7th Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair 2015 A great leap forward in connecting Hindu spirituality to contemporary challenges

A unique Fair to showcase the service activities of Hindu Spiritual Organisations which function on the motto “Athmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitayacha” [Attaining Moksham through service to humanity] networked on the principle “Together We Serve” incorporates the message of Upanisad “Isavasyam Idam Sarvam” [God pervades everything that is to be found in the universe down to the tiniest atom – Mahtma Gandhi] to inspire and encourage all to conserve forests, preserve ecology, sustain environment, inculcate family and human values, foster women's honour and instill patriotism

The Six themes formed the welcoming arches of the 6th Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair 2014

Date : 3rd - 9th February, 2015 Timing : 9.30 am - 9.00 pm Venue : AM Jain College Grounds Meenambakkam, - 600 114 Contact : +91 72990 69733 / 34, 97890 88355 Email : [email protected] www.hssf.in Sea of Humanity at the Fair The Fair and the pre-Fair programmes connect Hindu spirituality to contemporary challenges

The Fair is thematic in features, original in exposition and contemporary in message. The programmes in the Fair and in the pre-Fair are integrated into the Fair philosophically explain and practically expound how Hindu spiritual values and the traditional Hindu lifestyle based on them provide solution for the critical contemporary issues of the world and – Environment, Ecology, Pollution, Human values, Women's Honour and Patriotism. The Fair demonstrates that Hindu Spiritualism and Life Style is based on that which Conserves Forest and Protects Wild life Preserves Ecology Sustains Environment Inculcates Family and Human Values Fosters Women's Honour Instills Patriotism These values constitute the thematic pillars of Spiritual and Service Fairs. The programmes at the Fair are designed to connect high Hindu spiritual values to daily lifestyle by Themes, Samskarams [training modules] and Symbols.

The programmes at the Fair demonstrably brings out how Samskarams [Training] use the Symbols to create Reverence in the mind so as to imbibe the Themes

Vruksha (Tree) as symbol, Reverence to it as Go (Cow), Gaja (Elephant), Tulsi as symbols the Samskaram - “Conservation of Forest” and Reverence to them as Samskaram for Naaga (Snake) as symbol, Reverence to it “Preserving Ecology” as Samskaram - “Protection of Wildlife”

Ganga (Rivers), Bhoomi (Mother Earth) as Maata-Pita and Guru as symbols symbols and Reverence to them as Samskaram for and Reverence to them as the Samskaram for “Sustaining Environment” “Inculcating Family and Human Values”

Kanya [girl] and Suvasini [mothers] as symbols Bharat Maata, War Heros as symbols and and Reverence to them as the Samskaram for Reverence to them as the Samskaram for “Fostering Women's Honuor” “Instilling Patriotism” Pre-Fair programmes of the 7 HSS Fair Organised by Initiative for Moral and Cultural Training Foundation [IMCTF]

The Fair will be preceded by three huge pre- fair programmes planned and conducted by the Initiative for Moral and Cultural Training Foundation [IMCTF] – an offshoot of HSSF

1. Quarter finals and semi finals of three hundred and seventy six various competitions will be held in about 1000 schools based on the six themes in which one lakh students are expected to partake. The competitions are classified under seven heads based on Indian traditional scriptures and native games.

2. The Swami Vivekananda Ratha Yatra in which 25 decorated rathams mounted with the patriotic monk will visit 1000 plus schools in Chennai City and surroundings.

3. The Swami Vivekananda Walkathon in which 10000 school students dressed as Swami Vivekananda would participate.

The six-fold theme of the Fair will be the central message of the Competitions, Rath Yatra and the Walkathon. The Rath Yatra and Walkathon are the curtain raisers for the Fair.

