Aisco Souvenir inagural function & Delhi, Hariyana, Panjab April 1976 by Saraswatha Veda Vijnana

A I SCO

SOUVENIR ( Supplement to the Samyukta Saraswat Quarerly Journal, April, 1976 Issue )

INAUGURAL FUNCTION & CONFER ENCE OF DELHI, HARYANA & PUNJAB BRANCHES

NEW DELHI 1 9 7 6

A NEVER-ENDING

MONTHLY INCOME

NOW DOUBLY ASSURED

L. I. C. and Canara Bank Join hands. Now, our unique Nirantara Deposit Scheme offers Life Insurance Cover also at no extra cost.

For details

contact our Branch nearest to you

CANARA BANK Head Office Bengalore - 56002. SERVING TO GROW GROWING TO SERVE.

D E D I C A T E D T o

T h e

F o u r S wa m i j i s o f

His Holiness Srimad Sachidananda Saraswati of Sri Gowdapacharya Math Samasthan of Kavle His Holiness Srimad Sudhindra Teertha of Sri Kashi Math Samasthan His Holiness Srimad Vidyadhiraja Teertha Vader of Sri Gokarna Parthagali Jeevotham Math Samasthan His Holiness Shrimad Parijnanashram of Sri Ghitrapur Math Samasthan b y T he AI SC O Ku ru k s he tr a C o n fe re nc e C o m m i t te e a nd T he AI SCO B ra nc he s l i e s i n D e l h i , H a ry a na a nd P u nj a b Re g i o ns

SOUVENIR

(Supplement to the Samyukta Saraswat Quarterly Journal, April, 1976 Issue)

P u b l i s he d b y

T he A l l i nd i a Sa ra s wa t F o u nd a ti o n

Post Box No. 6464 SARASWATI MANDIR Mahim, Bombay-400016 Printed at Paramount Publishing House, 47, Shankar Market, Connaught Circus, New Delhi-110001 and issued for the All-India Saraswat Cultural Organisation Kurukshetra Conference Committee, New Delhi by the General Secretary. R. S. Kapuria.

AISCO AND AISF PUBLICATIONS (upto 12th March, 1976) I. Saraswat Sanmarg Series of Books and Tracts : 1. Our Sacred Crest—by D.N. Nadkarni

Rs.2

2. Community and Communion The Saraswat Experience —by K. Guru Dutt

Rs. 5

The AISCO and Manav Dharma Parishad—A Plea for collaboration—by J.8. Rao

Rs. 2 Census of All India

Saraswat Community—A suggested Scheme— by J.S Rao

Rs. 2

5. The AISCO and Legal Aid to Needy Sections of the Community and the Nation—by J. S. Rao and A.P. Kumatakar

Rs. 2

6. Archeological Survey and Research in Temple Worship by J.S.Rao & GuruRaj Bhat

Rs. 2

7. 8.

The AISCO and its Industrial Training & Self-employment Projects—by I.M. Pai Our Publications—A Classified Index to AISCO & AISF RS.2 Literature (upto 12th March, 1976)—by AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee

Published by THE ALL-INDIA SARASWAT FOUNDATION (AISF), Saraswati Mandir, Post Box No. 6 4 6 4, Mahim, Bombay - 4 0 0 1 6

Rs. 2

C O N TEN TS

SECTION ONE MESSAGES, PHOTOS & PROGAMME 1. 2. 3.

Contents Editorial Note Messages and Photos of Swamijis : Shri Kavle Math Shri Kashi Math Shri Gokarn Math Shri Chitrapur Math Message—Dr. Karan Singh

The AISF—Board of Trustees—Photo

6. 7. 8. 9.

The Central Committee, AISCO, Bombay—Photo The AISCO- Kurukshetra Conference Committee, New Delhi—Photo The Punjab and Haryana Committee—Photo Chief Guests Inaugural Function 13 March, 1976 Shri T.A. Pai—Photo Conference : 14th March, 1976

10. 11.

Shri Gulzari Lal Nanda—Photo Preface and Acknowledgements by the Conference Committee Programme of the Function SECTION TWO ABOUT OURSELVES

1. 2. 3.

The Organisation and the Foundation The Founder Members and the Managing Committee, 1975-76 AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee, New Delhi

4. 5. 6. 7.

Conference Working Committee (Delhi Region) Conference Working Committee (Punjab and Haryana Region) Conference Working Committees (Conveners in other Regions) Branches and Local Sabhas in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Regions : I. Delhi Branch Local Sabhas Chitrapur Sara swats, New Delhi Sabha Gowd Saraswats (Vaishnavas), New Delhi Sabha Kashmiri Saraswats, New Delhi Sabha Northern Saraswats, New Delhi Sabha

II. Haryana Branch Local Sabhas : Jhajjar (Rohtak) Local Sabha Rohtak Local Sabha Jind Local Sabha Karnal Local Sabha Kurukshetra Local Sabha III. Punjab Branch Local Sabhas : Ferozepur Local Sabha Sultanpur Local Sabha Ludhiana Local Sabha Jullunder Local Sabha Amritsar Local Sabha Kapurthala Lacal Sabha 8. 9.

Reception Committee What is AISCO ? by J.S. Rao, Vice-President, AISCO, Incharge of Northern Zone

10.

Inaugural Function and Conference of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, AISCO 13th and 14th March, 1976; New Delhi Objects of Deliberations

11. 12. 13. 14.

15. 16.

Duties and Functions of Local Sabhas, AISCO The Organisational Structure of the AISCO Proposed Organisation of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, AISCO Proposed Principles for Sharing of Financial Proceeds of Membership Fees Amongst the Central, Branch and Grass Root Organisations of the AISCO Saraswat Voluntary Organisations of Delhi Region IV AISCO Conference—December, 2, 3, 4 and 5, 1976 (New Delhi)— A Preliminary Approach by J.S. Rao, Chairman, AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee SECTION THREE ON IDEOLOGY AND PURPOSE OF AISCO Why Do We Need AISCO ? by J.S. Rao, Vice-President. AISCO, Incharge of Northern Zone, New Delhi

The AISCO and We—by J.L.K. Jalali, President, Jammu & Kashmir Branch, AISCO, Srinagar

Ideology and Purpose of AISCO—by T.N. Dhar, General Secretary, Jammu Sc Kashmir Branch, AISCO, Srinagar

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Preface We are glad to inform our readers that along with the April, 1976 issue, a Souvenir Supplement Number of the Samyukta Saraswat Quarterly Journal is being brought out by the AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee, New Delhi on the eve of the Inaugural Function and the Conference of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, AISCO being held on 13th and 14th March, 1976 and the same is being posted free of charge to all members of the AISCO. The present April, 1976 issue is also being brought out a little early so that the same is made available to the delegates and representatives from different regions of the country participating in the deliberations at New Delhi. This issue includes special features relating to the AISCO Inaugural Function of three North Indian Branches as well as the forthcoming IV Conference being held in December, 1976 prepared by the Conference Committee, New Delhi. It also contains useful information on the organisational structure at the Central-National, Branch-Regional, and Local-Grass Root Levels and the proposed set up of AISCO Branches in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab regions. An article giving information about existing Saraswat Voluntary Social Institutions in the Delhi region and a list of AISCO and AISF Publications (upto 12th March, 1976) are of interest to all the readers of our journal as well as those connected with the AISCO and the AISF activities. The last section contains three important articles relevent to the ideology and purpose of the AISCO movement by S/Shri J. S. Rao, J. L. K. Jalali and T. N. Dhar. We hope the Sovenir Supplement will serve as a useful guidebook for future reference on organisational matters relevant to the AISCO activities and the cause propogated by it in the North Indian Region. We are thankful to the Conference Committee, New Delhi for bringing out this Souvenir Supplement and making available the same to our members within a short period of 6 weeks. Readers are welcome to make any suggestions, comments or communicate their views on any aspects of the Conference literature brought out in the Souvenir Supplement as well as other Publications and may address their communications to the Conference Chairman at the following address : SHRI J. S. RAO, Res : 709, Asia House, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110001 13th March, 1976. Bombay.

Editor

THE SAMYUKTA SARASWAT

ÂŤ a s

S ri ma d S ac hid an and a S a ra sw ati Sw am iji of Sri G ow dap ada ch a r ya M ath of Kav l e

Srimad Sudhindra Teertha Swamiji of Sri Kashi Math

FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND VIEWS ABOUT THE AISCO & THE AISF PLEASE READ :

THE SAMYUKTA SARASWAT Editors:

S.V. Pikale P.R. Kaikini AN. Bhat U.G Shenai Quarterly Publication of

THE ALL INDIA SARASWAT FOUNDATION (AISF) and THE ALL INDIA SARASWAT CULTURAAL ORGANISATION (AISCO)

Published every January, April, July and October

Single Copy Rs- 4; Annual Subscription, Rs 15; 3 Years’ Subscription, Rs 40 FREE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE AISCO (Other than the Associate Members of Regional Councils) Published by

THE ALL INDIA SARASWAT FOUNDATION (AISF) Saraswati Mandir, Post Post No. 6 4 6 4 Mahim, Bombay 4 0 0 0 1 6

To our beloved disciple, S.V.Pikale, we send bleesings.

We are glad to know that a conference of the Delhi, Haryana and Punjab branches of the All India Saraswat cultural Organisation will be held in New Delhi on the 13th and 14th March 1976, We are sanguine that the deliberations of the conference will be very re rding. In particular, we attach Importance to the consideration o the draft scheme on " Administration and Charitable Institutions India " and look forwared to a mature programme of actlon that wi be beneficial to the community. We invoke the blessings of Shri Deva Veer Vittal for the success of the Inaugural Function and Conference and we send Shri Gandha Prasada and Mantrakshata with our blessings.

SHRIMAD VIDYADHIRAJA TIRTH SHRIPADA VADER SWAMI.

Srimad Vidyadhiraja Teertha Vader Swamiji of Sri Gokarna Parthagali Jeevattam Math

Srimad Parijnanashrama Swamiji of Sri Chitrapur Math

AISCO AND AISF PUBLICATIONS (upto 12th March 1976)

II. AISCO Conference Souvenirs : 1. 2. 3.

The Souvenir of the Inaugural Conference—Bombay (December 1972) by AISCO Conference Committee The Souvenir of the II Conference—Mangalore (December, 1973) —by AISCO Conference Committee

—

The Souvenir of the III Conference—Cochin (January, 1975) —by AISCO Conference Committee

The Souvenir of the Inaugural Function and Conference of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches—New Delhi (Supplement to the Samyukta Saraswat Quarterly Journal— April, 1976 issue)—by AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee

III. AISCO 1.

2. 3. 4.

—

Rs. 2

Constitution and Rules & Regulations :

Faith and Works of the AISCO—Constitution of All India Saraswat Cultural Organisation, Bombay—by The President, AISCO

—do—

1st Edition—1972 2nd Edition—1976

Re. 1

Dimensions of the Foundation—Constitution of All India Saraswat Foundation, Bombay—by AISF

Re. 1

Rules and Regulations for AISCO Branches and Local Sabhas in the North Indian Region—by The Vice-President, AISCO, Incharge of Northern Zone

Re. 1

Published by

THE ALL INDIA SARASWAT FOUNDATION (AISF), and THE ALL INDIA SARASWAT CULTURAL ORGANISATION (AISCO), Saraswati Mandir, Post Box No. 6 4 6 4, Mahim, Bombay 4 0 0 0 1 6

Training Programmes in Administration of Religions and Charitable Institutions-I INVITATION TO ALL INDIA SARSWAT INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIAL WORKERS

The Advisory Board on Religious and Charitable Institutions set up jointly by the All India Saraswat Cultural Organisation (AISCO) and All-India Saraswat Foundation (AISF) has finalised a scheme for imparting a 2 week residential training programme to the sponsored candidates and representatives of religious and charitable institutions of All-lndia Saraswat community to be followed by practical application of their learning wi t h reference to the sponsoring or other institutions thereafter. Written guidance material will be supplied on the prescribed syllabus for further reference and application of the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired from the training. The subject of initial training will be â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Law relating to Religious and Charitable Institutions in Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x; The inauguration of the course for the first batch of trainees is expected to be done in June 1976 at Bombay or some other convenient place in South India. The inauguration of the course for the second batch of trainees will be held at New Delhi in December, 1976 on the occasion of the IV AISCO Conference. Medium of instructions will be Konkani and Hindi respectively for the two batches. Written materials will be in English. Their Holinesses Swamijis of Kavle, Kashi, Gokarn and Chitrapur Maths have been approached for imparting the training course for the representatives of Local Sabhas, Central Committees and religious, charitable and social organisations of the All-India Saraswat community belonging to their respective Sampradayas in Southern India. Depending on the encouragement, response and support from the community and other institutions of the country, similar coarses will be held periodically in different regions of the country with the assistance of qualified and interested persons under the guidance and supervision of the Board. The course has been specifically designed to focus attention on the problems and requirements of the institutions belonging to respective regions and Sampradayas for whom they are being held. The course is open to all candidates and social workers connected with the institutions, but graduages of any Indian university are preferred. They should have working knowledge 14

of various Sampradayas, religious cutoms, traditions, usages, ritualistic observations, agama paddatis etc. associated with any of the religious institutions or comparable knowledge about activities of any charitable or voluntary social institution. Knowledge of English and either Hindi or the regional language in which the courses are being conducted is essential for the participants. Scholars and research workers on Religion, History, Culture, Sociology, Sanskrit, Adhyatmic Studies, Applied Law and those interested in working for the cause of religious and charitable institutions in any field are preferred. The object of training is to impart working knowledge of all legal provisions applicable to religious and charitable institutions consistent with their true traditions, Sampradayas usages and intentions of the founders of respective institutions or those wishing to act as local representatives of the Board to render legal and administrative aid to those institutions or to pursue further studies in research on sociological and administrative aspects of voluntary institutions of the country. The course is open to representatives of institutions to any commudity of India and is not restricted to Saraswats only. For prospectus, and Rs. 1/- and Rs. 2/- respectively

syllabus

please

write

the

sponsored

following

candidates

address

payment

1. The Secretary, All-India Saraswat Cultural Organisation, Saraswati Mandir, Senapathi Bapat Marg, Mahim, Bombay-400016. OR 2.

belonging

The Conference Chairman, The AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee, 35, Indra Place, 3rd Floor, Connought Place, New Delhi-110001.

