Swami Vedant Desikan, poet, philosopher and proponent of Sri Vaisnavism....a contemporary of Sant Dnyaneshwar...

Swami Vedant Desikan, poet, philosopher and proponent of Sri Vaisnavism....a contemporary of Sant Dnyaneshwar....

It's almost a week since I attended a community chanting of shlokas, stotrams and prabandham composed by Swami Vedant Desikan at the Desika Sabha in Matunga, Mumbai. The serenity I experienced set me thinking. Swami Vedant Desikan was a contemporary of Sant Dnyaneshwar yet many would neither know him nor know the fact that he has composed over 100 works on every aspect of life in about 7 languages.
Born in 1268, a poet, philosopher and disciple of Swami Ramanujam, he was a proponent of Sri Vaishnavism. Legend says he was born out of the divine bell of Lord Venksteswara of Tirupathi and so known as
as Ghantaavataara.
He was truly blessed with great intellect as he was able to impress great scholars from the time he was five. He became a disciple of Saint Kidambi Appullar when he was 7 and by the age of 20 he had gained mastery over poetry, logic, linguistics, science, vedanta. He had a rare mastery over several languages such as Tamil, Sanskrit, Prakrit and Manipravala (a mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil). His literary works include 28 devotional poems in Sanskrit, 24 devotional poems in Tamil, 11 philosophical treatises, 10 commentaries on acharyas, 5 narrative poems, 32 esoteric texts, 1 drama, 13 works in art an science, 4 works on religious rites and practices. His shlokas and stotras touch every aspect of our life. Their uniqueness is in the 32 metres he has given to them which makes their chanting a real pleasure.
His debating talents were avant-garde as he accepted many such challenges and composed something unique each time.
Knowledge was something he was always seeking and blessed he was by none other than Lord Hayagreeva, the God of learning. The Hayagreeva stotram dedicated to Lord Hayagreeva transformed his life. He was blessed with such deep knowledge that he could compose poems in a fraction of seconds. So he composed the Abhiteestavam for becoming fearless and to drive away fear, the Dashavataaram stotram on the Dashavataras, Daya Satakam seeking God's benevolence, Sudarshanaastakam for fearlessness, Kaamaasikatakam for surrender and self- realisation.
Sri Stuti was composed by him when some malicious elements wanted to scorn his poverty by sending a friend to seek financial aid for his daughter's wedding. Swami Desikan quietly took him to the shrine of Goddess Lakshmi and composed the Sri Stuti which resulted in a shower of gold coins from the Godess herself.
Despite seeing such riches he was cut off from all desire. He even refused the position and riches offered by his friend, Vidyaranya, a Court official in the 'Vijayanagara kingdom' and composed the famous ' Vairagya Panchakam' emphasising on his renunciation and detachment from worldly wealth.
Paaduka Sahasram, the 1008 verses are unique as they were composed in just one night, and set to 32 metres of music. This was in response to a challenge by another scholar and Swami Desikan stood tall as he accomplished the impossible task of not only composing 1008 verses but also setting them to metre.
The Yadavabhyudaya, a unique composition on Krishna is as decorative as the poetry of Mahakavi Kalidasa.
His mastery over any subject enabled him to compose even on Aahaara, food. Thus the Ahara Niyamanam, tells us what should be eaten by us and how.
When he was put in a corner by being asked to construct a well using uneven bricks he accomplished the task and even composed a stotra for the same. This well still exists at Tiruvaheendrapuram.
'Sankalpa Suryodaya'- a marvelous allegorical drama on human emotions like greed , jealousy and qualities like wisdom, was written by him in one night.
'Rahasya Traya Saram' an important book for any Sri Vaishnava written in Manipravala style (a mixture of Sanskrit and Tamil) is his magnum opus and explains the philosophy of Tattva, Hita And Purushartha.  
There are several such literary works to his credit and he was therfore conferred the title of Sarvatantra Swantantra and Kavitaarkika Kesari.
His devotion to the Lord blessed him with every skill so much so that he could take up the challenge of sculpting his own idol which can be seen at Tiruvaheendrapuram even today.
Such was his devotion to the Lord that in 1327 when Malik kafur was forcing plunder and massacre, he dared to hide himself and two other shisyaas among the dead bodies to protect the Archana idols of God.
Swami was a great traveller and went on a pilgrimage to several Kshetras like Kadigai, Ayodhya, Kaasi, Mathura, Avanti, Badarikasramam, Puri, Brindavan, Dwaraka, Triveni, Gaya , Salagramam,
He was egalitarian by nature and despite opposition he insisted on installation of idols of all Alwaars including those who were from other castes in temples since they were devoted Sri Vaishnavas.
Blessed with a long life, he lived to be a centenarian as he served the Lord till 1369.
He always emphasized on the need for purity of thought, word, and deed for realizing God and eliminating feelings of desire, sin, false knowledge.
The human mind has the innate ability to gain knowledge and use it for one's own growth and the development of society. Through innumerable examples in his life Swami Desikan has shown us this path. It is for us to realise our true self, gain true knowledge and follow the path of Dnyana, Karm and Bhakti leading to our own salvation.

