Foodgrain distribution to the needy in Sudan

Raj Saubhag Ashram mumukshu, Ashokbhai Parekh sponsored and organized foodgrain distribution drive to the needy in Sudan, in cooperation with volunteers from Arham Group (mumukshus of Pujya Namra Muni) and a local Sudanese NGO.  His wife, Parulben also wholeheartedly supported and participated in the distribution drive.

A total of 2,700 cartons were distributed in various regions in the suburbs of capital city Khartoum and Omdurman. Beneficiaries consisted of previously identified needy families, who expressed gratitude and gave heartfelt blessings on receiving their precious gifts.  Among the benefactors were 50 blind people.

Wheat, flour, lentils, dal, rice, sugar, chickpeas, dates, fruit drink powder and sunflower oil were distributed to individual families in their homes by volunteers who cheerfully worked long hours in the extremely hot climate.

The governor of Omdurman City and President of Omdurman Indian Community were present to witness this humanitarian activity, which was covered by the local news channels, radio stations and newspapers.

Ashokbhai Parekh said: “This activity was carried out under the grace of our Guru, Pujya Bhaishree.  His inspiration and his krupa inspired us to serve our fellow beings.”

We rise by lifting others - Seva activity by Raj Saubhag Dubai Mumukshus

On a warm morning of 12th May, 43 enthusiastic volunteers gathered in Sajja labour camp in Sharjah to distribute to 450 + 50 (total beneficiaries 500) labourers - rice, sugar, dal, dry fruits, dates, biscuits, t-shirts and caps.  This was part of the seva activity undertaken bymumukshus on a regular basis.  Surging ahead the labourers gratefully received their share, smiling widely on receiving the precious gifts. 

A total of 1500 kilos of foodgrains, 225 kilos of dates, 50 kilos of nuts and dried fruits were repackaged into individual bags and distributed.  The task of repackaging took 3 days, and volunteers participated in the entire process wholeheartedly and selflessly, fully aware that the smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.


We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone

LMV Girls High College celebrates its 10th and 12th Standard Graduation and Leaving ceremony

27th February 2017

On this day Shree LMV Girls High School and College celebrated the 10th anniversary of the college, the graduation of 10th and 12th standard as well as Param Pujya Ladakchand Bapuji's Birthday.

Head teacher Shree Chandrakantbhai Vyas reaffirmed the school and college's aim to give all girls the opportunity of education, independence and freedom in life, whatever their background and ability. He gave his heart felt blessings and best wishes to the graduating girls and best wishes for those sitting exams.

The atmosphere created in the school is that of a family. Love, support, education, life lessons, and friendship. The teachers see their students as their children, and now that they are leaving they were overcome with emotion. The students in reciprocation were grateful for everything they had received, they expressed their love for the school, the protective nurturing environment, the advice from the teachers and the friendships they had made. In their dances, their plays and their orations they marked their gratitude. The leaving students make a collection every year to donate equipment to the school as their leaving legacy. Microphone and speaker systems, carpets for the assembly hall, whatever the need they fulfill to their ability. Such a harmonious friendship is rare to witness between the students, their school and teachers. A privilege to witness. The students welcomed all the visitors with hand drawn individual cards made by the students themselves. over 50 cards were given, each with a beautiful message or quote from a Mahatma.

Param Pujya Bhaishree, Br. Minalben and Br. Vikrambhai gave their blessings to departing students: "live you life immersed always in good thought (suvicharna), be noble and truthful in all you, realise your weaknesses and cultivate yourself to become all you can be, expand your potential and there is nothing you cannot achieve in life. Above all imbibe spirituality into your lives."

Gift of Buddha Bhagwan picture to Chandrakantbhai Vyas for the school's principal office.

Prem ni Parab - Annual Celebration 2017

Prem ni Parab Annual Celebration

31st July 2017

Prem ni Parab is the educational initiative that Shree Raj Saubhag Ashram runs to inspire the potential in all the students and teachers in the 132 schools of Sayla District.

Every year all schools take part in an annual festival that includes sport, drama, art, elocution, creative writing, dance, music and much more. A healthy and friendly sense of competition between schools is held in January and culminates in the Annual celebration where under the grace and blessings of Param Pujya Bhaishree and invited saints, guests and educationalists, the students perform in their final competitions and are given their awards.

This year marked the 13th year of the Prem ni Parab project. In the annual celebration at the Ashram: 1373 students and 430 teachers participated, 113 schools were represented and 50 invited educationalists graced the event.  

