A huge kumbh (religious gathering) of Hindus is on the cards on February 11, 12 and 13, 2006. Named Shabri Kumbh it promises to be an unprecedented assembly of awakened Hindus. The Kumbh will be the culmination of sustained efforts towards awakening the Hindus in general and the vanavasi Hindus in the Dang region of Gujarat in particular.
Vanavasi Hindus target of Christian missionary
offensive
For long, Bharat has been a special
target of the Christian Church worldwide. To the Church, the Hindus
represent the greatest stumbling block in their grand design to
establish Christs kingdom on earth. The poor, illiterate, mild Vanvasi
Hindu is an obvious target in this nefarious scheme. For years, under
the garb of social service, the Church has been spreading its tentacles
in far-flung, tribal regions of our country. These converted vanavasis
become alienated from their customs and traditions. They get uprooted
from their cultural milieu. Conversion to Christianity is invariably
associated with separatism and terrorism as is evident in North-East
Bharat. There are several areas in our country which have become
hotbeds of Christian missionary activity. The Dang district in Gujarat
is one such area. The word Dang is a corruption of Dandakaranya, the
legendary forest where Sri Rama and Lakhman spent some time while in
exile. It is in this region that Shabari Mata, the immortal devotee of
Sri Rama met her Lord and lovingly offered him sweet berries which she
had tasted herself. The spot where this meeting took place is located
on Chamak hill in this region. There is a temple of Shabari Mata at
this site. The picturesque Pampa sarovar (lake) is located in this
region. Situated on the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra, this
district is predominantly inhabited by vanavasi Hindus. The district
has 352 villages; the district headquarter is Ahwa. The town of Navapur
in Maharashtra is close to the Dang district of Gujarat.
It is pertinent to note that the first church was established in Dang district in 1904. Since then, conversions to Christianity had been progressing at an alarming rate. In the period 1991-2001, the Christian population grew by a massive 400 per cent! The process of self-alienation and separatism which inevitably accompanies conversion had become visible in Dang. Makeshift, illegal churches had mushroomed in cowsheds and residential areas. These churches were unregistered and illegal. Such was the terrorism of Christian activists that it had become unsafe for Hindus to move out of their houses after dusk. It was in the midst of such hostile conditions that a Hindu swami descended upon Dang
Arrival of Swami Aseemananda
Swami Aseemananda, a Hindu sannyasi heads the shraddha vibhag of the
Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram. For over 50 years, the Vanavasi
Kalyan Ashram has been doing yeoman work in the vanavasi regions of
Bharat. A Bengali by birth, Swamiji has spent several years in the
Andaman and Nicobar islands. His innovative and bold methods in
arousing the latent feeling of Hindutva amongst the vanavasis have made
him a byword in the field of Hindu awakening. Little wonder then that
Christian zealots have made many murderous attempts on his life. Deeply
concerned by the Christianization of Dang, Swamiji resolved to stay in
Dang and foil the designs of Christian missionaries. It was in August
1997 that this saffron-clad sannyasi set foot in Dang. All that he
carried with him in this unfamiliar and hostile terrain were around 500
lockets of Hanuman and an unshakeable resolve! He would knock at the
door of each house and would ask the inmates one question, "Are you
Hindu or Christian?" At the house of one such Hindu, Swamiji asked him,
"May I spend the night in your house?" The Hindu gladly welcomed
Swamiji. Swamiji kept his luggage, distributed the Hanuman lockets to
the children and asked them to bring their Hindu friends in the evening
for a Ram katha. That night, Dang witnessed the first ever Dharma
sabha. Sensing danger, Christian missionaries asked Swamiji, "What
brings you here?" The Swami posed them the same question. We have come
here to serve the people replied the Christian missionaries. "I have
come here to drive away those who have come here to serve" retorted the
Swami. That was the beginning of the Hindu awakening in the Dangs.