Highlights of the Seventh Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair

1. Spiritual leaders belonging to the spiritual streams that originated in India will be inaugurating the fair. 2. Each day will be dedicated to celebrate and demonstrate the Samskarams on the six themes by associated schools of IMCTF. 3. All cultural programmes and competitions at the Fair will be based on the Six themes and aligned with the theme of the day. 4. The finals of the three hundred and seventy six competitions – thematically aligned and scientifically devised to spread the awareness of the six themes among school students, will be conducted at the Fair Venue. 5. Live web streaming of pre-fair and fair activities will be organised. 6. Prachara Rathams from famous temples of Andhra Pradesh including Tirupati-Tirumala Devasthanams will visit the Fair and will be stationed for the visitors to offer their reverence. 7. Srinivasa Kalyanam will be performed by Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam like previous years. 8. Free medical camp on all days especially for women and children will be held. 9. Seminars related to the six themes will be conducted. 10. The participating spiritual organisations will be guided by experts to receive funds from CSR and government schemes by integrating the six themes of the Fair to their service activities. Brief about the Previous Fairs Sixth Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair 2014 [6 HSSF 2014] The 6th Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair 2014 [6th Endowments, ; Cultural and HSSF 2014] was held from 8th -14th July 2014 at Tourism flagged off the Swami Vivekananda Sri Ramachandra Medical University Grounds, Walkathon in which more than 6000 students Tiruvanmiyur, Chennai. Since 2013, the 150th from various schools participated. They all birth anniversary year of Swami Vivekananda, the walked from Labor statue till “Vivekananda Patriotic Monk of India, the 5th Fair, was House” and they were administered the dedicated to the memory of Swami Vivekananda. following oath by Smt Arthi Ganesh, pro The 6th Fair evolved as thematic fair and was Chancellor Vels University. inaugurated by spiritual masters belonging to the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh spiritual streams. THE IMCT OATH Pre Fair activities by IMCTF I revere “Trees” as symbol of Forests I revere “Snakes” as a symbol of Wild Life  Swami Vivekananda Ratha Yatra: Swami I revere “Cows” as symbol of all Living Beings Vivekananda's statue mounted on 20 vehicles I revere “Ganga” as the symbol of Nature were taken to about 360 schools throughout I revere “Mother Earth” as the Symbol of Environment Chennai and surrounding areas with the I revere my “Parents” as symbol of Human Values profound message of six themes of IMCTF to I revere my “Teachers” as symbol of Learning the young boys and girls. I revere “Women” as symbol of Motherhood I revere “War Heros” as symbol of Bharat  S w a m i V i v e k a n a n d a W a l k a t h o n : Sri. R. Kannan, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary, Govt. The pre-fair activities attracted media and were of Tamilnadu, Hindu Religious and Charitable reported daily in Newsprint and Visual medias .

Swami Vivekananda Ratha Yatra

Walkathon Thematic competitions:

50,000 students from about 300 schools participated in over 100 competitions based on six themes conducted at various levels-school level-Quarter finals, Semi finals and final level at the fair venue. Final competitions for school students in traditional games and ancient and contemporary literature, all centered on the six themes of the Fair, were conducted at the fair venue. Earlier, till the semi finals the competitions had been conducted at the school and cluster of schools levels. 2262 students participated in the final rounds of competitions. 221 First, 300 second and 211 third prize winners were awarded cash prizes amounting to Rs. Four lacs thirty five thousand sponsored by Sastra University. Activities during the 6 HSS Fair 2014

Cultural Shows

The fair had many attractive cultural shows depicting traditional state arts from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Representatives of participant organizations, students and stalwarts also performed culturals at the fair.

