Integrated Development of Tribal Regions


The forest-dwellers community are our berthren, sharing our blood and muscle.

Activities in Forest Areas

Call of P.P. SRI GURUJI

"There is need for us to go to forests and valleys, help the communities dwelling there to earn decent livelihood by providing required knowledge and information, make available to them the means for a happier life and, simultaneously, awaken in them a sense of oneness with the rest of the country and instil pride in their hoary Dharma by inculcating in them pure love towards the Lord. We have to extend our helping hand in all such programmes, that all the primary necessities of these brethren are met. We have to start schools, hostels and training centres so that the Vanvasis have access to all needed services".
Workers Respond

Thud did P.P.Sri Guruji issue the call to social workers to go the forest regions and settlements in the hinterland to serve the people there. The workers did not look upon it as a mere suggestion or injunction, but as a reminder to them to fulfil a moral obligation.
Many gave up the comforts of urban life, left behind the cities they were born and brought up in and left on the mission of becoming one with the Vanvasi brethren, sharing in their joys and sorrows, inspiring self-confidence in them and helping them become self-reliant. They had to devise their own ways of fighting darkness and conquering it. They are succeeding in achieving the all-round development of Vanvasis and in making them their own.
Brilliant products of IITs, medical colleges and universities, engineers and doctors, teachers, graduates, subject specialists, bright youths, experienced social workers; - all came with the single motive of helping in the development of their fellow-being and through it, helping the cause of the entire society and nation.
Source of Inspiration

It was by no means an easy task. But they had a divine source of inspiration - that of none than Lord Sri Ram, his life full of sacrifice, his exemplary conduct, his warm friendship for the Nishada tribal king, his humility in accepting, the fruit-offering from even no humble a devotee as Shabari. Sri Ram himself was a Vanvasi in the prime of his life, overcoming untold hardships, obstacles and hostilities from many quarters.

Realities of Forest Life

When treams of motivated Sangh workers reached the forest areas, what did they find? No roads anywhere no modes of transportation; life's boundaries were set by what little distance the feet could negotiate, and by what the eye, ear and mind could grasp in that range. No grain to feed the stomach, no clothes to cover the body, no resting-place. Such was life. Where should they go to learn? Who would teach them? There were neither schools nor teachers within miles. If there is attack of any disease, even essential medicines are unavailable. No helping hand to relieve the pain of a pregnant woman. Neither doctor nor dispensary is in sight.
But even amidst such harsh environs, life goes on. To fall back on, they have only the village goddess 'Sarna'. When there is sickness the local 'witch doctor' and his blowing are the only sources of relief. A couple of pots of rice, toddy from date palms and wine from mahua trees - these are the only conveniences which make life sufferable. Intoxication from wine is further enlivened by dance, song and cock-fight. Food is spiced by such exotica as ants. Even people in such glorious isolation become fodder for the ubiquitous Christian missionaries.

"Become God to Serve God"

The life in such wilderness reminded a karyakarta of the saying "Shivo bhootwa shivam yajet" - one has to be himself become God to serve Him. In fact formula became the motto of his life. He instantly discarded his city clothes; then onwards a single piece of coarse clothing covering the body and a towel on his shoulder formed his attire. He had indeed himself become a Vanvasi - not merely in dress but even in mind and life-style. When the person, the medium and the goal become one, God is realised.

A Quiet Luminescence

Sangh karyakartas entered the hilly regions inhabited by forest tribes in the Bishnupur block of Bihar in 1972. After a year's incessant labours, the project was named as 'Vikas Bharati' in 1973. That little seed has now grown into a mighty tree, its shade bringing succour to people of this region, and its fruit and flower spreading nourishment and fragrance.

The Tree of Education Spreads

Educational activities have been spreading, not in one or two villges, but in hundreds of villages. As education moulds life, a Shisha Samsthan was formed in Chotanagpur as part of rural-teacher primary schools and 30 high schools are functioning at present. In addition the Samsthan also runs a science museum, library and reading-room.
There are some remote villages which do not yet have Vidyalays. For one such area a semi-residential school 'Shram Niketan' has been started. Children from neighbouring villages attend his school as 'day scholars', while arrangements have been mede for the stay of about 40 students. Two hostels 'Shishu Vihar' and 'Ekalavya Ashram house 60 and 40 students repectively who are studying in different schools.

De-Addiction

Drinking is a deep-habit in most Vanvasi villages. But educating the villagers about its effects does have an impact. Anti-liquor campaign has been vigorously carried on in all the five hundred villages of this region and, as a result, drinking has diminished considerably.

Friends of Trees

The trees are our friends; and the greater the number of friends, the more felicitous life becomes. Based on this concept, a 'Vriksha Mitra' movement was carried on. Over 17 lakhs trees were planted all over the region. Because of these efforts, tree-felling has stopped, greenery has increased, and atmosphere pollution has decreased.

Earth as Mother

The earth is our mother; and plants and trees are her ornamentation. It is tree-growth which conserves earth by preventing erosion; and trees provide the numerous necessities of life. There is therefore need to plant trees constantly, and also to protect them form reckless felling. The youth and women have increasingly realised the importance of conservation; they kept vigil during night and day and prevented illegal tree-felling by corrupt officials and the jungle mafia.

Agricultural Implements

The Krishi-yantra Karyashala focuses on improving the efficiency of traditional local agricultural implements. Traditional techniques of melting metals are being tried. When an exhibition of these machines and implements was held, many senior engineers and agricultural experts were surprised that such superior technology was indigenously available.

Samskar: An Eternal Stream

Formal learning has to be supplemented by Samskars. For this purpose, Ashrams have been started in the names of Takshashila, Vishwakarma, Sant Kabir, Nivedita, Valmiki and Keshav. Through these Ashrams a generation of Arunis and Abhimanyus is being created.

Workers Respond

From Fountainhead Towards the Ocean

A reputed periodical had once written:
"Welfare programmes of government involving enormous expense had made little impact on the lives of the tribals. But the efforts of Vikar Bharati have definitely illumined the lives of Vanvasis. The Vikas Bharati stream, which originated in the fountainhead called Sangh, has been quietly flowing towards the ocean called society, gathering many additional streams on the way. Numerous karyakartas have totally identified themselves with the Vanvasi community. Ashok Roy, a Sangh karykarta with high academic qualification, has now become 'Ahok Bhagat'".
Thousands of Sangh Karyakartas have offered their entire lives at the feet of Mother Bharat, identifying themselves with the sacred duty of Sewa, with an ambition to raise the nation once again to the pinnacle of glory.

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