[Issued by the AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee]

SHRI T. A. PAI Chief Guest: (Inaugural Function : 13th March, 1976)

SHRI GULZARILAL NANDA Chief Guest: (Conference : 14th March, 1976)

Editorial Preface & Acknowledgements by the Conference Committee The present Souvenir has been brought out within a period of less than six weeks to commemorate the Inaugural Function and the Conference of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, AISCO. The decision to hold the Inaugural Function at New Delhi was taken by the Conference Committee in its meeting held on 18th January, 1976 on the basis of the report made by Shri J.S. Rao, Vice-President, AISCO about the discussions he had with the Managing Committee members of the AISCO, Bombay on 28th December, 1975 and 1st January, 1976 and the decisions taken therein. In the beginning the idea was to have only a programme-sheet giving minimum particulars of the function, in view of the limited time available for the organisational work and impracticability of bringing out a Souvenir Issue. However, since it was found absolutely essential for the success of the function to give information about the AISCO movement and the organisational structure it proposes to introduce in this region, it was decided to request the Central Managing Committee and the Editorial Committee of the Samyukta Saraswat Quarterly Journal published by the the AISF from Bombay to bring out a Special Number of the Journal in lieu of the April, 1976 issue on the occasion. It was felt that while this would enable the Committee to raise minimum funds necessary to meet the expenses of the function, the journal can also be introduced to the members of the community in the entire North Indian region. Since the Editorial Committee had already finalised the materials for the April, 1976 issue and sent the same to the press by that time at Bombay for printing, it was decided to bring out a Special Supplement to the Journal to be compiled and brought out by the Conference Committee from New Delhi and distribute it

free to all the AISCO members and readers of the Journal along with the April, 1976 issue. It was also decided to bring out the April, 1976 issue of the Journal a little early so that the same can be made available to the delegates and representatives of the AISCO Branches and Local Sabhas attending the New Delhi Inaugural Function and the Conference. We are extremely thankful to the Central Committe and the members of the Editorial Committee of the Journal for permitting us to bring out this issue from New Delhi for this important occasion. The Conference Committee is of the opinion that in future also, it is desirable to bring out similar Supplements to the Journal at the time of AISCO Conferences â&#x20AC;&#x201D;both the All-India Conferences as well as the Regional or Branch level Conferences ; instead of independent Souvenirs being brought out by them so far. This will provide for a built-in mechanism for coordination and co-operation amongst all the constituent units of the AISCO and the AISF including the respective Conference Committees, and open up vast areas of knowledge, new ideas and fresh thinking relevent to the basic aims and objects of the two organisations and justify its claim to be an effective forum tor reflecting the views and ideas about the AISCO and the AISF activities all over the country. Despite running against the time, difficulties in communications, correspondence and taking formal approval of various constituent units of the AISCO at the

Central and the Branch levels, we are able to bring out this important publication in time to the best of our ability. This only reflects the vitality of the AISCO movement and the sincerity of the office-bearers entrusted with the task of working for the cause and guiding others through the AISCO forum, throughout the country. We are confident that in the days to come, with the acquisition of additional strength, and wider acceptance of the movement and its gradual expansion in different regions of the country covering the entire All.lndia Saraswat community, the AISCO organisational machinery will improve its efficacy considerably so that every individual or institution belonging to the community -howsoever small/or big it may be, and whichever be the field of its present operationsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;will make use of the AISCO and the AISF forum for strengthening their own voluntary services and in taking pride in associating themselves with and working for the revivalist movement. The Conference Committee is of the opinion that earnest endeavours should be made to see that not only the Saraswats, but the individuals and institutions, belonging to all castes and creeds who appreciate the AISCO aims and ideals, and are willing to collaborate with us, are given the platform of the AISCO to work towards the common cause of revivalism of the great spiritual culture of our country and make it as a vehicle for the social and economic transformation of the country to achieve the desired ends set forth for the nation and its people. This can be achieved if the AISCO while continuing to work toward: its objects within the All-India Saraswat Community, also seeks constructive collaboration with all the like-minded revivalist movements of the country without having any inhibitions or 20

misgivings about the outcome. The success of such an endeavour at an enlarged platform depends very much on the spread of a still greater revivalist movement covering all segments of the Indian people covering all fields of activities and revivalist movements of the present day for which the AISCO should strive for and in which the AISCO can take an important role as one of the major constituent units. The Conference Committee calls on all the Saraswats and their institutions to play an important role in such a nation-wide revivalist movement consistant with the great cultural heritage of the AllIndia Saraswat community. It is with this view in mind that the Conference Committee has strived its best to bring out important publications relating to the AISCO and the AISF movement including many Saraswat Sanmarg Series booklets and negotiate and sponsor common projects in co-operation with various spiritual and spiritually minded religious, cultural and social movements of the Northern Region, with which it could come into contact during the short period of less than a year. The entire Conference Proceedings as well as the various resolutions proposed are designed to achieve these basic ends and therefore, represent an important milestone in the AISCO movement in this part of the country. Coming to the contents of the Souvenir Supplement, the same are divided into three parts . Section One contains Messages, Programme and Photos, apart from the Editorial Preface and acknowledgements. Section Two titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;About Ourselvesâ&#x20AC;? gives particulars of various Committees and Sub-Committees at the Central, Branch, Local as well as those working for the Conference activities

in different parts of the country especially in in the North Indian region. Articles dealing with the Organisational Structure and the practical functioning of the branch and local units in Delhi, Punjab & Haryana regions are also included in it. An article by Shri J S. Rao, Chairman, Conference Committee gives outlines of the preliminary approach to the forthcoming IV AISCO Conference being held in Dec. 1976 at New Delhi & Kurukshetra. The third Section contains three articles by S/Shri J.S. Rao, J.L K. Jalali and T.N. Dhar on the ideology and the purpose of the AISCO and is an important contribution to the understanding of the movement, since they enable the readers to understand, appreciate and effectively meet any criticism and challenge to the work of the AISCO from any quarters about the basic tenets of the movement. In view of the short time available, it has not been possible to include a few photographs like those of the Jammu and Kashmir Branch Committee, etc., nor has it been possible to get the full particulars of the office bearers and composition of Local Sabhas functioning in these places. It has also not been possible to mention in the Souvenir the names of all the outstation delegates from different regions of the country participating in the function for the same reasons. We could also not include the messages of the revered Guruvaryas of four Saraswat Mutts, i e. Kavle, Kashi, Gokaran and Chitrapur, but had to contend with expressing our deepest reverence, faith and respects to them along with the Photos printed in the Souvenir. The arrangements made for the outstation delegates may also not be quite adequate, as we would have very much liked to do given enough time. The written materials and publications brought out on the occasion may not be of

the best quality and may contain mistakes, omissions etc. But considering the overall performance, the Conference Committee feels that it has discharged the onerous responsibility thurst on it with efficiency and deligency. We fail in our duty if we omit to make reference to the great indebtedness of the Conference Committee to various individuals and organisations without whose involvement and assitance, it could not have undertaken this great organisational feet. We are, in particular, indebted to Shri J.S. Rao and Dr. R.S. Kapuria for the untiring and round the clock work they put in for bringing out such a vast literature on AISCO and the AISF activities in addition to their shouldering of the onerous duties in organisational and promotional activities in this region within a short time. We are thankful to Dr. Raghunath Airi and his dedicated band of workers and AISCO representatives from Punjab & Haryana Region for the regular visits they made to Delhi, canvassing and work they put in in their respective regions in connection with this function and promotion of AISCO activities and promising to send a sizable number of delegates to the function. We express our heartful thanks for the invaluable services and assistance rendered to the Committee at all stages of its functioning to (i) The Chief Guests of the function, Hon'ble Shri T.A. Pai and Honâ&#x20AC;&#x;ble Shri Gulzarilal Nanda for not only agreeing to inaugurate our two day sessions but for extending their constant encouragement and support including their frequent availability for consultations, guidance and discussions right from the

beginning, despite their heavy responsibilities as great leaders of the nation; (i) the members of the Finance Committee, S/Shri Someshwar Trikha, B. Ratnakar, P.S.V. Mallya and others who helped the Committee in raising finances to meet the expenditure of the function inspite of short time given to them; (ii)

the Conference Speakers and those who sent their papers for reading and discussions during the function S/Shri P. Guru Raj Bhat, E. Vedavyas, and other office bearers and members of the AISCO and its various committees.

(vii) Shri I. M. Pai, Vice-President, AISCO, Bombay for permitting his business office in New Delhi to be used by the Conference Committee as its temporary office and making available services of the office staff therein for voluntary work after office hours despite his being far off from the station. (vii)

Representatives and individuals belonging to the four Local Sabhas of the Delhi Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Kashmiri Saraswats, Northern Saraswats, Chitrapur Saraswats and Gowd Saraswatsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for rendering their valuable services in organising and implementing various AISCO & ' Conference activities in this region as well as for extending their wholehearted support and constant encouragement for all that we have been trying to do to promote our revivalist causex;

(iii) the Central Committee, and office bearers of the AISCO from Bombay for the extremely helpful and positive assistance rendered and taking quick decisions on important organisational measures connected with the function and the various (viii) various workers of the AISCO in literatures being brought out by the Delhi, including S/Shri Shamji Conference Committee; Salwan, A.P. Kumtakar, Kshemchand (iv) the Editorial Committee of the Sumanji, R.D. Sharma, B.S. Savnal, Samyukta Saraswat Quartely Journal for permitting us to bring and many more persons, whose out the Souvenir as Special Supplenames need not be recalled here for ment to the April, 1976 issue and want of space, for their extremely the for the onerous and quick editing helpful and dedicated services renof the entire Conference literature dered to the cause without concern done by Shri P,R, Kaikini. of any position or status involved in it; (Vi) the Trustees of the All India Saraswat Foundation for permitting us (ix) the Jammu & Kashmir Branch to bring out six booklets under the Committee and in particular, its imprint of Saraswat Seminar Series energetic President Pt. J.L.K. Jalali on the subjects having direct releand Secretary Sh. T.N. Dhar, who vence to the activities of the AISCO have been quick and spontaneous in this region and deliberations of the present function; 22

in responding to the need of the hour and making valuable suggestions, proposing resolutions and sending articles relévent to the proceedings of the functions and AISCO activities in their region; (x) the various delegates, and Reception committee members from all regions of the country who are participating in the proceedings as representatives of their respective units and their members as well as those who have been working for our cause in their areas but are not able to take part in the proceedings due to distance, cost and time involved in making the trip during this busy part of the year and whose faith and dedicated work hereinafter alone can justify the little bit of services being rendered by the Committee on this occasion; (xi) Shri Jai Kishan, Typist and Shri Bidhi Chand, volunteer, whose quick and efficient services permitted the Committee to cope up with the extensive volume of correspondence, written materials including the AISCO printed literature brought out by the Committee, and despatch the same to concerned individuals, institutions etc. all over the country; (xii) Shri H. C. Ahuja, Printer, for his quick, efficient and neat printing of the vast Conference litera ture, despite the short time given to him and many lapses on the part of the Committee in giving materials in time for the press; (xiii) and many lakhs, nay, millions of Saraswat community members belonging to the North Indian region

for whose benefit the three AISCO Branches in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab are being inaugurated on this occassion, who alone can judge and decide about the efficiency, performance and relevance of all that the Conference Committee and the AISCO movement has been trying to do through its little bit of dedicated and sincere work an can count on the services and strength of the AISCO and its various affiliated and collaborating institutions throughout the country to tackle their problems in spiritual, cultural, social and economic spheres both in their personal as well public life as proud citizens of the country and members of the All-India Saraswat community. Finally, we bow our heads before the Revered Guruvaryas and Swamiars—the Mathadhipathis of the four Varnashrama Dharmic Religious Maths of Kavle, Kashi, Gokarn and Chitrapur, belonging to the All India Saraswat community, who despite their absence and distance which separates the Shishyavranda and participants of the function from Them, have been a constant source of strength, inspiration and object of dedication of all that we and the members of the entire Saraswat community have been doing or intend to do in the future in this part of Northern India. We most humbly dedicate OUR WORK as Padakanika OFFERINGS at Their Holiness‟s Lotus Feet and seek Their Holiness‟s Benign Blessings for the AISCO movement and members of

the Saraswat community of this fegion. We are keenly awaiting for the formal Blessings, to hear Ashirvachans, see and touch Their Holiness's Feet in person and be with Their Holiness in our midst and benefit from the spiritual Bliss and Grace associated with Their Holy Presence during the forthcoming IV AISCO Conference being held in December, 1976 at New Delhi and Kurukshetra. The Conference Committee has done considerable preparatory work towards organising this Conference and the present Inaugural Function of three Branches is one of the concrete results of our work during the last few months in this region. We assure Their Holinesses on behalf of the entire Saraswat community of the Northern Region

that Their Holiness‟s Stay and Visit will prove extremely beneficial to the members of the community and will enable the propagation of the revivalisit movement under the AISCO forum with added strength and purpose in the days to come and bring it in the forefront of progressive and spiritual movements of the country beneficial to members of all castes and communities as well as the future generations belonging to The AllIndia Saraswat community.

Chairman & Members of the AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee, New Delhi, 13th March, 1976. New

Delhi.

AISCO AND AISF PUBLICATIONS (Upto 12th March, 1976) II.

Annual Reports of AISCO Branches & Committees: 1. Annual Report to the AISCO Governing Council, Cochin, December, 1974 — by Punjab & Haryana Pradesh Committee .50 nP 2. Annual Report on Activities for the period May, 1975 to March, 1976 — by AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee In English 3. -doIn Hindi 4. Annual Report on Activities for the year 1974-75 (July, 1974 to June. 1975) with audited accounts — by Punjab & Haryana Branch Committee In English 5. -doIn Hindi 6. Report on the Inaugural Function of Jammu and Kashmir Branch, Srinagar on 7th September, 1975 — by Jammu & Kashmir Branch Committee

50 nP 50 nP 50 nP 50 nP 50 np

Published by THE ALL INDIA SARASWAT CULTURAL ORGANISATION (AISCO) SARASWAT MANDIR,

Post Box No. 64 64, MAHIM, BOMBAY - 400016

INAUGURAL FUNCTION & CONFERENCE of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, AISCO. 13th and 14th March, 1976 New Delhi Venue : Constitution Club, Vithal Bhai Patel House, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001. DETAILED PROGRAMME A. Inaugural Function : (i) Prayers Invocation to Saraswati: (ii) Welcome Address by the Chairman, Reception Committee : (iii) Introduction of the Chief Guest by the President AISCO, Bombay (iv) Report by the Chairman, Conference Committee

10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. 10 a.m. to 10.02 a.m. 2 mts. 10.02 a.m. to 10.07 a.m. 5 mts. 10.07 a.m. to 10.12 a.m. 5 mts. 10.12 a.m. to 10.22 a.m. 10 mts.

(v) Report by the Chairman, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches : 10.22 a.m. to 10.32 a.m. 10 mts. (vi) Inaugural address by the Chief Guest 10.32 a.m. to 11.12 a.m. 40 mts. (vii) Vote of thanks and announcement of Programme of the next session Secretary, Conference Committee 11. 12 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. 3 mts. TEA B R E A K 11.15 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. 15 mts. B. Business Session Forenoon 11.30 a.m. to 1.15 p.m. Chairman S. V. Pikale, President, AISCO, Bombay (i) Outline of agenda and procedure for discussions by the Chairman of the Session 11.30 a.m. to 11.40 a.m. 10 mts. (ii) Introduction of delegates by the Chairmen of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches 11.40 a.m. to 11.55 a.m. 15 mts. R. D. Sharma Delhi Branch R. Airi Punjab and Haryana Branch

(iii) Brief reports by representatives each from various Local Sabhas in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches about their activities : A. P. Kumtakar: Chitrapur Saraswat Sabha, Delhi: Khemchand Sumanji: Northern Saraswat Sabha : Delhi

11.55 am. to 12.25 pm. 30mts

N. N. Kaul: Kashmiri Saraswat Sabha, Delhi: Capt. U. Narsingh: Gowd Saraswat Sabha, Delhi: Atma Ram Sharma : Local Sabhas in Haryana : Nathu Ram Sharma : Local Sabhas in Punjab: (iv) A word by the President, Vice-Presidents, and Secretary, AISCO, Bombay : (y) Reports by the heads of delegates from other Branches of Nothern and Southern India :

12.45 p.m. to 1.00 p.m. 15 mts. 12.25 p.m. to 12.45 p.m. 20 mts.

T. N. Dhar : Jammu & Kashmir Branch : U. G. Shenai: Bombay M. P. Pai: Karnataka: (v) Resume of discussions by the Chairman of the Session: (vi) Announcement regarding afternoon session and/ vote of thanks by the Secretary, Conference Committee: LUNCH BREAK: A. Busisess Sessesion: Afternoon : Chairman ; J. S. Rao, Vice-President, AISCO, In-Charge, Northern Region : (i) Outline of agenda and procedure of discussions by the Chairman of the Session :

1.00 p.m. to 1.10 p.m. 10 mts.

1.10p.m. to 1.15p.m. 5mts. 1.15p.m.to 2.30pm. 75mts. 2.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

2.30 p.m. to 2.40 p.m. 10 mts. (ii) Moving of Official Resolutions : (a) Conference Committee : R . S. Kapuria, Secretary (b) Delhi, Haryana & Punjab Branch Committees: R.S. Kapuria, Secretary (Delhi Region) R. Airi, Chairman, (Punjab & Haryana Region)

2.40 p.m to 3.10 p.m 2.40 p.m. to 3.10 p.m. 30 mts.

3.10 p.m to 3.30 p.m. 20 mts.

(c) Local Sabhas in Delhi, Haryana & Punjab regions : 3.30 p.m. to 3.40 p.m. 10 mts. (d) Jammu and Kashmir Branch & U.P. Committee : 3.40 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. 20 mts. (e) Other Branches in Southern India : Kerala, Karnataka-South, Karnataka-North, Karnataka-Belgaum etc. 4.00 p.m. to .420 p.m. 20 mts. (f) Central Committee, Bombay : 4.20 p.m. to 4.40 p.m. 20 mts. (g) Any other Delegate & Reception Committee Members : 4.40 p.m. to 4.50 p.m. 10 mts. (h) Any other matters : Summation of proceedings by the Chairman of the Session: 4.50 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. 10 mts. D. Press Conference: Newspaper Reporting about Proceedings of the Day and Press Release of summary of proceedings and resolutions : 5.15 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. 30 mts. E. Cultural Programme : Evening AISCO Bombay Conference, 1972 Film Show and Devotional Bhajans by Parijnana Ashram Bhajan Mandali ; New Delhi.

6.00 p.m. to 7 p.m. 60 mts.