Ratnagiri's jewel like products at The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

Ratnagiri's jewel like products at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

How little it takes for our hearts to be happy and how little does someone need to become happy is what I experienced with the SHG women of Ratnagiri who presently are at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar.
About twenty self-help groups have sent their representatives with the varied products they make.
So we have the best of Cashew nuts, spices, godaa and garam masala, fish masala, kokum, different kinds of flours, tasty chivda, pohaa, rice and original Ratnagiri Haapus ( 🍑 all sold-out, fresh stock coming again !!! ) Some have brought garments like gowns and blouses, bags, purses, jewellery and footwear. And of course , MSRLM has it's permanent shop with products and gift items from all over the state.
The place looked bright and peppy with the enthusiasm of the ladies. Their joy was infectious, their enthusiasm unbound. The exhaustion from my longish meeting since 11 a.m just evaporated.
I was so enthralled by their enthusiasm in showing me their products and coming together for group pictures. Each one had a sense of pride as they talked about their products from Khed, Sangameshwar, Chiplun, Ratnagiri and Mandangad. I was really touched when they expressed how grateful they were for this opportunity. Their sales had been good too.
As we clicked pictures, one lady from the groups expressed her desire to sing a community song. All the ladies joined her enthusiastically singing a motivational song in honour of our nation and the need to have feelings of patriotism, unity and nationalism. The importance of being a part of the SHG leading to the development of the village and the victory of the SHG was also in it. Her confidence in singing and leading the group was remarkable. The whole atmosphere was electrified by that energy. My heart resonated with their joy.

I was also engulfed in a spate of emotions. These women had travelled miles away from home to promote their enterprise and do business. Their aspiration for growth was phenomenal.
MSRLM through its various interventions is supporting SHGs through social, financial and economic inclusion for sustainable livelihoods. Providing backward and forward linkages is being done by way of Mahalakshm Saras snd other divisional exhibitions.
The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at GVB, Karghar is another platform where SHG women from different districts are allocated space to market their products. Every ten days SHGs from a district in Maharashtra come here for an exhibition  and sale of their products. 
This week, the jewels of Ratnagiri are shining bright with their goods and spreading joy at the  Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan,  Kharghar. Add a dazzle to your life, a twinkle to their eyes when you go for shopping there....

Sanjeevani and life beyond cancer....

Sanjeevani and life beyond cancer....

