Tarun Bharat Sangh and its Secretary

 Rajendra Singh

Prolonged neglect of the environment and deforestation, were the nightmares of the rural people of Alwar District of Rajasthan. Degraded lands, droughts, poverty and loss of control over the common lands, stared in their faces. The young and able-bodied men migrated to faraway towns in search of jobs.

 Lack of vegetation led to land degradation. Monsoon run-off washed away the topsoil. Crops failed regularly. Agriculture was fast becoming a thing of the past. Women had to walk long distances for mere pots of water. The naked ranges of Aravallis looked ravaged. For years villages remained all women villages, with the men-folk working in faraway towns.

 Grazing grounds dried up. Cattle perished in large numbers. Only 3% of all cultivable area was irrigated. 90% of the villagers were marginal farmers. Debt-traps imprisoned them. There was no difference between the landlord and landless. Everyone was poor. Economic and social degradation followed ecological destruction. Illiteracy stood at 85%. School attendance dwindled to 3%.

Low rainfall, 600 mm per year, with 500 mm in the monsoon, could not support much of agriculture. Mountain slopes could not support forests, agriculture or wildlife. Charcoal contractors, lumber buyers, log suppliers to new railways have all but finished off the mountain-slope forests in the first half of the century.

 There was no groundwater recharge. Wells dried. Rivers, once the lifelines, became sand-streaked memories.

 Ravines defaced the agricultural lands. Monsoons shrank from 101 days per year (in 1973) to mere 55 days in 1987. The groundwater level fell by 60 metres and the water table by 5-10 metres.

 On 2.10.1985, Gandhi Jayanthi Day, the Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS) led by Rajendra Singh started working. A village-elder advised the group "Do not talk too much; dig tanks and build johads—you will get the results." (Johad is a water harvesting structure).

 Guided by traditional wisdom and helped by no engineers, the TBS has built 3000 water-harvesting structures in 650 villages of the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Prosperity is returning to the villages. The five rivers of the region have started flowing perennially after decades of drought, a direct result of conserving water in johads. More water, better crops, better conditions of soil, health, education and a rich community life ensued. Migration numbers came down, improving community and family relations. For every 100 rupees invested in johads, economic production rose by 400 rupees approximately.

 A 426 metre long damaged old johad was repaired. Dry wells in nearby villages had water seeping in them, after the next monsoon. Smaller johads are also being constructed. To stall the degradation of soil in the catchment area, the forests had to be protected, and regenerated. Soil erosion had to be halted. The TBS built not only johads, they also built consensus among the people of the villages on projects to be taken up on priority basis.

 Spreading news of achievements through word of mouth, TBS involved more people, more villages. Annual Pani Yatras (water marches) bring more and more people within the aura of awareness.

 In the beginning, the community participation was low, (30%) leaving the TBS volunteers to do much of the labour. But as the movement grew, the participation, involvement and experience grew too.

Qualified engineers and independent evaluators, inspected the structures and certified their strength, safety and structural viability. The structures have stood the test of time. Continued maintenance and protection call for social cohesion, alertness and sustained sense of purpose. The johads caught not only the water that was running off, they caught too the beauty of spirits in different villages. Even migrants started returning in trickles.

 Village councils (gram sabhas) were formed to take decisions, on sharing of resources generated and enforcement of social codes like ban on liquor consumption. All assets are owned by gram sabhas. TBS is only a facilitator. 6500 sq.km of land in 650 villages has been regenerated. The crude, formal and envious political resistance has been overcome by the informal gram sabhas. The official sources have conceded now that the forest cover has risen to 40% from 1%—15 years ago. No less than 70% of land is under green cover. Birds have come back, wildlife has survived. Groundwater wealth has increased. Wells have come alive. Groundwater level went up by 6 metres. Water became the focus of life and factor in social coherence. Food for work schemes were introduced. Self- reliance, cost-sharing, community participation, protection of grazing land and women's welfare have now become characteristcs of this area.

 Dry rivers, five in number have become perennial. Milk production, business flow, productive and self-sustaining agriculture have brought about material prosperity. In some villages, 100% of agricultural lands have come back to the plough. Women participate in greater numbers in decision- making forums. School attendance has improved. New schools have come up. Crime rate has gone down. Education and health consciousness have crept in.

 Sri Rajendra Singh has been awarded the prestigious Magsaysay award for his constructive work. This prize has thrown a number of political and government doors open for him and his movement.

Baker's contribution to Architecture

1. Introduction:

Laurie Baker Uvaca

I learn my architecture by watching what ordinary people do; in any case it is always the cheapest and simplest because ordinary people do it. They don't even employ builders, the families do it themselves. The job works, you can see it in the old buildings—the way wood lattice work with a lot of little holes filters the light and glare. I'm absolutely certain that concrete frames filled with glass panels is not the answer.

 

My clients have always been Indian. I've not even had the foreign-returned to deal with, since I work primarily with the poor and I've always wanted to give people what they want and what they need which obviously is all Indian. My feeling as an architect is that you're not after all trying to put up a monument which will be remembered as a 'Laurie Baker Building' but Mohan Singh's house where he can live happily with his family.

Gautam Bhatiya:

Laurie Baker has worked in India for over forty years now. He is one of the very few architects who has had the opportunity and the stamina to work on such a remarkably varied spectrum of projects ranging from fishermen's villages to institutional complexes and from low-cost mud¬housing schemes to low-cost cathedrals. In Trivandrum alone he has built over a thousand houses. Besides this, his work includes forty churches, numerous schools, institutions and hospitals.

It is not only the number of buildings that Laurie Baker has designed and the range of architectural commissions he has executed that sets him apart from other architects. What makes his work even more remarkable is the way in which he draws creative sustenance from the environment in which he works absorbing vernacular patterns of construction and individual styles of living to such a degree that he is able to give his clients the comfort and ease of homes and institutions that are firmly rooted in the soil upon which they stand. All this is done keeping in mind the special needs of those who will inhabit or use these places.

In the designing of these varied projects, Laurie Baker takes half-forgotten vernacular patterns of design and construction from the rural setting to dislocated urban residents whose building choices are often limited to the unsuitable structural concepts discarded in the West. In every building that Baker designs, he asserts the appropriateness of traditional constructions to local conditions, adapting existing locally-available materials and traditional methods to contemporary urban structures.

 

A recognition of Baker's contribution to architecture has a singular timeliness today. It has come at a time when a questing conscience has provoked—to look inwards, to solutions of its own making. In these circumstances, Baker in India remains a lone protagonist, experimenting singly and quietly in a distant corner of the country and providing information on the causes and results of his numerous architectural interventions.

In both, his work and writings, Baker emphatically rejects the 'inter-national style' that lingers so perniciously in India. The French architect, Le Corbuiser, who designed Chandigarh, spawned a host of acolytes seeking a universally applicable architectural technology. The result of this is seen in the post-fifties buildings of almost every city in India. Baker has never accepted the idea that the multiplicity of human needs and aspirations can be fulfilled by a standard set of design options and materials. He believes that individual needs stem from India's diverse environment, the varying cultural patterns and lifestyles; and he feels that these needs must be met through an architecture which is responsive, uses local materials and expresses itself in many different forms.

In Baker's scheme of things, architecture cannot be transplanted without doing violence to those very needs which it is attempting to meet. When, for example, the introverted patterns of desert architecture are transferred to the fertile landscapes of the Kerala coast, it dislocates traditional patterns of living. Parallels to this may be seen in any mass-housing scheme, when all-too-often, inhabitants are compelled to camp uncomfortably within unsuitable contours and divisions of space.

However, Baker is no conservative. He is at pains to emphasize the fact that living architecture thrives on appropriate assimilation and adaptation. Indeed, its vitality frequently stems from its ability to change and to meet the changing needs and perceptions of its inhabitants. Architecture, like any craft, is an organic, evolving form and traditional patterns are not the rigidly- structured creations of individuals but the collective experience of many generations. Baker's architecture draws inspiration from the work of successive generations of builders, from the imprint of the environment and those who have lived in it. In his the imprint of the environment and those who have lived in it. In his case it happens to be his adopted home state of Kerala in south India.

The building techniques Baker has evolved to suit specific problems of his poorer clients in Kerala is not a formula applicable to all similar situations; and yet, from it stems an entire ideology of architectural practice—a pattern that is revolutionary in its simplicity and its contradiction of the accepted norms of architecture in contemporary India. Baker's work is an effective demonstration of his own strength, his own interpretation of tradition, technology and lifestyle.

 

1.   What factors influenced Baker's architecture?

Laurie Baker Uvaca

 Distinctive architectural styles were not designed by some famous ancient architect who decreed that a certain style will be used in Japan and a certain other style will be used in Peru and yet another style in Punjab. The upturned, horned roofs of buildings as found in Kerala, China and Japan are the direct result of the people of those places making use of the most common, plentiful, useful material: bamboo—to house and protect them from natural enemies such as sun, rain, hurricanes and wind. A completely different set of styles has evolved in hot, dry, treeless, desert areas, as in parts of Egypt,

Laurie Baker at Work

Iran and India; in almost every district in the world these natural styles have grown to the patterns that could be seen in the first half of the twentieth century.

