Friday, February 20, 2009

FIVEFOLD SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE

Witty, Guruji does not take offence even to the most offensive questions or when somebody took him lightly.
A chit in the question box said: "Can I recommend to you a good barber?"
Spontaneously Ravishankarji pointed to his flowing tresses and beard and smiled: "I don't need a barber, because my hair is not entangled. Hair is like thoughts. Neither my hair nor my thoughts are entangled, because I have the comb of knowledge."
The audience broke out into an appreciative applause.
He has a unique combination of wit and wisdom, of seriousness and frolic.

Much later I learned that this is the Art of Living: to accept creation in its totality.
Sri Sri Ravishankar's mission for the future is the 5H Program.
This means health, hygiene, housing, harmony in diversity and human values.
The aim: to bring about a social transformation so that the complete potential of each individual is expressed. Ravishankar personally supervises this program. He is also a founder member of the International Association for Human Values, a nonprofit educational organization committed to nurturing human values in society.
For this purpose, he has a network of highly motivated, well-trained personnel. The Youth Training Program (YTP) is perhaps the most ambitious program to educate the rural community.
There are specially trained yuvacharyas (young teachers) for it. Most are volunteers, inspired by Ravishankar to do service where it is most needed. Sarvodaya Vidyalayas have already been started in some rural areas and more are being set up in tribal areas. Another charitable trust, Sri Sri Vidya Mandir, has also been founded to spread education. Besides education, other activities include distribution of clothes to the poor, setting up medical camps, formation of local cooperative groups, and even creating sanitation facilities.

No comments: