Andhra Pradesh is a hotbed of evangelical activity with missionaries indulging in forced conversions of marginalized Hindu people – either through allurement or denigration.
Concerned Hindus often express their anguish but rarely do we find individuals and institutions plunging themselves to stop the menace or take steps to bring back those who have left the Hindu fold.
Samarasata Sewa Foundation (SSF), headquartered in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh is one such organisation that is working to protect and preserve the native Hindu faith.
The idea of a Hindu organization was conceived and promoted by the late Sri P.V.R.K. Prasad, an IAS officer whose career included esteemed positions such as Executive Officer to the Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD), Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Special Chief Secretary to Government of Andhra Pradesh and Media Advisor to former Indian Prime Minister Sri P.V Narasimha Rao. The current management team of the organization is made up of eminent and successful citizens with a proven track record across both the public and private sectors.
SSF is involved in many activities like:
1) conducting temple-centric activities in an effort to revive and promote “temple culture”
2) expanding availability and access to temples by restoring existing ones and building new temples where necessary.
3) making house visits to vulnerable Hindu families locally, as and when necessary
4) organizing regular bhajans for communal fellowship and
support at the grass roots level
5) preventing conversion to other religions by offering timely Hindu spiritual advice, counselling or other asisstance.
6) encouraging a culture of inclusion by empowering marginalized/ vulnerable/ lower caste Hindu communities in matters of religion including their involvement in temple affairs.
7) striving to bring about Hindu unity across class/caste/ sectarian differences.
SSF actively encourages “Ghar Wapsi” (return of a converted person to his native faith of Hindu religion and culture). As they say, a thorn can only be removed by another thorn, SSF emulates the modus operandi of missionaries by distributing the “Bhagavat Gita” and train local youth from marginalised communities in taking up priestly duties at temples in their localities. They also conduct door to door campaigns to raise awareness of Hinduism, answer questions and address any concerns. They run “bal vikas” educational programs for the children of the economically disadvantaged communities.
The SSF also works in collaboration with reputed, experienced Hindu organizations like the TTD (Tirupati Tirumala Devastanam), Art of Living, Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Trust (HDPT) and a few others. Hundreds of Hindu “dharma pracharaks” trained by the SSF, are engaged in a movement to spread awareness of the basic tenets, principles and values of Hinduism. The pracharaks visit several households, specifically of the marginalised commnities, to spread the message of Hindu dharma, conduct Hindu rituals and encourage those who have converted to Christianity to return to the Hindu fold. The extensive data collected from surveys conducted across thousands of villages in the state of Andhra (religious/ cultural activities, needs of the poor, festival celebrations, management of temples, religious conversions, political concerns Etc) guide the SSF pracharaks in planning and prioritizing the organization’s work at the village and mandal level.
Door to door dharma prachar by Samarasata Seva Foundation, AP. Stamping Hindu identity, removing confusion from Hindu minds. Note the calendar on the left in 3rd picture.. ! pic.twitter.com/QOyAeuTA4l
— DharmaRakshak (@oldhandhyd) May 18, 2019
The organization has so far constructed around 500 temples in the residential colonies of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), fishermen and other economically vulnerable classes. Additionally, in collaboration with the TTD of Tirupati Lord Balaji, 500 people from the SC, ST, and fishermen communities thus far, have been trained to conduct Hindu rituals, nitya puja, vratas, katanas, and other shodasa pujas. Involving the weaker, vulnerable and marginalized sections of society in the organizational as well as Hindu religious and cultural activities undertaken by the SSF, has started to bring a sense of belonging, support and pride among them.
The organization has set up advisory bodies at the district, mandal and village levels. Each body has a convener. They organise several social, religious and cultural events in the villages that they have started to work in. At the village and mandal level, the goal is to recruit 10 active members from every village.
The “pracharaks”(publicists, local leaders ), workers and volunteers that SSF identifies and trains are people from all castes, classes and communities that show a passion for protecting and propagating the Hindu dharma.
To know more about the organization, click here.
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