SUNDAY, 14th March : C O N F E R E N C E A. Inaugural Session : (i) Introduction of the Chief Guest by the President, AISCO : (ii) Report by the Chairman, Conference Committee : (iii) Address by the Chief Guest : (iv) Thanks giving by the Chairman, Reception Committee : (v) Announcement regarding afternoon session by the Secretary, Conference Committee : TEA B R E A K B. Conference Session Forenoon : Chairman R. D. Sharma, Chairman, Reception Committee : (i)

10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. 10.00 a.m. to 10.05 a.m. 5 mts. 10.05 a.m. to 10.20 a.m. 10 mts. 10.20 a.m. to 10.50 a.m. 30 mts. 10.50 a.m. to 10.55 a.m. 5 mts. 10.55 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. 5 mts. 11.00 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. 15 mts. 11.15 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

E. Vedavyas â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hinduism in Space Ageâ&#x20AC;? 11.15 a.m. to 12.00 noon 45 mts.

(n) R. D. Sharma : AISCO and Delhi Region: 12.00 noon to 12.15 p.m. 15 mis. (iii) Raghunath Airi : AISCO and Punjab A Haryana Region : 12.15 p.m. to 12.30 p.m.15 (iv) T. N. Dhar : AISCO and Jammu A Kashmir Region : 12.30 p.m. to 12.45 p.m. 15mts (v) P. Guru Raj Bhat Archeological Survey of A Temples and Research in J. S. Rao Idol-worship in India : 12.45 pm. to 1.30 p.m. 45 mts. LUNCH BREAK 1.30 pm. to 2.30 p.m. Conference Session : Afternoon : 2.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Chairman I. M. Pai, Vice-President, AISCO, Bombay : (i) J. S. Rao : Training Programmes in Administration of Religious and Charitable Institutions by the AISCO : 2.30 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. 30 mts. (ii) A.P. Kumtakar : (1) Concept of a Cell to provide Legal Aid to Needy Sections A of the Community and the Nation 3.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. 30 mts. S. V. Pikale : (2) AISCO and Legal & Taxation Aid to the All-India Saraswat Community : (iii) J. S. Rao Census of All-India Saraswat & Communityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;A Suggested Scheme : 3.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. 30 mts. N. S. Rao : (iv) I. M. Pai AISCO and Industrial & Self Employment Projects including lnplant Training Scheme for Educated Unemployed Youth : 4.00 p.m to 4.30 p.m. 30 mts.

(v) J. L. K. Jalali Ideology & Purpose of AISCO : 4.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m 30 mts T. N. Dhar & J. S. Rao (vi) CONCLUDING REMARKS/APILO by the Chairman, Reception Committee : 5.00 p.m. to 5.10 om 10 5.15 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. 30 mts. D. Press Conference : 5.00 p.m to 5.10 p.m. 10mts. Newspaper Reporting about proceedings of the Day and Press Release of summary proceedings ANNOUNCEMENT Arrangements for serving soft drinks & tea during the Tea Breaks and sale of lunch packets during the Lunch Breaks will be made to all the delegates participating in the function on both the days : Procedure : C O U P E N SYSTEM.

NEW DELHI

A.I.S.C.O. Kurukshetra Conference Committee

S it t in g : (fr o m l ef t to r i gh t) Messrs J L. Bhat, K. Suman, A.P. Kumtakar, R.D, Sharma, N.N. Kaul, J.N. Bhhn St a nd i n g : Messrs B.S. Savnal, R.N. Kapuria, ÂŤJ.S. Rao, S.J. Salwan

fic

AISCO PUNJAB & HARYANA COMMITTEE

Shri Atmaram Sharma, Jhajjar (RohtakJ, Haryana

Shri Prem Chand Sharma, Jind, Haryana

Shri Ramesh Kumar, (Rohtakj, Haryana Shri Vinod Tewari, Jullundur, Punjab

Dr. K. L. Sharma, Amritsar, Punjab

J. P. Sharma, Jhajjar ('Rohtakj, Haryana

Dr. Tara Chand Sharma, (Rohtak), Haryana

A. I. S. C. O. Committee (Punjab) 1. Sh- Surjeet Kumar Sharma— President (Sultanpur) 2. Sh. Hans Raj Kalia— Vice President (Ferozepore) 3.

Sh. Ram Prakash Sastari— Vice President

(Sultanpur) 4. Dr. K.L. Sharma— Vice President (Amritsar) 5- Sh- Nathu Ram Sharma— General Secretary (Ferozepore) 6. Sh. V.K. Tewari— Secretary (Jullundur) 7.

Sh Hari Mittal Kala — Treasurer (Talwandi)

8- Prof J M. Dhaumye— Vice President (Moga) 9. Sh. Yagya Dutt Airi— Secretary (Kapurthala) 10. Sh. Atma Ram Sharma— Joint Secretary (Ferozepore) 11. Sh. Brahma Dutt Sharma -Secretary (Amritsar) 12. Sh- N.M. Kalia— Accountant (Ferozepore)

With best compliments from :

NATARAJ PAPER PACKAGING PRIVATE LIMITED Manufacturers of : Quality Colour Printers and Playing Cards Office :

Factory :

“Barar House” 4th floor, 239, Abdul Rehman Street, BOMBAY-3. Phone : 345957 Gram : “PRANKAPSO”

Plot No. C-19, Industrial Estate, Satpur, NASIK-7. Phone 8119 & 8228 Gram ' ,NATARAJ”

WELL WISHER

AISCO AND AISF PUBLICATIONS ( upto 12th March 1976 )

V. Other Publications—General 1. All India Saraswat Cultural Convention, Bombay, 20-22 November, 1971— Prospectus—by The Preparatory Committee, Kanara Saraswat Association, Bombay 2.

A pledge and Plea—An appeal for membership—by The President, AISCO, Bombay

II AISCO Conference, Mangalore, December, 22-24, 1973—Complete Proceedings—by The Editor, PANCHKADAYI Konkani Monthly Journal, Mangalore In Konkani with Kannada script

What is AISCO ? An appeal for membership—by Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, New Delhi—by The Vice-President, AISCO, In-charge of Northern Zone In English -doIn Hindi Published by

The All India Saraswat Foundation and

The All India Saraswat Cultural Organisation Saraswati Mandir, Post Box No. 6464, Mahim, Bombay-400016.

CENTRE FOR CAREERS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES I.A.S., I.F.S., Allied Services, Assistant Grade. MEDICAL

Vellore, Pondicherry (Hr. Sec., I. Sc. Pre-University eligible) Wardha, A.I.M.S., Banaras, Aligarh, Ludhiana, C.P.M.T. (U.P., M.P. Bihar) Lady Hardinge & Maulana Azad, (Delhi) A.F.M.C. (Poona).

ENGINEERING

I.I.T./Roorkee/Marine/Dhanbad/S.C.R.A.

ARMED FORCES

N.D.A., I.M.A., Indian Navy, Dufferin, S S.B.

OTHER CAREERS

M.B.A., S.B.I., Hotel Management.

POSTAL GUIDANCE

I.A.S., I.F.S., P.M.T., Model Test Papers for C.P.M.T. priced at Rs. 95/- Correspondence Course Rs. 325. Ask for a free copy of Prospectus.

Delhi Public colleqe of Competition India's Leading College for Career Promotion 5-B, Pusa Road, New Delhi-5 Phones : 587660 & 583108 &

Ajit Arcade, Kailash (Near LSR College) New Delhi 48 Phone : 6 3 4 0 6 8 Principal TR. MANCHANDA M.A. (Eng., Pol. Sc.) M. Ed.

With complements from

International Packers & Movers Approved Custom House Agents IATA Cargo Agents

882, EAST PARK ROAD. KAROL BAGH. NEW DELHI 5. Phones :

Branches

512062

BOMBAY,

512063

CALCUTTA,

512063

MADSAS, BANGALORE.

515789

KASTURI NAGESH PAI & CO. PRIVATE LIMITED Kasturi Building, 30, Popatwadi, Telephones

BOMBAY—400 002 313434 319987 312702 254874

Res. I

361968 359539 523569

Telegrams Telex

SWASTI 011-2064

PCI in the service of the nation for more food and better health

PEST CONTROL (INDIA) PVT. LTD. YUSUF BUILDING, MAHATMA GANDHI ROAD, FLORA FOUNTAIN, BOMBAY-400001 Telephones 251546—251594—259454 Tel “PESTCIL”

BRANCHES AT

Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Baroda, Bhavnagar, a

____

Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Calcutta, Calicut, Cochin, Chandigarh, Delhi, Faridadabad, Guntur, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jamnagar, Kakinada, Coimbatore, Kandla, Kanpur, Madras, Mangalore, Lucknow, Nagpur, Poona, Raipur, Tuticorin, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Vijaywada, Vishakapatnam.

With compliments from

National Steel and General Mills GHAZIABAD ,

U.p.

THE AISCO KURKUSUETRA CONFERENCE COMMITTEE I. Preparatory Conference Committee, New Delhi: Chairman: Shri J. S. Rao Vice-Chairmen: S/Shri Dr. Raghunath Airi, Jhajjar (Rohtak), Haryana Shamlal Saraf, Srinagar, Kashmir Shiva Nath Katju, Allahabad, U.P. Narendra Nath Shastri, Rohtak, Haryana and Girdharlal Goswami, New Delhi Assc Secretaries : I frier S/Shri Dr. R. S. Kapuria, New Delhi on t T. N. Dhar, Srinagar, Kashmir Treasurer : S. J. Salwan, New Delhi Members : S/Shri Atma Ram Sharma, Jhajjar (Rohtak), Haryana Jai Parkash Sharma, Jhajjar (Rohtak), Haryana Tarachand Sharma, Rohtak, Haryana Parashu Ram Shastri, Jind, Haryana Hans Raj Kalia, Ferozepur, Punjab Chander Mohan Sharma, Ferozepur, Punjab Jai Ganesh Vatish, Ludhiana, Punjab Surjeet Kumar Sharma, Sultanpur, Punjab V. M. Kalyanpur, New Delhi vt M.V. Basrur, New Delhi B. S. Savnal, New Delhi con A.N. Bhat, Bombay Assc Anand Prakash, New Delhi Mrs. Shanta A. Hemmadi, Nagpur pr,. Conference Working Committee (Delhi C Region):

President Shri U.S. Rao Vice-President c Shri T.J. Prabhu K Secretary Shri V.M. Kalyanpur Joint Secretary : Shri M.V. Basrur Members : Saras

S/Shri R. Bhaskar Pai A. P. Kumtakar B. S. Savnal Capt. U. Narsingh Miss B.H. Vatsala J.S. Rao Babu Rao Kumtekar D. G. Telang III. Conference Working Committee (Punjab and Haryana Region) : Chairman : Dr. Raghunath Airi, Jhajjar (Rohtak), Haryana Vice-Chairmen : Shri Atma Ram Sharma, Jhajjar (Rohtak), Haryana Shri Surjeet Kumar Sharma, Sultanpur, Punjab Secretaries : S/Shri Jai Prakash Sharma, Jhajjar (Rohtak), Haryana Jai Ganesh Vathish, Ludhiana, Punjab Nathu Ram Sharma, Ferozepur, Punjab IV. Conference Working Committees (Conveners in other Regions : S/Shri Srigopal Goswami Brindavan —Mathura, U.P.—North Shiva Nath Katju Allahabad, U.P.— South J.L.K. Jalali, Shrinagar, Jammu and Kashmir U.G. Shenai, Bombay N.V.R. Prabhu, Hubli, Karnataka— North Damodar Prabhu, Mangalore, Karnataka—South G.V. Kamath, Cochin, Kerala Ashok Kumar Hemmadi, Nagpur, Maharashtra- Vidharbh.

The AISCO Branches and Local Sabhas In Delhi, Haryana & Punjab Regions 1.

Delhi Branch Local Sabhas :

S/Shri N. N. Kaul, M. L. Bhat General Secretary Shri J. L. Bhat

1. Chitrapur Saraswats, New Delhi Sabha President : Shri U. S. Rao Vice-Presidents : S/Shri A. P. Kumtakar, A. B. Rao Secretary : Shri M. V. Basrur Treasurer Shri B.I. Rao Members S/Shri B.S. Savnal S. Bhat V.R. Idurkar B. Shantaram B.V. Rao III. G. Karnad 2.

Gowd Saraswats (Vaishnava), New Delhi Sabha : President : Shri T. J. Prabhu Vice-President : Shri K. R. Prabhu Secretary : Capt. U. Narsing Treasurer Shri M. A. V. Bhat

Members : S/Shri R. Bhaskar Pai, Keshav Mallya, P. S. V. Mallya, U. Ratnakar Rao, N. V. Kudva, Rajendra Pai, B. S. Pai. Kashmiri Saraswats, New Delhi Sabha President Shri N. N. Kaul Vice Presidents

Treasurer Shri J.N. Kaul Members : S/Shri J.N. Bhan A N. Bhat D. K. Kachru P.N. Sadhu A. K. Bhat B. L. Kaul 4.

Northern Saraswats, New Delhi Sabha President Dr. R. D. Sharma Vice-President: Shri R. N. Sharma Secretary : Dr. R. S. Kapuria Treasurer : Shri S. J. Salwan Members : S/Shri Khemchand Suman Padam K. Sharma Mrs. Sushila Sharma B. N. Sharma III. S. Bhanot Someshwar Trikha B. B. Chibber Goswami Girdharlal Brahm Dutt Sharma Des Raj Sharma

11. Punjab and Haryana Branch Local Sabhas : 1.

Jhajjar : Haryana : President : Shri Atma Ram Sharma

Sharma Sain Dass Bhall Gian Chand Joshi Charan Das Dr. Lai Chand Dr. K.L. Sharma

Secretary Shri Jai Prakash Sharma 2.

Rohtak : Haryana : President : Shri Narendra Nath Shastri Secretary Dr. Tara Chand Sharma Members Shri Radhe Sham

Jind : Haryana Secretary : Shri Parshu Ram Shastri Members : Shri Prem Chand Sharma

Ludhiana : Punjab : President Shri Jai Ganesh Vathish Sultanpur : Punjab : President : Shri Sujeet Kumar Sharma

terozepur : Punjab : President : Shri Hans Raj Kalia Vice-President : Shri

Chander

Mohan

Sharma

Secretary : Shri Nathu Ram Sharma 7.

Jullunder : Punjab : Member Shri V.K. Tewari

Amritsar : Punjab Members S/Shri BaldevDutt

Reception Committee of the Conference Chairman : R. D. Sharma Members : All members of the 4 Local Sabhas of Delhi Branch and other representatives from Haryana and Punjab Branches. NOTE :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; For want of full information, it has not been possible to print the names of all the delegates in this issuse. The same will be included in the July Issue of the Samyukta Saraswat along with the proceedings of the Conference.

WHAT IS AISCO ? The All-India Saraswat Cultural Organisation is for short called AISCO. It was founded on 19th Nov. 1971 in Bombay and formally inaugurated in December 1972. It is registered under the Registration of Societies Act and the Public Trusts Act. It has created a Trust called “The All-India Saraswat Foundation” (AISF) for social, economic and cultural benefit and betterment of the Indians including All-India Saraswats. 2. The aims and objects of the AISCO and the AISF are, inter alia, the following : (i)

To secure and promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and material welfare and progress of All -India Saraswats as also of the Indian people developing their ability to serve the country and enrich the national life.

(ii)

To integrate All-India Saraswats of different sects as also promote consolidation of the Indian community without distinction of place, caste or creed.

(iii)

To generate an awareness of the impact of the Saraswat Way of Life on India‟s culture, economy and polity as a healthy contributor to national life and advancement.

