Marmik Kathayen (Stories that touch our hearts):

                                                      Today's Gandhi

He came from a poor family that was deep in debt. He took up a job as a truck driver in army. Then one day, all of a sudden, in a bout of depression, he quit his job. He decided to settle down in a village with the sole motive to serve others.

The village he chose to live was in a pathetic state. It lay in drought prone region with poor soil quality. Of the 2200 acre of undulating land belonging to the village, only 70-80 acres were used for agriculture. Rain water was not harvested, so ground water could irrigate only this meagre  land area. Every family was living in debt. Men toiled,  breaking stones outside the village. They made their ends meet by taking heavy loans by mortgaging lands to money-lenders. They indulged in drinking and  brewing liquor. Womenfolk were the worst sufferers. They were forced into prostitution and bore the brunt of feuds and crime, quite common as consequences of all-pervading consumption of liquor. Diseases and illnesses prevailed. Child mortality was high. There was only one temple in the village which was in a dilapidated condition.

To such a village he came with a vow never to preach without practice and to keep his conduct beyond doubt. First of all he restored the temple  and started living in a small room by the side of the temple. He earned the trust of the people with his selfless conduct and by helping  the needy as much as he could.

He persuaded the villagers to relinquish liquor and smoking. He convinced them about the value of hard work and self help. Check dams and percolation tanks were built with voluntary labour, resulting in systematic harvesting of water. Slowly cultivable land reached 1200 acres with irrigation facilities. Now the village produces crops worth Rs 50-60 lakhs, and markets vegetables, grain and milk. There is no dearth of water. The village is run by an elected all-woman panchayat which operates from the temple. It also houses a "Grain Bank" to which every family having surplus grain contributes as resolved by the village. Any family in need can borrow from this bank and repays the same with a little "interest".  Between 3-4 lakh trees have been planted. Families and individuals have adopted these and they look after them on their own. Buildings worth over Rs 35 lakhs have been constructed - all by community labour. All debts have been paid off. Community effort has lifted the poorest, specially Harijans.  Today there is not even one liquor-still brewing liquor and not a single shop sells cigarette or bidi.

Community marriages are arranged every 3 or 4 months. Youth volunteers assist the parents in shopping and in making sure that no family is fleeced by demands of dowry. The village has shamianas and utensils, loud speakers etc. Couples of all castes and creeds are married together. 

There is a school and a hostel for 150 students. The school is viewed as Jeevan Shiksha Mandir - a temple that prepares the children for life. Children get up at 5:30 every morning,  go for a run in the play ground and take physical training. They have planted over 50,000 trees and run a plant nursery. In SSC exams 80-90% students are successful, some of them scoring as high as 82-85% marks. 

The village transformed as above is Ralegaon Siddhi, about 85km from Pune, and the devoted efforts of 20 long years are of Shri Anna Hazare whose inspiration was Swami Vivekanand's dictum "The purpose of life is to serve others." He followed Gandhiji's principles of never to preach without practice and that to gain people's trust one's conduct has to be beyond doubt.

Upakhyan (Anecdote):

It was a terrible storm in the night that brought down hundreds of large trees. There were many young trees which managed to stay up, but stood terrified.

In the morning the sun spread its rays on the earth. The rays enquired the young trees why they were so much terrified. The young trees replied - "Oh Goddesses, see how many of our elderly parents and grandparents are lying dead as a result of the terrible storm. We may also meet the same fate some day."

Rays smiled and said - "Oh children, storm is not the cause of their destruction. These trees fell because  their roots were weak and rotten. No storm can harm you if you keep your roots strong."

Roots of man's happiness lies in his own self. It is strange why man becomes helpless and forlorn while the animals in the jungle live healthy and happy in spite of any resources. Obviously because his own unending desires and ego destroy his roots of happiness.

SADVICHAR (Thought of the week):

Difficulties come to awaken man's inner strength & to warn him to move further more carefully.

SAMPARK (Contacts):
Yug Shakti Gayatri Kendra

16/2, 1st Floor, 3rd cross, 3rd Main Road,
Prakash Nagar, Bangalore 560021
Phone: 91-80-23526694
Mobile: 9844503818 / 9880679755

GATIVIDHIYAN (Activities):

• Bangalore youth group is organizing a 1-day workshop on 'Corporate Responsibilities in Spiritual Perspective' on August 26 to spread mission's message to the intellectuals in Bangalore. Please join hands with us in the organization of this workshop and make a positive contribution towards the society.

Please help us spread Pragya Sandesh as far wide as possible. Kindly encourage your friends to become members of http://groups.google.com/group/awgp_bangalore.

Please visit the All World Gayatri Pariwar site at http://www.awgp.org