Our 'backward' ancestors had learned how to live with and cope with the problems of climate. They had learned that a pitched or a sloping roof lessened the effects of all these hazards. They knew the movements of air currents and placed their wall openings almost at ground level. They knew that hot air rises and allowed it to travel upwards from the low eaves to the openings at the end of the high ridge. They understood and applied principles of insulation; their roofing materials formed hollow cellular protective layers and their storage spaces provided insulation from the midday sun. They had understood that wall surfaces can absorb and retain just as much heat as a roof surface, so they kept these walls as small in area as possible and never left them unprotected. They knew that eye-strain from working out in the sun could be alleviated by rest in an area where glare was eliminated and they used smooth, hard, light-coloured surfaces sparingly and left the natural materials—wood, brick, stone—exposed. Their practical knowledge of the properties of these differing building materials was amazing. They knew, for instance, how to design their timber and wood work to avoid warping, twising and cracking.

Gautam Bhatiya:

Laurie Baker's philosophy of architecture is inextricably bound with his experiences of childhood and youth in England, and later, in the Pithoragarh district of Uttar Pradesh in the Himalays where he lived for sixteen years.

 

One of his earliest architecture-related memories is that of being baffled by the differences in the styles of houses at the seaside, where he went on holidays, and that of houses in the mountains, where he lived.

 

2.   Is Laurie Baker the founder of new architecture?

Laurie Baker Uvaca

 

I am these days sometimes quoted as an expert or an authority on 'appropriate' or 'intermediate' technology and although I did not know it at the time, it was my life and experiences at Pithoragarh that taught me 'appropriate and intermediate' technology....

 

To me, this Himalayan domestic architecture was a perfect example of vernacular architecture. Simple, efficient, inexpensive.... As usual this delightful, dignified housing demonstrated hundreds of years of building delightful, dignified housing demonstrated hundred of years of building research on how to cope with local materials, how to

 

cope with local climate hazards and how to accommodate the local social pattern of living. It dealt with incidental difficult problem of how to build on a steeply sloping site, or how to cope with earthquakes and how to avoid landsliding areas and paths. The few examples of attempts to modernize housing merely demonstrated, only too clearly, our modern conceit and showed how very foolish we are when we attempt to ignore or abandon these hundreds of years of'research' in local building materials...

 

Gautam Bhatia:

The direct and honest use of local materials created its own expression of structural necessity, of economic restraint. Confronted with building materials like rock, mud, laterite and cow-dung, Baker's architectural practice in the Himalayas was anything but conventional. His education at the Birmingham School of Architecture and the skills acquired during his professional apprenticeship in England became decidedly insignificant in the austere mountain environment in which he found himself. He realized that the local people knew how to use materials more effectively than he did.

 

It was a very unusual sight to see an English architect, with an urban background, working with and learning from mountain tribesmen and village masons, and using indigenous materials for building. However, it proved to be a richly fruitful alliance. Baker learnt to adapt his skills and training to the needs with which he was now faced. He built schools, hospitals and community buildings, all of which ran on a self-supporting basis.

 

The strength and the organic resilience of

Badker's early architecture was the direct outcome of his own strength and resilience. And, in turn, the years of continuous settlement in a single place gave his designs a quality of rootedness. The lessons he derived from this experience in the Himalayas and the architectural principles he learnt there remained with him even when, years later, he resumed practice in Trivandrum.

The Bakers left Pithorgarh in 1963 and moved to a similar hill area in central Kerala. They settled in a remote village, Vakamon, inhabited by tribal people and Tamil migrants, and continued to work in much the same way as they had in Pithoragarh— building schools and leprosy treatment centres, using their skills and training for the benefit of the local people, and learning local skills as they did so.

 

In Trivandrum, Baker applied all that he had learnt to a wider clientele—building homes for the middle class and institutions for a wide range of organizations. Today, over a thousand families in the Trivandrum district live in Baker's houses; and the evolution of his style can be traced through his work in and around this city.

 

As he worked, Baker began to understand the essential simplicity that is at the base of effective, living architecture. He refined his style, stepping away from unnecessary accoutrements. A chance encounter with Mahatma Gandhi at the beginning of his career seems to have made a great impact of his architecture, as Gandhi's ideologies were to influence him in all his work.

 

Though this is not the single most persuasive influence in Baker's life, in the course of several discourses of the Mahatma, Baker imbibed the meaning of one of his most persistent messages—that change in post-independent India can be brought about

only through education and revival of the

local crafts and cottage industries; that is,

real independence can be only achieved

by self-reliance and by encouraging local

craftsmanship. Unfortunately, much too

often this message has been lost in the

muddy waters of politics and the race to

modernize India. Thus Baker's work is more relevant particularly now than ever before.

 

3.   The Gandhi influence

Laurie Baker Uvaca:

I believe that Gandhiji is the only leader in our country who has talked consistently with common-sense about the building needs of our country. What he said many years ago is even more pertinent now. One of the things he said that impressed me and has influenced my thinking more than anything else was

that the ideal houses in the ideal village will be built of materials which are all found within a five-mile radius of the house.

 

What clearer explanation is there of what appropriate building technology means than this advice by Gandhiji! I confess that as a young architect, born, brought up, educated and qualified in the West, I though at first Gandhiji's ideal was a bit 'far-fetched' and I used to argue to myself that of course he probably did not intend us to take this ideal too literally.

 

But now, in my seventies and with forty years of building behind me, I have come to the conclusion that he was right, literally word for word, and that he did not mean that there could be exceptions. If only I had not been so proud and sure of

my learning and my training as an architect, I could have seen clearly wonderful examples of Gandhiji's wisdom all round me throughout the entire period I lived in the Pithoragarh district.

 

Gautam Bhatia:

His qualities emanate from a deeply-held belief that each piece of work is an offering to God and must, therefore, not only be without flaw, but must not violate God's creation in the making. From this stems a natural inclination to use the materials cautiously, leading to a conservationist approach to design. Baker's deep convictions and the persistent intentions supported this architectural expression.

 

4.   The contextual relevance of Baker's work

Laurie Baker Uvaca:

There is a general belief that India is wealthy, both in simple basic building materials and in potential labour forces. Then there is a firm unyielding belief that all this talk of 'low-cost building' should not be 'for the poor' but for all. Furthermore, although we possess a certain amount of more sophisticated building materials, such supplies are comparatively small and must be used to maximum advantage. For example, we possess steel but the fact remains that many mechanical industries have a stronger claim on its use than the building industry, which can, if it wants, find substitutes and alternatives.

 

Gautam Bhatia:

At the turn of the twentieth century, architects genuinely believed that the modern movement would provide new

techniques and new materials to serve the needs of ordinary people. It seemed as if technology could provide a solution to the persistent problem of housing, and it was believed that high-tech buildings would ultimately improve the standard of living for everybody.

 

However, rapid industrialization only seemed to increase the demand for housing that has now grown to unimaginable proportions. Housing has come to be dominated almost entirely by commercial builders employed by local governments— both of whom look upon a house as a commodity to be produced and sold in large numbers. The once-new technological solutions of the modern movement have fossilized into rigid inflexibility in their hands. The comfort and lifestyle of the individuals for whom the mass-housing schemes are intended are very rarely considered. The result is all-too-visible in cities all over the world. Especially, in Third World countries such as India, as governments struggle to house the ever- increasing numbers of urban dwellers, the inadequacies of the forty-year-old doctrines of modern architecture have been brought more sharply into focus. Moreover, as the gap between available resources and the need for housing has increased, the inflexible sterility of the modern movement has become even more apparent.

 

Mass-housing and emphasis on the improvementoflivingconditionsisallaresult of the new industrial economy. Humanistic considerations are no longer the primary logic for the evaluation of design. This has led to a break from tradition and given us an increasing number of impersonal, anonymous buildings. Unfamiliarity with this new kind of architecture adversely affects the psyche of the people inhabiting it.

 

Laurie Baker Uvaca:

The necessity for speed was one of the big factors that contributes to that break with tradition. It probably took a thousand years for us to find out by trial-and-error how to make a mud wall impervious to rain and wind, another thousand years to learn how to keep termites out of it, and another two or three thousand to learn how to build multi-storeyed mud buildings.

 

Gautam Bhatia:

Though Baker is not a founder, practitioner or product of the modern doctrine in any sense, he was, in own career, demonstrated similar concerns. But, unlike the movement, in his endeavour to improve living conditions architecturally he seeks a purposeful link with tradition.

 

Baker's work can be viewed as part of a much larger worldwide effort to re¬examine architectural values. In the 1960s, the new architect's rejection of establishment values was an admission that the profession was out of touch with the times. Ordinary human needs to which the modern doctrine was as wholeheartedly committed seemed imprisoned in unfamiliar buildings and surroundings. The increasing inability of government agencies to produce adequate housing led architects in several parts of the developing world to examine architectural priorities. The work of John Turner in Latin America and Hassan Fathy's experience in Egypt paralleled the quiet revolution that Laurie Baker was enacting in India.

 

Each one sought the development of a contemporary vernacular—a commonly observed, felt and accepted language of building which would be transformed to suit the new requirements. The prevalence of an overriding craft tradition and the need to evolve buildings out of severe economic constraints shifted the emphasis away from technology towards an earthy humanism. Such a transformation required a sharp comprehension of the dual phenomena of tradition and change; and of the need to re-establish the use of traditional construction without the loss of vitality, the vitality, that accompanies change.