(iv)

To encourage entrepreneurial skills and abilities amongst the younger generation by the feasible means including vocational guidance and material assistance. To promote, encourage and assist various schemes to solve the burning problems of the middle class in socio-economic and cultural fields. To provide a common platform for religious, charitable, social and economic institutions and members

(v)

(vi)

of the All-India Saraswat community to serve the community and the nation more effectively and thereby provide an example and create a prototype for other national communities. (vii) To plan and undertake a Census of the All-India Saraswat community in collaboration with the existing social and cultural organisations comprising a „Directory‟ and 'Who‟s Who‟ of social, religious, charitable, educational and economic institutions; business, industry, and interprise; survey of talents and human resources of the community in spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic and material fields; survey of problems of housing, education, unemployment, minimum living conditions, matrimony and social contacts amongst different regions and sects; and an authentic history of various Sampradays, traditions and customs of various sub-groups of the community. (viii) To seek collaboration with other national communities and voluntary institutions of the country and to promote similar objects amongst different sections of the Indian community belonging to all castes, creeds and faiths. (ix) To organise a network of AISCO Branches, and Local Sabhas/Area Committees throughout the country

So as to involve and make available the strength and benefits of its activities to the masses at the grassroot level. (x)

The hold periodical conferences, conventions and seminars at allIndia as well as regional levels to implement and further these aims and objects. 3. The AISCO is more than an institution. It is a movement of Saraswat revivalism, a national and nationalist movement for the good of the All-India Saraswats and the Indian people. The community has a rich heritage and history which needs to be revived, and they are a nation-wide clan dedicated by faith and tradition to the cause of national integration and advancement. But today through ignorance of and indifference to its own achievements of the present and the past in the domain of statesmanship, administration, scholarship, industry, banking, arts, spiritualism, etc., its members are drifting to individualism. The AISCO is taking collective responsibility for the weak and the handicapped elements among them as also elements found elsewhere in the nation. For that it has set up an Industrial Coordination Board in order to help the community as a whole to build up its economic prosperity and to help the younger generation to find training and employment opportunities. The first batch of trainees has already completed it and the second batch is receiving it at Bombay. AISCO has also set up an Advisory Board on Religious and Charitable Institutions which has drawn up a scheme for training representatives of religious & charitable institutions of the community in administrative, legal and financial aspects of mana-

gement in collaboration with the leading religious Muths and institutions of the community. The first batch of trainees will receive training from June, 1976. Other schemes under various stages of implementation are : setting up of a Legal and Taxation Advisory Board to impart free aid on legal matters to new entrepreneurs, self-employed persons and deserving sections of the community including those connected with voluntary institutions serving the community and the nation; a Census and Matrimonial Information Board to plan for conducting Census operations of the All-India Saraswat community; and an Institute of Religion and Culture to train Dharmapracharakas, conduct and encourage research work connected with revivalism of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x;s spiritual culture for promoting all round progress of the country including its material and economic prosperity. 4. The AISCO membership is open to all Saraswats of India, and has been extended to include all sections of Panch Gowda Brahmins, i.e., Kanyakubja, Maithila, Utkala, Gowda and Saraswata regions of Northern India and Saraswats of Southern India, above the age of 18 years. The members can enrol themselves in any one of the following categories provided for in the AISCO Constitution : (i) Patrons : Rs. 1000 (Individuals) Rs. 2000 (Institutions) (ii) Fellows

Rs. 500

(iii) Life Members :

(Individuals) Rs. 1000 (Institutions) Rs. 200 (Individuals) Rs. 500 (Institutions)

(iv) Ordinary Members : Rs. 20 per year (Individuals) (v) Associate Members : Rs. 5 per year (Individuals) (vi) Foundation Members : Rs. 5000 (Individuals) (of AISF) Rs. 5000 (Institutions) Enrolment of membership can be done at the Central Office, Bombay, as well as at the various Branch Offices and Local Sabhas set up all over India. Membership form is enclosed with this brochure. More can be had and/or typed out for filling up by those desirous of enrolment. 5. AISCO activities are spreading fast in all regions of the country. Three allIndia Conferences were held in Bombay (December, 1972), Mangalore (December,

1973) , and Cochin (January, 1975). The fourth Conference is scheduled to be held at New Delhi and Kurukshetra in December, 1976. At the organisational level, AISCO Branches are already functioning in Karnataka—South (Mangalòre), Karnataka—North (Hubli) and Kerala (Cochin) in South India in addition to the Central Office at Bombay. In Northern India, AISCO Branch was formerly inaugurated in Jammu & Kashmir on 5th September, 1975 at Srinagar and three more Branches in the regions of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab respectively, will be formally inaugurated in March, 1976 at New Delhi. A network of Local Sabbas and Area Committees are being set up by these Branches in their respective regions in order to have direct contact with the members of the community at the grass-root level which will function as integral parts of the all-India body.

J. S. RAO, Vice-President, AISCO New Delhi.

In-Charge of North Indian Region

INAGURAL FUNCTION AND CONFERENCE OF Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches, AISCO

13th and 14th March. 1976 NEW DELHI Objects of Deliberations Various schemes sponsored by the AISCO not only for the benefit of the All India Saraswat community, but of all sections of people of the country without distinction of caste, creed or faith will be discussed during the function. The function is specifically designed to focus attention on the organisational and implementation aspects of the AISCO schemes in social, economic, cultural and spiritual fields, and set an example to other national communities in the fields of voluntary service rendered to the Indian community. The schemes include, amongst others, the following :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (i) Training scheme in selfemployment for educated youth through the Industrial Coordination Board. (ii) Training scheme in administration, management and legal aspects imparted to representatives and sponsored candidates from religious and charitable institutions of the country through the Advisory Board set up for this purpose. (iii) Free aid and assistance to deserving and needy sections of Indian people, new entrepreneurs, self-employed persons, social workers and representatives connected with various religious and charitable institutions of the country to be provided for

by the Taxation and Legal Advisory Board. voluntary census All-India Saraswat

(iv) Conducting amongst the by the Census and community

Matrimonial Information Board. (v) Setting up of an Institution of Religion and Culture to train Dharmapracharkas, social workers and scholars propagating unity of the country and its people based on its rich spiritual culture evolved through thousands of years of common living amongst its people. (vi) A Research Project on archaeological survey of temples, religious institutions and forms of worship within the All-India Saraswat community as a first step for similar and more ambitious projects to be undertaken in the future in collaboration with leading religious and cultural institutions of the country and thereby render positive assistance to various governmental and voluntary institutions in implementing projects of national importance and to promote its material, intellectual and spiritual advancement. (vii) Setting up of a net-work of Branches and Local Sabhas all over the country and involve the masses of the community members at the grass-root level in the task of social transformation of the country through voluntary social efforts and thereby contribute to the cause of nationhood by promoting its fundamental ideals of socialism, secularism and democracy in their true sense in our thoughts, acts and deeds.

Duties and Functions of Local Sabhas, AISCO The Local Committee shall be guided by such directions as may be issued from time to time by the President of the Branch. Its duties shall include :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (i)

(ii)

(iii)

Preparation of list of members of the community in their respective areas along with addresses and prescribed particulars and submit the same to the branch office in the first week of the following month, in duplicate retaining a copy at the local level. In subsequent months additions or deletions need only be indicated. Keep continuous contact and communication with the members of the community in their respective areas and act as an effective link between the Branch office and the local membes of the AISCO in their respective areas. To enrol AISCO membership in their respective areas, and remit the amount to the branch office after a month along with list of contributions and membership forms duly signed.

(iv)

Distribution of news letters and other literature of the AISCO to the members in their respective, areas.

(v)

Communicate any news or matter if any taken place in respect of members of the community in their area.

(vi)

To organise and conduct constructive activities to promote AISCO aims and objects in their area by organising important celebrations through out the year and secure maximum participation by the local members of the community on such occasions.

(vii)

To convene an annual general meeting for the election of a Local Committee, approved and adoption of the annual report and audited accounts.

(viii)

To convene the special general meeting for the election of delegates and alternate delegates to the General Council (i.e. Mahasabha) of the Branch or for consideration of any other important or urgent business.

THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE AISCO I. The Central Organisation : At All-India Level: 1. The President: He shall be elected by the AISCO members for a term of three years. His election shall be governed by the Rules framed by the Managing Committee in that behalf. 2.

The Central Committee : The Central Committee or the Managing Committee with its headquarters at Bombay manages the affairs at the all-India level. It is accountable to the AISCO Governing Council. It consists of thirty members, including the President, twenty three members elected by the AISCO Governing Council and six members nominated by the newly elected President. 3.

The AISCO Governing Council : It consists of 150 members comprising of 131 elected members from various Branches/Regions, the newly elected President and 28 members nominated by him. The tenure of the President, the Central Committee and the Members of the AISCO Governing Council is three years. 4. General: The First Managing Committee came into existence with effect from 19th November, 1971, when the AISCO with its constitution was formed and was entrusted with the task of forming a duly constituted AISCO Governing Council as a representative elected body. The inaugural Conference held in December, 1972 at Bombay formally elected the members of the First Managing Committee. IV AISCO Conference being held at New Delhi and Kurukshetra in December, 1976 will elect the second batch

of team to man the Central Organisation. (See articles 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the AISCO Constitution). I.

The Branch Organisation : At the Regional Level :

The Branch President: He may be elected by the General Council (i.e. Mahasabha) and shall hold office for three years. 2.

The Branch Working Committee (i.e. Karyakarni Simiti)

The Branch Working Committee or the Regional Council (i.e. Karyakarini Samiti) of the AISCO Branches set up by the AISCO in different regions of the country will look after the management of the AISCO in their respective jurisdictions. They are accountable to their respective General Councils or the Mahasabhas and are subject to the over-all control and coordination by the Central Organisation i.e. the President, the Central Committee and the office bearers, at Bombay. They shall consit of 15 to 21 members according to the needs and requirements of the Branches concerned. 3.

The Branch General Council (i.e. Mahasabha) :

The General Council of the Branch (i.e. Mahasabha) will consist of 50 to 100 members according to the size and the popula-

tion of the region covered by the Branch and shall be comprised of delegates or members elected by the AISCO members of Local Sabhas set up within the jurisdiction of the concerned Branches. 4.

General:

The AISCO Branches are being set up in accordance with the Rules and Regulations framed for their guidance prescribed for them by the Central Organisation and have to function as subsidiary organisations of the AISCO in accordance with the AISCO Constitution. The rules governing the functioning of the AISCO Branches in the North Indian Region have been recently finalised and are available alongwith rules of Local Sabhas being set up by them on payment of Re. 1/-. At present, regular AISCO Branches are functioning in Jammu and Kashmir (with Srinagar as Branch Headquarters), Delhi (with New Delhi as Branch Headquarters), Haryana (with New Delhi as temporary Headquarters to be shifted to a suitable place in the region when sufficient membership is enrolled) and Punjab (with New Delhi as temporary Headquarters to be shifted to a suitable place in the region when sufficient membership is enrolled). In the South Indian Region, the AISCO Branches are functioning in Kerala (with Cochin as Branch Headquarters), Karnataka-South (with Mangalore as Branch Headquarters) Karnataka-North (with Hubli as Branch Headquarters) and Karnataka-Belgaum (with Belgaum as Branch Headquarters). In the regions where no regular Branches are functioning at present, the AISCO activities and work is being carried out by various ad hoc committees or representatives of the AISCO nominated by the Central Organisation, Bombay. II. The Grassroot Organisation: At Area Level: 1. The Local Sabhas :

Each city, town or village or group of villages which have not less than 25 Local members, may have a Local Sabha. Places which have no Local Sabha shall for administrative purposes in general and for the purposes of nomination as delegates to the General Council (i.e. Mahasabha) in particular and/or election of members to the Working Committee of the Branch (i.e. Karyakarini) are deemed to be within the jurisdiction of the Working Committees of the respective Branches. The Sabhas will be accountable to the AISCO members residing in their respectivĂŠ area jurisdictions and will look after the day to day affairs relating to the AISCO activities at the grassroot level. They are subject to the supervision and control of the AISCO Branch Organisations including the Branch President, the office bearers and the Working Committee. 2.

The Local Committee : They shall consist of not less than six and not more than 24 members of the AISCO to be elected at the Annual General Body Meeting of adult members of the AISCO provided that the maximum number of elected members shall be at least two less than the members present at the meeting. They are accountable to the General Body of AISCO members residing within the jurisdiction of the respective Local Sabhas. 3. The General Body of Members of Local Sabha : All AISCO members residing within the jurisdiction of the Local Sabha shall form the General Body. The Annual General Body Meeting of the Sabha will be held for

the election of a Local Committee, approve and adopt annual report and audited accounts, which shall be held as soon as possible after the annual accounts of the Local Sabhas are ready but not later than the end of December following the close of the accounting year. They shall be held on the basis of the list of local members for the previous year. Special General Body meetings of the members shall be convened for the election of delegates or alternate delegates to the General Council (i.e. Mahasabha) of the Branch or for consideration of any other important or urgent business. The President of the Local Sabha shall convene a special general meeting on receipt of a signed requisition by a minimum of 10 members in case of Sabhas having 50 members or less and a minimum of 33-1/3 members, whichever is less, in case of Sabhas having more than 50 members. 4. General: On practical considerations two types of Local Sabhas are being constituted by the AISCO to cover the entire All-India Saraswat Community : First, existing local institutions representing various denominational members within their specified jurisdictions will be affiliated at the Area level of the Branch and will be constituted as separate Local Sabhas. Second, regular Local Sabhas will be set up within specified jurisdictions of the region covered by the Branch covering all AISCO members not covered by the denominational Local Sabhas in accordance with the specific rules framed by the AISCO for this purpose. Such rules for the guidance and working of the Local Sabhas have been finalised by the Central Organisation and a number of Local Sabhas are being set up by the four AISCO Branches functioning in the North Indian Region i.e. Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, 14

Haryana and Punjab. The rules of Local Sabhas alongwith those of Branches are available on payment of Re. 1/-. (V). AISCO Membership : AISCO Membership is open to all denominations of the All-India Saraswat community. Every Saraswat above the age of eighteen years without distinction of sect or region shall be eligible for its membership on acceptance of its Constitution and payment of prescribed fee or subscription. The definition of „Saraswat‟ is being used in the broader sense and it includes all denominations of Saraswat and Gowd Saraswat Brahmins. From 5th January 1975, the same has been extended to cover all sects and sub-sects of Gowd Brahmins as well as a result of an amendment adopted at the III AISCO Conference at Cochin. The membership is also open to any Saraswat Institution (whether a firm, society or other organisation), whose membership consists wholly or mainly of Saraswats. The AISCO Constitution provides for following categories of memberships :— (0

Patrons :

(iii) Life

Rs. 1000 (individuals) Rs. 2000.(Institutions) Rs 500 (Individuals) . Rs. 1000 (Institutions) Rs. 200 (individuals)

(ii)

Fellows

Members (iv) Ordinary Members :

Rs. 500 (Institutions) Rs. 20 per year (Individuals)

(V)

Rs.

Associate Members :

5 per year (Individuals)

(vi) Foundation Rs. 5000 (Individuals) Members :

Rs. 5000 (Institutions)

Two more categories of membership provided for in the AISCO Constitution are :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (1)

Founder Members (an or institution paying fee of not latter than 30th Nov. 1972).

individual Rs 5000

(2)

Honorary Member (any Saraswat rendering outstanding meritorious service to the AISCO or its aims and objects as may be elected). Every member of the AISCO excepting the associate member is entitled to attend all-India Saraswat Conventions and receive a free copy of the official periodical of the AISCO. An associate member will, however,

have right to vote and participation at the Branch/Regional Council level only. (See articles 6, 7 and 8 of the AISCO Constitution). Note : 1. Organisational Chart depicting the Central, the Branch and the Grassroot Organisations at the time of the Inaugural Function (i.e. 13th March, 1976) is given on pages 2 to 7 of this Souvenir. 2. For aims and objects of the AISCO and Functions and Duties of the Local Sabhas please see pages 8 to 9 and 12 of the Souvenir issue.

Proposed Organisation of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Banches, AISCO

In the meeting of the AISCO Conference Committee of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab regions held on 18th January, 1976 at New Delhi, it was decided to constitute formal Brandies for the Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Regions in accordance with the Rules framed by the AISCO Central Organisation for this purpose in respect of the North Indian Region. The proposed organisation of the three branches as envisaged and being inaugurated on the eve of the Inaugural Function and the Conference being held now (i.e. 13th and 14th March, 1976) is indicated below I. Delhi Branch : 1. Local Sabhas :— The following Local Sabhas in the Delhi region have been constituted in accordance with the rules framed for their guidance (i) New Delhi Sabha of Chitrapur Saraswats All Chitrapur Saraswats residing in Delhi are covered by the Sabha. (ii) New Delhi Gowd Saraswat (Vaishnava) Sabha ; All Gowda Saraswat Brahmins residing in Delhi Region are covered by the Sabha. (iii) Kashmiri Samiti (New Delhi) : — All Kashmiri Saraswats residing in Delhi are covered within the jurisdiction of the Sabha. (vi) Northern Saraswats residing in Delhi Region will be covered by seven Local Sabhas to be constituted according to the police and postal Zones of the Delhi region corresponding to Delhi—South, Delhi—North, Delhi—East, DelhiWest, Delhi—Central, Delhi—

Ghaziabad and Delhi—Faridabad zones with fixed area-wise jurisdictions. More Local Sabhas may be set up in the future depending upon the needs and availability of the active conveners. At the Branch level, these Local Sabhas of Northern Saraswats will constitute a Branch Sub-Committee of Northern Saraswats. 2. Branch General Council (i.e. Mahasabha): The General Council shall consist of 50 members to be nominated as follows :— (i) 10 members each to be nominated by the respective Local Sabha belonging to the above four sections of the all-India Saraswats residing in Delhi from amongst their existing members. The Sabhas have been given powers of withdrawing their nominees and replacing them by some others in case of transfer, resignation or inability of the member to take active interest in the Branch level functioning. Total: 40 members. (ii) Branch President will nominate 10 members consisting of active members of the AISCO belonging to any Local Sabha of the Delhi Region willing to undertake specific organisational work at the Branch level.

