Say No to Tobacco, Oh Smokers and Co…

The 31st of May is celebrated globally as World No Tobacco Day. We at SPCT decided to spread awareness about this day and about the ill effects of tobacco by celebrating this event a day before - 30th May by a walkathon.

A health conscious society has now banned smoking in public places, and in many countries this offense is heavily fined. But it is only when each of us bans it voluntarily from our hearts and systems itself will the drive have any lasting effect. So, it was with this intention that around fifty volunteers gathered early on Sunday morning at Cubbon Park near Press Club on May 30th, armed with anti-smoking banners, posters and the determination to spread the message of World No Tobacco Day.

Dressed in Jeans, Tees and sports shoes, holding aloft their banners, striding energetically but silently through the four kilometer stretch around the park, the walkathon enthusiasts, young and old, attracted curious looks and enquiries from everyone. Their message was clear - get conscious of your health and give up smoking; don’t take to it if you haven’t yet. Kick the Butt, walk and exercise the butt said one poster, while another warned that If you puff, puff, puff, you will huff, huff, huff! Another banner highlighted the many ingredients that go into the making of a cigarette - nicotine, methane, carbon, etc - effectively showing how harmful it was to ingest all these substances into the lungs. It was heartening to see a lot of youth among the walkers, the citizens of tomorrow whose onus it is to foster a healthy society.

The main aim of undertaking this walkathon a day earlier, was that people get the message 24 hours earlier and abstain from smoking at least on that day, that is 31st May.

Hopefully, many, many more such citizens will be influenced by this initiative, and will go on to lead a healthy, smoke-free life that is easy on the pocket as well as the environment.

Celebrate your birthdays with us

As Maitri and Lokanand decided to celebrate their success by feeding the poor, 4 students from RV college of Engineering decided to celebrate their birthday by participating in the Daily Mass Feeding program.

Arjun, was passing by our office and he saw a long line of poor collecting food. Curious on what was happening he came and enquired about the program. He was so touched that he and his friends decided to surprise their birthday friend Balaji by serving the poor. Balaji enjoyed celebrating his birthday in a different and yet a thoughtful way. He was happy that this year instead of wasting money on parties and outings, he helped around 300 under privileged get food that afternoon.

Just like these students, a lot of people like celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions by interacting with the not so fortunate and serving them with a wholesome lunch.

Some of the pictures of these events are:





If you would like to join in, and sponsor food for the under privileged, you can write to us at donate@wipeatearremoveapain.org or call us at + 91 93412 59083

You can visit our website www.wipeatearremoveapain.org to know more about our other projects

In the spirit of Wipe a Tear Remove a Pain.

An attitude of gratitude

On 9th of May, Shree Public Charitable Trust saw two teenagers, Maitri Vasudev and Lokanand Prasanna at our office keen to participate in our Daily Mass Feeding Program. They both had just got their Std 12 marks and had scored exceptionally well. Unlike other kids of their age, they decided to celebrate this success by joining hands with us in the feeding the poor instead of wasting money on treats and parties.

The local press was very impressed by this noble gesture of Lokanand and Maitri carried an article in a total of 9 newspapers - Deccan Herald, The Hindu, Indian Express, Prajavani, Kannada Prabha, Vartha Bharati, Rajasthan Patrika, Mathrubhoomi, and Enandu.

These are the newspaper clips:










In the spirit of Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!
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Sponsors for the month of April

In the month of April, we had some generous sponsors and to all of them we are thankful for their kind donations. It has gone a long way to help some of the most under-privileged families in Bangalore, India.

I would like to mention a few people have been very generous with their donations:

1. Karneet Enterprises(India) Pvt Ltd, Bangalore

2. Southern Silica Mines, Gudur, Andhra Pradesh

3. B. Jayaprakash, Chief Manager, State Bank of Mysore, Bangalore

4. V M Corporation, Mumbai

5. Mascot Engineering Company, Mumbai

6. K Rambabu, Hyderabad

A special mention to Balaji B and his friends of RV College of Engineering for thinking of celebrating Balaji's birthday by serving the poor at our office. A wonderful gesture!

This link given below will give you the details of all sponsors for the month

http://www.wipeatearremoveapain.org/india/html/donate_list.htm

In the spirit of Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

www.wipeatearremoveapain.org

Become a Daily Mass Feeding Ambassador

Contribute and help us feed the not so fortunate with nutritious food.

Spend Rs 2000/- to feed 300 people
Spend Rs 4000/- to feed 600 people
Spend Rs 8000/- to feed 1,200 people

If you think you can make a difference and feed more people.. contact us at +91 93412 59083 or email us at donate@wipeatearremoveapain.org

We know you care, so join in to Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

www.wipeatearremoveapain.org

A report on the event........