 

5.   Is a Modern Indian Architecture Possible?

Laurie Baker Uvaca:

In most countries of the world architects are being accused of failing to produce a modern form of their own previously- distinctive architectural styles. If one or two typical modern buildings from each country could be transported and put down in isolation in a large flat desert, could any of us, even architects, walk from one building to another and say 'Ah! A modern Fijian masterpiece' and 'Wow! Just look at this one—pure Italian' and further on 'My! This is obviously an Indian effort!' A hundred or so years ago we could probably have been successful with such identifications, but there are very grave doubts whether we can do so now.

 

Does this mean that we have failed in our job?

 

Fifty years ago (in 1940s) we were taught that a building must have an identity. We could certainly tell by looking at a building whether it was domestic or commercial or industrial and so on. It also had its geographical and cultural characteristics. In India there is an incredible wealth of regional architectural styles, and there is not the faintest possibility of confusing one with another. Even where the same materials have been used for building, the climatic, cultural and regional variations are so great that different methods of construction have been used to produce unique individual styles. Further, these distinctive styles apply not only to big and important buildings but also to the smallest domestic structures. Really we can say that the buildings of any small district are a quintessence of that district's culture and skill.

 

But these distinctions cannot be found anymore. What has happened?

 

For one thing—cement. Modern Portland cement came and suddenly our slow, steady, evolutionary building process came to a devastating and tragic halt. Cement and steel were joined in holy matrimony and lo!— their child was this universal anonymous expressionless 'modern architecture' which tells you nothing except that reinforced concrete has been lavishly and brutally used. The saddest thing about it is that reinforced concrete has been lavishly and brutally used. The saddest thing about it is that reinforced concrete is a wonderful material that can do almost everything fantastic and exciting. It can stand, soar, twist, hang, swirl, gyrate, encircle, defy and placate. But we rarely ever let it do any of these exciting things. We merely imitate the building practices of the Dravidians, with their square stone pillars and split stone beams; and when in a very dare-devil mood we cantilever out the beam-ends to an uncomfortable length, we think we are really and truly 'modern'.

 

Of course, we have a third deadly material, glass—with which we fill in all the holes. The result of this modern but static style of architecture, is that everybody's buildings, be they in Bombay, Birmingham, Bologna or Buenos Aires, look the same.

 

Consolingly, 'high technology' has also taught us that there is no need to concern ourselves with the weather or the functions for which the building will be used, or the variations in the cultural patterns of our clients—'high technology' applique- work can cope with all this old-fashioned 'nonsense'.

 

I think the time has come to ask ourselves a lot of questions. Could we have done something different? Should we have done something different? What does 'modern' mean? Can't we be 'modern' with other materials besides reinforced concrete, glass and aluminium trimmings? Can't we go back to the year 1BC (Before Concrete) and carry on with that wonderful history of research and development by applying twentieth keep termites out of it and another two or three thousand to learn how to build multi- storyed mud buildings. But we did do it, and our enemies on the other side of the hill also did it, though in their own way which was different from ours. Now 'developed communications' has taken the 'wonder material' to all the corners of the earth and we have succumbed to it like children falling upon a dish of instant hot cakes. So we all have identical pot-bellies and have forgotten 'mother's cooking'. Fortunately, the rebellion against 'instant mixes' has already begun and there is a yearning for 'fresh-compost-fed-vegetables and whole meal-bread'—so may be there is hope that we too as architects, can as our road signs say, 'Stop! Look! Proceed!'

 

Brick Jalis, Arches - Speciality of L.Baker

century knowledge and know-how while still showing love and respect for all that has gone before us?

 

Perhaps speed has been one of the major contributing factors leading to that catastrophic break with tradition. It probably took a thousand years for us to find out by trial-and-error how to make a mud wall impervious to rain and wind, another thousand years to learn how to

In view of the fact that there are over twenty million families in India without any sort of shelter, that we have to import cement from Korea to make up for the shortfalls, that we are using up a lot of our energy resources at an alarming rate, and that we have bred some of the top brains in the world of science, we should, for instance, in areas where mud has been the traditional staple building material, show how modern we can be with mud! Where burnt brick has been the main building material can't we produce brickswith less energy and use them in a modern way? There are experiments which show that this sort of thing can be done along with the new sender materials to produce buildings that are 'modern', beautiful, characterful and identifiable with a particular region and its people. For example, in the State of Kerala there is high rainfall, strong winds, powerful tropical sun and a lot of humidity. The result of ancient research and development work was a steeply-pitched roof which threw off torrential continuous rains and protected walls and rooms from the glare and heat of the sun. It all made good sense and good architecture. But concrete and glass towers are incredibly expensive because of all the antics required to cope with rain and sun, and they are quite useless without the air-conditioners, fans and louvers of aluminium strips. Can 'modern' architecture only be vertical of wall and flat of roof? Couldn't we throw off rain and protect from sun and show that we are doing it effectively, even by being modern'?

 

Since the beginning of recorded art, India's brains had devised the Jali (trellis, lattice, honey-combed walling, pierced stone and wooden screens and walls) to filter the glare and strong sunlight into cool but breeze-filled rooms. India has used this device more than any other country and it is essentially an Indian device. We can study the many and varied components of Indian architectural design and find out what makes them essentially and intriguingly 'Indian'. Only then can we create an Indian-ness into all our materials and designing. Then our 'modern' 'Indian' architecture will be a continuing, growing, crowing glory to our great heritage.

 

Extacted from the book: Laurie Baker Life, work, writings: By Gautam Bhatiya Viking / Hudco. New Delhi 1991

 

That is why plants are called The Brahma's hair:

15% of the heat in a building can come through the roof. That is why it is important to insulate the roof. In industrialised coun tries roof-top gardens are becoming a norm, Green-roof tops cut down a building's energy conumption. They add to the aesthetic value.

Eknathji: The Source of Inspiration

Hundred Percent efforts to succeed in any endeavor, small or big and yet complete surrender to the Divine; exceptional physical strength and yet tender at heart; total commitment to the goal and yet close rapport with people of all hues; serving the Ishwara all-around in the form of the needy and downtrodden and yet communing with  Nirguna and Nirakara in meditation; suffered from penury in the childhood and yet never suffered or experienced scarcity; lived with the motto ‘one life one mission and yet contributed to various fields of life; always dedicated and focused on the duty in hand and yet could see far ahead; born in an ordinary family yet did extraordinary work; strict disciplinarian and yet radiated laughter and affection wherever he went;  all these and many more paradoxical combinations were merged in one man called Sri Eknathji Ranade.

Eknathji, born in an ordinary family and with all constraints in childhood ultimately developed into a person who did an extra-ordinary work. What was the driving force? When quite young, he was intrigued as to why Lokmanya Tilak was shown with the four hands? He thought that if someone does great work should we deify him and in a way abdicate our responsibility of doing great and good work? Should we not learn a lesson from it that our life should be manifestation of Divinity, that each one of us has the inherent capacity in us which can be expressed in life in great work if we strive hard enough with all conviction in it. Swami Vivekananda’s message that ‘Each soul is potentially Divine. The goal of life is to manifest that Divinity within by controlling the nature external and internal’ was a great inspiration for him. For Eknathji, life was thus striving for manifestation of Divinity. In this journey of manifestation of Divinity broadly three phases of his life are seen.

1. The Master Organizer:

As a young boy Eknathji became a Swayamsevak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and even before he entered college he decided that he would dedicate his life in the service of the nation as Pracharak of Sangh. After he completed his college education he became Pracharak. He was sent to Mahakoshal i.e. the part of present Madhya Pradesh as Pracharak. Eknathji always used to tell that opportunities are duties. He said that a Karyakarta or an organizer is not going to get a separate time to acquire various skills required for the organizing work, or a separate time to learn languages or other subjects. The worker should so organize his daily routine that he acquires all the necessary skills and languages and moulds himself or herself as best offering for Ishwara Karya –God’s work. Whenever an opportunity comes knocking at his door to do some difficult task or do more work he should not grudge or grumble or postpone what needs to be done but should seize the opportunity to do the required work and in the process acquire the skills of doing it. Thus opportunities are duties as it is the duty of a Karyakarta to develop himself to be able to do better work. This aspect is seen in abundance in Eknathji’s life.

When Eknathji reached Mahakoshal he learnt this lesson of how ‘opportunities are duties’ and performance of duties open up opportunities. He did not know Hindi at all then yet he was told that he should be addressing the small gatherings in Hindi wherever he was introduced. Eknathji himself tells about this incident. 

“Of course I was fresh from the college and not with much experience. And then one elderly person took me and told that, ‘I will introduce you to the people’. And he told me that, ‘When I introduce you to the gathering of people, I will introduce ‘he is so and so, so and so and has come here to work. After my introduction then I will tell that now the gentleman will speak and of course you will have to speak in Hindi because those people do not understand Marathi’. I said, ‘First of all I don’t know how to speak and that you are now telling me that I have to speak in Hindi. How is it possible? No, it is not possible. You take me this time, you only introduce. Then I will work, I will be there. I will study and then next time when you take me then I will speak’. He said, ‘No. I am telling you, I am not asking you. This you have to do. I will introduce you in three minutes, four minutes and after that I will say that you will speak and you will have to speak. You speak for 5 minutes; you speak for 10 minutes, you speak for two minutes and you stand and if you can’t speak and therefore you sit down, I would not mind. I will say this that you will speak. And let us leave it to what happens’. I said, ‘But, I don’t know Hindi at all’. He said, ‘Only thing I can do is I can give you a dictionary Marathi-Hindi or Hindi-Marathi, because Devanagiri Script is same for both languages so you have no difficulty in reading. A Marathi man can read Hindi too as script is same for both the languages’.