The event started with torches being lit in Param Pujya Bapuji's Kutir. These were carried in procession to the main event hall within the Ashram grounds and used to light the witness flame that sits at the front of the stage.

Blessings were given by the invited guests after which the students displayed their skills and talents to the awe of the audience.

Every year a 'Best School Award', 'Best Teacher Award' and 'Best Male and Best Female Student Award' is handed out in an Awards Ceremony.

The key invited guest was Swami Nikhileswaranandaji Maharaj, the head of the Vadodara centre of Ramakrishna Mission, an organisation started by Swami Vivekananda over a hundred years ago. A graduate Chemical and Industrial Engineer, Swamiji renounced the world and joined the Ramakrishna order in 1976. Since he has written many books, traveled much of the world and in many languages taught and inspired the universal message of Vedanta to many a seeker. We were very fortunate to be in his graceful presence during this event. Param Pujya Bhaishree and Swamiji were in harmony, so much warmth and friendship was seen in their interaction.

To watch the children, laugh, clap, run and get up to mischief was fun to watch. To see their immense potential displayed on stage was amazing and just shows what a conducive educational environment with love and prem at its heart can do to inspire young minds. On everyone's lips was nothing but praise and Shree Chandrakantbhai Vyas the programme director is very worthy of all the accolades he was given. With such humility and love he has cultivated, managed and inspired the schools, the teachers, the parents and most of all the students. Like a grandfather he pats them lovingly on the head and gives them each a few words of wisdom. It is rare to see all teachers and students and workers all in harmony, working with energy, enthusiasm and love in a meticulously planned and well structured celebration and project where the students are the heart of everything that is done. Maximum efforts were made to be as inclusive of as many students and teachers as possible. This celebration was their celebration, and you could see how much they were enjoying it.

These past 13 years have been transformative for the primary and secondary education in Sayla District. Long may it continue and may its ripples uplift society in this area for many generations.

Women's blood donation camp organised by the students of LMV Girls High School and College

Women's blood donation drive

On 26th January, Republic Day, LMV Girls HIgh School and College hosted a flag hoisting ceremony. Along with this, the girls organised a women's blood donation camp, a first for Sayla.

People living in Indian townships like Sayla often have outdated mindsets - one among them is that women should not donate blood, as it might make them either weak or expose them to the risk of infectious disease. A women's-only blood donation drive was organised to overcome such old fashioned views and educate the local society in its importance and value. 

In the run up to the camp, student volunteers from the school and college went door-to-door to every house in Sayla for over a week, educating and encouraging the women to come and donate blood.

As a result, over 151 women registered their names. After going through medical screening a total of 33 women and girls and 5 men donated their blood. This was sent to C. U. Shah Medical College, Surendranagar for medical use.  Retired teacher Harshadbhai Shukla sponsored breakfast to the donors, and also gifted each lady a copy of the Bhagvad Gita and a travel bag as a token of appreciation.

Directors of the LMV school and college hope to organise such blood donation camps as often as possible and continue to play their role in society to help educate and raise awareness around public health issues.

Viklang Sadhan Vitran Camp - Dec 2016

Viklang Sadhan Vitran Camp

23rd Dec 2016

An aids and appliances support camp was sponsored by Dubai based mumukshus - Vipulbhai and Deepaliben Kothari on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary.  They dedicated the handicapped support camp to their parents - (Late) Ramnikbhai and Taruben Kothari.  Taruben was present at the event. Here below they share their experience:

We ended a divine tirth yatra day with great memories of Param Pujya Bhaishree’s sanidhya and vibrations. By evening I was feeling little sad that dharma yatra had come to an end but little did I realize that the next day at Viklang Sadhan Sahay Camp (support camp for the handicapped) would be the biggest of dharma-yatra of my life.

The morning began with blessings from Pujya Bhaishree and privilege of chaitya vandan and puja at great Jhagadia Jain Tirth with Pujya Gurudev. After a satvik breakfast, the entire Sayla parivar left for village Asa, a small village of probably less than few thousand population, approximately an hour’s drive from Jhagadia. Due to bad road condition, we got little delayed but could feel samtabhav (equanimity) of Pujya Bhaishree, who is usually very particular about punctuality.

On reaching the campsite at Nirlobhi Ashram site, we were overwhelmed by the cordial welcome given to us by the entire community including the volunteers. The event opened with a beautiful recitation of a stuti (prayer).

The entire team of volunteers of Ashirvad Trust for the Disabled, Sayla, under the leadership of Rambhai Jadav had worked tirelessly for over 2 months, coordinating and facilitating this mammoth event.