It was barely a fortnight since I had been introduced to Ruby Ahluwalia and I was invited to attend an event of learning, sharing and fun along with a seminar on the importance of psycho-social support for cancer by Sanjeevani, Life beyond cancer at Mumbai's Nehru Centre. I immediately made up my mind to go for it.
Cancer, is a disease talked in a hushed tones. The word evokes feelings of despair and helplessness akin to a death sentence. No illness must be arousing this kind of despondency. The feeling of gloom does not stop short of the individual but spreads to his or her family and friends.
In today's day and age each one of us knows at least one person in their circle of family and friends who is affected by cancer. In my family three persons had the disease. One unfortunately succumbed to it. But the other two fought back, faced it and have come out successfully to lead a long life. Grit and determination is what made them different. They are the bold and brave survivors.
Sanjeevani, life beyond cancer is an organisation bringing hope to the life of cancer patients and making them survivors.
Ruby Ahluwalia's life was also shattered when she discovered that she had cancer.
A successful bureaucrat, wife and mother she was certainly not prepared for such maladies. She therefore fought back and overcame all the stumbling blocks to emerge successful. She is an inspiring cancer survivor. Her path too was strewn with difficulties. She, therefore understood the woes of a cancer patient and had the foresight to venture into creation of an organisation which would support cancer patients.
Sanjeevani, life beyond cancer was established in 2012 to provide support for prevention and detection of cancer and giving psychosocial support.
The seminar on the importance of psycho-social support for cancer emphasised on the need  fir handholding cancer patients.
The panelists were eminent persons or survivors.
Ms.Desiree, initiated the conversation stating that confusion is the first thing that confounds a cancer patient. It is like the end of the road for most of them. For her, getting cancer and facing this problem when her mother too was in the last stage was doubly difficult. It was like a fog which made everything unclear. The individual 's life, job, relationships everything gets affected. One begins to wonder how will she manage, how would she live yet she survived.
Ms. Viji another panelist who had done research on cancer and even visited international institutions felt that whether in India or abroad the disease aroused a sense of being desolate. Of course there were a lot of misconceptions and myths about cancer. People were very afraid of the disease but if one acquires the right knowledge it can transform our attitude and help us to deal with it positively.
Dr.Vani, an Onco Surgeon, agreed that the disease causes great fear in the mind but one needed to become strong and face it.
Cancer was like any other disease like diabetes or hypertension. In fact those diseases could be more fatal. However the taboo of medication and the side effects associated with cancer made people afraid of it. However it wasn't the end of the road but just another chapter.
The attitude of the society is also responsible in perpetuating the negativity. What is actually required is support from the family and friends to face the adversity. The society must take responsiblity of creating a congenial atmosphere. If one took appropriate treatment and completed it , then cancer like any other disease is curable. What was most important was acceptance of the problem and having a positive attitude towards it.
This was vouched by Mr.Anand Parihaar. He reiterated that it was not only the person who has cancer but also the family which goes through a lot of hardships. Firstly, one needs time to accept that he or she is afflicted by the disease. Secondly it is not like something like fever which can be fixed with a paracetamol like crocin. Cancer needs specialised treatment. Apart from that counselling was also required since the patient gets drained physically and emotionally. The role of a care giver becomes extremely important to retain a positive frame of mind. He therefore advocated giving wigs to the patient so as to retain their confidence. Advice on proper nutrition and a holistic approach also becomes important.
Representing Life Insurance Corporation, Mr.Anand, had also seen the negative side of cancer. He was very influenced by the positivity of Ruby and Anil Ahluwalia and his initial interaction with 150 cancer survivors.He has been associated with the team ever since.
To him three things were important. The will to live and the will to fight, the presence of a mentor to support and investment in a policy to support treatment.
It is a well known fact that the treatment for cancer is extremely costly and can be formidable even for the wealthy. It was therefore important to plan for any unforeseen circumstances. LIC has a policy which not takes care of the patient but also of the family in case he or she is afflicted by cancer.
Family support, social bonding, reaching out to people along with financial planning was the biggest necessity.
The message which cut accross all was the need for psychosocial support.
Sanjeevani is doing a fabulous job by providing such support.
A report on the work done by Sanjeevani Angels in providing psychosocial support was presented by Dr.Sandhya and Dr.Geeta Balakrishnan of Nirmala Niketan. It highlighted the positive role played by the volunteers of Sanjeevani and the dire need for such support.
Gutsy cancer survivors were awarded and felicitated on the occasion. Almost 400 cancer survivors had come for the program which befittingly ended with a performance by a spirited team of young musicians from the Indie Routes Band.
Tales are narated about Veer Hanuman lifting the Dronagiri mountain to bring the life restoring herb, Sanjeevani for healing Lakshman's wounds.
Sanjeevani, Life beyond cancer, with its angels are providing that healing touch to so many cancer patients. This was no less than a modern day miracle !!! So kudos to Ruby, Anil Ahluwalia and team, God bless them with much more energy to take this mission forward.

P.S. one can reach Sanjeevani,  life beyond cancer on their dedicated website

Taanaa baanaa- weaving prosperity for the SHGs of MSRLM: Participatory identification of the poor, PIP....

Taanaa baanaa- weaving prosperity for the SHGs of MSRLM : Participatory identification of the poor, PIP....