So I took the book Hindi Sabda Sagar, and day and night I was struggling with it. On the strength of that I began to speak. God knows what I must have spoken. But then by the time I finished my tour of nearly two months I gained confidence that I can speak and also I can speak in Hindi. This is how opportunities are building you; this is how opportunities make you equal to the task, if you don’t grumble and you come forward to use the opportunity.”

Eknathji not only learnt Hindi he learnt the technique of learning languages in minimum time. Thus he learnt later Bengali and Assamese. He soon developed himself as a master organizer. He had told that three things are required for the organizer. The faith and conviction in one’s ideal, capacity to transmit that ideal to others by one’s own example and gradually with capacity of implementing chatusutri of Lokasamparka, Loksangraha, Lokasamskar and Lokavyavastha to develop a team of Karyakartas. With these three requisites in abundance Eknathji soon expanded the work very fast. He was also then given the responsibility of Madhya Bharat. Even the persons who used to come in his contacts from other states or cities not from his area of work used to get so inspired and trained by Eknathji that on return to their place, they would start work in their regions. Thus Eknathji was also called by his colleagues in lighter vein as ‘expansionist’.

In 1948 after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi the political forces with ulterior motives banned Sangh. Most of its Adhikaris and many Karyakartas were arrested. Somehow, Eknathji could go underground and escape arrest. The jail conditions and treatment to the Swayamsevaks were inhuman. Families of many karykartas suffered as the earning members were in jail. In order to make the society and government aware of the plight it was decided to organize Satyagraha. Eknathji was in charge of organizing Satyagraha by staying underground. One can imagine how difficult it must have been in those days when no means of communication were available. But though underground still he organized it so well that it turned out to be one of the biggest and most disciplined and well-planned Satyagraha organized in the world. As was intended many eminent persons in the society came to know of how the government was unjust in its approach and they came forward to talk with government and ultimately the ban on Sangh was lifted. In those days in lighter vein Eknathji was called as underground Sarsanghachalak by his colleagues.

After the ban was lifted the period of reconstruction began. Eknathji was posted in Bengal for two reasons. One, the situation was very alarming in Bengal as thousands and thousands of refugees were pouring in from East Pakistan due to the atrocities committed on Hindus. Second, due to the ban, the work of Sangh was in shambles. When Eknathji reached there he found again that due to language barrier he could not reach out to the people. He who was so active and alert in organizing the Satyagraha now had come to a place where he did not know language and the work was in bad shape. Eknathji wrote to one of his colleagues that ‘I am like a deaf and dumb person here’. Because of the refugee problem, society was hardly in a mood for any constructive work. 

But a master organizer does not cry over the difficulties but sees opportunities in difficulties and then those opportunities become his duties. Eknathji found that the cause of refugees itself has become important means to organize the people to make them aware of their responsibilities. Thus with Eknathji’s efforts Sangh formed Bastuhara Sahayata Samiti. As before Eknathji mastered Bengali in no time and he used to speak it so well that no one could make out that he was non-Bengali. He also found that many young boys who were coming as the refugees could become easy targets of anti-social elements thus he started work among them. Many young boys found a father-figure, a mentor in Eknathji. They became Swayamsevaks and worked constructively for nation. Sri Deepti Choudhari a businessman used to say, “I was a refugee. Eknathji picked me up as a boy. He moulded my personality and character like a father does to his son. I see Swami Vivekananda in Eknathji”.

During this time Eknathji increasingly felt that the Government of India has not taken into consideration the plight and the needs of the refugees or the extensity of the problem. So he tried to bring it to the notice of Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India when he had come to Calcutta. But when the problem was told, Nehruji retorted angrily that ‘Sangh people are in habit of exaggerating the things.’ In justification he showed the newspaper Yugantar a slightly leftist paper which had not given any such details about the refugees.

There was no point in arguing with Nehruji, Eknathji realized. He thought that, “If Nehruji understands Yugantar language then I must tell him in that language”. He went straight to Sri Bibekananda Mukherji the editor of Yugantar. He told the editor to come with him to refugee camps. Eknathji used to maintain the rapport with people of all hues as he basically viewed everyone as a potential Karyakarta beyond his colour, creed or region. As we have to work in the society we must have good rapport with all people. Perhaps this rapport or the sincerity of purpose of Eknathji touched Mr. Mukharji and he went with Eknathji to the refugee camp. He was seeing the condition, the pain, the grief in the camp. At that time they saw one woman crying with her head covered with the sari. Eknathji kindly enquired from her the reason. She removed her pallu from the neck. On it was written in Bengali by burning the skin that ‘ise bhrashta kiya gaya hai‘- she is raped’.

Seeing that, Sri Mukherji was dumbfounded. Without saying a single word, he went back immediately to the office of Yugantar. The next day paper was already put on the machine. He asked to take it down, changed the setting of the first page, and inserted the news about the pathetic conditions in refugee camps, the atrocities that were committed on the people in East Pakistan etc. The next day edition thus carried the news and Nehruji who had the public meeting in the evening on that day had to take cognizance of the situation.

What needs to be done, Eknathji would see to it that it is done, such was his karyashakti. Later Eknathji became Sarkaryavah of Sangh. During those six years he developed the Organizational structure so well that almost in its essential form it still continues in Sangh.

2. The person who made the impossible, possible

Eknathji was Sarkaryavah in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh after that he was given the responsibility of Akhil Bharatiya Bauddhik Pramukh. It was at this time when the Birth Centenary of Swami Vivekananda was approaching, it was decided that a book of some 150 pages should be brought with condensed message of Swami Vivekananda. As a Bauddhik Pramukh this responsibility came to Eknathji. When he studied the complete works of Swami Vivekananda on the background of his so many years of work for the nation it was a very revealing study for Eknathji. The thoughts of Swamiji that Dharma is the life center of India, that is the line of least resistance and therefore the Dharma is be established in its entire and vibrant meaning stirred him. Many thoughts of Swamiji were churning in him perhaps destiny was guiding him to the future events. 

It was at that time, that the people at Kanyakumari were trying to erect a memorial statue for Swami Vivekananda at the very mid-sea Rock where Swamiji had meditated for three days and three nights and had taken the momentous decision of going to the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. But many difficulties arose. A section of Christian community opposed to it. The Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Sri Bhaktavatsalam agreed that it was Vivekananda Rock as Swami Vivekananda had meditated there. Though the Chief Minister had consented that a plaque can be put up there in the memory of Swami Vivekananda; to placate the other group he had declared that he would not allow in his life-time the memorial on the Rock. To add to the difficulties, the Union Minister Sri Humayun Kabir declared that any construction on the rock would spoil the natural beauty of Kanyakumari. One after other the difficulties arose, the memorial became the communal flash point.

The memorial committee at Kanyakumari expanded itself to be an All India Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee. At that time the committee felt they needed a person who would surmount all such difficulties. Thus they requested Sri Guruji the then Sarsanghachalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for deputing Eknathji who was known to make the impossible, possible. And thus the responsibility of constructing the memorial came to Eknathji. When a senior Swayamsevak Sri Appaji Joshi came to know that the responsibility of the Memorial was given to Eknathji, he commented, “Eknathji? It means now Swamiji has to stand on that Rock!” So much convinced he was that for Eknathji it was possible.

But the work was beset with many apparently impossible roadblocks. Also it was a very different type of work. Swami Vivekananda had said, “Nothing shall be done in haste. Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love. All time is yours, there is no indecent haste. Everything will come right if you are pure and sincere.”

The purity of motives, not giving up the efforts, persevering for achieving the goal and patience to wait for the result though not giving up efforts and overall feeling of oneness for all is surely to bring the right results. Eknathji was epitome of these three essential qualities and love for the society as its basis as mentioned by Swami Vivekananda. The government offered to give land on the shore to build the memorial but Eknathji had not known compromise with the basics. Then the stand of the Tamilnadu government became still rigid. In haste it could have become a communal flash point. In the name of Swami Vivekananda there could not be fights among the sections of the society whom Swamiji had loved so dearly! The efforts were necessary to strive for a win-win achievement. The task appeared almost impossible. But with infinite patience, perseverance and conviction in the greatness of the cause Eknathji started sorting out the problems one by one.

First Eknathji strategically held a press conference in Calcutta, the constituency of Sri Humayun Kabir and created such an atmosphere that Sri Humayun Kabir had to agree to it that he was not against the Memorial. Then he skillfully kept the dialogue on with the Chief Minister and did not allow him to close the file on Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Later on Eknathji moved to Delhi and after getting the consent of Lal Bahadur Shastriji to submit memorandum, he secured the signatures of 323 members of the parliament within three days! Practically all the MPs present in Delhi at that time transcending the borders of caste, creed, region and religion signed the memorandum appealing for the Memorial of Swami Vivekananda at the mid-sea Rock at Kanyakumari.

