Mananiya Dr. Mohan Bhagawatji At His Himalayan Home

Mananiya Dr. Mohan Bhagwatji, Chief of RSS, was warmly welcomed and lovingly received by Pujya Swamiji as he came home to Parmarth Niketan (Rishikesh) today. He had planned a visit to Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s Summit being hosted at Parmarth. During his visit, Mananiya Bhagwatji and Pujya Swamiji had great detailed discussions about cleaning up the sacred rivers of India, especially the National River Ganga, as well as the various on-going projects and initiatives of the Ganga Action Parivar, an organization founded, led and inspired by Pujya Swamiji dedicated to this mission.

Pujya Swamiji lauded the efforts of India’s beloved Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modiji, for launching the beautiful ‘Make In India’ campaign. Pujya Swamiji said that the time has come to not only ‘Make In India’ but to also ‘Make India.’ Amongst these immediate and vital initiatives to “Make India’ they discussed Government of India’s exciting and much needed Swaach Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India Campaign). They spoke about ways in which awareness, a sense of belonginess and pride could be ignited in the hearts and minds of Indian citizens, utilizing short ads and films to inspire change.

Pujya Swamiji shared several of these awareness ads and green educational curriculums that Ganga Action Parivar had created. He shared various technologies that could be employed to strengthen India’s waste management infrastructure by which waste, both liquid and solid, a readily available and abundant resource, could be transformed into wealth, serving as a vital source of energy.

They also discussed the urgent and immediate need for improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and the crucial work that the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance was dedicated to initiating in India and the world. They also discussed GIWA’s upcoming ‘Worship to WASH’ and ‘Women for WASH’ Summit, for which Mananiya Bhagwatji offered his blessings and support.

Amongst the various other topics of their conversation for cleaning and greening the nation, Pujya Swamiji also presented Mananiya Bhagwatji with an official and full copy of the International Edition of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism, a project led, inspired and conceived by Pujya Swamiji with the tenacious dedication and remarkable leadership of Sadhvi Bhagawatiji, Managing Editor of the gorgeous eleven volume Encyclopedia. Mananiya Bhagwatji had graciously accepted just last month Pujya Swamiji’s invitation to launch the International Edition of the Encyclopedia with the Hon’ble Vice President of India along with many other revered interfaith leaders and eminent dignitaries in a historic event at the Vigyan Bhawan.

During his visit to Parmarth Niketan (Rishikesh), Mananiya Bhagwatji inaugurated the latest Reedbed Filtration system installed at the ashram to offer tertiary treatment to the sewage waters of the Bio-Digester toilets, which had been previously installed two years ago in partnership of FICCI and DRDO. The system was a symbol of how institutions all over India could not only effectively treat their sewage water but turn a great bane into a great boon by reusing the treated water for irrigation/gardening and harnessing the methane gas for energy. Present during the inauguration were Smt. Vijaya Barathwal MLA Yamkeshwar- Uttarakhand, nearly 30 individuals from Bali, Indonesia led by Suzi Gede as well as people from America, Mexico and many other countries.

Pujya Swamiji shared that by employing simple, cost-effective and efficient technologies, such as Bio-Digester toilets, Bio-Sand filters and Waste to Energy systems, at decentralized locations we could revolutionize the solutions to the pollution which seem to pose as challenges to India’s stable and consistent progress and growth.

Mananiya Bhagwatji and Pujya Swamiji also planted a beautiful Rudraksh sapling together. The sacred sapling of Rudraksh was profoundly symbolic of the work, vision and leadership of Mananiya Bhagwatji. Just like the roots of the Rudraksh tree, he too offers grounding and strength to the foundation of the nation and just like the sacred tree gives life-giving oxygen to all, so does he, with his breathe and his energy, serve for the welfare of humanity.

Thereafter, Mananiya Bhagwatji and Pujya Swamiji offered precious and beautiful beads from Parmarth’s Rudraksh garden as prasad (blessing) to all participants.

Pujya Swamiji lovingly bid farewell to Mananiya Bhagwatji as his visit came to an end but reminded him to be sure to plan many, many more homecomings.

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