Self help groups or Mahila Bachat Gat as they were popularly known, bring forward the connotation of a group of women coming together, collecting small sums of money for small enterprises or activities, essentially making paapads ( Frys ) , pickles and spices. The second generalised comment I normally hear is that so many organisations are creating SHGs , what is so different about MSRLM.
During the last two and half years the number of SHGs created by MSRLM has gone upto 0.38 millions. The number of households under its fold are over 4 millions. More than 1 million livelihoods opportunities have been created.
This is because there is whole science and a meticulously established system for inclusion of every person into the social fabric of the community.
The primary step is creation of SHGs based on the SECC data by the Wardhinis, a team of 5 dedicated women who stay for 15 days in a village .
SHGs are then congregated into village organisations and Cluster level Federations creating three tiered community based organisations.
A year after VOs are formed a process known as process is known as Participatory identification of the poor, PIP is undertaken. Here, the the SECC data is compared with a survey which is done to ensure that the poorest of the poor and every single person in the village is included.
This is a seven day process, out of which two days are dedicated to train all stakeholders of the village about the process. What follows is a five day survey, discussions and meetings like the aam sabha, gram sabha to finalise the social inclusion of all the stakeholders .
Activities for each day are identified and planned so that nobody or nothing is left out. These include visits to the villages, gaon pheri, mashaal pheri at night with torches, prabhat pheries in the morning, meetings at the chowk etc to spread awareness.
The village officials, non-officials, public personalities, men, women, youth, in short every single person from the village is involved in the process. Villagers are identified for the planning, committees are formed and work is allocated to all the stakeholders. The whole process of PIP is also explained to them.
Two days are devoted to visit every house and conduct a detailed survey of all the households.
The format has minutest details about the family, it's size, it's assets, sources of income, their education, their access to various schemes of the government. All these are part of the survey. Based on these details households are graded into very poor, poor and moderately poor categories. The plan needed to support them for six months and thereafter for a year is also chalked out.
On completion of survey , a map including the presently available resources is drawn in a public place for the benefitof all stakeholders. Discussions on the various needs of the village are also facilitated. Aanganwadis and the children there, schools and their facilities are also observed.
Interest of the community is ensured through games like Taanaa Baanaa, Pulley and the game of bottle.
Taanaa Baanaa centres around a pregnant woman and those connected with her including her in-laws, husband, family, friends, community workers. She weaves a web with each person involved around her wellbeing during her pregnancy and the services of those who are required for her healthy pregnancy.
The bottle game is like the game of a dog in the manger where a lady is shown a bottle. She is then blindfolded and made to walk over it. In reality the bottle has been removed and the woman is actually walking over imaginary obstacles. An analogy is established towards our attitude to life where imaginary impediments hamper our growth.
All these interactive sessions lead to an assessment of their own self by the villagers. Families outside the SECC data, defunct SHGs, the poorest and the needy are thus identified to be included for sustainable development and discussed in the aam sabha and gram sabha.
The importance of being part of the SHGs and the value it brings to their life is also discussed. The ten cardinal principles, Dashasutri, of regular meetings, savings, internal lending, repayment of loans, writing books of accounts and social aspects of health, nutrition and sanitation, education, participatory governance, entitlements and sustainable livelihoods are also explained.
The five day exercise culminates in planning for the overall development of the village as also including the poorest of the poor, the differetly abled, old, destitute, transgender etc.
This detailed and meticulous exercise is a  part of the social, financial and economic inclusion and sustainable livelihoods under NRLM.
The team of MSRLM is fully committed to propogating this vision and mission.
Attending a workshop of District Managers- Social inclusion and Master Trainers organised for 20 districts of Maharashtra to implement PIP was an eye opener for me.
It ended with a beautiful story of a lamp lighting the darkness and bringing people together when the mighty tubelight fails due to tripping of electricity.

There was a fervour in our spirit as we sang an inspirational song.....

"मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही
हो कहीं भी आग लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिए...

सिर्फ हंगामा खड़ा करना मेरा मक़सद नहीं
मेरा मक़सद है कि सूरत बदलनी चाहिए...

हम यहाँ पर आये हैं कुछ सीखने के लिये
द्वन्द आपस में हो लेकिन काम करना चाहिए...

एक चिंगारी कहीं से ढूंढ लाओ दोस्तों
इस दिए में तेल से भीगी हुई बाती तो है ....

A single lighted candle ignited several others spreading the message of hope, love, compassion and a renewed confidence to reach out to new horizons reverberating with the spirit of Umed....
This granularity and thoroughness and reaching out to the last person is what makes the SHGs of MSRLM different from others. We are fortunate and blessed to be working for that cause !!!!

Women's Economic Forum, Empowering billion women by 2020 and GAME....