Performance of Stalwarts Performances of Students Special attractions

Dharma Prachara Rathams of AP Endowment Department and TTD Dharma Prachara Rathams from Andhra Pradesh were the amazing attractions of the fair. Special Programmes by Participating organisations Mallikarjuna Swamivaru Kalyanam, Lakshmi Narasimha Swamivaru Kalyanam and Srinivasa Kalyanam by Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam Participating organizations 218 Hindu Spiritual Organisations like Ramakrishna Mutt, Chinmaya Mission, BAPS Swaminarayan Trust, Mata Amritanandamayi Ashram, J.S.S ashram, Suthur, Dharmasthala, Adi Chunchinagiri Maha Samasthana, Art of Living, Pathanjali Yoga Peet, Isha Yoga Centre, SVYASA and Government Endowments of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Travancore Devaswom, Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam and Archeological Survey of India were the few significant organisations among the other participant organisations. Government Departments as official patrons/Associates The Government departments not only participated as “Official Patrons” but also staged their cultural programs of their respective states as a mark of special honor for the event. The following government organisations came forward to be the co-sponsors or patrons of the fairs  Andrapradesh Endowments  Archeological Survey of India  Karnataka Endowments-Mujrai  Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam  Travancore Devaswom Board

Showcasing of services rendered by participant organisations Aggregate of humanitarian services rendered by all participant organisations was displayed in the central hall. The visitors and media were awestruck by the collective data that revealed 35,000 hospitals, more than a lakh of educational institutions, a few thousand “Go Samrakshana Kendrams” and “Veda patasalas” maintained by the participant Hindu Spiritual Organisations of the fair. This has attracted the media and brought a paradigm shift in their usual news reporting which was hitherto creating negativity in the society. These laudable activities encouraged many big corporates to sponsor the fair. Consolidated data of the service activities of 98 of the 218 organisations that participated in the Sixth Fair

Organisations and their branches in India & Abroad 64,092

Centers abroad 3,603

Website if any with number of hits FY 2012 75,81,829

Temples maintained 11,883

Number of Veda Patashalas 2,884

Yoga centers 5,366

Counseling centers 1,000

Schools 26,071

Colleges 355

Single Teacher/Non-formal Schools 76,165

Traditional medical centres / hospitals 3,357

Medical/Nursing Colleges 49

Self help groups 2,50,175

Total Members in SHG 50,37,87

Hospitals 7,923

Homes for Orphans, Old Aged & Differently-Abled persons 645

Free Houses Provided Cumulative 10,43,146

Environmental Projects during the year 2012 1,78,264

Goshalas 642

Samskritam training Centres 3,579

Samskritam Learners 1,66,685

Annadanam in one year [persons] 62,60,70,864

Activities to promote arts 471

Activities to promote music 4,185

Activities to promote Traditional Arts 12,777

Learners of Art and Music and Dance 6,15,331

For more information on the first to fourth Fairs visit our web site : www.hssf.org "Isaavaasyam idam sarvam" Central Hall The Sanatana Dharma speaking tree was a great attraction To quote a pithy part of what the Sanatana Dharma divinity Tree says about itself: I am the Universal Tradition in this land of Bharat, “My dear children! Stop, look at me and listen to my cherishing these values handed down from story that has no beginning nor end. generation to generation by thousands of seers from I am Sanatana Dharma...... the Eternal Truth and Veda Vyasa to Vivekananda... from Valluvar to Vallalar Path..... Depicted here as a living tree – the longest I am thus the oldest living symbol – a tree of and almost the only living ancient civilization. civilisation and culture, eternal and timeless --- All other civilizations are gone, with no trace of their Sanatana. life left, as Swami Vivekananda said “living a Few Maharishi Aurobindo identified me with the very hours of exultant and exuberant dominance and then national spirit of this ancient nation. He said the vanishing like ripples on the face of the waters” Hindu nation was born before me. He said that, only I I have neither Beginning nor End...... am capable of perishing, the Hindu nation will not. Nor do I have a Founder or a Prophet. Swami Vivekananda called me as the eternal and universal religion which accepted all faiths and The Vedas and the Upanishads, the Ramayana and protected all faiths and people in its bosom. Mahabharata, Thirukkural and Thiruvasagam expound me to the enlightened and to the lay. You can see me as living experience in crores of households. I manifest in their lifestyle as their very being. But, I do not live in books or words. I am the cosmic consciousness to be experienced and realised.The l The Sanatana Dharma Tree hall was a huge hit human quest to know me is as old as creation itself. with visitors and the media. I accept all people, faiths and Gods, exclude or ignore none. l The next important place was the Central Hall of the I recognise all ways of worship and reject none. Fair. I recognise diversity as the rule of nature; It depicted the central idea of Hindu spiritualism of homogeneity as the rule that perverts it. “ISWARA” I represent the spirit of higher Unity in the apparent as the manifestation of every tree, every living Diversity. organism, every plant, species like every human being-man or woman. For me everything from animate to the inanimate is sacred – the world, the nature and the humans, and The Isavasya Upanisad verse says, “Isaavaasyam all living beings, are all the manifestation of the same Idam Sarvam” Crowd at the Fair The fair attracted lacs of visitors of various age groups and social strata. Seminars At Fair Media Interest in the Fair The media showed extensive interest in the pre-Fair programmes and in the different aspects of the Fairs. Here are some illustrations of the media publicity at the Fair. Zee Tamizh channel did three half an hour programme on its channel on the Fair on three consecutive Sundays about the prefair and fair activites of the previous fairs and the current fair. Thanthi TV did extensive coverage of the pre-Fair activities of Rath Yatra , Walkathon and The New Indian Express, and gave free full page ads for the Fair as curtain raiser for the Fair. The three newspapers gave extensive news and features coverage for several days on the Fair. The Hindu newspaper wrote two features stories on the Fair. Kumudam Snehidi and Sakthi Vikatan etc wrote articles in their magazine. The following print media news collage shows the extensive media interest in the Fair. About the Hindu Spiritual and Services Foundation [HSSF] Hindu Spiritual and Service Foundation [HSSF] has Last year the HSS Foundation assisted in organising been established with the unique objective to a massive Vivekananda 150 Women's Convention protect, promote and propagate “SANATANA which drew 1200 women from various fields like DHARMA” as a tax exempted public charitable arts, music, academic, numerous professions and trust with Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati as the from among business and entrepreneurs. Chairman of the Board of Trustees, which consists Initiative for Moral and Cultural Training many eminent personalities. The HSSF as promoted other critical initiatives to further the Foundation [IMCTF] cause of the nation -to build values among students IMCTF commenced in the year 2012, offers cultural and to empower Indian women on cultural and protection to young boys and girls who are often civilisational aspects. The activities of Hindu without firm roots in the Ancient Indian culture and Spiritual and Service Foundation are of three fold as spiritualism and who are constantly exposed to stated hereunder. wrong aspects of Western ways of life. IMCT Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair: - The intent of the prepares young Indians to measure up to their Annual Hindu Spiritual and Service Fairs is to dispel national and global responsibilities when Bharat is the misconception that Hindu Spirituality is merely rising as a geo-political, economic and cultural other-worldly, bereft of human compassion and power. More than 100 schools are practicing the lacks service-mindedness not sensitized to care of IMCT programmes and many institutions, parents, the needy. This misconception, which is false and teachers and prominent persons in the society have deliberately spread, is a blot on Hinduism. This has welcomed this initiative. The unique vision and affected the brand image of India as nation. The profound motto of IMCT is “VALUE BUILDING IS Fairs are conceived as a corrective to the wrong NATION BUILDING”. perception. For detailed information visit the web site www.imct.org.in The Fairs are therefore intended 1. To provide a platform for the Hindu Spiritual Swami Vivekananda 150 Women's Foundation Organisations to showcase the services A unique inherent and innovative initiative has rendered by them in various fields to people in been promoted to re-instate our tradition and different walks of life and other living beings and culture based on our philosophy of Indian to promote spirit of service in them Womanhood, the cradle of our culture. This is an effective anti-dote by women achievers from 2. To make the public, media, and the authorities various walks of life to handle west centric aware of the magnitude of various services modernity with confidence. On January 23rd 2014, rendered by them to the society. to mark the 151st Jayanthi of Swami Vivekananda, a 3. To educate students, youths, and people from convention presided over by Smt. Rajashree Birla various walks of life to be part of the mission of along with eminent and scholarly women achievers service which is implicit in the Vedic saying was organized. More than 1000 women achievers “Athmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitayacha” in various fields who understood the concept, [Attain spiritual liberation through service to agreed unanimously after attending the humanity] preparatory meeting prior to the convention and Other activities inspired, promoted or passed resolution unanimously to condemn west centric modernity that erodes our family, society, assisted by HSS Foundation community which is the back bone of our tall The Hindu Spiritual and Service Foundation has economy. The unique convention unifies all the inspired, promoted and assisted other activities to delegates with the same goal with unanimous connect Hindu spiritualism to contemporary agreement on the concept-“INDIAN WOMAN AS challenges. This has led to the promotion of the THE GUIDE FOR THE WORLD AT CROSSROADS”. Initiative for Moral and Cultural Training Further all of them unanimously passed a Foundation to promote thematic samskarams to resolution saying “OM” to take on the individualism conserve forest and protect wildlife, preserve and individual rights sans (meaning is minus) duties ecology, sustain environment, inculcate family and promoted by the West centric modernity imported human values, foster women's honour and Instill from the West. patriotism. For further informations visit the web site : Organising Committee of the 7th Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair

Chairperson Sri. B.K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar Industrialist and Chairman, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Coimbatore

Vice-Chairpersons Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam Smt. R. Rajalakshmi Smt. Vanitha Mohan Scholar and Artiste Business Vice Chairman, Pricol Ltd. Sri. Sardarmull Chordia Sri. P. Suresh Secretary & Correspondent , AM Jain College Chairman, Arun Excello Pvt. Ltd.,

Secretary Sri. P. Ganapathy Business

Members Smt. Dr. Thangam Meganathan Sri. Puneet Yadu Dalmia Chairperson, Managing Director, Rajalakshmi Group of Institutions Dalmia Bharat Cements Limited

Sri. Karumuthu T. Kannan Smt. Arthi K. Ganesh Chairman, Karumuthu Textiles Limited Pro-Chancellor, Vels University

Smt. Bhanurekha Condour Sri. A. Kanakaraj Associate Vice President, Chairman, Jaya Group of Educational Institutions Southerland Global Services Inc., Sri. M. Manickam Sri. A. Vellayan Executive Vice Chairman, Shakti Sugars Limited Chairman, Murugappa Group Sri. Ram V. Thyagarajan Chairman, Thiru Arooran Sugars Limited Sri. Manojkumar Sonthalia Chairman, Sri. Cunnia Chetty New Indian Express Group Businessman & Philanthropist

Sri. Balasubramanian S. Adithyan Sri. Kailashmull Dugar Chairman, Dina Thanthi Group Businessman

Sri. V. Balachander, IPS Sri. T. Pichandi, IAS DGP, (Rtd) Former Commissioner, HR & CE, TN Sri. P. Varadarajan Chairman & Managing Director, Sri. Ravindra Sanna Reddy Kumudam Publications P Ltd., Chairman, Sri City Group

Sri. Gopal Srinivasan Sri. R.R. Gopaljee Chairman, TVS Capital Limited Associate Editor, Core Message Of The Fair - Desam, Deivam and Dharmam The core message of the Hindu Spiritual And Service Fair is founded on the confluence and inseverability of Desam [Nation] Daivam [Divinity] and Dharmam [Hindu value system ]. It means that our nation [Desam] cannot exist without our Daivam [Divinity] and our Daivam [Divinity] cannot exist without our [Desam] nation and neither exist without Hindu value system [Dharmam]. The six themes are integrated into the value system [dharmam] practised in this ancient land [Desam] and are exemplified by the Daivam [Divinity].

Inaugurals of Previous Fairs

Hindu Spiritual And Service Foundation Trustees : Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati , Prof. R.Vaidyanathan, Sri. S.Gurumurthy, Kum. Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, Smt. R.Rajalakshmi, Sri. K. Prabhakar, Sri. P. Ganapathy

Head Office: 4th Floor, Ganesh Towers, 152, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004. Admin. Office : 2nd Floor, “Gargi”, New No: 6 (Old 20), Balaiah Avenue, Luz, Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004.