This is what one of the volunteers who participated in the Malaysian activity of providing provisions to the Sri Lankan refugees on Valentines Day said about the event:

The mission of Wipe A Tear Remove A Pain is firmly etched in our minds and we wanted to express our unconditional love on Valentine’s Day to the needy and underprivileged in some way.

So we decided to help and cheer the Sri Lankan refugees who are in a pitiful plight in Malaysia. Shri Eswaralingam, who is working relentlessly for this cause arranged for eleven refugee families to be present at Kelana D' Putera Condo Poolside at Kelana Jaya Selangor. Shri Eswaralingam briefed the audience about the predicament of these refugees. He pointed out that there were certain areas like medical care and education that needed special attention. The Malaysian volunteers, who had provided transport to bring the refugees there, now rose to the occasion and provided provisions of rice, dhal, oil, sugar and milk to all these families. A medical screening for these refugees had also been arranged by The Divine Society of Shri Nimishananda. This was carried out by Dr. S. Revendran, Dr. Lucky Kaur and Dr. Gaithri Devi who generously volunteered their services free of cost. They checked their blood pressure and glucose levels and gave the refugees general advice about how to maintain good health. The doctors also assured them that they would follow up and administer more medications in the next medical camp. Financial assistance was also provided to an expectant mother who was due to deliver her baby very soon.

Then Dr. Mahadevan, the head of The Divine Society of Shri Nimishananda in Malaysia, spoke about the importance of having faith and hope. He said that as the refugees had left their homes and their loved ones behind in their country, they should transcend these relationships and fill the vacuum in their hearts by connecting themselves to the Divine. Dr. Mahadevan also pointed out that we should remember we are born to experience the eternal bliss of the Soul all the time and share it with others. The refugees responded with love and expressed their whole hearted gratitude. All the participants were served a Satvic, vegetarian lunch. Everybody went home with beaming hearts and a silent prayer that "Wipe a Tear Remove a Pain" should be implemented globally in all sections of society to create a pain-free world.

Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

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Providing Provisions to Sri Lankan refugees

Divine Society of Shri Nimishananda Malaysia on Valentine's Day set out to provide provisions to the Sri Lankan refugees in Kuala Lumpur.

These are some pictures of the event













Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

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Daily Mass Feeding on this Solar Eclipse

Donating food (Annadana) is considered to be a very noble form of charity. It confers great merit on the donor and assures him and his family of constant abundance of food grain and prosperity.

According to the scriptures, Annadana performed on the day of solar and lunar eclipses confers greater merits for the donor. We serve the poor people every single day. About 1500 locals are taking benefit of this program.

If any of you wish to contribute and donate for the Annanda during the solar eclipse which falls on January 15, 2010 or on any other day, you can contact us at +91 9341259083 or email at donate@wipeatearremoveapain.org

Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!!

Some more pictures of Daily Mass Feeding at SPCT

Serving every afternon..

This little one jumps at the food! So cute!

Locals come support us:

Donors Board:

Donors for Daily Mass Feeding

Inspired and generous donors come forward everyday to sponsor this initiative of Daily Mass Feeding in cash and in kind. Some prefer sending in cheques and some prefer donating groceries needed to cook the food we serve. Some celebrate the special days like birthdays, anniversaries by contributing to this noble cause.

We at SPCT, like to acknowledge and thank this gesture by putting up their name on the board outside when the feeding is done so the people who take away the food can thank their sponsors

We even encourage the sponsors to come and experience the joy in serving the people.

You know where to contact if you would like your name on our hall of fame board, contact us at donate@wipeatearremoveapain.org or call us at +91 93412 59083

Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!!

My afternoons...

The most looked forward time of the day for me is the afternoons between 1 - 2pm. For most of us who are working, we look forward for this time of the day because we get a break from the non stop work since the day began.

But for me personally its because I get to spend some time with the poor and needy who stand outside the SPCT office in Rajarajeshwari Nagar,Bangalore looking for a sumptuous lunch. Somedays I just stand and watch the priceless expression on their faces. Expression of satisfaction when they put that first morsel in their mouth, expression of pangs of hunger they feel while standing in the line waiting for their turn, expression of curiosity to see whats there for lunch today, expression of happiness when they get a sweet with lunch, expression of motherhood when she feeds her little one. You can just stand there and enjoy these moments.

Then there are some days when I go speak to them when they come and share their experiences on how their life has changed because of the unlimited food they take back home in the afternoon. Some say, thanks to the annadana, they dont find the need to buy groceries as they take back food for the full family for dinner too. This helps them save a lot of money and that amount they save goes for her daughters education. Some say that since the food is nutritious and blessed by a Divine being Shri Shri Nimishananda (the driving force behind SPCT) it has helped and cured them of a lot of diseases. There are innumerable such experiences they shared, but at the moment I just recollect these two.