Women's Economic Forum, Empowering billion women by 2020 and GAME....

The last two days I had the opportunity to represent Umed MSRLM on three platforms, the Women's Economic Forum 2019, India, Empowering billion women 2020 with Dr. Tina Ellton at a roundtable talk organised by FICCI, and GAME, Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, a network for catalysing 10 million Mass Entrepreneurs by 2030 with support of Facebook.
While two of them emphasised on the need to empower women, the third emphasised on empowering youth along with women and entrepreneurs in general.
The common thread among all the three was providing support to entrepreneurs to facilitate their growth.
In a country teeming with millions, providing jobs to all is impossible as well as formidable. However enabling them to become entrepreneurs will synergise their own growth and lead to overall sustainable development.
MSRLM's approach in creating community organisations for collective growth and support is a standing example. There has been no dearth of programmes for creating individual entrepreneurs, however these are limited to persons with great drive. At times some individuals may not have the required sets of skills but coming together in a group and working for the objective gives them an exposure to hone their skills. This can be a great boost for the beginning of their enterprise where they become collectively responsible.
MSRLM/ NRLM is rife with examples of several women, specially the destitute and deserted who have have been able to transform their lives due to the social and financial inclusion and capacity building activities undertaken by the community organisation.
The support offered to women for enhancing agricultural productivity under the Mahila Kisan Shashaktikaran Pariyojana with emphasis on creating women farmers, enabling them with knowledge and skills to use better seeds and techniques for agricultural management and technology to reduce drudgery are wonderful examples.
It is also a lesson in learning wherein efforts have been made by the Ministry of Rural Development to empower women with the right attitude by making them self dependent and self sufficient.
This also reflects the fact that when strength is giving to developing community institutions society can be transformed. The fact that almost 4 million households have been enabled through SHGs and over a million livelihoods have been generated through MSRLM are enough proof.
As a corollary, youth between the age of 18 to 35 are also being skilled under the Deendayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana for placement through jobs. Almost 40,000 youth have been trained and placed in Maharashtra and in the next 3 years more than 100.000 beneficiaries will be trained and placed.
Individual entrepreneurs are also being created through the Rural Self-employment training Institutes- RSETIs.
However much more needs to be done. Increasing awareness about the options and avenues available is important. It is also essential that the community platforms created by SRLMs , all over in rural India are used effectively by all stakeholders including government departments, NGOs, CSR partners, educational and financial institutions.
Another important aspect to be kept in mind is the varied capability and capacities of women and youth and plan accordingly. Needless to mention that whatever progress has taken place in the empowerment of women and youth, is certainly due to support and help received from family, friends and society. Yet  people have to undergo great struggle for achieving their goals in the face of opposition.
Secondly the aspirational levels of youth and women are increasing by leaps and bounds but they are unable to unravel the ways and means of access to finance, technology, legal requirements or keeping pace with the requirements of such growth.
Forums like WEF, EBW2020, FICCI, GAME-Facebook should unravel ways and means to simplify the processes in a manner that the interest of the entrepreneurs not only grows but is also sustained .
This is possible only when we stop working in silos. The future lies in collaborating, creating clusters and growing together. The government is the single largest force which works on scale for the common good and reinforcing their efforts and chanelising it to the community is possible as can be seen from the Community based organisations created by NRLM / MSRLM.
It is therefore important to bring together the policy makers, civil society leaders, community based organisations, youth leaders and champions on a common platform to discuss the issues and create an enabling atmosphere to facilitate and promote entrepreneurship.
GAME, Global alliance for mass entrepreneurship is one such example. The WEF and EBW2020 are others.
However even as we embark on this lofty mission, a thought needs to be given to check the true status of women and crime against them as also the existing inequalities and inequities.
The key still lies in change of the mindset of every individual in society lest it would tantamount to lip service or patronage and then all these efforts would sadly go in vain.
Entrepreneurship holds the key to the future and what better satisfaction could all of us get than nurturing this sapling. 

Of Shri Ram and being human....

Of Shri Ram and being human….