When Eknathji brought the memorandum with 323 signatures of MPs, Shastriji could not believe his eyes. When the other copy of the memorandum was presented in the Parliament by Sri Bapuji Ane, the journalists went and asked Nehruji that what he had got to say about it. Nehru expressed that ‘if all the MPs present have signed for the memorial means the nation desires it, but it is a state subject and therefore when I meet Sri Bhaktavatsalam I shall talk to him’. Immediately the journalists went and asked Sri Bhaktavatsalam. He said, ‘I am not against the memorial but I am worried about the protection of the statue. So I did not give the permission.’ When Eknathji went to meet him, he said, ‘If the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee wants it can erect a statue and enclose it in 15 feet by 15 feet room.’ When whole nation had desired a memorial how it could be confined to just 15 feet by 15 feet room? If Eknathji would have argued with Sri Bhaktavatslam, he would have withdrawn the permission. But Eknathji knew the maxim of Swami Vivekananda ‘Nothing shall be done in haste. Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love. …Purity, patience, and perseverance can overcome all obstacles.’

Eknathji told Sri Bhaktavatsalam very humbly that, ‘As the memorial topic has become an All-India topic I would get some blue prints prepared and show it to six persons in the country and then whatever they say I shall report to you. Then whatever you tell I shall do accordingly.’ ‘Who are those six persons?’ asked Bhaktavatsalam bit stiffly. Eknathji told, ‘Dr Radhakrishnan President of India, Jawaharlal Nehru Prime Minister of India, Lalbahadur Shastri the Home Minister, M C Chagla the former Chief Justice, Swami Madhavananda President of Ramkrishna Math, Belur and Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamkoti.’ To whom the Chief Minister could say no? He was a great devotee of Kanchi Paramacharya so later when Eknathji showed him the blue-print prepared by S K Achari under the guidance of Paramacharya, Bhaktavatsalam told Eknathji to go ahead with it. ‘But it’s dimensions are little bigger.’ Eknathji told. The Chief Minister told, ‘No problem you go ahead with this blue print which is blessed by Paramacharya’. That little bigger dimension was 130 feet by 56 feet! Then again gradually Eknathji secured permission for Sripada Mandapam, Dhyana Mandapam etc. Eknathji very skillfully secured the permission of the Chief Minister ultimately for a very grand memorial.

But in those days from where would money come for such a grand memorial. The collection fund with one rupee coupon itself became an awakening campaign where people came to know more about the memorial and also the life and message of Swami Vivekananda. Thus from 30 lakhs of people Rs. 85 lakhs were collected. Almost all the state governments irrespective of whatever party were in power donated one lakh rupees each. The memorial was constructed in record time of 6 years. In the process of construction the whole nation was galvanized and its confidence was restored. It became a truly a national memorial.

Bringing whole nation together to build this grand Memorial was a unique service that Eknathji did for the nation. It strengthened the national will. It proved that we could come together and work for a national cause. Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati recognized the real import of this work by Eknathji. It seems that he said whether government recognizes these services or not he would like to do it. He specially sent his successor Shankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswati to Kanyakumari to honour Sri Eknathji. In the monthly magazine of Kamakoti Peetham “Kamakoti Pradeepam” dated 14.06.1972 this incident is given. In the evening of 21 April 1972, the devotees of Kanyakumari organized a meeting to seek blessings of Shankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswati. In this meeting, Sri Shankaracharya conferred the title of “Bharat Seva Ratna” on Eknathji and honoured him. Sri S. K. Achari was honoured with the title “Shilpa Kala Ratna”.

This feat of Eknathji was admired by many in the country. Swami Chinmayananda the Founder of Chinmaya Mission used to call Eknathji Hanuman. Once in a meeting at Shillong when Eknathji was by his side, he asked the audience in his inimitable sensational style, ‘Do you want the highest peak of Himalayas here in Meghalaya then ask this man. He can do it. Do you know who is he? He is Hanuman. For him nothing is impossible!’ 

Swami Ranganathananda who later became the President of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur said about him on 20 August 1972 while releasing the Vivekananda Kendra Patrika issue “Hill India” that “A man like Eknath Ranade is an asset to any movement in any country. I have known him very intimately, and I have admired his energy, his quiet dedication, his capacity for calm, silent, team-work and a rare capacity to influence favourably persons and every intractable circumstance! No difficulties can thwart him. Mountain-high obstacles he will face with a calmness and gentleness suffused with determination. In the meaningful words of Sri Ramakrishna: the Kacca ami, unripe ‘I’ or ego, has been replaced by the Paka ami, ripe ‘I’ or ego. With him and his other dedicated colleagues behind the movement, it can look forward to a rich harvest of useful work for the good of man”.

3. The Visionary

The granite memorial for Swami Vivekananda was completed on the mid-sea rock. But when the work of the Rock Memorial was taking shape Eknathji through his interactions with the people in the country increasingly felt that the memorial for Swami Vivekananda cannot be limited to only a granite memorial. The real memorial for Swami Vivekananda has to be in the lives of young men and women who would work for the regeneration of nation as envisaged by him. Thus he started Vivekananda Kendra a spiritually oriented service mission. Eknathji was a visionary. He could see far ahead in time and thus became a path-finder in many ways. Some of those areas can be seen as below.

i)    Recognition of the Appeal of Service and establishing it with its full significance

Since Colonial rule and Christian missionaries combine started working in India the meaning of Seva -service got distorted to running of orphanages, destitute homes, and leprosy homes, or got limited to running of hospitals, schools etc. This has been their method - Destroy the traditional communities, their traditional methods of caring and sharing, of education and Medicare and then open orphanages etc. to take credit, as well as to convert. The foreign sponsored Christian missionaries so to say distorted the meaning of service and then appropriated credit for service. They became the ‘licensed’ persons who rendered ‘service’ to the needy.

The Indian method was to make persons aware of their duties, sensitive towards the needs of others and thus evolve a self-propelled internally organized system in which the needy are taken care of. In such an evolved society there is no need of orphanages or destitute or old age homes as there would be no orphans, or destitute or uncared for old people.  Thus the real service that we should be doing in our country is to re-establish the dynamic meaning of Dharma as a duty with feeling of oneness towards those around us. Dharma is not to be confused with religion or any specific Upasana practice. Sri Guruji defines Dharma very beautifully. He says, ‘Dharma is the universal code of right conduct that awakens the Common Inner Bond (oneness), restrains selfishness, and keeps the people together in that harmonious state even without external authority. If Dharma prevails in the society then there will be no selfishness, no hoarding and all men will live and work for the whole (the society, nation and whole creation).’

Thus working for the establishment of Dharma i.e. the above mentioned universal norms would take care of the need of all. This is what our nation had been working for and had achieved it to a large extent but the invasions interfered. But now again we have to work to establish the strife-less, harmonious, caring society based on oneness. In short we have to re-build our nation. Working for such a society or nation building is the supreme-most act of service. But alas! This work was not considered as service. Eknathji a very keen observer of society noticed that service word is very appealing but it had lost its comprehensive Indian meaning. Not only that unfortunately many intellectually blind people associated service with only Christian missionaries. That perception needed to be corrected. 

Eknathji termed Vivekananda Kendra as a Spiritually Oriented Service Mission. He wanted Vivekananda Kendra to render a spiritually oriented service in the society. Eknathji used to explain the concept of service during the training of Karyakartas. These lectures are available in a book titled as “Sadhana of Service” and are widely read by the Karyakartas of many organizations and general people. Service has two aspects

1. Magnitude, scale and sustainability of act of service.
2. The attitude with which it is rendered by a person.

Supreme-most act of service is working for establishing the caring and harmonious  Society: While explaining acts of service Eknathji says, “Giving food to the hungry, providing medical aid to the sick and imparting secular knowledge or information to the ignorant are generally taken to be the acts of service to be rendered to others by a person who is service-minded. Offering any other help to the needy can also be included in this. But providing the basic or the primary needs to the others is only a preliminary type of service. There is a higher level of service when somebody imparts knowledge to the needy and also training to the person to make him independent and self-reliant, and thus making him stand on his own legs. But there exists a still higher level of service when a higher and deeper knowledge is imparted which can be described as enlightenment or inward illumination. In the two earlier cases, we enable a person to gain pleasure but here we equip a person to attain real happiness. We draw his attention to the deeper human problems and strengthen his means of understanding to realize what happiness is and how it can be enjoyed individually and collectively…”

But this is only one to one service but suppose we have such an evolved society in which there is an in-built system that the needy is taken care of; each one gets meaningful education and training to earn a respectable livelihood and the atmosphere within the society is such that the thirst for illumination is awakened in people and there are such evolved souls who can quench that thirst; then all the above three types of acts of service are taken care of in such an ideal social order. Creation of such a society would be the best service. The mission of India is to create such a Dharmik society where all are taken care of physically, mentally and spiritually as part of Dharma.

Eknathji explained, “As Swamiji has nicely put it, ‘every nation has a destiny to fulfill; it has a message to deliver and a mission to accomplish.’ ...This mission is not created or produced, it is handed over to the nation from generation to generation. The ancient seers had given up their entire worldly life and devoted themselves to this thought of the mission. It was through their austerity and penance, discrimination and thorough search that the mission dawned upon them and they have given it to us. People who aspire and desire to serve this nation must learn this mission, goal, destiny, and message and must realize the field of their work. They should be conscious of the arena in which they have to work.”

What is that mission? - To establish an ideal society. Eknathji further explains, “The ideal society must fulfill the needs of the body-mind complex; at the same time it must satisfy the yearnings of the inner being of man. Our ancestors had evolved such a society and with great confidence they could proclaim and invite the people of the world to come and visit this society and to follow, its precepts for their well-being...People in the world are striving for such an ideal society. They want it. ...It is India’s traditional, ever-existing mission to show the way… This is why ours is a nation-building service mission. The nation has lost its mission, it is to be re-instated, the nation is to be built, and perhaps it is to be reconstructed. ...It is ordained duty for this land to deliver this message even today to the world. Strife-less society will be the supreme and most precious gift that India can give to the world. It will be an un-paralleled and inconceivable act of SERVICE”.

