News From Orissa About Pavan

by Parama Karuna devi 

Our Organisation, PAVAN (Prabhupada Association for Vedic Awareness Network), was founded by me in 1995 in Orissa, and since then it has been working for the benefit of the local people, with greater and greater success.

About 3 years ago we have started to cooperate with the Indian Government, especially with the Tribal Ministry, Delhi, and with their support we have organised two Seminars on Sustainable Development in Tribal Areas, in Bhavani Patna and Sundargarh.

 

As our Friends know very well, the main problems that Hindus face in defending their dharma from the attacks of other groups are defects in their own attitude and behavior that must be corrected:

1. lack of social cooperation and social/financial/cultural neglect of lower castes and tribals (especially in the fields of education/literacy, health assistance and sanitation, etc)

2. widespread ignorance of the real teachings of the Vedas and general lack of culture (including academic and scientific culture and knowledge and information of the other cultures, religions, history, finance, global developments etc)

3. disrespect for the Mother Goddess, in the form of the Earth, the Cows, and the Women in general

 

In order to assist the Renaissance of Hindu Dharma in this new millennium, we have been working very hard in Orissa, which is probably the most important and delicate front of the battle for Dharma, both in Puri (an extremely important holy place) and in the tribal areas both in the north-west and in the south-west of the State.

The purpose of these Seminars in Tribal Areas is to encourage and help tribal people both in their material development and in their spiritual development, and we have seen that people really appreciate what we are doing.

Helping tribal and rural people to appreciate the Mother Goddess in the form of the Earth and Laksmidevi, or spreading the awareness of environmental protection, fighting pollution, developing resources and wealth in a sustainable and harmonious way (without waste) is a fundamental work that must be done now -- in a few years it might already be too late.

Global warming, global pollution, global depletion of resources and impending global financial crisis are a reality that doesn't leave us too much time, and this is already recognized at international levels by all scientists and experts who keep warning the Governments and the NGOs all over the world.

In this scenario, India can really become the spiritual and material leader of the world because of the perfect solutions presented by Vedic knowledge, and because of the good will of so many sincere Dharma supporters who are just waiting to be inspired in the mission and to engage in practical action to implement India's Golden Heritage that is still waiting to shine freely and openly.

Seminars are an extremely efficient way to offer information and inspiration, as well as stimulate cooperation and build momentum. Together with the practical information for artha (economic development), we are also demonstrating our faithfulness to dharma, which is the basis of artha, and to moksa, which is the end purpose of the whole human development.

 

Seminar in Bhavani Patna:

On 17 January 2004 we had a preliminary meeting with the local NGOs that we invited to participate to the Seminar. This meeting was held in the headquarters of Parivartan, and our resource persons explained to the various NGOs leaders the purpose of the Seminar, the actitivies of PAVAN, and the development plan for cooperation in the area.

On 18 January we all traveled (our resource persons, plus the local NGOs leaders) to a local tribal village (Tiljodi, P.O. Ganda Barajhala), where we held the Seminar by direct interaction with the people.

The program included:

1. Presentation address by President, PAVAN

2. Objectives of the Seminar, by Karna Nayak, Parivartan

3. Addresses by representatives of local NGOs and social workers:

- Laxmidhar Kar, Sarial Harijan, Manjeed K. Pradha, of Parivartan

- Pradipta Haldar, Jagruti

- Santanu Kumar Mund, of Netaji Yuba Manch

- Shyam Sundar Jal, of Jyosada Anatha Ashram

4. Presentation of the topics of the Seminar:

- What is sustainable development, by Raghunath Mohapatra

- Vocational training and microfinancing, by Rahul K. Pradhan, of Maa Jhadesvari Center

- Globalization and International cooperation, by Parama Karuna Devi

- The role of education in social development, by Gokul Chandra Bisoi

-  Rediscovering the cultural and spiritual roots, by Mukunda Binod Dash

- The role of women in sustainable development, by Sanjukta Mishra

- Traditional natural medicine, by Bamadev Das

- Demonstration of acupressure diagnosis and treatment, by Bamadev Das

- Renewable energy sources, Permacolture and environment protection, by Yogesh K. Agarwal

