‘Number of People Going to Temples Decreases in City of Temples’
Sangh Has More Than 82, 000 Branches Across Country
Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu:DD, A major meeting was organized at Trikuta Nagar in Jammu by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday as a part of the series of programmes during the hundred-year celebrations of its foundation.
The sammelan (meeting) was addressed by the main speakers Mahant Rameshwar Das (Shiromani Mahamandaleshwar), regional pracharak, Rakesh Tyagi, and Acharya Chandramouli Raina.
The sammelen began with invocation of “Swasti” (auspicious prayers), “Saraswati Vandana,” and a welcome to the main speakers by the students of the Vaid Vidhyala, Trikuta Nagar.
The children who presented cultural programmes were also honored. The convention saw a considerable attendance including families.
In his address, regional pracharak Rakesh Tyagi first referred to the 100-year journey of the RSS.
He said that long before 1925, the first Sarsanghchalak of the Sangh, Dr. Hedgewar, was already considering why Mughal and the British had come to India.
Dr. Hedgewar used to ponder why India had been enslaved. Tyagi said that Dr. Hedgewar had even asked these questions to Subhas Chandra Bose; the answer received was that there was no unity in India.
As a remedy, he was told to organize the Hindu society. That is why, to organise Hindu society, Dr. Hedgewar, along with two or three others, began branches of the Sangh.
“Today the Sangh has more than 82,000 branches across the country,” said Rakesh Tyagi while elaborating that without the organization of the Hindu society, the country’s welfare is impossible.
A conscious Hindu society would benefit the country. The Hindus feel that they have been divided by caste and language, this caste system is the legacy of the British-era Simon Commission, said Tyagi.
He claimed that this conspiracy was crafted by the British through the Simon Commission to divide Hindus. Before the British, such caste-based divisions and traditions did not exist in India.
He expressed concern over the breakdown of families in society, and citing India’s ancient culture and heritage, stressed on the Sangh’s “Panch Parivartan” programme advocating social harmony, environmental protection, family (household) education, swadeshi (local self-reliance) and self-awareness.
Mahamandaleshwar Mahant Rameshwar Das, in his address, referred to the lapses appearing in Hindu society, asserting that “We all need to recognise ourselves.”
He said that the Vedic Sanātan Dharma is India’s identity and foundation. After independence, regimes came under which many sects and belief systems arose in India. These sects themselves hesitate to call themselves Hindu. This is a cause of concern.
He said that “We are divided on the basis of caste; that should not happen, because our 24 Avatars preached unity of society.”
He criticized Hindus who visit the mazars of peers, stating that such practices are not part of Sanātan tradition.
He urged people to worship Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman instead, claiming that worshiping mazars yields nothing, and only harms Sanātan Dharma.
He said that: “We were born into Sanātan Dharma in India, but we have forgotten our duty. We must reflect on where we were earlier and where we are now. If we do not improve, the future will be painful. If the household is secure, society will be secure — if society is secure, the country will be secure.”
He pointed out that Jammu city is a city of temples, yet the number of people going to temples is decreasing.
He called upon society along with entire families to regularly visit temples and perform worship.
Acharya Chandramouli Raina, addressing the convention, said that since our Avatars had weapons, and still have them, who has stopped Hindus from keeping weapons in their homes?
He said although we are worshippers of nonviolence, it is necessary to keep weapons to defend ourselves, because a dangerous time is coming.
He referred to the avatars of Sanātan Dharma — Lord Parashurama, Lord Rama, and Lord Krishna — in this context.
He said society should follow the truth, love, and compassion of Lord Rama. He emphasized the need for continuous organization of such Hindu sammelens and said they are essential for the youth of the society.
At the convention, several local temple leaders were specially present — Praveen (President of Trikuta Nagar Sector-3 Shiv Temple), Sunil Kumar (President of Khuwali Gali), R.K. Raikhi (President of Arya Samaj Temple), A.K. Sharma (President of Shiv Temple Nahar), and Purn Sharma (President of Vaid Temple), among others.DD