1. Branch Working Committee (i.e. Karya Karini Samiti) : The Branch Working Committee will be formed consisting of the following members :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (i)

President : To be nominated by the AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee. Preference will be given to an AISCO member belonging to the North Indian Saraswat Community, i.e., a Kashmiri Saraswat or a Nothern Saraswat. (ii) Vice-Presidents : Presidents of the four denominational Branch Local Sabhas will be the ex-officio VicePresidents of the Delhi Branch. (iii)

The four denominational Branch Local Sabhas of the region will nominate one more member each out of their respective nominations for the AISCO membership of the General Council as members of the Branch Working Committee.

(iv)

Six more members of the Working Committee will be nominated by the Branch President from amongst the AISCO General Council members of the Branch who are willing to undertake specific organisational work at the Branch level. II. Haryana and Punjab Branches : 1. Local Sabhas: Local Sabhas will be constituted in all important areas and places of residence of members of the community, as a part of the respective Branches in accordance with the rules framed for their guidance. Immediate steps would be taken to set up such Local Sabhas in the following areas : A. Punjab Region :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; (i) Sultanpur. (ii) Ferozepur Cantt. (iii) Kapurthala. (iv) Ludhiana

(v) Jullunder (vi) Amritsar B. Haryana Region (i) Jhajjar (ii) Jind (iii) Rohtak (iv) Kurukshetra (v) Karnal The Local Sabhas will be set up, if possible with the help of the existing Brahman Sabhas or other institutions of the respective localities, and, if not, through other active and willing workers from the respective areas. Preference would be given, as far as possible, to educated sections of people to take up organisational responsibility at the Local and the Branch levels so that service to the community in their respective areas can be effectively organised. 2. Branch General Councils (i.e. Mahasabhas) : Dr. Raghunath Airi, Chairman, Punjab and Haryana Branch Ad hoc Committee, had been authorised to constitute two separate 50 members Branch Central Councils (i.e. Mahasabhas) for the Haryana and Punjab regions consisting of 40 representatives each from different Local Sabhas to be set up in the respective regions and the remaining 10 members each to be nominated by him in consultation with Shri J. S. Rao, Vice-President, AISCO, In-charge of North Indian Region. Each Local Sabhas in Haryana and Punjab would be requested to nominate one member each in proportion

to 10 AISCO members enrolled by them from their respective localities subject to a minimum of one member from each Local Sabha set up therein. 3. Branch Working Committees (i.e. Karya Karini Samitis): After constitution of the Branch General Councils (i.e. Mahasabhas), active Branch Working Committees (Karya Karini Samitis) will be formed consisting of a few active members from the nominated members of that Council who are willing to take up active and direct responsibility of organisational work at the Branch levels, in consultation with the Presidents of respective Branches. Until such active General Councils and Working Committees are formed and start functioning, Dr. Raghunath Airi will

continue to discharge the responsibility of coordination Of the working of the AISCO Branch and Local Sabha representatives in both the regions of Haryana and Punjab, as Chairman of the two Branch Committees. Moreover, until sizable number of AISCO members are enrolled in these regions, the accounts and collections from these regions as well as receipt books shall be maintained at the combined regional offices of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches with its Headquarters at New Delhi. When active AISCO membership crosses 750 from each of the region, and active Working Committees and General Councils are formed, decentralisation of Branch activities will be considered at the option of the respective Branch Committees.

PROPOSED PRINCIPLES FOR SHARING OF FINANCIAL PROCEEDS OF MEMBERSHIP FEES AMONGST THE CENTRAL, BRANCH AND GRASS-ROOT ORGANISATIONS OF THE AISCO In order to meet the day-to-day and long term needs and requirements of finance of various Branches and Local Sabhas set up by the AISCO in the North Indian region the following broad principles have been laid down for the guidance of the constituent organisational units of the AISCO. I. Sharing of Membership proceeds between the Central and Branch Organisations : 1. All proceeds from Life members of all categories, i.e., founder, patron, fellow and life of AISCO will be remitted to the Central Organisation, Bombay for capitalisation of the funds and provide for annuities and their membership will be registered at the Central Office, Bombay. Formal certificate signed by the President, AISCO will be sent to the Branch offices in respect of life members enrolled by them from their respective regions on receipt of remittances of fees and enrolment forms duly signed by the concerned members. 2. Fifty per cent of proceeds from annual members of ordinary category (i.e. Rs. 20 per annum) will be remitted to the Central Organisation, Bombay by the Branches to meet the recurring expenditure on expenses incurred in connection with the free supply of a copy of Samyukta Saraswat Quarterly Journal published from the Central Office and the remaining 50 per cent of proceeds will be utilised by the concerned Branches level enrolling these members to meet the organisational expenses at the Branch level including the Local/Sabhas/Area Committees set up in their respective regions. 3. Entire proceeds from annual membership of associate category will be appropri-

ated by the respective Branches enrolling and registering them. It is, however, made clear that there is no constitutional obligation on the Central Organisation, Bombay to send free copy of the Samyukta Saraswat and other informations, notices etc. regarding activities of the AISCO at the all-India level to the associate members. The Branches are, however, advised to send an annual list of associate members enrolled and registered by them to the Central Office for information and to enable it to assess the performance of AISCO activities at the Branch levels and take appropriate steps for coordination and integration of their activities in accordance with the policies laid down at the all-India level. 4. In view of the repeated requests made by the organisers of the AISCO Branches from the North Indian region, seeking for additional financial assistance to them in the initial years to meet the initial expenses in spreading AISCO activities at the grass-root level in their respective regions, the Central Organisation Bombay, agrees, not to insist on immediate remittance of its share in the proceeds of annual membership enrolled and registered by the respective Branches during the first three years of their functioning. It is, however, made clear that this is a purely temporary measure intended to assist the Branch Committees to overcome the initial difficulties in organising AISCO activities in their respective regions and not as a permanent feature.

1. Consideration for further financial assistance from the Centre will, however, depend on the availability of adequate finance at the Centre after making adequate provisions for its legitimateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;immediate, short term and long term requirements commensurate with its all-India responsibilities as a Central Organisation of the AISCO and the real requirements and actual performance of the respective Branches in spreading AISCO acitivities in their respective regions. 2. In order to have a strong, viable and active all-India organisation, and to enable the Central Organisation to meet the legitimate expenses and requirement both short term as well as long term of the onerous responsibilities put on it in promoting AISCO aims and objects on all-India basis and promote true consolidation and integration of the all-India Saraswat community by providing for varied services and positive assistance considered essential for achieving those objects at all-India level it is essemial to have a strong and financially sound Central Organisation. For this purpose is made clear that Branch organisations have to bear in the long run proportionate share of expenses incurred by the Central Organisation, Bombay, out of their share of membership and other collections in respect of common services and projects sponsored by the AISCO at the all-India level intended to benefit all members of the AISCO, and the community as well as the entire nation at large. Such activities include, all promotional activities being undertaken by various AISCO Boards such as Industrial Coordination, Board, Religious and Charitable Institutions Board, Legal and Taxation, Advisory Board, Census and Matrimonial Information Board, Institution of Religion and Culture 20

etc. The 'principles for sharing of such expenses incurred at the all-India level amongst various AISCO Branches will be discussed by the Central Committee, AISCO after obtaining opinions of the respective Branches. It is also emphasised that in the ultimate analysis that UNITY AND STRENGTH OF THE AISCO BOTH AT THE CENTRAL, THE BRANCH AND THE GRASSROOT LEVELS depends much on the harmonious and smooth relations in all spheres, the most important of them being the appropriation and raising of finances for the aims and objects of the AISCO as a single organisation catering to the needs and requirements of the entire Saraswat community throughout the country. 3. Registration and enrolment of ordinary members will be done at the Branch level, where regular AISCO Branches are functioning. In other regions of the country, where no such regular Branches have been set up so far, the jursidiction will lie with the Central Organisation, Bombay until such Branches are set up therein and hence all functions and duties relating to enrolment and registration of ordinary members as well as appropriation of fees will be done by the Central Organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Bombay, Bombay. The AISCO Branches will submit quarterly statements of ordinary members enrolled, their postal addresses, receipts numbers and dates of enrolment alongwith the remittance of 50 per cent of membership fees in the first week of July, October, January and March of each financial year to enable proper despatch of the Samyukta Saraswat journal and other communications from the Central Office, Bombay including the notices of the Annual All-India Conferences, meet-

ings of the AISCO Governing Councils, etc., as per specific provisions in the AISCO constitution to this effect. Presidents of the respective Branches enrolling these members shall issue Centrificates to the Ordinary members after receipt of approved list from the Central Office, Bombay prepared on the basis of particulars submitted and remittances made on quarterly basis by the Branches so that the members concerned are able to take active part in the activities of the AISCO at the all-India level. I.

the Branch Organisations and the Grass-root Organisations of the AISCO will be reviewed by the Central Committee of the Central Organisations, once in every three years and necessary changes will be made in them after consulting the various Branch Committees set up in the country. 2.

The Central Organisation referred to in these rules means „All-India Saraswat Cultural Organisation, Bombay‟ and the Central Committee means the 'Managing Committee‟ of that organisation.

The principles relating to financial relation between the Central and the Branch Organisations have been approved by the Managing Com mittee, AICSO, Bombay in its meetings held on 28th December, 1975 and 1st January, 1976 and the principles on sharing of membership proceeds between the Branches and the Local Sabhas in the North Indian region have, likewise, been approved by the AISCO Conference Committees of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab regions held on 18th January, 1976 at New Delhi while taking decision to constitute these three Branches, and inaugurate them formally on 13th and 14th March, 1976 at New Delhi at a public function.

Sharing of Membership Proceeds between the Branch Organisation and the Grassroot Organisation

4. In the meeting of the AISCO Conference Committees of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab regions held on 18th January, 1976 at New Delhi it has been decided to permit the Local Sabhas constituted by the respective Branches to utilise 25 percent of the membership amount available to the Branches for promoting AISCO activities in their respective localities/areas, at the grassroot level. The share of Local Sabhas from Ordinary memberships enrolled by them comes to Rs. 2.5 per member, and from associate membership to Rs. 1.25 per member. 9. Notes : — These principles for sharing of financial proceeds from membership amongst the Central Organisation,

Saraswat Voluntary Organisations Of Delhi Region The AISCO has taken up the task of coordinating the activities and integrating them into a well-knit all-India organisation by affiliation at various local and branch levels of the denominational voluntary social institutions engaged in serving their respective segments of members for many years. The Delhi Branch has been constituted primarily based on such affiliation of the denominational voluntary social institutions belonging to four different segments of the Saraswat community, i.e., the two belonging to Dakshinatya Saraswats residing in Delhi and other two belonging to the Uttariya Saraswats residing in Delhi, as equal constituent Local Sabhas at the Branch Level. A brief outline of the activities of these affiliated constituent Local Sabhas of Saraswats in Delhi region is given in this article to introduce them to the enlarged All-India Saraswat community participating in the Inaugural Function and the Conference of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab Branches assembled here at New Delhi on 13th and 14th March, 1976. A. Dakshinatya Saraswat Institutions : Even though the Saraswat membership belonging to the Dakshinatya region residing in Delhi comprise of only a few hundred families, they have regular and continuous religious, social and cultural activities organised through various voluntary organisations which look after their needs and requirements to a large extent : The institutions include the following : 1 The Konkani Association, New Delhi 22

The association was set up about 25 years back to cater to the needs of the Konkani speaking members of the community residing in Delhi. Though its membership is open to all Konkani speaking members belonging to all sects and faiths including the Christian and other nonSaraswat members from the South India, a majority of its membership consists of Konkani speaking Dakshinatya Saraswats, i.e., Chitrapur Saraswats and Gowda Saraswat Brahmins (Vaishnava and Smarata Sampradayas). Moreover, the Konkani speaking Christians have their own separate organisation catering to their social, cultural and religious needs like the Canara Catholic Association, The Goa Christian Association, etc. The Konkani Association has been serving as an extremely useful cultural and social institution of Dakshinatya Saraswats and acting as a useful link organisation for promoting informal and social contacts amongst all the denominations of Dakshinatya Saraswats. Most of its membership comprises of transferable service people posted at New Delhi for a period ranging from 3 to 5 years on an average. The association organises about 10 to 12 annual programmes including important celebrations, a picnic, cultural programmes including a drama, youth and womensâ&#x20AC;&#x; programmes etc. in different places of the city. Almost all these programmes are keenly participated by members of the community belonging to over 300 families. Annual membership of the association is based on family unit and fees prescribed are Rs 10 per annum membership and Rs 100 for life membership. The present membership on its role is over 150 families, but the participation in its programmes covers the entire community.

2. Chitrapur Saraswat Local Sabha, New Delhi: The Sabha is a constituent unit of the all-India Maha Sabha of Chitrapur Saraswat community which looks after secular and administrative affairs of Shri Chitrapur Mutt, Karnataka belonging to the community in its advisory capacity to the Mathadhipathi of the Mutt. It also caters to the social, cultural and religious needs of the entire community members residing in Delhi. Regular rantiga collections on voluntary basis for the benefit of the entire community and maintenance of the spiritual and Dharmic activities in Shri Chitrapur Mutt and its various branches are collected and remitted to the Mutt Headquarters at Shirali, North Kanara District, Karnataka. Regular spiritual and Dharmic gatherings are held on the occasions of Punya Thithies of Gurus belonging to the Guru Parampara of Shri Chitrapur Mutt at different places in the city and several members belonging to this sub-section participate in it. The Local Sabha functions as an integral part of the All-India Chitrapur Saraswat community. Communication system is maintained officially amongst its membership through a quarterly journal of the Mutt named as „Chitrapur Sunbeam‟ or ‘Ravi Kirari as well as through various informal gatherings and functions in the form of spiritual, religious and cultural programmes. A weekly Bhajan and Keertan are held by the community members through two separate spiritual organisations of the Chitrapur Saraswat community (a) Parijnana Ashram Bhajan Mandali and (2) Shri Rama Shakti Mission-Satsangs, Bhajans, a religious performances and devotional music are organised by these Bhajan Mandalis on every Thursday during 7 to 8 p.m. and on every Sunday at 5 to 6 p.m. respectively. In addition, special programmes are held during religious celebrations performed by the

community. Membership of Parijanana Bhajan Mandli is mainly restricted to the Chitrapur Saraswat community whereas the membership of Shri Rama Shakti Mission is open to non-Saraswat members as well. A majority of the participants in both the Mandalis consist of Saraswat women. Shri Rama Shakti Mission in Delhi is affiliated to an All-India body of the same name with its H. Qs. at Mangalore, South Kanara, Karnataka, which publishes spiritual and religious discourses in a monthly journal published from the Headquarters named as Satya Darpan. Total membership of the Chitrapur Saraswat community in Delhi is around 150 to 200 familities and annual vantiga collections from them are around Rupees 7 to 10 thousand. Almost the entire community members are in government services and hold different positions at middle and the higher levels. Annual list of vantiga payers alongwith addresses and other particulars is published regularly in the quarterly issue of „Ravi Kiran' for the guidance and use of the members of the community. 3.

Gowda Saraswats (Vaishnava) Sabha, New Delhi

The Sabha was set up recently to cater to the religious, cultural and social requirements of the Gowd Saraswat Brahmins (Vaishnavas) from the Dakshinatya region residing in Delhi on the eve of the official tour of H. H. Shrimad Sudheendra Teertha Swamiji of Shri Kanshi Mutt Samasthan to the city in the year 1972. Since then the Sabha has been holding periodical meetings collecting subscriptions from the followers of the Vaishnava Sampradaya of the

community and holding of periodical celebrations, festivals, etc., occasionally. One of the members is holding a free weekly Bhagavad Geeta classes in Moti Bagh area for the benefit of children on holidays. A couple of Bhajan Mandalis at different places at the initiative of interested individuals are also being held by the members of the community occasionally. Total membership of the community in the city is around 400 families, most of whom are employed in Banks like the Canara, the Syndicate, the Corporation, the Vijaya, etc., all of which had been set up by the enterprising Dakshinatya Saraswat community and are the products of their initiative in Banking Industries having their respective registered offices in South India. The community members also comprise of employees of the Central Government and the private sector businesses and industries. Very few are engaged in their own business or profession in Delhi even though outside Delhi, the community has a large number of families engaged in these professions and trade. The Delhi Branch of AISCO has constituted a separate Local Sabha comprising of the members of this community and wants to make the Sabha as an active voluntary social organisation catering to the spiritual, cultural and social requirements of the members of the community on a long term basis as a constituent unit of the A. I.S.C.O. Branch. B. Uttariya Saraswat Institutions : Uttariya Saraswats residing in the Delhi region fall broadly into two categories : The Kashmiri Saraswats known also as the Kashmiri Pandits, and the Northern Saraswats from Punjab, Haryana, U. P., Delhi and other North Indian regions. Whereas the Kashmiri Saraswats have their own strong and active voluntary social organisation catering to their religious, cultural social requirements, in the city, the Northern 24Saraswats are scattered, and have no such

active institutions covering the entire community as a separate identity. During the short period of eight months when the AISCO has started its activities in the Delhi region since May, 1975 it has been able to establish its cultural and social contacts with the following Saraswat institutions belonging to these two segments of the community. 4. Kashmiri Samithi (Regd.), New Delhi: Saraswats of Kashmir residing in Delhi have set up this social institution primarily to cater to the religious, social and cultural requirements of Members belonging to Jammu and Kashmir residing in the city. Even though its membership is open to all Kashmiris belonging to all castes and religions, in actual, practice, a majority of its members are Kashmiri Saraswats residing in Delhi due to various socio-religious and cultural factors. The association has its own building constructed as a Dharmic and Cultural Centre of the community at Lajpat Nagar, known as Kashmiri Bhawan, which was inaugurated in 7th September, 1975 at the initiative of its founder member Pt. Hradayanath Kunjru and the ceaseless efforts of the Kashmiri Saraswat members residing in the city. The association also publishes a monthly journal in English known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Koshur Samachar" for the last 8 to 10 years, which has an all-India membership of around 1200 families of Kashmiri Saraswats. The association celebrates a number of social, cultural and religious events in the year, the most important of them being the Annual two-daylong Hawan as a religious function of the

community members in their own building. Recently, the association has taken initiative in bringing out useful literature relevant to the cultural life and activities of Kashmiri Saraswats. In particular two of such publications, i.e., LALDED NUMBER OF KOSHUR SAMACHAR, 1970-71â&#x20AC;&#x201D;which is dedicated to the sacred memory of Mother Lalla, the Saint Poetess of Kashmir Saivism of 13-14th Century A.D. in Kashmiri language; and ZINDA KAUL â&#x20AC;&#x17E;MASTERJI' SPECIAL NUMBER OF KOSHUR SAMACHAR, 1974-dedicated to the deeds and work of the greatest Kashmiri Poet and Singer of Modern day in Kashmiri language are of great interest not only to the Kashmiri Saraswats, but to all other sections of the All-India Saraswats belonging to all parts of the country. The association has also taken initiative in bringing out a compilation of addresses of all Kashmiri Saraswats families and members residing in Delhi and intends to publish the results of this mini-census shortly. The membership of the Kashmiri Saraswat community in Delhi is around 500 to'600 families spread over all parts of city. A couple of housing societies with Kashmiri Saraswat settlements have come around Pamposh colony near Greater Kailash to meet the requirements of community. Most of the Kashmiri Saraswats of the city are in the Government service and they form an important, enlightened, educated and intellectual community of the region. A few individual families of the community are holding periodical Bhajans and religious functions therein members of the community gather from time to time. The Delhi Branch of the AISCO has constituted the Kashmiri Saraswats in the region as a separate denominational Local Sabha and has entrusted the organisational work to the Kashmiri Samithi, New Delhi as an affiliated constituent unit of the Branch. 5.

In the absence of fruitful contacts with any active voluntary social or cultural institutions covering the entire membership of the Northern Saraswats of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, U.P. Rajasthan and other parts of North Indian Region residing in Delhi, or even a fairly sizable segment of them, the AISCO Conference Committee in New Delhi decided to constitute a separate Branch Sub-Committee of Northern Saraswats of the Delhi region in its meeting held on 31st August, 1975. Since then, the Branch Subcommittee of Northern Saraswats has been actively functioning and holding regular meetings at fortnightly intervals at the residence of Shri J. S. Rao, and has been working towards setting up of various Local Sabhas to cater to the needs and requirements of the Northern Saraswat community in Delhi. It has been able to collect sizable number of addresses of the community member in Delhi belonging to different areas and plans to set up local sabhas for each of the Postal and Police Administrative Zones of Greater Delhi, i.e., Delhi-South, DelhiNorth, Delhi-East, Delhi-West, Delhi-Central, Delhi-Ghaziabad, and Delhi-Faridabad. Conveners have already been approached to take initiative in this respect, but before active Sabhas start functioning some more efforts are called for at the organisational level. A number of existing Brahmin Sabhas, Sanatan Dharma Sabhas and their representatives in different localities have been approached for assistance in this task which are likely to bear fruits in the days to come. Furthermore, a few individuals who

The AISCO Branch Sub-Committee of Northern Saraswats, Delhi Region :

were actively associated with the 1920-40 All-India Saraswat movement from the Delhi region have also been associated with our work, who include the family members of the President of the All-India Saraswat Conference held at Bombay in 1937 and a former Secretary of the same movement from this region. The size of the Northern Saraswat community as well as their social and cultural activities in the city could not be ascertained by the AISCO so far, but its membership is likely to be over a few thousand families, and may even cross over 10,000 families. The community comprises Saraswat families settled at least even from the Moghul days of 16th Century A.D. in the old Delhi region, but a majority of the members belong to post-independence settlements of Saraswat families coming from Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and Rajasthan as well as from West Pakistan occupied regions of the North-West of the country. The AISCO has decided to take initiative in organising Local Sabhas to cater to the religious, social

and cultural requirements of the community on similar pattern with the other segments of the Saraswats, as constiutent unit of the Delhi Branch. The extent of success and involvement of the AISCO amongst this section of the community depends on the willing and selfless social workers taking interest in organisational work and working for the upliftment of the community and betterment of the nation in all walks of life. Note:â&#x20AC;&#x201D;In the absence of full information and short time available for organising this Inaugural Function, it has not been possible for the Conference Committee to compile similar information about Saraswat Voluntary Organisations of Punjab and Haryana regions. We sincerely apologise for the same and hope that the relevant information will be compiled and placed before the members of the All-India Saraswat community at the time of IV AISCO Conference being held in December, 1976 at New Delhi and Kurukshetra.

IV AISCO CONFERENCEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; DECEMBER 2 to 5,1976 A Preliminary Approach By J. S. RAO, Chairman : Preparatory Conference Committee, New Delhi

AISCO Kurukshetra Conference Committee was formed by AISCO in May, 1975 with its headquarters at New Delhi with a view to take preliminary measures to hold IV AISCO Conference in Haryana in pursuances of the decisions of the III AISCO Conference held at Cochin in January, 1975. On the basis of the practical experience gained during the three annual conferences held by the AISCO ever since it was inaugurated in 1972, i.e., in Bombay (December 1972) , Mangalore (December, 1973) and Cochin (January, 1975) the Committee has set for itself the following broad guidelines in working towards the Conference 1. Basic Approach The Conference discussions will broadly be divided into the following four categories for easy comprehension and evaluation in terms of the basic aims of the AISCO movement : (a) Dharmic and Cultural; (b) Social and Economic; and (c) Organisational and Cooperative. Additional sessions will be provided to deal with issues and problems relating to women and youth in respect of the above three categories in view of the importance of their involvement in the AISCO movement. 2. Objects of Discussions : (a) Dharmic : To review the spiritual and moral aspects of life in the All-India Saraswat community and its different denominational and regional divisions ; revive the essential spirit of Vedic and ancient religion representing positive,

healthy and balanced approach towards all aspects of life and activities ; and consolidate the existing spiritual and moral forces within the community (i.e. institutions, individuals as well as their ways of life) by providing a common platform for all of them and harness such consolidated strength for the betterment of the community and the nation in all walks of life. (b) Cultural: To identify the common elements of culture amongst the AllIndia Saraswat community and its different denominational and regional divisions; suggest steps to promote unity based on spiritual culture common to all of them; aud dedicate to the entire humanity unlimited power to Shakti resulting from such consolidation of the community based on its spiritual culture in all fields of activitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; i.e.; spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic and material. (c) Social and Economic: To survey the problems of the All-India

Saraswat community in the field of material persuits of socio-economic activities and promote constructive schemes and measures intended to remove all bottlenecks and harness human resources (i.e. physical, intellectual and spiritual) of the community through cooperative efforts for the alround improvement and social transformation of the community and the nation. (d) Organisational and Cooperative: To discuss specific measures to promote activities and programmes relevant to all the three categories; study the organisational problems and requirements; and promote constructive cooperative and institutional collaboration amongst all individuals, institutions and denominational and regional groups of the All-India Saraswat Community as well as other national communites belonging to all castes creeds and faiths to achieve these ends by pooling their resources energies and intellectual faculties for the all round improvement of the nation in all walks of life. (e)

Problems and issues relating to women and youth sections of the community in relation to all the above four categories will be discussed in this session in view of the urgency to involve these sections in the nation building and spiritually criented activities. 3.

Topics for Discussions :

A plausible list of topics for discussions is indicated in Annexure 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively by way of illustration. This will appear in the July issue of the Samyukta Sa28

raswat. In actual practice, however, a more flexible attitude will have to be taken up with a view to concentrate attention on the evaluation of the achievements of a limited number of schemes and projects being undertaken by the AISCO movements to propogate its basic objects as may be considered appropriate by the Conference Organising Committee. 4.

Mode of Deliberations :

Each session will begin its deliberations with a report submitted by a sub-committee appointed by the Conference Organising Committee for the topic under discussion, outlining a broad survey of materials gathered by it so far relevant to the topic under discussion and pinpoint important issues relevant to the implementation of the aims of the AISCO movement as well as the immediate projects and schemes taken up in hand for implementation by the AISCO for consideration by the delegates. (The discussions will be purposeful and schemeoriented). The survey will include, in particular, all the relevant information necessary for objective evaluation of the schemes already taken up in hand and being implemented through various means as well as those being processed for placing before the Conference delegates for adoption. 5.

Preliminary work for the Conference Organising Committee :

The preparatory committee suggest the following measures to be initiated by the Conference Organising Committee immediately as a preliminary measure to be taken up by it to make conference sessions and discussions thereon more meaningful and useful.

(a) Appointment of a permanent Subjects Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri J. S. Rao at New Delhi with separate sub-committees to deal with each of the topics indicated above with a view to prepare an exhaustive compilation of all the available literature relevant to the AISCO schemes being processed for implementation, to issue guidelines for conducting fruitful discussions on the suggestions received from various sources, and to prepare a report for presentation to the Conference delegates to facilitate meaningful proceedings during the discussion sessions. (b) Appointment of a Research Committee to conduct research relevant to the conference proceedings on sociological and cultural fields including a Vedic Research Cell to tackle problems such as those relating to original home of and migration from time to time of All-India Saraswat community; the fundamentals of Brahminical/caste principles suitable to contemporary conditions; Varnasharma Dharma as an integrating force for the social fabric consistent with the spiritual culture of the country. (c) Appointment of a Language Committee to formulate policies and measures and develop common bond languages of the All-Saraswat community such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Konkani, Kashmiri, Marathi and Punjabi to begin with. A panel of experts and scholars in different fields of AISCO activities will be drawn in respect of each of the Sub-Committees appointed for this purpose. The main task of these SubCommittee will be to make available AISCO publications in any language and other literatures relevant to AISCO aims and objects in the respective languages by translation or by producing original works. (d) Issue of periodical newsletters in Hindi and English to start with one or two

regional languages like Konkani, Kashmiri, etc., may also be included if possible to educate the workers and cadres of the AISCO at Local, Branch and Central levels, both at field as well as at the H. Qrs. about AISCO aims, activities and specific projects requiring their immediate attention and constant service. Such newsletters will be based on the news and reports received by the Conference Headquarters from the respective Local, Branch and Central Units and will be distributed through the respective Local, Branch and Central Unit offices and will be distributed through the respective units of the AISCG to its members. (e) To hold a exhibition non cultural heritage under the title â&#x20AC;&#x17E;SROUSA MKARASâ&#x20AC;&#x; consisting of display of all collections and preservations depicting the spiritual and cultural life of the members of the community such as paintings sculpture, photographs, literature, documents of historical importance rare manuscripts, etc., relating to their religious institutions, Mathas, Guru Paramparas, customs and traditions, arts and architecture, languages spoken, literary works and publications, etc., to be participated by all Branches and Local Units of the country. (f) To organise Geeta Writing and Geeta Recitation Competitions for the students consisting of writing of specific chapter of Bhagavad Getta in neat and accurate handwriting at least 10 times and submit it to the respective Branch Headquarters for scrutiny and distribution of prices and trophies during the Annual Conference to the participants. *Annexures 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 refferred to in Para 3 indicating topics for Discussions during the Conference will appear in the July issue of the S. S.

A.I.S.C.O. Committee (Haryana) 1. Sh. Atma Ram Sharma President 2. Sh. Jai Prakash Sharma—General Secretary (Advocate) 3. Dr. Parmanand— ( R e t d ) M.A. Ph. D„ Vice President 4. Prof. SS- Saraswat—Vice President (Faridabad) 5. Pt. Paras Ram Sharma—Vice President (Rohtak) 6. Pt. Hari Ram Sastri—Vice President (Jind) 7. Sh- Prem Chand Sharma—Secretary (Jind) 8. Sh. Ramesh Kumar Sharma—Secretary (Rohtak) 9. Sh. Raran Singh Sharma—Secretary (Jhajjar) 10. Sh. Rajendra Singh Bhardwaj -Joint Secretary (Jhajjar) 11. Radhey Shyam Sharma.—Joint Secretary (Rohtak) 12. Sh Banwari Lai Sharma—Joint Secretary (Jind) 13- Sh. Bharat Lai Sharma—Assistant Secretary (Jhajjar) 14. Ram Swarup Asuri—Treasurer (Jind) 15 Mahaesh Prakash Sharma—Accountant (Jhajjar) 16 Dr. Tara Chand Sharma—Organiser (Rohtak) 17 Sh. Ram Niwas Sharma—Organiser (Jhajjar) 18. Shri Ram Kumar Shastri—Organiser (Jind)

With best compliments from ;

Firth (India) Steel Company Ltd., Manufacturers of

High Quality HIGH SPEED STEELS and ALLOY STEELS In Technical Collaboration with

( FIRTH BROWN LTD., SHEFFIELD, U. K.)