5. Lunch break

6. Interaction with the participants, questions and answers as per programme, creation of a working group

7. Conclusion of the programme and vote of thanks.

 

A working group has been established among the participants to the Seminar, and operational schemes have been studied and approved as follows:

1. All the participants have requested that we hold a second and larger Seminar in Bhavani Patna, to which they will invite all their contacts;

2. The precise date of other Seminar(s) will be finalized as soon as possible;

3. To the next Seminar(s), experts and resource persons from foreign countries will be participating;

4. Bhavani Patna and the district of Kalahandi will be included in the programme of Mobile Dispensary, soon starting in the area of Khurda and Puri;

5. PAVAN will start, in cooperation with other local NGOs, an educational programme called "One Teacher Schools", by training unemployed tribal youths transforming them into self-sufficient school teachers in a non-formal education and literacy programme in their tribal areas;

6. During the next Seminar, in future meetings and in cooperation with the local NGOs, suitable candidates will be chosen from tribal people for vocational training under PAVAN schemes, in the various areas discussed during the Seminar;

7. PAVAN is already organising, in cooperation with other NGOs, a "model village" for the demonstration of the principles discussed during the Seminar, with a school, a center of natural medicine, a research center, renewable energy systems, permacolture and organic agricolture cultivations, cow protection and bee-keeping, handicrafts vocational training center, and accommodation facilities for trainees. PAVAN will also assist the trainees in the marketing of their products.

 

Seminar in Sundargarh:

On 16 February 2004 we had a series of preliminary meeting with the local NGOs and prominent social workers and local personalities that we invited to participate to the Seminar.

On 17 February we had the main meeting at the Nari Kalyan Kendra, Sundargarh, with the presentation of the topics of the Seminar, and after the completion of the function we were requested to hold another meeting with the local women social workers, to better elaborate on the practical aspects of sustainable development and their immediate application in the area.

On 18 January we travelled with the leaders of a prominent local NGOs, (SEVA) to visit some local tribal villages in the district of Majhapada, where we had direct introduction and interaction with local social workers. SEVA has proposed us to open a branch in Sundargarh and organise and direct their many volunteer workers in cooperative effort. We have also been offered some land in the area, and a building within the town to start a branch of our Vedic school in cooperation with the local RSS workers and other NGOs and social workers.

On the same day (Shiva ratri), we were invited as guests to a public function at the Mahadeva Medhesvara shrine, in the village of Medha, where we gave a public presentation of our activities and the topics of the Seminar to the prominent social workers and to the public at large.

After this programme, we visited a local school for blind children and another local school for deaf and dumb children, where we had a meeting with the managers and social workers.

At each of these programmes, practical plans were made for future cooperation in the area and the following projects have been scheduled for the next months:

1. development of a model village based on sustainable development

2. permanent training on sustainable development and micro-financing

3. permanent vocational training on handicrafts and food processing

4. permanent training on organic agriculture, permaculture, cultivation of medicinal herbs, reforestation

5. development of a school with permanent training for teachers

6. future seminars and meetings, with foreign experts and resource persons

7. future visits of our Mobile Dispensary team

8. permanent training on natural medicine, acupressure, homeopathy, ayurveda etc

9. strict cooperation between PAVAN and NGOs in Sundargarh for various future programmes

 

The programme was conducted by the following delegates and resource persons:

- Parama Karuna Devi, President, PAVAN, Puri

- Raghunath Mohapatra, Treasurer, PAVAN, Puri

- Sanjukta Mishra, Secretary, PAVAN, Puri

- Dr. Alberto Grosoli, Siebenlinden Eco Village, Germany

- Dr. Srikanth Mohapatra, specialist in Ayurvedic medicine

- Ms. Snehalata Mohapatra, Gruhini Samaj, Sundargarh

- Prof. Raghunath Patel, eminent social worker, Sundargarh

Among the participants, the following directors of local NGOs:

- Jayanti Patel, Gopabandhu Dalit Vikash Kendra

- Kishor Prakash Panda, Deaf and dumb children school

- Naresh Ku. Naik, SEVA

- Ms. Panda, Blind children school

- Naresh Ku. Naik, Sevaka

- Umakanta Ojha, Seva Sansthan

- S. Mishra, Seva Sansthan

- Galendra Barla, Jeevan Jyoti Society

- Rohi Mohanty, Zillamahila parisad

- Pramod Behera, Shilpi Sadhana

- Ganesh Kullu, SNEHA(Special Network on Education, Health and Awareness)

- Kumud Prakash Pardo, Sahajya

- Baraja Nayak, SEARCH

- Talaram Pruseth, JJB club

- Sadha Naik, NKK

- Yasodha Naik, Nari Kalyan Kendra

plus several social workers from NGOs or independently engaged.

 

We took plenty of photos of these programs, and we'll be happy to send them by email to all our friends, starting from now.

 

Upcoming programmes:

In the next Seminars, which are already being arranged in various areas inside and outside Orissa (we are arranging a programme in Tripura shortly), we are inviting resource persons from foreign countries and from India itself, including successful examples of International cooperation based on Dharma, known in the West as eco-spiritual villages. One of these is the famous Auroville, founded by Aurobindo and the Mother (a French lady).

In the meantime, the construction of our Village just outside Puri is proceeding. The area is now about 6 acres, but we are negotiating with neighbors who are inclined to sell their plots for the expansion of the project.

We have started very good relationships with the local villagers, and one of the structures we will build is a large meeting hall/space that the local people can also use for functions like marriages, etc. at no cost.

The first buildings are already under construction; the bridge from the pakka road to the property is almost completed; the office-asram complex (about 6000 square feet) is also being built. Photos will also be sent to VFA forum from time to time.

Next to it we will immediately start the school building. One of our priorities is to create an International level school where Vedic culture and principles are taught and encouraged. For the last centuries, and still to date, the best brains of India have studied in Christian Mission schools and thereby have produced intellectuals, writers, journalists, scientists, teachers, managers, IAS, SEO and IPS officers, and politicians of every level, who are more or less negative towards (or at best ignorant about) the Vedic dharma, as we have amply observed. And as Gita teaches, yad yad acarati sresthas, tat tad evetaro janah, sa yah pramanam kuture, lokas tad anuvatate. Whatever the leaders of society show by their attitude and behavior, the general people will accept as ideal and model and will follow and imitate.

It is about time to reverse this tendency...

Another extremely important service we must start immediately in our Model Village is the Health Center, based on Traditional Natural Medicine, including Ayurveda, Yoga, Acupressure etc; this Health Center will be in the style of Rishi villages and not a depressing hospital, and it will also branch out to the general people in the area and even in remote areas, with the Charitable Dispensary and the Mobile Dispensary, which will also start very soon.

Several devotees, very qualified both materially and spiritually, hailing from many countries, including US and Italy (where I am sending regularly a newsletter called Harikathaitalia and I have a group of supporters), have been inspired by our work here and are also planning to come shortly and offer voluntary work, also investing their savings in this great spiritual venture. Some of them are expected within a period from 2 weeks to 2 months. We have already had several visitors during this last month, and they are all enthusiastic about the project and determined to spread the word and support both financially and through their work.

 

However, as it is normally happening in this world, especially in Kali yuga, we have recently come to face the attacks and oppositon of Adharmis, who fear the Spiritual Revolution that has been predicted will start in Orissa and will spread all over the world (Acyutananda Malika, 15th century).

These adharmic forces are trying to give pressure to the local officers, who are refusing to send to Delhi my application for visa extension on the pretext that only people fully endorsed by Iskcon and working in Iskcon projects, fully and solely depending on Iskcon, can get visas.... Which of course is not true. And even if it was true, anybody who already had an entry visa from the Indian Government is entitled to apply for visa extension, and the duty of the local officers is to forward the visa application to the Home Ministry, Delhi, and not to grant or refuse the visa themselves.

Already two of our good workers from foreign countries, Nrisimha Das and Gitavali Devi, who had been living and serving Dharma in Puri for many years, successfully cooperating with the local people and the best Hindu NGOs and social workers here (especially with Ma Jhadesvari Center, our partner in social work in traditional medicine and yoga, and the organisation who endorsed my visa last year -- accepted by the Indian Consulate in Italy without any problem) are being forced out of India as the local officers have also refused to forward their visa extension application to Delhi. So our two friends and co-workers must be leaving India in 20 days and going outside to make a new visa. Their very valuable work for the upliftment of the people and in support of Vedic dharma has been amply documented, and we can send photos, particularly on a Seminar on Yoga and acupressure they held in Vrndavana, UP, to which hundreds of devotees and pilgrims participated.

 

Our PAVAN and the Vedic Village project is an independent project, although it is supported from several sides, including many good devotees in Iskcon, both in India and abroad, but also by several other groups and independent people from several spiritual schools, as it has been conceived from the very start to be an open opportunity for cooperation for all sincere supporters of Dharma, separately from sectarian politics considerations.

We have as a mission statement, the determination to work both materially and spiritually solely for the benefit of the people in general, without distinctions or discriminations of groups or political institutions. So we are actively cooperating with non-Iskcon groups, such as Gaudiya Maths, Vaisnavas and Shaivaites groups and individuals, Advaita Vedanta schools, Sakti worshipers groups etc. This is the only way to establish Dharma: the spirit of Kumbha Mela. The sectarian mentality, based on institutional politics, is a characteristic of the semitic groups, and very contrary to the Vedic Dharma, which accepts and includes all groups who sincerely follow the genuine principles of religion.

 

Besides, since I have been living in India since 1994 on a permanent basis, this year I am going to apply for Indian citizenship, and among the requirements, the Indian Government asks for 10 years of residence, of which the last one complete year must be spent within India without going out. These adharmic forces are trying to force me out of India so that I cannot complete this last one full year within India.

 

I am sending the word out and support letters have started to come in both through email and by courier.

I am kindly asking all our VFA friends, both in India and abroad, to please send their support letters either by courier or by email, since regular mail will probably take too long to reach here.

Please send copy of your email messages to my different email addresses for safety.

After collecting these letters I am planning to personally go to Delhi and stay there until our work is recognised and endorsed officially at the highest levels.

This is not simply a question of obtaining a visa extension for me personally. The entire project here is depending on my active work, and if I am forced out of India, the project will have to stop and suffer greatly. My friends and co-workers here consider me as a mother and they cannot continue their work without my practical, spiritual and moral support.

 

The matter is much wider and deeper than a simple visa extension for a foreigner: if India really wants the help of all her children, both born in India or born outside of India (including many NRIs), India's leaders must show in practice their determination and good will.

In the 70s, when India was under the Congress rule, the Indian Government endorsed and helped greatly many genuine spiritual establishments, like Auroville and all the Iskcon centers.

It would be a great shame to see that, under the BJP rule, those who have left everything in the West, including family etc, to come and work selflessly in India to support Hindu Dharma and cooperate with ALL GROUPS to inspire and facilitate a Global Hindu Dharma, are harassed and forced out of India and their good work totally spoiled.

Or should the Indian Government only support Christian and Muslim organizations and facilitate their foreign missionaries?

 

Please send your support letters to the following addresses:

 

1. COURIER
Parama Karuna Devi (Paola Mosconi)

PAVAN House, Siddha Mahavir patna, Puri 2, Orissa (India)

phone 06752-251003, mobile 94370-36328

 

2. EMAIL
paramakaruna@satyam.net.in

paramakaruna@rediffmail.com

harikathaitalia@hotmail.com

harikathaitalia@libero.it

 

I am eternally grateful for your support to my service to Mother India and to Hindu Dharma.

Sincerely,

Parama Karuna Devi