Howrah District of West Within the Organisational Framework Along with Bengal, This Is One of My Rarest Opportunities to Some Special Activities
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SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATIONS WEST BENGAL DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT HOWRAH 2018 - 19 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 - 19 This report is dedicated at the Lotus Feet of our Lord and Master Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATIONS, HOWRAH ANNUAL REPORT 2018 - 19 Foreword I prostrate at the Lotus Feet of my Sadguru, In-charges and all office bearers as also all of our Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who, by His Sevadal Devotees without whom all our efforts immense grace, has given me an opportunity to would have been un-fructified and goals remained act as His tiny instrument, made me incidental to unattended, to whatever small degree it is! This His Divine Mission of Vedaposhana, Bhakta Annual Report is a small effort to provide the Samrakhshana, Patitoddharana and Dharma origin and history of the Organisation in the Samsthapana by spreading the message of Love District of Howrah with some statistical All Serve All. As District President of the Sri Sathya information which exhibit the regular activities Sai Seva Organisations of Howrah District of West within the organisational framework along with Bengal, this is one of my rarest opportunities to some special activities. I would again invoke the present the District Annual Report for the period blessings of our almighty Bhagawan that He 2018-19 for the first time. I would like to express guides us in His Mission and that we can carry my simultaneous gratitude to our Respected State forward His Message exactly the way He Wishes. President, Vice Presidents and State Coordinators Sai Ram. who have extended all kinds of guidance and co- operations in augmenting the Sai Activities in this Ever in Sai Service, District in tune with the State and National Level Arun Samanta agenda of our organisation. I also take the District President opportunity to bow my head in appreciation of the relentless sacrifices made by our District Coordinators, Samithi Convenors, Bhajan Mandali You are called sevaks (servants) because you are engaged in seva (selfless service). What exactly is seva? Is it the way in which bhakti (devotion) manifests itself, a consequence of devotion? Or is it the cause of bhakti, one of the methods by which bhakti is expressed and developed? It is neither. It is not the sine qua non of bhakti; nor is it the result. It is the very essence of bhakti, the very breath of a bhakta (devotee), his or her very nature. It springs from the actual experience of the bhakta—an experience that convinces him or her that all beings are God’s children, that all bodies are altars where God is installed, that all places are His residences. Sri Sathya Sai SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATIONS, HOWRAH ANNUAL REPORT 2018 - 19 CONTENTS Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations ......................... 2 Activities................................................................................. 8 Wings of the Organisation .............................................. 3 Specific Service Projects or Initiatives....................... 10 Administration of the Organisation ............................. 3 Important Events or Conferences .............................. 12 The 9 Point Code of Conduct and 10 Principles ..... 4 Glimpses Of Few Activities ................................... 13 Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Howrah .......... 5 Office Bearers ........................................................ 16 Brief History .......................................................................... 5 Current Office Bearers of the District ....................... 16 Overview ................................................................................ 8 Past District Presidents ................................................... 17 Sri Sathya Sai Seva Kendra .............................................. 8 SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATIONS, HOWRAH 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 - 19 Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, founded by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the year 1965, is a service organisation with a spiritual core and base to benefit all mankind irrespective of religion, caste, creed or sect. The Organisation serves as a platform for its members to undertake service and other activities motivated by an urge for one's own transformation with the aim of realising one's inherent divinity. Without any distinction of religion, nationality, race, socio- economic status, either for those who work in the Organisation or for those who are served by it, the Organisation transcends all barriers leading humanity towards the ideal of 'Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man'. The concept of fees or membership subscription is alien to the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, for there cannot be any fee or subscription for one's journey towards his own self. The organisation functions through its primary units called as Samithis and Bhajan Mandalis of which individuals - from different strata of society, different ethnic groups pursuing different religions and faiths -are members bound by the dictum of “Love all, Serve All” and pursue their own sadhana towards self- transformation following the path of selfless service to humanity. At no point is an individual asked to follow a certain religion or rituals. On the contrary each is inspired to follow his own faith so as to ensure that a Hindu becomes a better Hindu, a Muslim becomes a better Muslim, a Christian becomes a better Christian and so on. In fact, this spiritual basis inspires everyone to pursue his own religion better by putting into practice Love and Selflessness. That is why the Organisation features in its emblem the symbols of the major religions of the world. The Organisations named after Me are not to be used for publicising My Name, or creating a new cult around My worship ….They must render seva (service) to the helpless, the sick, the distressed, the illiterate and the needy. Their seva (selfless service) should not be exhibitionistic; it must seek no reward, not even gratitude or thanks from the recipients. Seva is sadhana (spiritual exercise), not a pastime of the rich and well placed. You must have the firm belief that the aim of this Organisation is to remove the obstacles that keep man away from God, that separate maanavathwa (Humanity) from Maadhavathwa (Divinity).. This Organisation must elevate the human into the Divine.” Sri Sathya Sai SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATIONS, HOWRAH 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 - 19 WINGS OF THE ORGANISATION Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations functions Spirituality and Service are complementary to under three wings viz. (i) Spiritual, (ii) Education, and each other. Spirituality is the motivational force (iii) Service. Each activity in a wing is directed to behind service and service is the fulfillment of facilitate and help the members in their own spirituality. Therefore, spiritual concepts learnt spiritual advancement. Although, the nature of through education must be put into practice in form activities undertaken under different wings appear of service to humanity. Thus, in order to successfully to be distinct and dissimilar, but there is an inherent realise the objective of joining the Sai Organisation, interrelationship amongst all the three wings. The one must participate in activities of all the three three wings stand for Worship, Wisdom and Work. wings. Activities under different wings of the Organisation Spiritual Wing Educational Wing Service Wing •Bhajan •Non-formal education of •Gram Seva •Nagarsankeertan children in the age group of •Slums Service •Study Circle 5-14 years through values- •Medical Camps and Health based educational training •Sadhana Camps Care •Bal-Vikas •Study of Sai Literature •Sanitation activities •Educare •Meditation, and •Visit to orphanges, old age •Parenting Programmes •Others homes etc. •Disaster relief •Poor feeding •Free Coaching Classes, and •Others ADMINISTRATION OF THE ORGANISATION Headed by an All India President who is at Prashanthi Nilayam, at medical camps, doing supported by the National Vice Presidents and State Narayan seva or the Bal-Vikas gurus who work with Presidents, the Organisation functions like a well- young children to imbibe in them a desire to follow oiled machine, focused on its purpose, clear in its the five human values of Truth, Righteousness, Love, vision and dedicated in its efforts to live up to Peace and Non-violence, or the teachers who Swami's message “Love All, Serve All”. having undergone the training in EHV help in guiding the young minds towards the higher goals The Samithis and the Bhajan Mandalis constitute of life or the Sai Youth who work tirelessly in the Sri a genuine spiritual movement where the members Sathya Sai Village Integrated Programme bound by are united by a common bond Love for God and one goal of practicing the ancient dictum of “Service Service to fellow human beings. to Man is Service to God”. The members of the organisation work as one cohesive unit whether as sevadals providing service SRI SATHYA SAI SEVA ORGANISATIONS, HOWRAH 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 - 19 THE 9 POINT CODE OF CONDUCT AND 10 PRINCIPLES Every member of the Organisation is expected to undertake Sadhana (spiritual discipline) as an integral part of his/her daily life by observing by the following Nine Point Code of Conduct which has been given by Sri Sathya Sai Baba for one's spiritual and personal development. In addition, the ten principles that form the core of guidance for all the members of the Organisation as ordained by Baba himself are also produced hereunder. The nine-point code of conduct and the ten principles