Memories of my visit to Panchavati in Nashik as a child  are hazy. All I can remember was entering a cave and coming out of it. I have visited Nashik so often thereafter, more specifically for work but never got the opportunity again, to go to any of the divine places connected with Lord Ram.
My sister on her recent visit to Mumbai expressed a desire to visit Panchavati and other holy places connected with Ram, Lakshman and Sita's stay in Nashik. Mythology fascinates me, more so when my sister narrates beautiful anecdotes in her melodious voice.
Apparently,  this was the most joyful phase during Lord Ram's vanvaas, period of exile. Ram, Sita and Lakshman were the happiest here.
Lord Ram, is Maryaada Purushottam, the most balanced human being, because he stood by dharma at all times.
Imagine the trauma he must have undergone when he was exiled by his own father. Yet he unflinchingly followed the dharma of being a dutiful son by going into exile. Like the Pandavas in Mahabharata or any other Kshatriya, he could have easily waged a war for his rights but he chose to follow the dharma of  being an obedient son first. He always led by being an example to others in every situation.
My indignation of him having left Sita also got nullified when my sister explained to me that he had taken that stand as a King and not as an individual. His foremost duty is a king was to satisfy every citizen even at the cost of his own happiness.
So my journey of discovery of Ram's stay in exile at Nashik began on a different note. We first went to the Ram Kund, the Sacred stream. It has special connotations since Lord Ram is said to have take a dip here. During the Kumbh it is overflowing with devotees as several people take a dip here. It is also a place for performing the Hindu rituals after death by the karta of the family. We sprinkled the holy water of Godavari over ourselves, visited a few temples like the Suryanarayan temple, Kapileshwar temple, one of the oldest temples in Nashik. It is perhaps the only temple without the Nandi.
Legends say that Lord Ram blackened his face to fight the demons and so Ram's idol at Kala Ram temple is black. Built in the 18th century, the entrance of the Kalaram temple has a shrine dedicated to Lord Hanuman. A group of persons there, were engrossed in singing praises to Lord Ram. Serenity in the air and Bhakti in my heart , we entered the main shrine. My eyes were struck by the beauty of the idols, as if experiencing the adage of black is beautiful.
Years ago this temple adopted a positive outlook when it was opened to all due to the efforts of the revered Dr. Babasaheb Anbedkar. Tears streaming down my face I was absorbing the vibes of positivity as I suddenly remembered my mother having told me about the beauty of this place.
I was more than eager now to go to Panchavati, Sita Gufa where Goddess Sita had to hide for 24 hours when Ram and Lakshman fought the raakshasas.
The meanderings of the war with Ravana began at Nashik.
Smitten by Ram's beauty , Soorpanakha made all efforts to win him over but in vain. He is said to have told her that he was , "ek patnivrata" faithful to his wife, Sita. When Soorpanakha insisted he told her that Lakshman was equally handsome and she could try and persuade him. Lakshmana also refused to marry her Soorpanakha. Lakshman known to be short-tempered was irititated by her behaviour and cut off her nose which gave the city its name of Nashik.
Spurned by Ram and Lakshman, rejected and hurt she sought help from her brothers Khara-Dushan to fight Ram and Lakshman. 14000 soldiers are said to have attacked Lord Ram but he overcame them singlehandedly.
Ultimately she sought help from Ravana, but knowing her brother would not help only to avenge her, she enticed him with Sita's beauty and aroused Ravana 's baser instincts. He therefore agreed to come on the conquest which led to Sita being kidnapped.
The Pachavati is an important part of Ramayana as the banyan trees there are a witness to this glorious past.
Sita Gufa was great fun to enter, the narrow, curvaceous path, which we had to enter by bending and crawling sent us back to our childhood. The idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman here too invoked pure Bhakti.
From the Sita Gufa , we went see to the Godavari and Tapovan which has the world's only temple dedicated to Lakshman.
Lord Ram was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu but he never revealed his true self.
In the words of Swami Vivekananda he was the embodiment of trurth and reality, the ideal son, husband, king. His wisdom, compassion, righteousness, truthfulness, sacrifice, comitedness are exemplary and could also be our greatest learning. In his human avataar, Ram epitomised the perfect human.
As for us, we are human too, just like Ram and so  perhaps like what Stephen Hawking has said, "We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things"