Warmly welcoming Pujya Bhaishree and mumukshus of Raj Saubhag Ashram, Sayla, Jadavbhai applauded the role of Late Shri Arunbhai in initiating such support camps for the disabled and ensuring its continued success.

Pujya Bhaishree blessed all the souls present, especially the “divyang’s” (differently-abled divine souls) who would be beneficiaries of the sadhan vitran camp and wished them improvement in their and their families’ lives and urged them to use the equipment for upliftment of their physical, emotional and social well-being.

Pujya Vikrambhai very aptly said that “divyang’s” should not worry or be withdrawn about their physical limitations since it is not physical challenges that hold back a person from reaching his potential but the mental blocks which is the real cause of concern.

The efforts of the Ashram’s team of volunteers over a 2-month period involved the survey of almost 150 villages around Bharuch, and identifying 700 potential needy persons from which final 475 were shortlisted to be the beneficiaries of the handicapped aid camp.  The poor people would receive equipment like wheel chairs, hand cycle, crutches, hearing aid, prosthetic limb etc depending on their specific need.

So elaborate and meticulous were the efforts and planning that every part of the camp and distribution was very precisely executed. The beneficiaries and their families were also so disciplined that despite large number of beneficiaries and their accompanying family members, the distribution of aid and equipment in respective tents went off in perfectly planned manner. All the visitors, beneficiaries with their accompanying family members were then treated with a delicious lunch organized at the camp venue.

We were so overcome with joy due to the love and affection of all and of-course a very well planned / executed and disciplined approach of everyone including volunteers and beneficiaries, that words fail me. It wasextreme satisfaction and gratitude that me and my family experienced when we saw a sparkle in eyes of the beneficiaries a they received the equipment and their happiness that now their lives would now be much better.

We truly were fortunate to have been able to witness and participate in this noble activity that the Ashram carries on without discrimination of any caste / creed / religion / beliefs of the beneficiaries, with one simple motto of helping someone in need. I am sure “prabhu krupa” and “sadguru krupa” was bestowed on us to enable us to be a part, albeit a very small, of this vitran camp. This camp opened our eyes to the hardships and difficulties that many have to go through and sometimes for very small matters or lack of support; and how fortunate we have been probably due to our past karmas.

Our hearts go out to all those who suffer due to their physical or mental shortcomings or lack of resources and deeply feel that we should continue on this journey further to assist in whatever small way that we can to lend a helping hand to others to overcome their sufferings.

We bow down to Pujya Bhaishree, Pujya Vikrambhai and also entire team of Sayla ashram to make us realize that “manav seva” is the best form of “Prabhu seva” and in that sense this was probably the biggest of “dharma yatra” that we have ever been to.

Vipul Kothari, Chartered Accountant, Dubai

Dubai Seva Activity

Dubai seva activity

December 2016

When one admires beautiful buildings, one scarcely gives even a passing thought to the sweat, toil, tears and sheer hard work put in by labourers who have given their all in constructing these imposing structures.

Mumukshus of Raj Saubhag Dubai group organized a Seva activity at 2 labour camps in Mankhool and Al Jadaf area by giving away goody bags – filled with essentials like rice, dal, sugar, tea, biscuits, almonds and t-shirts – trying in their own small way to bring a smile on their tired faces.

Queueing up excitedly the labourers were happy to receive their gift, cheerfully exclaiming, "Hey, there are almonds in my bag!",  and " I got dal as well".

Mumukshus too departed resolving to do more for these poor people and hoping they were able to restore faith in human values in the hearts of these labourers.

LMV College and SPIPA host Joint event in Sayla

તા: ૧૯-૭-૨૦૧૬ ના રોજ પૂજ્ય એલ.એમ.વોરા કોલેજ ઓફ આર્ટસ & કોમર્સ-સાયલામાં 'SPIPA' (સરદાર પટેલ લોક પ્રશાસન સંસ્થા-અમદાવાદ) અને જીલ્લા રોજગાર કચેરી-સુરેન્દ્રનગર અંતર્ગત "કારકિર્દી માર્ગદર્શન સેમિનાર" યોજાયો. જેમાં 'સ્પીપા' માંથી ડૉ. રાજેશભાઈ અને રોજગાર કચેરીમાંથી જીલ્લા રોજગાર અધિકારી શ્રી જેઠવા સાહેબ આવ્યા હતા. બંને તજજ્ઞો દ્વારા વિદ્યાર્થિનીઓને સુંદર માર્ગદર્શન આપવામાં આવ્યું.