Hindu awakening in the Dangs
In 1998, 25000 Christians embraced the religion of their forefathers in
just two months. The submissive Hindu who had been hitherto terrorized
by the Christian missionaries began to assert himself. "Hindu jaage,
Christi bhaage" became a popular slogan of the vanavasis of Dang. From
1998-2004, a total of 55 Vishal Hindu Sammelans were organized. These
were attended by a total of four lakh Hindus. As Hindus objected to
conversion activities of Christian missionaries, clashes broke out. The
so-called mainstream media used this pretext to tarnish the Hindus. In
December 2004, press reporters from 40 countries descended upon the
Dangs and spread a misinformation campaign. As a result, the court
restrained the Hindus from conducting any public ceremony around
Christmas in future. Meanwhile, the tide of Hindu awakening only
swelled. Today, Christian conversion activities have come to a halt not
only in Dangs but also in the surrounding twelve districts.
In 2002, Hindu activists approached the famed Ramayana kathakar Sri Morari Bapu and told him, "You mesmerise thousands with Ram Katha. We request you to organize Ram Katha in Dang wher Sri Rama himself spent some time". Sri Morari Bapu readily agreed. The tremendous response overwhelmed Sri Morari . In the course of his speech, he spontaneously expressed the desire that a formal kumbh be organized at the spot where Shabari Mata had met Sri Rama. Sri Morari Bapus desire was taken up as an order to be implemented. Thus was born the idea of Shabari kumbh.
Scale of the Shabari Kumbh
Organizing a kumbh in a remote, heavily forested area is a nightmare as
far as logistics is concerned. It requires steely resolve, meticulous
planning and precision to make the programme a grand success. The 352
villages in Dang district had no electricity, or roads; the town of
Ahwa is a good 35 km from the proposed site of the kumbh There are no
medical facilities or eateries in the vicinity. But the famed
organizational might of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vanavasi
Kalyan Ashram, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other like-minded
organizations is in full gear. Realizing the importance of such a
venture to the state of Gujarat, the state government of Shri Narendra
Modi has extended full co-operation. Planning started atleast one and a
half years ago. A 250-200 hectare site has been chosen for the kumbh.
The state government has undertaken construction of roads on a war
footing. All the 352 villages of Dang have got electrification. A total
of 22 check dams have been built on the river that feeds the Pampa
sarovar where the holy bath will take place. A total of 20 lakh
vanavasis reside in an area of 80 km aroun
A huge kumbh (religious gathering) of Hindus is on the cards on February 11, 12 and 13, 2006. Named Shabri Kumbh it promises to be an unprecedented assembly of awakened Hindus. The Kumbh will be the culmination of sustained efforts towards awakening the Hindus in general and the vanavasi Hindus in the Dang region of Gujarat in particular.
Vanavasi Hindus target of Christian missionary
offensive
For long, Bharat has been a special target of the Christian
Church worldwide. To the Church, the Hindus represent the greatest
stumbling block in their grand design to establish Christs kingdom on
earth. The poor, illiterate, mild Vanvasi Hindu is an obvious target in
this nefarious scheme. For years, under the garb of social service, the
Church has been spreading its tentacles in far-flung, tribal regions of
our country. These converted vanavasis become alienated from their
customs and traditions. They get uprooted from their cultural milieu.
Conversion to Christianity is invariably associated with separatism and
terrorism as is evident in North-East Bharat. There are several areas
in our country which have become hotbeds of Christian missionary
activity. The Dang district in Gujarat is one such area. The word Dang
is a corruption of Dandakaranya, the legendary forest where Sri Rama
and Lakhman spent some time while in exile. It is in this region that
Shabari Mata, the immortal devotee of Sri Rama met her Lord and
lovingly offered him sweet berries which she had tasted herself. The
spot where this meeting took place is located on Chamak hill in this
region. There is a temple of Shabari Mata at this site. The picturesque
Pampa sarovar (lake) is located in this region. Situated on the border
of Gujarat and Maharashtra, this district is predominantly inhabited by
vanavasi Hindus. The district has 352 villages; the district
headquarter is Ahwa. The town of Navapur in Maharashtra is close to the
Dang district of Gujarat.
It is pertinent to note that the first church was established in Dang district in 1904. Since then, conversions to Christianity had been progressing at an alarming rate. In the period 1991-2001, the Christian population grew by a massive 400 per cent! The process of self-alienation and separatism which inevitably accompanies conversion had become visible in Dang. Makeshift, illegal churches had mushroomed in cowsheds and residential areas. These churches were unregistered and illegal. Such was the terrorism of Christian activists that it had become unsafe for Hindus to move out of their houses after dusk. It was in the midst of such hostile conditions that a Hindu swami descended upon Dang
Arrival of Swami Aseemananda
Swami Aseemananda, a Hindu sannyasi heads the shraddha vibhag of the
Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram. For over 50 years, the Vanavasi
Kalyan Ashram has been doing yeoman work in the vanavasi regions of
Bharat. A Bengali by birth, Swamiji has spent several years in the
Andaman and Nicobar islands. His innovative and bold methods in
arousing the latent feeling of Hindutva amongst the vanavasis have made
him a byword in the field of Hindu awakening. Little wonder then that
Christian zealots have made many murderous attempts on his life. Deeply
concerned by the Christianization of Dang, Swamiji resolved to stay in
Dang and foil the designs of Christian missionaries. It was in August
1997 that this saffron-clad sannyasi set foot in Dang. All that he
carried with him in this unfamiliar and hostile terrain were around 500
lockets of Hanuman and an unshakeable resolve! He would knock at the
door of each house and would ask the inmates one question, "Are you
Hindu or Christian?" At the house of one such Hindu, Swamiji asked him,
"May I spend the night in your house?" The Hindu gladly welcomed
Swamiji. Swamiji kept his luggage, distributed the Hanuman lockets to
the children and asked them to bring their Hindu friends in the evening
for a Ram katha. That night, Dang witnessed the first ever Dharma
sabha. Sensing danger, Christian missionaries asked Swamiji, "What
brings you here?" The Swami posed them the same question. We have come
here to serve the people replied the Christian missionaries. "I have
come here to drive away those who have come here to serve" retorted the
Swami. That was the beginning of the Hindu awakening in the Dangs.
Hindu awakening in the Dangs
In 1998, 25000 Christians embraced the religion of their forefathers in
just two months. The submissive Hindu who had been hitherto terrorized
by the Christian missionaries began to assert himself. "Hindu jaage,
Christi bhaage" became a popular slogan of the vanavasis of Dang. From
1998-2004, a total of 55 Vishal Hindu Sammelans were organized. These
were attended by a total of four lakh Hindus. As Hindus objected to
conversion activities of Christian missionaries, clashes broke out. The
so-called mainstream media used this pretext to tarnish the Hindus. In
December 2004, press reporters from 40 countries descended upon the
Dangs and spread a misinformation campaign. As a result, the court
restrained the Hindus from conducting any public ceremony around
Christmas in future. Meanwhile, the tide of Hindu awakening only
swelled. Today, Christian conversion activities have come to a halt not
only in Dangs but also in the surrounding twelve districts.
In 2002, Hindu activists approached the famed Ramayana kathakar Sri Morari Bapu and told him, "You mesmerise thousands with Ram Katha. We request you to organize Ram Katha in Dang wher Sri Rama himself spent some time". Sri Morari Bapu readily agreed. The tremendous response overwhelmed Sri Morari . In the course of his speech, he spontaneously expressed the desire that a formal kumbh be organized at the spot where Shabari Mata had met Sri Rama. Sri Morari Bapus desire was taken up as an order to be implemented. Thus was born the idea of Shabari kumbh.