Hirkanis of Raigad at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

Hirkanis of Raigad at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

Raigad, the impregnable fort where the great Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was crowned is known to all of us. However not many would know the legend of a valourous mother by the name, Hirkani, who sold milk at the Raigad fort. One evening, while she was engrossed in selling milk, the gates of the fort were closed and she was unable to leave it. However her maternal yearning to go back to her wailing child , gave her the strength to climb down the steep hills to be with her child. This was beyond belief even for the Chatrapati till she performed the feat again. In reverence the benevolent Shivaji Maharaj named the ledge as the Hirkani Burj.
Hirkani literally means a small little diamond. MSRLM works for the empowerment of women through SHGs, capacitating them, honing their skills and providing them support so that gleam like diamonds.
Organising forward linkages is one of the activities which is done by providing a platform for SHGs to sell their products.
Saras melas are held in districts, divisions and state. Yet there was a constant demand for a permanent market  which has been made available by way of the shops at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart in Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar. Every ten days, one district comes to exhibit the products of their SHGs at the stalls in GVB.
This time , it is Raigad, a district reverberating historically with the inspiration of the great Shivaji. An enigmatic and fascinating district with its forts, beaches and the famous bungalows of Mumbaikars.
The SHGs of MSRLM are rugged just like hills and soaring just like the waves of the  beaches of Raigad. Though the district was under the Non-intensive strategy of implemtation , and therefore did not have a full team till last year, it is now an intensive district with full support of the MoRD.

Presently SHGs from Raigad district have come with their products to the Mahalaxmi Saras Mart at GVB, Kharghar. These include agarbattis- incense sticks, earthen cookware, cashews, masalas, different kinds of papads and kurdaaiya, the famous poha papad, organic rice and pulses, naachni biscuits, fish pickle, dry fish, home made laddoos, artificial flowers, bamboo products, footwear.
All these products will be available till 20th April at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at GVB, Kharghar.

This weekend, the  13th and 14th April, an added attraction will be the Warli painting classes by the original artisans from Palghar, henna - mehndi art and pottery making.
The mehndi is free of cost,  paper and colours are to brought to learn Warli painting and pottery making is at a nominal cost.

So for those living at Kharghar, Panvel and Navi Mumbai, please come to the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar, immerse yourself in the simple joy's of life like painting, purchase products made by the SHGs of Raigad, bring joy to their lives. As for yourself, escape the ordinary, do something different, your eyes will also shine just like our Hirkanis.

CM fellows....Transforming Villages through MVSTF !!!!

CM fellows....Transforming Villages through MVSTF !!!!

Imagine being part of a system which enables you to represent the state as well as interact not only with the Chief Minister  but also with the heads of the corporate world !!! This unique opportunity is available to the Chief Minister's Rural Development Fellows under the Maharashtra Village Social Transformation Programme.
Launched by the Hon"ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, wherein youth between the age 20 and 30 have been selected as CMRDFs. Like catalysts they add an element of freshness to administration with their youthful energy and novel ideas.
For the last three years about 500 CM fellows have joined the programme and are taking active part in bringing about change in the state and the country.
I had been called to address the 8th and 9th batch  of CM Fellows at YASHADA, the apex training institute of the state.
The class reverberated with their claps and the enthusiasm which was infectious even as we began with a small prayer, " Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamayahaa, Sarve Bhadrani Paschyantu, Maa kaschid dukhabhagbhavet." meaning
May there be joy and prosperity in everyone's life, May all be free from illness, May everybody be inspired with noble thoughts and may nobody have sorrows....

Welfare of the rural households is the mandate of the Department of Rural Development under which the MVSTF operates. It aims for self-sufficient and prosperous villages, the basic unit of administration., the centrifuge of activity. The programme is a collaborative effort between the government and the corporate world. It aims at harnessing the strength of the corporates for overall development of the village through knowledge sharing and critical gap funding. Thousand self- sustained villages are to be developed by providing infrastructure as well as ensuring quality last mile service delivery.