Sales Office :

45/47, Appollo Street FORT, BOMBAY-400 023 Phone 250920 Telex 011-3691 Regd. Office & Works

Plot F-3, Road No. 22 THANA-4 Phone 591342/43

With Compliments from

;

United Motors (India) Ltd. 19, N. S. PATKAR MARG BOMBAY-400007 for TATA DIESEL VEHICLES

With Best Compliments from

Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Private Limited BUILDING CONTRACTORS & CIVIL ENGINEERS

17, Cooparage Road, Bombay-400023

KAMLAKANT CHHOTALAL & CO. MASAKAI BUILDING, 106, BHANDARI STREET BOMBAY-400003

Telegrams “IMPROVED” BOMBAY-400003

Telephones 326913 338565

EXPO RTERS HANDLOOMS HANDICRAFTS HEENA LEAVES SPICES

GENERAL

& MERCHANDISE

Bankers Chartered Bank Flora Fountain

Bank of Baroda Khand Bazar

WHY DO WE NEED AISCO ? Major Issues Concerning AISCO 1. At the outset, I would like to deal squarely with certain misconceptions or rather misrepresentations about the AISCO movement. Firstly, it is represented as an attempt at revivalism of the much-maligned sectarian Brahminical caste in the country. The second misconception follows from the word „Saraswat‟ used as a qualifying term of „culture‟ in naming the organisation. The third and most important objection follows from the restricted membership within a particular class of people based on caste principles—to be specific those belonging to the All-India Saraswat community. What has been objected to is the classification based on birth rather than on some other „objective criterion‟ or „qualification‟ or „merit‟ during the lifetime of its members. The fourth misconception arises from lack of understanding of the true meaning, scope, implications and significance of the term „spiritual culture‟ of the country and the inability of even the so-called progressive and educated sections of the Indian community to comprehend the relevance of the unlimited power or shakti transmitted by it for the all round progress-of the country including the

J. S. RAO Vice-President, AISCO & Chairman, Conference Organising Committee.

material achievements in socio-economic fields. Every one of the above issues will be discussed under the following heads (a) Communalism vs. AISCO (b) Why the Name Saraswat ? (c) Why Caste Principle ? (d) Why Revive Spiritual Culture ? After effectively demolishing these nega-

tive barriers in the path of true appreciation and understanding about the AISCO movement, efforts will be made to give some positive ideas and ideals which have been inspiring the revivalist movement and hence form the cornerstone of its present and future activities in all fields and endeavours. They are discussed under the following heads : (e) AISCO and Social Transformation of lhe Country. (f) Consolidation of All-India Saraswat Community as a rehearsal for a nationwide revivalist movement. (g) Finally, an attempt will be made to indicate the policy implications for the AISCO movement following fiom the above two basic objects

viz., (e) and (f), along with an illustrative list of a few specific guidelines or directions in which its movement will indicate the progress in achieving these objects. The performance of the AISCO so far is there for all to see, and their evaluation in terms of these objects will be left to the good judgment of the readers themselves. (a) Communalism vs. AISCO 1. AISCO has nothing to do with any form of sectarianism in favour of any caste, whether they are labelled as Brahmins or otherwise. Its principal aim is to promote the spiritual culture of the entire country as a basis for all thoughts, professions and deeds of the All-India Saraswat community in all spheres of activities—spiritual, intellectual as well as material. It is definitely not meant for the exclusive benefits of the members of any specific caste, creed or religious faith. On the other hand, almost all the activities so far taken up by the AISCO in pursuance of its limited aims of consolidating the community on an all India basis are meant to benefit the entire Indian community and the people on non-sectarian lines. The very first act of AISCO was to set up the AllIndia Saraswat Foundation (AISF), with substantial financial contributions, which is a non-sectarian body with aims and objects of spreading the same spiritual culture on a nationwise platform. That this was not a mere act of accident or a result Of compulsion of circumstances or a convenient cover for its narrower aims is amply proved by the subsequent steps taken by the AISCO and the AISF jointly, which are before everybody to see. The Seven-point Action Plan now being taken up for implementation by the AISCO Boards set up by the two organisa2

tions together is intended to promote social transformation of the entire Indian society whose benefits as well as participation is open to members of all castes, creeds and faiths. (See the recent brochure on the Inaugural Function and Conference of AISCO Branches in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab for further details). In spite of it, if the charge of sectarianism or casteism is labelled against the AISCO movement this can only be understood on grounds of complete ignorance of the true ideals of spiritual culture that inspire the AISCO movement in thoughts, deeds and professions. The fact that even the well-meaning semi-educated members of the Indian community including a few misguided and spiritually ignorant members of the community are prone to think in this way itself shows how deep-rooted the ignorance is in this country about the true nature and characteristics of Indian culture, which still flows in plenty in the veins and blood of all Indians. (b) Why the Name Saraswat ? 2. The word Brahminism as a qualifying term for culture , if properly understood, really means the spiritual culture aiming at upholding of the principles of unity and integration based on the universal phenomenon of God called by Hindu sages as BRAHMAN-both in Nirguna (i.e., formless and sternal) and in Saguna (i.e. with forms and qualities of space, time, energy and life principles) form of spiritual comprehension possible for human beings. The same culture has been called by the AISCO as „Saraswat culture‟ because of the specific historical circumstances and conditions in which the movement took its birth. To be specific, the AISCO was born out of a noble

idea which promoted a small community/ caste-based cultural institution belonging to the All-India Saraswat community, named as the Kanara Saraswat Association, Bombay, during its diamond Jubilee Celebrations, which in course of time was permitted to cover the entire Saraswat community and the nation at large. The ideal inspiring the first germination of the AISCO movement was consolidation of the All-India Saraswat community of which the concerned institution served an insignificantly small segment with its 50 years of selfless activities. The reason why the word „Saraswat‟ could catch the imagination of millions of its members and hundreds of institutions all over the country and still holds its sway in this much enlarged and extended platform is due to the universality and the magic effect of the word „Saraswat‟ qualifying the term „culture‟. As far as the original ideal inspiring the AISCO movement is concerned, „Saraswatism‟ and „Spiritualism‟ are treated as synonymous or even inter-changeable terms for all practical purposes. There can be no serious objection from any quarter to this meaning being given to the term, even though there may be, and in fact there are, many alternative ways to represent the same spiritural culture of the country. In the ultimate analysis, the strength and power of any expression lies in the meaning and the ideas with which the term is associated with. Even the Vedas, which were universally held by all SAGES, Acharyas and reformers alike of all times of what is known as Hinduism—were treated as no more than Srutis, i.e. that which is heard. In the plain and commonly understood meaning of the term. Srutis mean „that which is being heard‟ and their authoritativeness is derived solely from the ability of the scripture to reveal fruitful

knowledge or ideas about the actual experience in the lives of men and matter created by God, rather than their ability to alter the nature of things. The Sabda Pramana, or the proof based on Sruti was likewise, treated as the most important of all the Pramanas. In the present case, the plain meaning of he word „Saraswat‟ as well as the metaphysical meaning in which the term is being understood and interpreted by the AISCO for projecting its revivalist movement coincide to a large extent and hence it is unreasonable to give up the same and substitute it by any other alternative term merely on the grounds of expediency unless there is a need for such a change on the grounds of Sruti or Sabda Pramana. Those interested in the further implications of this logic of argument are advised to read chapter one of Sankara in his own word by Swami Atmananda, a publication of Bharatia Vidya Bhawan. Bombay under its Book Series. It would be worthwhile to dwell on a few ideas or Srutis associated with this term by way of examples or illustrations (1) It was on the banks of the river Saraswati of the Rigvedic age that the first germination of the Indian spiritual culture flourished as can be evident from many passages referring to the river in the Rigveda and subsequent Puranic literaure including the great Manabharata of Maharshi Vcdavyasa. The entire land of Sapta Sindhavas lying between the two rivers—Saraswati and Dristhadwati—was during the later Rigvedic age called „Saraswat Pradesh‟ for a considerable period of time, until it was gradually replaced by the word 'Bharata Varsha‟ or „Bharata Khanda‟ representing the geographical expansion of this great country. The members of the All-India Saraswat community are even now spread all over the country

ànd belong to different faiths, Sampradayas, and encompass almost all variants of religious Paramparas which together were termed, again due to various historical reasons, as „Hinduism‟ much later on. Majority of its members have come to know even the existence of their fellow members belonging to the same „Saraswat caste‟ in other parts of the country for the first time solely due to the present revivalist movement spearheaded by the AISCO and the AISF. There are hundreds of castes, sub-castes and sections of people within the community denoted by the term All-India Saraswat which have developed their separate cultural identity based on natural factors relevant to different historical circumstances. Together they represent in a nutshell the living organism of growth of spiritual culture of the country as practised by its members representing various levels of integration, assimilation, and synthesis of their spiritual deals and ideas suitable to local conditions prevailing in different regions in which they originally settled and which they accepted as their own. This culture has been maintained and safeguarded by the members in the form of traditions and customs which in fact are the living embodiments of such synthetic and integrating processes of assimilation, even though due to passage of time and the changing situation in the country, they may have now become rather orthodox and hence call for some adjustments. Even from the racial point of view it cannot be definitely said that the all-India Saraswats are of the same ethnical origin and blood relations, except in the most general sense applicable to the whole human race. At any rate, there has been considerable intermingling and admixture of blood through assimilation, matrimony and adoption due to centuries of contacts and 4

common living with the local people of different regions which they have adopted as their own and even now continue to think likewise and hence they are hardly distinguishable from the enthnical point of view from the local brother Indians of their respective regions. It is for this reason, that the AISCO aims at promoting consolidation based on the fundamental principles of unity in diversity amongst its different sub-sections, and not by advocating a complete uniformity in customs and traditions. In other words, unity propagated is cultural unity and not any other doctrinaire, ideological, theistic or sectarian interests of its constituents members. (2) Another Sruti element relevant to this name comes from its association with the Goddess Saraswati, who is the presiding deity for all forms of knowledge, including the spiritual and material comprehension of reality. The evolution of the concept of Godhead and the attributes given to „Saraswati‟ as a Goddess make it beyond doubt the same idea. She is the goddess of „ Vak‟ or „Speech‟ from which all Sabdas or sounds follow. As already indicated, even at the philosophical, scientific and spiritual levels, Sabda Piamana has the highest place in Hindu religion and all the varied forms in which Saraswati is even now being worshipped all over the country makes it abundantly clear that in this age of scientific enquiry based on knwledge and direct proof of existence and reality here and now—the ideals of invoking Goddess Saraswati have a very high priority in the life of people belonging to the entire world. (3) The third Sruti element stems from the incorporation of most of the attributes that the once powerful and omnipotent gods of the Rigvedic age, namely, Surya, Aditva and

Agni, when YAJNA principle was the most prevalent form of worship and who were the sources of deep meditation by the great \

Rishis of that age, within the Godhead of Saraswati, called by various names and forms such as Sarada Devi, Kashmipuravashini, Kanyakumari, etc. Hence it is the knowledge of light in the physical and the material universe as well as in the intellectual levels of comprehension and ideals relating to them that are being invoked through the worship of Goddess Saraswati. Worship of this Goddess along with the knowledge of spiritual ideals through recitation of the Gayatri Mantra which is even to this day recognised by all shastras as the basic mantra and the most secred syllable to be recited during the Yajnopavitam ceremony of Brahmacharya vow to be taken during the first phase of spiritual discipline known as Varnoshrama Dharma is enough to give necessary intellectual base for using the word „Saraswat‟ (c) Why Caste Principle ? 3. Caste has only been used as a method of organisation to promote universally valid and applicable revivalist objects consistent with the Indian culture and traditions associated with it. The AISCO has nothing to do with what is known as „casteism‟ which stands for exploitation of the caste platform to serve sectarian, selfish and narrow interests in different fieldspolitical, economic, social, cultural or even religious-by taking advantage of the ignorance, deep respect for their traditions and simplicity of its majority of innocent members. In fact, the AISCO has waged a relentless war against such forces working towards narrow and sectarian ends within the caste organisation by adopting the very same and universally valid caste principles as a basis for promoting its revivalist aims

and objects. Even the so called „secular‟ institutions and movements are fast becoming happy hunting-grounds for these very forces of „casteism‟ under the convenient cover of „secularism‟. At the same time relentless verbal war magnified by the powerful publicity media against genuine caste organisations is shaking the moral and spiritual bases of our society right at its foundations. These caste organisations are unable to face the challenge posed to them by these evil materialist forces sinces they are still themselves resling under the impact of historical changes introduced by them and consequent dilution and confusion as to the essential ingradients and values and cry for frsh thinking and revival of their essential and universally valid principles to suit modern conditions. It is, therefore, most essential to understand the real premises on which the caste structure and caste-based society are organised. It should not be forgotten that caste is the most ancient structure and that it was that same universal and realistic institution in societies of the world from the days of evolution of mankind into different self-sustaining tribal societies. In Western countries, under the impact of authoritarianism, and the material culture sustaining unbridled selfishness as a basis of the nationalist and international society and the deliberate suppression of all natural growth of human consciousness, the caste organisation has been replaced by the class organisation, which in fact represents antagonistic selfish group interests. The growth of communism is the most natural and an inevitable consequence of such a class society deriving as it does from the authoritarian, political and military strength as the ultimate

power to restore order in society. Predominance of politics and unbridled competition for military strength and concentration of economic and material possessions in a few hands, whether it be individuals, groups of individuals, the nation, or the state authority entrusted with the enforcement of the rule of law in society that we sec all around the world, is the direct outcome of the class-based society. On the other hand, in India and many other countries of the East, caste organisations have been solved to include all types of activities in material, intellectual and spiritual fields as a natural and organic evolution of the ancient tribal society to achieve the highest ideals of spiritualism and happiness of mankind as a part and parcel of its spiritual culture. It is not surprising, therefore, that even the authoritarian and communist countries like China, Vietnam, and others on South-East Asia are increasingly relying on the same caste principles to organise the village and rural societies at the grass root level to transform the entire society and achieve certain socially desirable objects set up at the highest level with tremendous success. The commune system of Communist China and similar tribal and caste based institutions in Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, Laos and other South-East Asian countries are nothing but variations of the caste principle forming the basis of Indian social organisation amongst people belonging to all races, religious faiths and Sampradayas. Even in India it is the most ancient, universal and realistic social institution amongst all types of institutions in all fields of activity, whether it be at local, regional or national level. Unique contribution of Hinduism or the Indian Spiritual Culture is the perfect synthesis and integration of the principles of caste organisations with those of equally valid and universal principles of Varnashrama Dharma following from it. 6

Varnashrama Dharma as an integrating force as primitive tribal and caste organisations turns them out into a scientific, socially desirable, cooperative, a self-sufficient and self-sustaining groups consistent with the inherent natural inclinations and qualities or Gunas of the members belonging to it and the types of works or activities or professions in which they are engaged during their lifetime. Each one of the caste groups, or what is termed as Varna, specialising in the tasks most suited to them and creating the maximum surplus in society in material, intellectual and spiritual achievements, practise the principle of YAJNA or selfless dedicated service through voluntary social efforts and universally valid and accepted principles of Dharma or law of nature applicable to all human beings as well as creations of God as a guiding principle in their thought, conduct and acts at all levels, and exchanging or distributing the surplus generated though their works in accordance with the principles of Sarvodaya or the highest good and happiness of entire mankind. In other words, by evolving the Varnashrama system of social organisation, Hinduism has adopted the universally valid and most natural form of social organisation in human society, namely, tribes and castes, based on principles of heredity and birth as a basis of its membership as a vehicle for transforming entire society on the socially desirable objects by making it as an integral part of its spiritual culture and traditions associated with this culture. No doubt, due to centuries of subjugation of the country under foreign rule and authoritarian and militaristic forces represented by them, the traditions

and customs associated with caste have acquired many undesirable and negative features, and due to vast changes and the significant achievements of mankind in the field of science, technology and conquest of the forces of nature and powerful expansion of the means of communication through mass media by present-day society, there is urgent need to introduce many changes and reforms in the caste organisation to make it suitable to the contemperary conditions prevailing in society. Yet the essentials of caste principles- and the unique method of integration and synthesis based on the spiritual culture of the country to make use of these very universally valid caste and varna principles to promote the highest social good and happiness of mankind are as much relevant and valid for the 20th and 21st centuries as they were at any time in the remote past of tribalism of the world of mankind. Coming to the present century, it may be noted that while communism advocates a classless society as its highest ideal for society to work for, the characteristics and structure of that classless society have not been properly defined or elaborated. If they do so, as Gandhiji rightly understood through his spiritual experience. Communists will themselve find to their surprise that such a classless society can work only on the basis of sound and universally valid principles of caste and varna hierarchy, based on inherent nature or Guna and characteristics and activities of the individuals composing it. In fact such a caste-based hierarchy is almost implicit in the social organisation relevant to the ideals of communism at all stages of its growth, but the communism refuses to identify this reality and their to supress them, wherever they find it inconvenient on ideological grounds, but all such arguments in support of this ideology are based on the premises of setting up a classless society as an ultimate goal to be achieved at the last

stage of evolution of communism and not in its intermediary stages. This basic contradiction of communism is inevitable, until communism refuses to identify the existence of spiritualism beyond the sphere of materialist outlook. On the other hand in the spiritual culture of India, caste and varna are accepted as an inevitable social organisation relevant to all stages of evolution and orderly life of human society. This only shows that the next and higher stage of evolution of communism will be a caste-based classless society just as communism was a logical next and higher step resulting from capitalism. It may look very strange, but is nevertheless true that materialism and communism should find their ultimate fulfilment in the spiritual aims of Indian society accepted by its forefathers thousands of years ago right from the Rigvedic period. It is for this reason that Mahatma Gandhi, whose principal concern was to reform political authority and achieve political objects such as independence laid emphasis on the moral basis for the political and social organisation and healthy relations between politics and Dharma through making use of the tavs reservoir of forces inherent in our spiritual culture. Moreover he gave the caste and Varna principles the highest priority in the scheme of restructuring and transforming rural society through his economic, social and political ideals and programmes. His concept of village-based democratic organisation was no more than an adaptation of the same caste and Varna principles for achieving certain political and social objects set forth by him for the nation. While he was relentless in criticising certain Undesire-

able elements in the caste organisation like the untouchability, dowry system, and discrimination based on selfish interests masquerading under the guise of caste organisation, he was equally forthright in upholding the essential principles of caste and varna organisations including their much detested and criticised basis of birth and heredity for building up its superstructure. For those interested in knowing the views of the Father of the Nation, they are recommended to read a compilation of Gandhiji‟s views in the booklet titled “My Concept of Varnasharma Dharma” published by Navajivan Press, Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad. An excellent exposition of these caste principles as a vehicle of culture is given in recent book titled “COMMUNITY AND COMMUNION—The Saraswat Experience” by K. Guru Dutt, I.A S. (Retd.) published by AISR in its Saraswat Sanmarg series. Some of these features relevant to the AISCO movement have been discussed by me in my Conference Paper read during the 2nd AISCO Conference at Mangalore (December, 1973) titled „Prof. L. G. Khedekar on Saraswat Consolidation‟ and again at Kurukshetra (May, 75) at the Manava Dharma Parishad Conference under the title „AISCO and Manava Dharma Parishad— Plea for Collaboration‟ (d) Why Revive Saraswat Culture ? 4. Coming to the question of the true meaning of the term spiritual culture and its relevance to the AISCO movement, it may be stated that the AISCO has made consoli dation of the all-India or national community with nationwide identity and responsibilities and a nationwide common purpose to govern their destinies and to promote the spiritual culture of the country consistent with their traditions, religious Sampradayas common to all of them which they have termed as „Saraswat culture‟. In short, the