Some days I just feel like serving these people who come there longing for healthy food. Serving them is a different experience in itself. There are moments while serving when my head says - "You have given him three servings of rice. Enough. There needs to enough for the others too." But then when I look up and see their faces and my heart melts and I want to serve them till the brim of the vessel they have brought. Who I am to say how much they should get, I dont know how many mouths he/she has to feed, so how can I decide?

At the end of that one hour as everyone starts moving back home, I go back inside with mixed feelings. One side I feel sad about the difficulties they have to go through for basic neccesity of food, but on the other hand, glad and blessed to be part of such a great cause who can help such needy!

If you want to join me, help such people and feel the joy I feel, contact us +91 93412 59083 or email me at donate@wipeatearremoveapain.org or reachus@wipeatearremoveapain.org

Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

They never go hungry... - an article in Times of India

According to a latest study and Times of India, India is failing its rural poor with 230 million people being undernourished — the highest for any country in the world. Malnutrition accounts for nearly 50% of child deaths in India as every third adult (aged 15-49 years) is reported to be thin (BMI less than 18.5).

According to the latest report on the state of food insecurity in rural India, more than 1.5 million children are at risk of becoming malnourished because of rising global food prices.

With such statistics, Shree Public Charitable Trust started the Annadana initiative for the locals around Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

The Times of India covered this initiative of ours and the article was published in the monday edition (14th September) on page 5.

They are destitute, some come from broken families and others are left to fend for themselves in the twilight of life - yet hunger is what pains them the most. At times, two square meals a day can even be wishful thinking.

Fortunately, the Shree Public Charitable Trust's (SPCT) Nithya Annadana or daily mass feeding project ushers in that much needed ray of hope. Every day as the clock strikes 1.30 in the afternoon, the young and old start queuing up near the SPCT office to collect their share of food - a healthy and nutritious meal served to over 250 below-poverty line (BPL) people, around the year.

Nurtured under the aegis of Shri Shri Nimishananda, SPCT was set up in 2006 in Rajarajeshwari Nagar. The Nithya Annadana project was initiated in the same year. "Food is such a basic necessity for existence, yet thousands go to bed on an empty stomach every day. We wanted to start at the grassroots level," says Roopa Satish, a trustee.

The downtrodden from several slums in the vicinity of SPCT office have benefited from this project over the years. "Here I can eat a full meal to my heart's content at least once a day. The food is fresh and served with lot of love. I can even pack food for my kids back home," says domestic worker Lakshamamma, who was deserted by her husband.

There are regular variations in the menu -- bisibele bath, tomato rice, pongal, puliyogare rice, lemon rice -- the taste changes on a daily basis. During festival time, sweets are an addition. "On the first day, people kept trying to break the queue as they were sceptical if there would be enough food for all. Today they know everyone will get sufficient food, no matter when and in what numbers they come," says Vani Vasudev, a volunteer with the Trust.

"Sometimes outsiders too contribute to the annadana to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and other auspicious occasions," she adds.

"With regular intake of food, the health of many of these undernourished people has improved. The money they save on food can be utilized to meet other requirements of life," says Ashwini Prasad, also a volunteer.

The Trust has 30 full-time volunteers and around 50 part-time volunteers for specialized activities. Some of their other initiatives include providing a free ambulance service in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, organizing regular health camps, distributing free notebooks and other scholastic aid to rural schools.

Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

A beautiful poem on Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain by Divya Vasudev

Wipe A Tear, Remove A Pain

In this world, where to one another we seem strange,
What we need is a dramatic change
That envelops all beings with selfless love
Which seems to belong to the worlds above.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain
To start the beginning of a world revolution
By our very own internal evolution.

Come, let’s hold hands and join hearts
To bring peace and soothe piercing darts.
Let’s get together and ignite a spark
To spill joy to the depressed in the dark

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain.
Others’ troubles let us fight
For our conscience says, ‘That’s right’.

To be happy is our true birthright,
So, let’s pour forth bliss and love-light,
And let it spread with greater might
Than a forest-fire in a dark night.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain
To replace anger, fury, hatred, jealousy
With patience, tolerance and joyful ecstasy.

So, let’s give up everything cunning and wile,
And start each day with a big, bright SMILE,
Saying like the glowing sun,
‘See Me I Love Everyone’.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain,
’Cause a smile’s more contagious than any disease.
It makes all worries and problems cease.

Whether deaf, dumb, blind or lame,
Birds and animals— wild or tame,
Hard-working and serious or fun and game,
Let’s be loving to each soul, all the same.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain
With care and compassion let us treat,
Every single being that we do meet.