Scale
of the Shabari Kumbh
Organizing a kumbh in a remote, heavily forested area is a nightmare as
far as logistics is concerned. It requires steely resolve, meticulous
planning and precision to make the programme a grand success. The 352
villages in Dang district had no electricity, or roads; the town of
Ahwa is a good 35 km from the proposed site of the kumbh There are no
medical facilities or eateries in the vicinity. But the famed
organizational might of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vanavasi
Kalyan Ashram, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other like-minded
organizations is in full gear. Realizing the importance of such a
venture to the state of Gujarat, the state government of Shri Narendra
Modi has extended full co-operation. Planning started atleast one and a
half years ago. A 250-200 hectare site has been chosen for the kumbh.
The state government has undertaken construction of roads on a war
footing. All the 352 villages of Dang have got electrification. A total
of 22 check dams have been built on the river that feeds the Pampa
sarovar where the holy bath will take place. A total of 20 lakh
vanavasis reside in an area of 80 km around Dang. A survey of 5000
villages in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh was completed in the
initial phase. Around 30-35 lakh vanavasis were contacted in this
massive exercise. An estimated six lakh Hindus will attend the kumbh;
of these, around two lakh are likely to stay for all three days. To
arrange for their lodging, 40 townships each with a capacity of 5000
people will be erected. Each township will have 100 workers to look
after various arrangements such as security, food, medical aid etc.
Thus a total of 4000 workers will be required to look after the
arrangements in the townships; an additional 2000 workers will be
involved in other arrangemets.
About 388 vanavasi janajatis and 137 urban jatis which are
currently facing missionary onslaught will be represented at the kumbh.
Further, dharmacharyas from all over the country including 800 vanavasi
sants will be attending the kumbh and taking part in the deliberations.
Each participant will be given a locket of his ishtadevata; Around 20
lakh lockets, 5 lakh Hanuman chalisa and 5 lakh bhagwa dhwaj will be
distributed.
Programme
11 February 2006 | Sri Morari Bapu, Swami Satyamitanandji Gri (Haridwar) | Mahila sammelan to be attended by 70-80000 women, to be addressed by Sadhvi Shiva Saraswati |
12 February 2006 | Ma. Sri Sudarshanji, Swami Avdheshananda of Juna Akhada | Yuvak sammelan |
13 Februray 2006 | Sadhvi Ritambaraji, Shrimad Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth | water from sacred rivers all over Bharat will be poured in the Pampa sarovar |
There will be an exhibition of vanavasi freedom-fighters and heroes as
also sixteen vanavasi dance performances, each of 1-2 hours duration on
eight different platforms during the kumbh.
Budget
As expected, the budget of this kumbh will run into crores. Even at the
rate of Rs. 6 per food plate, the cost of feeding the kumbh
participants daily runs into lakhs.
What after the kumbh?
The kumbh will provide a boost to the Hindu movement in Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In particular, the vanavasi Hindu will
get tremendous confidence. The momentum generated by the kumbh is
expected to trigger the reurn of thousands of Christian vanavasi
converts back to the Hindu fold. A disinformation campaign has already
been started by the so-called mainstream media. Allegations of damage
to the environment are being made. These are totally baseless; fact is
not a single tree has been cut. This fact has been written by the
district magistrate himself in a letter to the Governor. In fact, the
tourism in this area will receive a boost as the Gujarat government
plans to make this into a full-fledged tourism spot. Infrastructure in
this area has been completed thanks to the kumbh. Building of 22 check
dams on the local river will ensure uninterrupted water flow all year
around A permanent hospital will come up near the site of the kumbh
which will be devoted mainly to diseases of women.
What we can do?
Workers in their thousands are required in the arrangements of the
kumbh. We can volunteer to spend 7 or 14 or 30 days in the run up to
the kumbh Generous donations are required to meet the expenses of this
massive event. The success of this event depends on the active
co-operation of all Hindus All donation are exempt under section 80 G
of Income Tax Act. Cheques may be drawn in the name of Shri Shabri
Kumbh Samaroh Aayojan Samiti. Donations may be sent to RSS Office.