Thus, the supreme most act of service is Nation-building. Nation building is nothing but the formation of Dharma based society. Dharma is an interaction with others based on oneness. It is doing our duty towards our larger forms of existence like family, community, society, nation and the whole creation. Establishing of such Dharma based society for the world has been the mission of India. The service with spiritual orientation means awakening the faith of the individual in his/her potential divinity and also the divinity around so that he/she is motivated to work for the society with the feeling of Oneness. Thus, Man-Making is enriching the man in all dimensions and also making him aware of his duty to his nation.

Attitude of total surrender to God makes an act of service a spiritual Sadhana: As important as the act of service, is the attitude, with which service is rendered. Eknathji says, in “Spiritualizing Life” “Service everybody does, you see if I go to the market, I want soap, and then a merchant, grocery shopkeeper gives me soap. I give him money. I wanted soap within half an hour. I wanted to wash my clothes. So I get out of this compound and he provides me with soap. It is a service. No doubt, it is service. That merchant, that grocer, the shopkeeper, has done me the service. No doubt. And that service I will certainly value. If I want something for a price, I don’t mind giving the price, but I must get the thing at beck and call. I get it. It is a service. So in all your activities you will find you do service. But there is a difference in service and selfless service. Merchant when he gives you soap and gets 50 np for it, it is not a selfless service. It is a bargain. This is a trade. It is commerce. It is a commercial service. There is give-and-take, a barter, a mathematical precision in receiving the returns approximately for the service rendered.” 

So if something in return is the motive then it is not service. But then what should be the prime mover in service? Eknathji says, “That service is the best and the noblest which is performed with the attitude of total surrender to God. …It is the divine design that I should render service on His behalf. He desires the betterment of the world and I am being used as a tool or a means to carry out His design. I am just an instrument in His hands …the action must be performed without any attachment but sincerely and honestly to the best of our ability with an attitude of being a tool only. We have been called upon to execute whatever is essential and possible as willed by God. This is SERVICE. We are doing his work. Such work elevates us and leads to Self-realization, which is the supreme goal of human life”.

An act of service with some expectation makes it barter, a trade but an act of Service with surrender alone makes it Sadhana. Eknathji says, ‘The entire life becomes a Sadhana. Entire life becomes Sadhana morning to night. You don’t have to sit for Sadhana. Life becomes Sadhana. You may not be required to say, ‘Now I have done this work. Now I will do Sadhana. Now I have done this work for others. Now I shall do something for my own liberation’

For further spiritual evolution of man India has to give her message of Oneness to the world. Message of Oneness is given by living example of a society which is based on Oneness. To develop such a society is God’s desire. We are His instruments. When we do that work with total feeing of Instrumentality – Sadhan Bhava then that great act of service becomes spiritual Sadhana. One may be a teacher, a student, a house wife, a banker, a social worker, a politician or anything but if we are doing our duties with national consciousness ie to rebuild, to organize the society based on Oneness and also with total acceptance of one’s role then that is great service.

During those days Eknathji would tour all over the country explaining in press conferences, public meetings the need of ‘spiritually oriented service’ that Vivekananda Kendra would be doing. It caught attention of many youth. Whether they could join Vivekananda Kendra or not but they were charmed with the idea, it went deep into them. Even today there are many persons who say that they were inspired and wanted to join Kendra.

If natural calamities come of course one should rush to help for relief and rehabilitation. But we do not have to pray that such calamities should come so that we can render service or there should be orphans, destitute, uncared for elderly persons so that we can serve them. That is only mending the symptoms of the disease. The disease is when many persons in the society become selfish, individualistic, insensitive to others’ sufferings or others traditions, and extreme consumerist then in such a society the number of orphans, uncared for women, elderly persons would keep on increasing. So someone may ask, ‘then should we not help orphans, destitute and others?’ We have to respond to the immediate need but in order that such issues do not arise we have to work for Dharma based society.

The real and sustainable act of service is to create a society in which most of the persons are evolved spiritually; respond with feeling of oneness to the sufferings of others; have fellow feelings, and they are aware of the mission of India and work for fulfilling it. In such a society there would be no orphans; women would be respected to bring out the best in them; the elderly persons would be gratefully taken care of; moreover the people would long to know and will know the real meaning of life and would be rooted in their inner being. It is a great act of service and great Sadhana when we work with surrender. As Eknathji worked to establish the service in its truest sense again, it was decided that during his Birth Centenary celebrations there should be ‘Vimarsh’ lecture cum interaction on the topic of Service.
Service in its full meaning is being rendered through ages in our country that is why Swami Vivekananda had said that renunciation and service are our national ideals. But Eknathji in his times perhaps was the first person who understood the appeal of service and incorporated it in Vivekananda Kendra by terming it as spiritually oriented service mission. Since then gradually the society also realized it and many organizations started service activities as well as some used the name service in the name of the organization itself. Hindu society responded to the needs of society in the field of basic service so well that today Hindus have left the Christian missionaries far behind in rendering of services which fulfill primary needs.

To give as example: In Chennai in the Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair which is being conducted since last 8 years many Hindu organizations participate. The organizers display the work of all the organizations as well as present a consolidated work of all in the central hall of the exhibition. The figures of some of the service activities of last year are

Primary service - Hospitals run 17,766 with patients treated annually over - 12 crores; Medical camps 52,881; Educational institutions run 29,198. Single teacher schools  1,45,410; Scholarship distributed Rs 118.6 crores, Rural and Tribal development projects 55,600 with beneficiaries 81,94,180 and villages covered 1,19,451(this is apart from schools and hospitals); Orphanages, old age homes and homes for differently abled -  1,465. Annadanam - No of people fed 44,90,96,763

Service to inculcate values etc. (apart from schools activities) No of centers of Hindu organization – 2, 77, 147;  Workers (Karyakartas) involved – 1,10,32,730; No of training centers – 7038; No of environmental awareness programs 2,795; No of water conservation programs – 871; No of trees planted – 2,34,73,63,066. Goshalas – 63,837; No of programs to promote respect for parents - 12,216. No of programs to promote respect for teachers-13140. No of programs to promote respect for women - 8,243; To instill patriotism - 13,673; Activities to promote arts – 8441; Magazines, periodicals and News Letters - 3,01,952. Yoga Centers - 14,526. Books /literature sold - 6,52,25,013. No of literature distributed free - 1,80,75,994.

ii)    Eknathji saw the potentiality of North East and the threats it may have to face

In 1950, there was a very devastating earthquake in North East, due to which Brahmaputra and her tributaries changed their course swallowing many towns and villages. Eknathji had toured that area extensively as Pranta Pracharak of Poorvanchal. He had seen the simplicity of the people and the rich diversity of North East. North East could also become a very important link in the future work of India in Eastern countries. He realized that considering the strategic importance of North East the anti-national forces might try to exploit this situation and cause a lot of trouble in the days to come. Very extensive work was needed at various levels to thwart such designs so as the people continue peacefully on the path of development. Due to the inner line permit practice in Arunachal Pradesh and also the anti-conversion bill, no religious organization was allowed to work there. The Christian missionary organizations therefore opened schools on the borders of NEFA as Arunachal Pradesh was known in those days. They would take the students from Arunachal, convert them, and send them back. (But today Christian organizations are very freely, openly and extensively pursuing their agenda of conversion.) The rich culture in Arunachal and other hilly regions was thus threatened. The Hindu organizations like RSS wanted to contain it. But these were considered as religious organizations and were not allowed in those days.

Therefore, when Vivekananda Kendra was started as a spiritually oriented service mission, Eknathji felt it could have easy entry to Arunachal Pradesh to serve the people. After the training was over the life-workers were to be posted in different parts of the country. Eknathji planned to deploy the first batch of trained Jeevanvratis in Arunachal Pradesh and whole of North East extensively. Even Destiny seemed to have willed the same way. Or rather, the thinking of Eknathji was in tune with the Divine plan as he was an instrument in the hands of Divine. 

Sri K. A. A. Raja who was Chief Commissioner then and later became Lt. Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, visited Kanyakumari when the training of the first batch of Jeevanvratis was on. He was very much inspired by his visit to Rock Memorial. He felt a person who has actualized such perfection in granite with the support of the whole country must be having a still grander vision. While talking with Eknathji, he came to know about the second phase. He was delighted to know that Eknathji too cherished this idea since long to do substantial work in North East. Both together planned that Vivekananda Kendra should start a chain of schools for Arunachalis. For want of proper schools, many of the Arunachalis were sending their children to the missionary schools in Assam. But, in those schools the children would start despising their own culture and traditions, their own Gods and Goddesses. That worried the people. Therefore, Sri K. A. A. Raja, on behalf of people of Arunachal, extended an invitation to Vivekananda Kendra. Eknathji was overwhelmed at the way the events had turned out to fulfill his long cherished desire and the need of the people.