A simple act to cheer a boy,
Like presenting him a little toy,
Or giving an orphan a tiny kiss,
And being the mother she does miss.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain.
Let’s keep aside our lust and greed,
And pray for the needy who beg and plead.

Nothing as ours can we rightfully claim
Nor For things that go wrong others blame
’Cause once the ego we have slain
We can experience no stress or strain.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain
To become a channel of the divine,
Let’s forget the words ‘I, me ‘n’ mine’.

It’s certainly not our job to preach
Or to attempt the erring to correct or teach,
But to globally to all beings stretch out and reach
And serve them with our mind, body and speech.

So, let’s wipe a tear and remove a pain,
And think less of our personal gain.
Brimming with the harmony of the Lord’s Grace,
Let’s make this world a beautiful/wonderful/marvellous place

Books distribution at Kanakapura

Books Distribution at Kanakapura

After completing our books distribution events at Ganjam and Devanahalli, our next location was Kanakapura which is a small town 50 kms away from Bangalore. One of our ashram devotees received a request from a school official stating their need for school books and hence a small group of youngsters decided to go there and bring smiles on the students faces. As we entered the school premises, we saw these high school students busy studying in their classes. But within a few minutes, in a very disciplined manner all the 250 students were out on the playground arranging themselves and sitting down in orderly rows eagerly waiting for the books to be distributed. The event started off with a prayer done by our ashram volunteers which was then followed by a small talk about the mission and vision of Wipe a Tear, remove a pain. All the students listened to this with great interest and with pin drop silence. It is difficult to hold the attention of young minds for too long but it was nice to see the discipline and decorum they maintained throughout the event. As we started distributing the books, all the students came up to the stage in a line, collected their books, posed for a photograph and quietly returned to their seats. They also enthusiastically recited the shlokas with the volunteers, which are written on either side of the books and promised to continue doing so every day. We concluded the formal session with a stimulating chanting of Om Jai Matha, Om Jai Gurudeva!

After the formal session, our volunteers spent some time with the students and even played a game of volleyball with them. We could see the happiness on all the children’s faces as the volunteers spoke to them on a more personal note. The staff of the school where very thankful and requested us to make more such visits to keep the students motivated and inspired.

To view the complete album of our books donations drive click on http://www.shrinimishamba.org/html/photo_edu.htm

Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!

School Books Donation Drives

As part of the Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain initiative, we went on a school books donation drives to Ganjam and Devanahalli in last few weeks. We have been dedicating the weekend for this activity. It been an amazing experience interacting and spending time with poor school going kids.

One thing that struck me most about them was their innocence and and love.

This gives you an idea of we did during these events

Date: 30th May

This year, Shree Public Charitable Trust (SPCT), the social service wing of the ashram, has adopted the programme of distributing free note books to needy school children in rural areas around Bangalore. The first of such events happened on 30th May.

Volunteers of the ashram visited the small town of Ganjam near Srirangapatna, and first and foremost headed for the Shri Nimishamba Temple and offered the first set of note books at the Lotus Feet of the Divine Mother. At the pre-appointed hour and place, hundreds of children had gathered to receive the books blessed by Parama Pujya Shri Shri Nimishananda. The attractive note books, carrying the picture of Pujya Guruji and shlokas printed on the front and back inside covers, were eagerly sought after. Around 850 note books were distributed. The session ended with the children being led through the recitation of the shlokas.

Date: 13th June

The second of the free note book distribution event was held at the Government Primary School at Devanahalli near Bangalore. Smt. Geeta, a teacher in the school and a devotee of Pujya Guruji, was instrumental in organizing this event. As volunteers arrived at the school, they were greeted with smiling children with hands folded in a ‘Namaste’. The entire school premises was decorated with flowers and mango leaves and after preliminary introductions among the school headmistress and staff, the neat and small stage was occupied by a few of the volunteers, staff and local dignitaries. Around 200 students assembled in the auditorium, and sat with crossed legs in orderly rows. The mandatory speeches over, the students eagerly came up on stage to receive the precious note books, and posed for photographs. They sincerely recited the shlokas led by a volunteer, eyes closed and hands enjoined, and promised to recite the shlokas every day at home and school.

After the formal function, students came up to the SPCT volunteers and mingled freely with them. They sang songs, danced and exchanged phone numbers. The simplicity, innocence and lack of inhibition among these lovely children was a refreshing change for the city-bred. The staff of the school too, expressed their gratitude to Shri Shri Nimishananda Ashram for this gesture and advised the students to make full use of Pujya Guruji’s blessings to become responsible and knowledgeable citizens.

As the volunteers prepared to leave, cries of ‘Jai Matha’, ‘Jai Gurudeva’ rent the air as little hands bid goodbye, seeking promises of more such visits.

Here are some pictures of the event: