VISHWA SHANTI HAVAN

46-48 Loughborough Road, Leicester, LE4 5LD II [email protected] II Registered Charity No. 267309 II www.hssuk.org

APR 2020 EDITION

Sangh Mail is an internal organizational publication and for well-wishers to keep them informed on recent updates and news on a monthly basis. It is not for public distribution.

Please continue to send in your news and views related to your shakhas /Swayamsevaks/ Sevikas/ for wider sharing and inspiration at [email protected]

VISHWA SHANTI HAVAN

mailto:[email protected]


APR 2020 EDITION

Contact us: [email protected] 2

On the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritya, swayamsevaks, sevikas, and their families all came together to participate in a Vishwa Shanti Havan Yajna ceremony to pray for the good health and wellbeing of all in this current situation. The havan ceremony was led by Shri Nawal Kantji Prinja. The e-Shakha that followed saw an opening Marg Darshan from Man. Sanghachalakji Shri Dhirajji Shah and an enlightening bauddhik from Dr. Shri Ramji Vaidya.

VISHWA SHANTI YAJNA AND NATIONAL E-SHAKHA TOPS AN ATTENDANCE OF 1,250!

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MAR 2020 Mar 18, Leicester Sindhu shakha held its first E shakha. Northampton, Nottingham and other Leicester Nagar Shakha’s also attended. 16 sevikas were on the call in which we undertook regular activities like mantras, bauddhik, prarthnaa. Sindhu Shakha Baudhik Pramukh ShivanibenKnadoi (aged 14) led a quiz, that was challanging, enjoyable, educational and informative. It was so successful that the following week [Mar 25] we celebrated Varsh Pratipada Utsavand again East Vibhag Shakha’s also participated. 25 sevikaswere on the call. We had a special bauddhik on VarshPratipada by Leicester Nagar’s hidden bright Diamond Anishaben Rathod. It was very inspirational and some of the points were touching. Our thanks to Deepwandanaben and Hetalben Acharya who made these e-Shakha successful. Kalpana Chhagan, Kantaben Varia - Sindhu ShakhaKaryawahikas

APR 2020 In a first for Liverpool and Swindon shakhasthere was an inter-Vibhag Samilit Shakha on Friday 24th April. Sankhya was approx. 70 – and all enjoyed a session full of excitement and learning.

The event included: Dhwajarohan, Warmup, Yoga, Satat Yog and Surya Namaskar, exciting new Khel, Shubhashit, Shlokas, Sangh Geet and Bauddhik on ‘Effective Hindu traditions help fighting the pandemics’Ashish Channawar

E-SHAKHAs – GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

E-SHAKHA – LIVERPOOL & SWINDON

E-SHAKHA - LEIECESTER

E-SHAKHA – CHELTENHAM BG CELEBRATE THEIR 2nd BIRTHDAY

Cheltenham Balagokulam marked their dwitiya Vardhapan Din - 2nd Anniversary celebration.Sankhya was 61 and the occasion was graced by Aadarniya Ramji and Aadarniya Chandrakantji who gave the bauddhik. The team put together a very nice summary presentation which included testimonials from participants. Ashish Channawar

E-SHAKHA – LEAMINGTON SPA – LIGHTING DIYAS OF SOLIDARITYLeamington Sanskar Pariwar lit diyas at 4:30 pm BST (9 pm IST) in our e-Shakha to support PM Modiji's call in the fight against corona virus. We lit Diyas for 9 minutes, and everyone sang 5 Gayatri Mantras, chanted Om Namah Shivay 5 times and did Anulom Vilompranayam for rest of the remaining 9 minutes. It was an uplifting experience. We wish this world success in fighting corona virusPritesh Mistry, West Midlands Vibhag Karyawaha

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DAILY E-SHAKHAs – MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR THE MIND, BODY & SOUL!

As we know, with the addition of our local e-shākahās, we have various initiatives running during the nationwide lockdown. These initiatives have ensured we are maintaining and building our physical, intellectual, mental and spiritual well-being. A total of 32 towns from all over the country have joined in these initiatives.

MORNING ISH CHINTAN, E-SHAKHA AND YOGA

Weekday mornings (8.00 - 9.00) consists of reciting Ish Chintan, Namaskār Mantrax, Ekātamatā Mantra and e-shākhā. This is followed by a 40 minute yoga session consisting of warmup, prānāyāma and āsanas. The average sankhyā has been 65

LUNCHTIME FITNESS

Tuesday to Thursday (13.00 - 13.45) is lunchtime fitness. This is where we have been focusing on the development of stamina, strength and flexibility. Running sessions such as high intensity interval training (HIIT), heavy exercise such as pushups, setups, squats and core strength building exercises and various yoga sessions from vinyasa yoga to yin yoga for restoration and spine alignment. The average sankhyā has been 38

CHAIR YOGA

Mondays and Thursdays (11.00 -12.00) is chair yoga. This is great for the elderly and those less physically able. From satatyog to surynamaskār, all is adapted to fit in with chair yoga. The average sankhyā has been 48

BĀL / BĀLIKĀ CHALLENGES

A workbook for children (and families) has been published to ensure our children are also developing. The workbook consists of a number of bauddhik and shareerikchallenges which can be completed as a family such as naming characters from the Rāmāyana to doing 5 pushups.

It has been great to have so many of us participating in these initiatives. Let’s ensure we continue our development and maintain our health. Let’s also encourage those who have not yet been able to join in any of the sessions to do so. For full list of initiatives, joining details and download links, visit https://hssuk.org/online.

For those unable to make the live sessions, we have some sessions recorded which you can follow in your own time.

https://hssuk.org/online

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1N9mEbY8zDjnepVW1VIf7TqVlUoNv3Hqw?usp=sharing

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APR 2020 Over the past 3 weeks, Yog-Kulam has been delivering video seminars called Lets Breathe. The aim of the

seminars are to share simple pranayama and yogasana techniques to help calm and centre individuals during this

unprecedented and stressful time. As we have all had to quickly change our routines these simple techniques will

help to reduce anxiety and stress. The first seminar was targeted at Teachers, the second to all Keyworkers. The last

two seminars will be opened up to a wider audience, the third title being Friends, Lets Breathe. We hope you can

join and the last seminar, Everybody, Lets Breath. Smt. Madhviben Haria

YOG-KULAM – HELPING YOU BREATHE EASY

APR 2020 April saw the launch of our National Suryanamaskar Yagna – which has seen friends and families get

together for daily Suryanamaskars! Tales of teams outbidding each other on daily achievements have gone viral –

with some teams [and individuals!] reaching the hundreds on a daily basis. By 12 April, we had recorded 100,000

suryanamaskars, and by 25 April it had reached the heady heights of 300,000. Over 70 shakhas have participated

from all over the country as far up north as Aberdeen, all the way to South London. There has also been over 1,000

participants. Can you guess what the final number of suryanamaskars performed will be? Mitesh Sevani

SURYANAMASKAR YAGNA

TEA-TIME!

During the Corona Lockdown, with Netflix, tiktokand social media dominating our times we the Tarun’s came together to discuss various behaviours pre and post Covid-19. Tarun vibhaghosted a “chai and chat” session with Shri Dr Ram Vaidya with an attendance of 30 like minded Swayamsevaks. Look out for the next one!Nikhil Parbat, Woolwich

APR 2020 EDITION


APR 2020 Bradford Balagokulam have been busy drawing rainbows, sharing their rays of joy and hope in these times of turmoil. Dipali Patel

BRADFORD BALAGOKULAM – RAYS OF SUNSHINE!

HALIFAX & HUDDERSFIELD BG – DRAWING THEIR TOKENS OF APPRECIATION

APR 2020 Halifax and Huddersfield Balagokulum keeping themselves busy during this lockdown through their e-

shakhas creating Thank You posters for NHS heroes, acknowledging the service of postmen/ women and also

creating Thank You posters for our refuse collectors who are all doing a great job in these testing times! Dipali Patel

APR 2020 Sun 5 April Shri Bhaiyyaji Joshi addressed our Sangh Parivar with a topical

bauddhik on Timeless Values, Evolving Challenges and Dynamic Karyakartas. With a

logged in participation of over 560 sessions, actual attendance stood at approx 1000. If

you were unable to attend the bauddhik, or would like to hear it again – then the talk

can be viewed at - https://youtu.be/q4yN6J9xJeI . Whilst the bauddhik was delivered in

Hindi, an English transcript has been made available – and appended to this edition.

TIMELESS VALUES, EVOLVING CHALLENGES, DYNAMIC KARYAKARTAS

Shri Bhaiyyaji Joshi – Man.Sarkaryawaha, RSS [General Secretary]

…we should do the work without any expectation of the personal rewards of the work (phal) or “what will I get of out of it”, rather we should do it sincerely and with full efforts and we will automatically achieve the intended goal. When we do Sangh Karya as a Swayamsevak or Sevika, these characteristics are developed in us. Swami Vivekananda called it a “Man Making Mission” and on similar lines, our very own PujaniyaDoctorji called is “Vyakti Nirman”.

Here is an excerpt to whet your appetite…

“

”SAMSKRITA BHARATHI – STUDENTS SHOWING A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE

APR 2020 One month ago an online Sanskrit learning project was launched for 10-16 year olds. Within a few days

a tremendous uptake of 265 students had enrolled. 13 batches are now being schooled on a weekly basis.

These sessions will now run for about 10 weeks. Not to be left behind, many adults have also registered their

interest for classes also. Sankrit Bharati will soon announce something for them also.

Bharatiben Patel, Samskrita Bharati.

https://youtu.be/q4yN6J9xJeI

APR 2020 EDITION


Over 1400 Volunteers

28 Regional Teams

40+ Foodbanks Replenished

50+ Hospitals Serviced

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Through this campaign we’ve been asking young children to submit drawings, letters, poems to help ‘Spread some Joy’ to the elderly, Care Workers, and NHS staff. We’ve had an amazing response both in terms of submissions [from all over the world!] and feedback from recipients – an amazing effort from all – Thank You. If you’d like to contribute or get involved please contact us at [email protected]

SPREAD SOME JOY!


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Food banks are receiving less than half their normal donations but demand has gone up by astaggering 300%. Many food banks couldn’t cope and have simply closed down. Sewa Daytook on the challenge and have worked tirelessly to restock a growing number of foodbanks. Working with partner charities, supermarkets and other corporate donors ourvolunteers have also provided for homeless/ womens shelters and the Salvation Army. Ifyou’d like to contribute or get involved please contact us at [email protected]

REPLENISH FOOD BANKS


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The first campaign focuses on an individual level where we ask everyone to tell theirneighbours and friends that they are willing to help. It starts by simply sharing a graphic andcalling their nearest & dearest to ensure they know that there is somebody they can reachout to if they need help during the difficult weeks ahead. If you’d like to contribute or getinvolved please contact us at [email protected]

HELP YOUR NEIGHBOUR

APR 2020 Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh and Samiti from Basingstoke supporting INSA (Indian National Student Association) collected £600 to buy the Indian grocery for Indian students suffering economically due to Corona situation. A total of 600 kg grocery has been delivered to a centre who will further distribute this to students in the Hampshire area.

BASINGSTOKE – RAISE £600 TO HELP INDIAN NATIONAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION


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Looking after our front liners is of utmost importance, but we have a unique systemwhere hospitals tell us what they need and our fantastic volunteers work tirelessly to sourceit. From snacks drinks, facemasks to the increasing demand for hand creams and furniturefor doctor rest rooms, we work hard to source and fund what is required. Already serving50+ hospitals and growing, other organisations use us to as a key link to access front liners.If you’d like to contribute or get involved please contact us at [email protected]

CARE FOR THE FRONT LINERS


APR 2020 EDITION


…and the work not only continues in the UK – but worldwide – as our partner organisations team up internationally to deliver the aid, care, and equipment to those who need it most. HSS Uganda handed over 1000 food packets to task force in the presence of Nakawa Mayor, honorable MP for Nakawa and honorable Minister Mr Chris task force in charge of Nakawa division. 1000 packets were distributed to taxi drivers in the division.

CARE FOR THE FRONT LINERS – INTERNATIONAL EFFORT

Here’s some of the work being done in Mombasa - where they have delivered over 700 masks, and over 20 soapcartons [figures early April]

APR 2020 EDITION


OUR CONDOLENCES

The impact of COVID-19 becomes ever more real – when the impact is closest to home. The virus is indiscriminate – and it is with sincere sadness that we also acknowledge the heavy impact it has had on our Sangh Parivar.

As you read this page….

…our humble request is to observe a minutes silence….

…and offer your prayers for eternal peace and sadgati to the departed souls.

Om shantih, shanith, shantih

APR 2020 EDITION


1. Provide a summary - try to keep articles down to 100 words or less, but if you can't, be sure to include a summary. That way we ensure we don't miss out on the best bits.

2. A picture tells a thousand words - it also provides that 'I wish you were here' moment!3. A thousand pictures on the other hand.... We have tremendous fun looking at your snaps, but if you can share the

ones you'd suggest to include [from a google share for example], then we'll make sure that we get your best side4. Tell us who you are - its an opportunity to get to know one another; so include your name, location and

responsibility [where relevant]. If you don’t object – we’d also like to include your email address so others can get in touch for more information.

WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! To help in publication here are few points when submitting news items:

Check the NHS website if you have symptoms

Stay at homeIf you must leave the house for the limited purposes shared by government then you must still minimise time spent outside of the home ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

Social Distancing

Follow self isolation guidelines if you or someone you live has symptoms. Check the NHS website if you have symptoms for help and support needed

ProtectHelp stop the infection from spreading – follow government guidelines. Look after you health and wellbeing

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms-and-what-to-do/

VISHWA SHANTI HAVAN

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