The focus in these villages is to create an inclusive growth model, transforming them into model villages which are self-sustainable due to collaborative and focused efforts. 
This unique cocept has fired the imagination of corporates like Tata Trusts, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance Foundation, Mahindra Group, Hindustan Unilever, Axis Foundation, HDFC Foundation amongst others. Together they have created an enabling platform for speedy implementation by incorporating Maharashtra Village Social Transformation Foundation” (MVSTF) a section 8 not-for-profit organization. The Board of these Patrons to the foundation is headed by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra and  consists of Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra, Rajashree Birla, Anna Hazare among other eminent personalities. 
So effectively CMRDFs have access to the best in both worlds.
It becomes doubly important to ensure that they are able to absorb these energies positively and remain grounded while supporting the scheme in their respective villages.
Truly speaking their main role is to facilitate various departments and put forth innovative ideas. They cannot get caught in the myriad of winning accolades for their performance. In fact their role is more of providing synergy to the scheme to take it forward.
Their training included various schemes of the rural development, sanitation, water conservation, agriculture, animal husbandry, MGNREGA.
I had been called to speak on the Maharastra State Rural Livelihoods Mission.
It was a great opportunity to explain the deep rooted philosophy of forming community based organisations like the SHGs, VOs, CLFs which gives strength to rural Maharashtra. Dashasutri, the holistic concept of development of a village upholds 10 cardinal principles of regular meetings, savings, internal lending, repayment of loans, writing books of accounts added with  social aspects of  health, nutrition and sanitation, education, participatory governance, entitlements and sustainable livelihoods.
The Livelihood activities are three pronged to improve agriculture by enhancing productivity and making it sustainable through organic farming, providing access to allied activities like animal husbandry and skilling of rural youth through DDUGKY for employment and through RSETI for self-employment. The end aim is to ensure that each household earns at least Rs.1 lakh annually from a combination of all the above.
The mission has a dedicated team in the district, block and cluster and CRPs at the village level. The CM fellow needs to align with the District Mission Manager and be a part of this mission.
Individuals are a part of the society and exist for the welfare of the society and not vice versa.
Thr young brigade of revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Ramprasad Bismil during the freedom struggle may have said, " वक़्त आने पर बता देंगे तुझे, ए आसमान, हम अभी से क्या बताएँ , क्या हमारे दिल में है" . However , the CMRDFs, had the opportunity, to perform now as they had opted to serve the state.
Arjun in the Mahabharata was the only archer to hit the bird's eye because he concentrated on his target, without getting distracted by everything else around it. That could be our greatest learning

For as said by William Ralph Emerson in his,
"A Nation's Strength", has said that a nation does not become strong with gold, sword or pride but by men who stand up for truth and honor, by men who work while others sleep, who dare while others fly. They build a nation's pillars deep and lift them to the sky.
The youth is the future and hope for tomorrow. CMRDFS represented that hope , they could be the change and bring about that change too.

Or as Hasrat Jaypuri says....

"पीछे मत देख , न शामिल हो , गुनाहगारों में ,
सामने देख , कि मंज़िल है , तेरी तारों में,
बात बनती है, अगर दिल में , इरादे हो अटल"

From Sindhudurg with love.... SHGs of Sindhudurg at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar.....

From Sindhudurg with love....
SHGs of Sindhudurg at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar.....

Sindhudurg is the district from where I embarked on my journey as a Deputy Collector more than a  decade ago. So many memories are associated with it.

Sindhudurg also conjures visuals of the coast, beautiful cashew trees, coconuts and cashew nuts, Jackfruits, Kokam, rice and wooden toys from Saawantwadi. How would you feel to know that all these products along with many more interesting products have been brought for sale by the SHGs of Sindhudurg to Gram Vikas Bhavan at Kharghar? Authentic, pure, original with that Konkan touch.
On my visit today, to the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar I was overjoyed to meet the women who had brought a variety of products.
Cashews from Sindhudurg are extremely popular and there was a large variety with and without peel. Kokum products are also there, these include the tangy kokum sherbet.
Some ladies have brought jackfruit chips,
rice papad, palak papad and sandagi mirchi with their homely touch. A variety of laddoos like the ground nut laddoos, shev laddoos ,mung laddoos, raajgira laddoos, rice ladoos will fill your lives with sweetness..... Of course  it is the authentic Maalvani Khaaja which one wants to dig into and sure enough they melt in my mouth filling it with the simplicity and sweetness of konkan.
It is summer now and what could be more attractive than having mango milk shakes and ice cream made from original mango pulp and juice. Just stock them up for it will be difficult to get this taste from the products available in Mumbai.
For the health freaks there is a variety of grains like kulith, nachani, rice and boiled rice and brown pohe, Flours of these variety are also available. Readymade mixes to make the famous Konkan ghaavan and amboli will make cooking so easy.
Coconut freshly plucked and skinned will surely add flavour to your food Aanwla- Gooseberry candy to boost your immunity is also there. Spice your life with malvani masale, fish masala,, mango and chilly pickles.
The festival of Gudi Paadvaa is on the 6th April and families must be planning to shop for the same. What better than buying authentic products of the SHGs, bringing joy to you both and adding prosperity to their lives?

P.S: Sindhudurg products will be available till 10th April at Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, opposite ISKCON temple.