Though Sri K. A. A. Raja wanted the schools to be started immediately, Eknathji had different ideas. He felt the development of any community should not be defined and decided by others. It should come from within the community itself. Therefore, the Kendra should only help them to find out their own solutions. And to be able to do that, the Karyakartas of Kendra should live with the people, understand them and accept them as their own, only then they would become eligible to work for them. Therefore, Eknathji posted the Jeevanvrati-life workers and some selected teachers in different government schools in Arunachal Pradesh. Before posting them, Eknathji took extensive tour of Arunachal Pradesh for 15 days. In those days, communications were very bad. Nevertheless, he had to see and decide where he would be sending Kendra Karyakartas. It seems, after this strenuous tour, Eknathji had some severe cough for a few days. However, he wanted to have the first-hand knowledge of the terrain by seeing the physical conditions where he would be sending Karyakartas thereafter. 

The speed of Eknathji’s work was amazing. He started the branch centres in all the states of North East. After proper study of people and area, in one go, seven residential schools were opened in remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh in 1977. The Jeevanvratis and selected teachers who had worked in government schools for few years were then withdrawn to work in Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas. The schools started with a bang and Eknathji also started five more schools after two years. He wanted to cover the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. The schools were residential so that the children from interior areas too could get the benefit. In those days, the whole of Arunachal was without any proper roads, so these pioneers had to walk for miles together to get any provisions or medical facility or many times just to reach the schools after vacation. But, they put up with all the difficulties smilingly and did such work that today Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya is a respected name in Arunachal Pradesh.

There are many traditional communities generally called as Tribal communities in North East. They have very rich culture. Their languages, dresses, way of worship, names of Gods and Goddesses are apparently very different from each other but they have same outlook towards life as in any other part of India. Unfortunately, this apparent difference was interpreted as separateness. The study of these communities was done mainly from a mechanistic prism by the West oriented scholars. Such study surely provokes tensions between the communities resulting in separatist tendencies. Once separated from its roots, the community also loses its identity and peace.

Therefore, Eknathji wanted to set up a research institute to study the traditions of North-Eastern communities from integral point of view. That dream was later realized in the form of Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture, Guwahati. He also wanted to have branch centres in each of the North Eastern states. Eknathji made North Eastern area the thrust area of Vivekananda Kendra. Due the early demise of Eknathji, Kendra had to slow down its pacing and thus for various reasons some Karyakartas from other states except Arunachal Pradesh and Assam were withdrawn.

When North East was a forgotten or ignored area; when transfer to North East was generally viewed as punishment posting by Government officers it was at that time Eknathji realized the potential of North East and focused on it. Even in North East still inaccessible area then was Arunachal Pradesh, Eknathji focused on it. He saw to it that on big scale educational and other activities were taken up. Today we know that North-East is very much in lime-light and even government establishment has a separate ministry for this region. But we can only salute Eknathji for having seen the importance of North East so early. 

iii)    Faith in Indian women

Swami Vivekananda had said that a bird cannot fly with one wing. It needs both the wings to fly majestically. Similarly the genius of both men and women is required for rebuilding of nation. If the women have no scope to work for the nation in every field or to dedicate one’s life for the nation then the development of the society would be lop-sided. Women have certain specific qualities. If those qualities are not available for rebuilding of nation, the nation would be affected accordingly.

One revolutionary step of Eknathji was of starting Vivekananda Kendra where both men and women would work together. Till then there was hardly any organization in our country where women could work full time, dedicate her life for the country. Before even the word ‘women empowerment’ got fashionable to be used, he could foresee the need that women must have the freedom of choice to live the life so as to contribute for the society.

Eknathji who was working in the tradition of Rishis of our country had full faith in the women. He knew a woman who herself is Shakti incarnate does not need to be empowered by anyone else. Only, what is required is to open all the avenues for her. When he started Vivekananda Kendra there were many words of caution and rightly so as after thousands of years the society was venturing again this where the men and women would work together in all equality and harmony and yet would maintain the sanctity of the atmosphere of the organization. Even if there was possibility of certain mishaps it was worth experimenting as Eknathji saw that in the days to come women are going to come on the forefront of everything, then why not start with in the field of service for the society. That is what he did.

Swami Vivekananda had envisaged, “A hundred thousand men and women, fired with the zeal of holiness, fortified with eternal faith in the Lord, and nerved to lion’s courage by their sympathy for the poor and the fallen and the downtrodden, will go over the length and breadth of the land, preaching the gospel of salvation, the gospel of help, the gospel of social raising - up -- the gospel of equality.” Eknathji in starting Vivekananda Kendra initiated the process of actualization of that vision of Swami Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda had considered women as equally important in the task of national regeneration. He had said, “To the women of this country I would say exactly what I say to the men. Believe in India and in our Indian faith. Be strong and hopeful and unashamed, and remember that with something to take, Hindus have immeasurably more to give than any other people in the world.” Naturally Eknathji too as true follower of Swami Vivekananda could not think of starting Vivekananda Kendra without women having any role as its Jeevan-Vrati Karyakarta.

Eknathji was a task master. Some warned him that his toughness may scare away the women. But Eknathji worked both ways that he too changed himself at the same time he saw to it that women Jeevanvrati Karyakarta also would be capable of toughness. He allowed women as Jeevavrati not with a patronizing or indulging attitude. His approach was same towards women and men Jeevanvrati. Therefore today Vivekananda Kendra has women Karyakarta who are part of decision making and also in execution of the work. And all this is done very naturally and not as balancing the gender ratio or in patronizing attitude! Sri Shirish Joshi who is organization consultant with wide experience and had conducted and facilitated workshops for educational management in Kendra for 2-3 years; once commented, “I find that Vivekananda Kendra is an organization which practices gender equity without talking about it. Women in Vivekananda Kendra are working at various levels including as thought leaders. I find this to be a very rare phenomenon”. Over the years now many organizations have adopted the practice of having women as full-time Karyakartas.

iv)    Yoga the core of Vivekananda Kendra

When Yoga was not that popular in India as Sri Baba Ramdev or Sri Sri Ravishankar were yet to emerge on our national scene, Eknathji realized the importance of Yoga. He emphasized Yoga as the core of Vivekananda Kendra. He used to invite Srimat Sri Janardan Swami from Nagpur a great Yogi who used to teach science of Yoga and also Yogasanas and Pranayam to life-workers. Eknathji wanted that Kendra Karyakartas should reach out in the society with Yoga as the medium. Not only that he also worked to open a big center for Yoga at Kanyakumari where people would come from all over the world and not just learn Yogasanas and Pranayam but would understand what Yoga way of life is. When the work was taking shape, Eknathji passed away. Later the work related to Yoga-Center was shifted to Bangalore and after 27 years it was made to grow independently of Vivekananda Kendra so that the research in Yoga Therapy etc could be undertaken by it. Today that center has become a Yoga University. But one can discern the foresight and of Eknathji behind it. 

As emphasized by Eknathji Yoga continues to be the core of Vivekananda Kendra. What did Eknathji mean when he said that Yoga was the core of Vivekananda Kendra? Vivekananda Kendra is not just having ‘yoga’ related activities but is also running many service projects in rural and tribal areas, and also has around 830 branches in the country so in what way “Yoga is the core of Vivekananda Kendra?” 

Swami Vivekananda had told “Each nation has a message to deliver, a mission to accomplish, a destiny to fulfill.” The destiny of India is to give to the world, an ideal social order based on the vision of oneness. Such Social order based on the vision of interconnected, interrelated and interdependent universe, takes care of the physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual well-being of its constituents.
For re-building our nation where are the men who would give their all for the good of the many? Thus the main work is to create such men who, seeing the divinity expressed in the creation around, give up their life, time and energy for its worship through service. Thus nation building is linked with man-making. For the work of man-making - how do we reach the people and motivate or mould them? What is the natural tendency of our people, what is it that appeals them? Eknathji said,
“People of our country are, by tradition, religion-minded and this country is therefore described as a land of religion and spirituality. Swami Vivekananda used to say that the soul of our country is in religion (dharma). ..If going to temples, visiting places of pilgrimage, participating in Bhajans, Yajnas and Anusthanas …are the manifestations of a growing religiosity, our country is, perhaps, more religious today than it ever was at any time in the past.
“But, unfortunately, the natural impact of this apparent God-wardness of the general society is little in evidence today. Purposeful living, discipline, character, truthfulness, fellow-feeling, fearlessness, subordination of the self and a zest for works of public good, which are some of the traits that develop in a God-ward society and which, we have enough evidence to say, existed in good measure in our country in the past, are seen fast disappearing from our midst. …So, what is wrong with us …Any discerning mind will be able to see that a distorted conception of religion is the root cause of most of our ills for the last several centuries, which persist even today. It is rightly said that religion is the soul of our country. But, as that itself is blurred, we have the sorry spectacle of deterioration all round.
“Religious (Dharmik or Spiritual) awakening means experiencing the presence of God in one’s own self and in the world. That makes one conscious of the divine within and urges him to work for its unfoldment and enables him to grow spiritually. Simultaneously, it generates in him a sense of oneness with God’s creation and, consequently, an intense fellow-feeling for the members of his own species – the human race – and prompts him to work with zest for human welfare and progress…  If, and as long as, the religious awakening intensifies on these lines, it is dynamic and full of tremendous potentialities for the transformation of humanity into higher and higher planes of existence. But, if it remains limited to rituals, forms of worship and offerings to God, or prayers and praises addressed to Him, it becomes static and has hardly any role to play in human advancement.”

