoorna Vande Mataram”, reaffirming unwavering devotion to the nation. The grand Vijayadashami Utsav ended to resounding cries of “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, an occasion that will keep national consciousness alive in the hearts of Nagpur’s citizens for a long time.