It was Swami Vivekananda who gave us the call to worship the God that we see all around us. Religion is not in doctrines or dogmas, nor in intellectual argumentation. It is realization in the heart of hearts; it is touching God; it is feeling, realizing that I am a spirit in relation with Universal Spirit and all its great manifestations. To those who lost themselves only in forms and rituals, turning their back on the people and the misery that had befallen them, Swamiji said, ‘What vain gods shall we go after and yet cannot worship the god that we see all around us, the Virat (Janata Janardan)? When we have worshipped this, we shall be able to worship all other gods.’
“The remedy for the ills of our country, therefore, lies in launching a mighty movement of right thought sweeping the entire country. It has to be a two-pronged move. On the one hand, it is to be aimed at (1) transforming our people’s inherent God-wardness into the right spiritual urge rising out of the teachings of the Upanishads, namely, (a) each soul is potentially divine and (b) faith in God, in turn means faith in one’s self, i.e. in one’s potentiality to rise to divine heights. On the other hand, it is (2) to convert the spiritual fervour thus released into works of national reconstruction”
Thus, Vivekananda Kendra aims at man-making that is making man realize his essential divinity as well as see that divine-self all around. This feeling of oneness, concern for all in the society would generate great spiritual energy which is to be channelised for national reconstruction so that India can fulfill her mission. To achieve this Man-Making and Nation-Building, the right science as well as technology is Yoga-Shastra. The natural tendency of our people is following Dharma and worship of God. In today’s context we shall have to understand the deeper meaning of these terms. We will have to share its dynamic understanding with the people. Eknathji felt that is through Yoga that we can grasp that dynamic understanding in present context and Yoga is also the best tool to reach out to the people.
This work of Kendra as was told by Swami Vivekananda and stressed by Eknathji is mainly in the English-educated class which generally also termed as intellectuals. For nation building and for fulfilling the mission of this nation, this class is very important as they interpret India to the world. It is they who mould the opinion of the nation and represent the nation at the global level. But the irony is, they are incapable to express the soul of the nation as ‘modernity’ has cut them off from their roots, the tradition of this land. But their minds still respond to certain traditional sciences if they could be explained in scientific terms. Yoga is foremost in those sciences which appeal to them.  The way Yoga is welcomed in the West has attracted our west-oriented section too. Therefore Yoga becomes one of the best means to contact the English-educated class. Yoga also becomes the entry point for them to appreciate spiritual culture of India. Therefore, Eknathji adopted Yoga as the core of Vivekananda Kendra. 

We also see that the contemporary life is based on the reductionist, atomized view of life and gives stress only on individualism. Thus man is getting atomized, divided from nature, community, family and even his own self is getting shattered. Therefore many problems like disintegration of families, disturbed social systems, because of that, afflictions like drug addiction, violence, ecological imbalance, meaninglessness in life, crass materialism, are on the increase. That has created many tensions, stresses resulting in such diseases which medicine cannot cure. Yoga is the solution for all these present problems of man-kind. Man now needs such a way of life which gives him the Vision of Oneness. He needs a way of life which unites him with the (samashti) collectivity like family, community, society, nation and the whole creation. Only then he can also realize the Parameshti - the highest dimension of his life. Thus, Yoga is the solution for all the difficulties of the modern man. Perhaps it was because of this that when the proposition of International Yoga Day was put forward by Prime Minister of India, spontaneously the 177 nations supported it and thus in record time United Nations announced 21 June as International Yoga Day.
Yoga means feeling one with Divine which has expressed as all Samashtis like family, community, nation, creation. Thus, yoga way of life is not just yogasanaas but it is working for all the Samashtis. Kendra conducts Yoga Satra and Yoga Vargas to motivate the people to see Divine in oneself and around and to contribute by Tana (with actions) Mana (with feelings) and Dhana (giving some money) for all the expanding layers of the Samasthi. Such Yoga way of life is the core of Vivekananda Kendra as indicated by Eknathji in the Kendra Prarthana as Karamyogaiknishtha. 
Swami Vivekananda also wanted our society should come together on the basis of common principles. Yoga is non-sectarian. It does not stress any particular expression of Divine but accepts Omkar - Pranav as the best expression of Divine. Omkar is acceptable to all as it represents all forms and names of God. As Kendra intends to reach the people of all the faiths, Eknathji adopted Yoga as its core.
With development in technology, the demands on man at all levels have increased. As the life has become very complex man needs a very different paradigm to face the challenges of life. Yoga is the best science of human development, of personality development at all levels. As Kendra has the motto of “Serve man serve God” Kendra has taken Yoga as the core of its activities to render such service to the man, that he expresses all-round excellence in his life and raises oneself to the divine heights.
Yogasana can be an individual practice but Yoga way of life links the individual to the collectivities. As such human life is linked to everything - samashti and Parameshti, manifest and un-manifest, human and nature. If the links are ignored, man comes to grief. Yoga is for deepening this link with the Virat-the manifest and the un-manifest. ‘Yoga way of life’ makes one see God everywhere and thus worship it in Virat. Yoga Keval Vyaktigat Sadhana nahi hai Samashti ki Sadhana bhi hai. Vivekananda Kendra is an organization to rebuild our nation so that India can confidently fulfill its mission to guide the world in spirituality. Yoga is the best means to do that.  
As Yoga is the core of Vivekananda Kendra, whatever may be the activity of Kendra, its ultimate aim is to awaken the innate divinity in man, to strive for excellence, to feel for others, to channelise that energy for national reconstruction.
Eknathji launched Vivekananda Kendra a spiritually oriented service mission based on the Upanishadic teachings, “Each soul is potentially divine”. Yoga is the most effective science and methodology to manifest the divinity in man and to channelise it for national reconstruction.  Therefore, he gave prominence to Yoga by proclaiming and establishing it as the core of Vivekananda Kendra. Swami Vivekananda had said that, national union in India is the gathering of its all scattered spiritual forces whose hearts beat to same spiritual tune. Yoga is non-sectarian and thus it is the best medium to bring all the scattered spiritual forces together.

Yoga is to fulfill ordained duty of India: Swami Vivekananda had said, “Each nation has a mission to fulfill, a message to deliver, a destiny to fulfill.” The mission of India is to guide the whole world in spirituality; to re-establish India as Jagadguru.

What does it mean? When we say that India has to guide the world? If it is the knowledge then that is now already easily available in this digital age. Most of our scriptures are now digitalized. But spirituality is not information. One needs to experience about how a human life, family, society which functions on Oneness lives. Thus India has a three-fold function

1)    She has the vision of Oneness – Akhandamandalakaram, Ekatma Jeevan Darshan- expanding (evolving) man is a family, expanding family a community, expanding community a society, nation and expanding nation is a whole universe thus we are all interconnected and therefore interdependent.
2)    Man is not a sinner but potentially divine and goal of life is to manifest divinity. (Dharmik Jagaran is not just poojas but manifestation of divinity in one’s life and actions)
3)    India practiced, and worked for the Dharma (dharma - The duty of man to maintain the harmony around in the enlarging samashti) based society so that each one is taken care of and is provided opportunities to grow and evolve spiritually. 

In order to be able to guide the world we have not only to emerge as a strong nation economically and militarily but we also have to rebuild our nation vibrantly in the above three dimensions- Vision of life, immortality of human soul and samashti based on dharma. Eknathji wanted the Yoga in Kendra not to be limited to yoga therapy but as our Rishis have realized and practiced it, it is to be established as a way of life, which would bring paradigm shift, which would change the present reductionist way of life and bring Integral – holistic- way of life. 

Eknathji expected that on day to day basis for a Karyakarta of Vivekananda Kendra, ‘Yoga is the core of Vivekananda Kendra’ means – our every activity should work towards one or all the above three points. That is our activity should link an individual to the family, family to the society, society to the nation and all to the inherent Oneness of the existence. Our activities should awaken the desire in the man to manifest his potential divinity. Our activities should motivate that person to work for the society. Therefore he termed Vivekananda Kendra as not just a service mission but a spiritually oriented service mission

If we limit or use Yoga only for removing some diseases, or for monetary benefit or personal happiness then we are doing disservice to our Rishis. It is being ungrateful to them. They had given their lives, did penance to discover this knowledge, enrich it and pass it on to us. We cannot limit it or use it only for physical benefits or misuse or barter it. But is should be practiced fully to make this nation fulfill its ordained duty towards the humanity to realize the Oneness of existence. Eknathji thus was a great visionary. It is really a very pleasant coincidence that the first International Yoga Day was celebrated during the birth centenary year of Eknathji.

Whether as a Master organizer or as a man who made the impossible, possible or as a visionary what strikes any one in his life is his capacity to take any endeavor to its logical conclusion. No work would be left half-done or done as ‘somehow managed’. He believed in offering worship to Ishwara by his perfect, beautiful and purposeful actions. “Swakarmana Tam Abhyarchya Siddhim Vindanti Manavah – Worshipping Ishwara by one’s actions one reaches fulfillment”. Eknathji’s life was such a life of fulfillment made with tremendous will power. Eknathji was a man of tremendous will-power whether in work or even in sickness. When doctors gave up hopes after his brain hammaerage where he had even lost his memory he again recovered fully with his will-power and resumed his work. Great courage, great will power and great dedication to the cause can be learnt by studying his life. He continues to be the source of inspiration for every ordinary person who aspires to do extra-ordinary work for the sake of Bharatmata and make his or her life one of the most beautiful offerings to the Divine.  

Nivedita Raghunath Bhide