AISCO movent aims at transforming their local and sectional traditions and customs to suit the present day needs of nationalism and national ethos in accordance with the spiritual culture ingrained in their blood and in localised customs and traditions of their caste organisation coming down from centuries to this time. The very success of such a policy of consolidation of the allIndia Saraswat community depends on the extent to which various individual segments composing it are able to adjust themselves, their traditions and religious Samaskaras to the changing environments of society and build up unity based on spiritual ideals and culture of the country common to all citizens. The progress of the AISCO movement will, therefore, also give an indication of the extent of success or failure of making the spiritual culture of the country as a basis for revivalism of the entire country on a much larger and all-comprehensive scale. It will indicate the nature of problems that are likely to be faced by other national and nationalist communities when they make similar attempts for transformation of their respective communities and traditions and customs associated with them to suit the contemporary conditions prevailing in the country. The entire country faces similar problems relating to change and synthesis in its path of progress and evolution. Even those sections of people who are indifferent or antagonistic to spiritualism and all that is connected with it including the culture based on it have a great stake in the success of the AISCO movement. Even they talk, day in and day out, about the same problem, but would like to bring such transformation in

terms of the modern ideals of nationhood like secularism, socialism and democracy. If properly understood, it is not at all difficult to see that there is no conflict or contradiction between these ideals of nationhood and those flowing from the ideals of „spiritual culture‟. On the other hand, the ideals of spiritual culture themselves, perhaps unknowingly, inspire these Indians to promote the same objects in the garb of a new terminology suited to the present day materialist-oriented society. It will be the AISCO‟s endeavour to show in thought, deeds and professions the basic unity and essential identity between the spiritual culture of its people and the true import of ideals of modern nationhood. The AISCO is a convinced that the time is ripe for such a movement and is also convinced about its success. The real indication and proof of this triumph of Indian culture over these modern „isms‟ like „secularism‟, „socialism‟, „communism‟, „capitalism‟, „feudalism‟, „communialism‟, „casteism‟, „linguism‟, „racialism‟, „regionalism‟, „chauvinism‟, „militarism‟, „racialism‟, „authoritarism‟, „popularism‟, „emotionalism‟, etc., ad. infinitum or even coming to the field of religious faiths practised by the people of the country such as „Hinduism‟, „Islamism‟, „Christianism‟, „Buddhism‟, „Jainism‟, „Sikhism‟, „Zorastrianism‟, etc. is seen from the fact that, the more these „isms‟ are propagated and pursued with zeal and energy by their respective adherents, by rousing passions, ignorance and selfish interest of different sections of people after a period of time, all will die down a natural death, decay or extinction at the very hands of their staunch adherents and in the end only the essential ideas and the ideals of spiritual culture common to all „isms‟ which are valid for all time to come alone will survive the test of time and history. Yet, in

the process, each one of these „isms‟ make the task of real synthesis of traditions and religious sampradayas at the all-India level more complicated and more difficult, because each one will find its expression in the form of some type of localised, sectionalised oult or tradition and customs influencing the lives, thoughts and deeds of its few adherents, who cling to them by a mere accident of history and time. That most of the modern revivalist movements of the 19th and 20th centuries are no exception to this phenomenon can be seen from the fact of the widening gap between the professions and deeds of its newly-acquired adherents, and the loss of original zeal and freshness in each of them within a short time of a century or so. This is an indication of their incompleteness, requiring an integration of their outlook in conformity with higher principles; and values of the societies. Hinduism represents one such attempt to transmit these ideals and values amongst the lives of common people belonging to all caste, creeds and faiths. The name “Hinduism” was given to it by the foreigners to denote this unique phenomenon of synthesis of all kinds of religious and spiritual experiences of all times and at all levels of comprehension in our spiritual culture and in the absence of any other acceptable terminology, this name has gained acceptance to denote all the adherents of this cultural life even to this day. For this roason, it will be the greatest endeavour of the All-India Saraswat Cultural Organisation that while it propagates the revivalist movement suited to modern conditions within its limited framework, it does not. turn itself into another ism' in a new form, say 'Saraswatism' What is called for is a new spirit of adventure, and a new awareness for

synthesising the past traditions to suit modern conditions and at the same time strengthening and vigorously propagating those universally valid ideals and ideas ingrained in them which are independent of form or shape into which they are cast through their traditions and customs due to historical reasons. The need is to have an open mind, a spirit of enquiry and more important, strict adherence to the spiritual outlook ingrained in their culture which are valid for all time. The role of the community and works it does and the professions it proclaims should conform in thought, deed and profession to these ideals. Saraswat idealism lies in Yajna or selfless dedication. The AISCO by adopting the principle of Yajna as its Sacred Symbol and its Crest, aims at popularising this badge amongst all individuals and institutions of the community by dedicating itself in its thoughts, professions and deeds in conformity with these principles. This principle of Yajna, seflness, sacrifice or self-dedication for the benefit of entire society and humanity or even the whole creation of God including the animal, plant and material kingdoms existing in the Seven Lokas of Creation as understood by the Hindu Science of Religion, is therefore the cornerstone of its idealism, both for the transformation of the all-India Saraswat community and for the entire nation forming part of the same spiritual culture. For those who want to understand the true meaning and significance of this Yajna Principle for the AISCO movement and present-day society. I would like to refer to two outstanding books „OUR SACRED CREST" By D.N. NADKARNI (published by the AISF under its Saraswat Sanmarg Series) and “HINDUISM IN SPACE AGE” by E. Vedavyas IAS, (published by the United Social Cultural and Educational 10

Foundation of India, New Delhi) (relevant chapters). (e) The AISCO and Social Transformation of the Country 6. Coming to the positive approach of the AISCO, the community or the caste is used only as a method of organisation or a means to achieve certain desired revivalist objects, i.e., promotion of spiritual culture of the country by transforming traditions, Sanskaras and usage of the all-India Saraswat community to suit modern conditions by consolidation of the entire community based on its spiritual culture. It is niether casteism, communalism nor is the approach of the AISCO in attaining these ideals theistic in the sense in which an attempt is made to spread any particular religious or spiritual viewpoint even in preference to others amongst different sections of the Indian community or even amongst the all-India community. The AISCO has at the outset recognised its limitation and as a rule has set for itself a very modest and limited role in the great task of transformation of the entire country. But, it equally strongly feels that there is a great need for revivalism of our innumerable centres of religious and spiritual pursuits existing in every village and place amongst all sections of people in the form of traditions, sampraday as and customs, which are now being wrongly dubbed as „superstitious', „outdated' or „primitive‟ by the modern pundits of materialism and worshippers of God-in-Matter-and-Materialism-alone, ignoring the higher forms of existence and reality including the life principle from which they themselves derive their sustenance and strength and breathe day in and day out. We are of the firm opinion that in the task of social

transformation of society, these innumerable, dumb, small and quiet spiritual centres like Maths, Temples, Religious Organisations, Traditions and Customs of small caste-based social organisations and institutions, etc. ingrained in the lives of the people of different regions, have a much greater role to play than any of these revivalist movements modern period can ever hope to achieve either individually or jointly. Whether present-day Indian society is able to marshal and make use of the immeasurable strength and spiritual power contained in these abodes of spirit for the good of the nation and humanity all over the country or not, depends entirely on the ability of the present and future generations to appreciate and understand the basic principles underlying their customs and traditions and ability to follow them in their lives consistent with the modernday conditions prevailing in the country. This calls for a synthesis between not only different religious Sampradayas and traditions of the country, but also between spiritualism which is the driving force for all these religious movements and the scientific outlook and technological achievements of the modern materialist oriented society. Everything has a place for itself in the creation of God at the right time. What is called for is a true synthesis of all these apparently divergent, but in reality the same manifestations of a single principle of God or God‟s creation as a creative force. Such a synthesis can be achieved, not by arguments, intellectualism, emotionalism, militarism, deceipt. selfish inducement, treachery or any other objects of sense, mind and intellect or the strength based on material possessions and authoritarianism and pride flowing from these possessions even if we comprehend the scope of the term „materialist to include all

the creation of God in the form of four diemensional universe, i.e., with space, time, energy and qualities of space-limco energy combination as its dimensions as understood by the Hindu science of Religion, rather than the two-dimensional space-time concept as understood until recently by the present day society. With the atomic explosion of the „indistructible‟ matter worshipped as God by using the very techniques of the materialistoriented science, and with the Einstein‟s proposition regarding the time-space-energy concept replacing the earlier Daltonian twodimensional time space concept of matter and his theory of universe as a three dimensional field with energy forming the third component of it, the modern materialistoriented science has begun to appreciate the energy phenomenon as well as the similarity or synchroneity of the macro and micro levels of the universe, but the quality of space, time and energy as the fourth dimension of reality and existence of matter and the universe has yet to be recognised by them. Our Hindu Science of Religion long ago made it a part of its daily ritual in the form of Gayatri Mantra which is in fact an invocations to God to give light beyond the Seven Lokas of existence or the reality representing different layers of energy in this universe known as Brahmanda. Modern science has yet to understand this scientific truth though it is moving in this direction, and has to apply it for envolving an integrated approach consistent with the universally applicabe single cosmic phenomenon called God. Such a true synthesis between different religious and spiritual movements of the country past, present and future—on the one hand and spiritualism and scientific-cumtechnologicul achievements of present-day materialist culture. the other each one

representing synthesis of real experience in their own respective fieldsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;can be achieved, according to the firm faith and belief of the AISCO only, if all the spiritully-minded and truly scientific and technologically-minded materials the forces join hands together to bring about a great master synthesis of all forces of real religious experience, i.e., in conformity with the real tasks of Vishvakarma or Lord Brahman of Hindusâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and bring their actions, thoughts and professions in accordance with the universally valid spiritual culture of the country. This calls for real unity and a common platform for all voluntary institutions based on common ideals and idealism to bring about healthy transformation in society in their own respective fields of operation so that the country or rather the humanity as a whole benefits from such cooperative work. Hence, there is a paramount need to ensure that while we propagate change and transformation in the name of revivalism, there is no deviation from the universally valid and acceptable ideas and principles ingrained in each of the traditions and customs prelavent in the country. Similarly, there cannot be a single and universally acceptable framework or means to arrive at such unity and intergration based on the spiritual culture of the country, but there will be as many different ways as there are different traditions and customs and religions Sampradayas which have grown in the past, are developing in the present, and yet are to develop in the future. No one path can claim universality, so long as the people following this spiritually oriented path follow different ways and means and it is futile to make any attempt by any single individual or organisation or a particular viewpoint to stake its claim for universality at the cost 12

of other viewpoints. Truly universal ways should incorporate all forms and all means, so long as they aim at spiritual perfection and integration of human society. (e) Consolidation of all-India Saraswat Community as a rehersal for nationwide revivalist movement 6. While the AISCO is propagating reforms within the all-India Saraswat community in all walks of life, it is equally forthright and firm in its beliefs, professions, and deeds that what it does or intends to do is fully in conformity with the existing usages, traditions and customs which contribute to the cultural diversities forming part and parcel of their spiritual life. No attempt is made to emphasise any one particular form of Saraswat culture or tradition as more suitable at the cost of any other form followed by a different section of the community, however big or small it may be; but a real and serious attempt is made to promote true cooperation, integration and mutural contacts amongt these different variations of culture by providing a common platform for all. None of the existing institutions such as Maths, religious and charitable institutions, social and cultural organisations of any segment are by passed or ignored in the process of consolidation and the unity and none of the forms of worship or spiritual means of attainment are discarded or emphasised in relation to each other. No segment of peole following any profession, trade, service or selfemployment is left out and no field of activity whether spiritual, intellectual, or material adopted by the community members is ignored in the task, but all have been recognised as essential in their respective spheres for achieving this synthesis based

on the spiritual culture of the country. It is also for this reason that the AISCO has accepted caste or community as a valid basis for such integration, since this is the most important fact of reality in the life of all-India Saraswats. In fact, the same caste or community is an equally valid proposition amongst other sections of the Indian communities as wellâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Muslims, the Christians, the Parsees, the Buddhists, the Jains, the Zoroastrians, etc. and not only amongst the Hindus. It is the firm belief of the AISCO and the movement it wants to pursue that a - true synthesis and consolidation is to be achieved based on the universally valid spiritual culture of the country, common to all and all other communities and people of the country have to respect and accept the reality of existence of castes and communities in their respective segments. No amount of argument, criticism, opposition or attempt to suppress or conceal these facts in the spiritual and cultural life can erase the fact of their reality. It is for this reason that while the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, concerned himself primarily with the political field during pre-Independence days, he did not ignore the relevance of the caste or the Varna as a valid basis for social organisations in the task of social transformation launched by him. Even in respect of the purely political field of activities, he gave the caste and Varna system an important place, while in the social economic and intellectual and spiritual spheres of activities, the caste occupied the principal position in the social hierarchy. He made the caste society the cornerstone for transformation of the villagebased and village-oriented Indian society by bringing about silent revolution in all political, social, economic and spiritual

fields of activities through his concept of Panchayati Raj or Village Rule based on spiritual culture which he called Rama Rajya. It is through the self-reliant, selfsufficient, self-sustaining and almost autonomous systems of Village Panchayats based on family, caste and varna principles that he was able to catch the imagination of millions of people and induce them to involve in his political protest in the form of non-violent Satyagraha for achieving the highest political goal of the country, i.e., its political emancipation and freedom from the most oppressive, shrewdest and mightiest of all the imperialist and colonial countries of the world. There is a great need for following in the footsteps of this founding father in all aspects of life for all religious and secular faiths in all fields and a need to extend and enlarge the same scientific and rational outlook even into the non-political field, of religion, science, spiritualism as well as material and economic activities of the nation. Events have changed after independence, and it is not possible to put the clock back. Many things said, done or professed by the Founding Father of the Nation may not be still valid in the same form or shape in which they were put forward by him at that time. Nonetheless, the basic approach of synthesis, integration and acceptance of the traditional outlook and reality of the spiritual culture flowing in the veins of every Indian as a basis for all types of changes to be brought out in the country have to be strictly adhered to if the country wants to achieve its real object of social transformation through peaceful revolution. The AISCO. therefore, intends to adhere strictly to these ideals and aims and would like to be a true Gandhian in its spiritual outlook so tar as its lias to concern itself with problem-'

of finding an ideal and realistic relations between religion and politics, materialism and spiritualism, science and spirituality, individual and the society, citizen and the nation, Law and Dharma, continuity and change, etc., relevant to the social transformation of the country. (f) Policy Implications for the AISCO Movement 7. Let us now consider for a while the important question of policy implications of this basic approach of the AISCO movement in the task of achieving main aims of the organisation. First, there is none big or small, rich or poor, intellectual or ignorant, powerful and powerless etc. in this task of promotion of spiritual culture of the community. All have equal stakes and equal roles to play. Secondly, those who posses more favourable characteristics in any fieldspiritual, intellectual or materialâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;have a bounden obligation to share it with those who do not have the same, retaining only the minimum that is necessary for the self-preservation and self-development of their body and mind. This is our Yajna or self-less sacrifice embodied in the Sacred Crest. No sacrifice is small, no individual is so poor in all respects that he cannot contribute something to this(i) process of universal Yajna. Thirdly, all will have to cooperate with each others as equal partners in the task by specialising in their own respective fields of activities to which they are most naturally inclined according to their inherent nature or Guna and activities they perform. Fourthly, each one will have to subserve his individual aims and objects to that of the enlarged social object and follow strictly in his life all tenets of Dharma folling from it in thought, deeds and action and 14

represent the movement in its microcosm in himself. This is, what is known as, universally acceptable Dharma Charkra which has also found a place in the present days nationhood as Ashoka Chakra of our national flag. Fifthly, each one subject to the universally applicable Dharmic code will have complete freedom to follow his own path, whether in spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic or material fields. Thus, in the ultimate analysis, there is no conflict between the individual and society, citizen and the state, as also amongst various groups or communities of individuals or other members comprising them, since all will conform to the single integrating principle of Dharma. Sixthly, the rule applies to individuals, institutions and nations, groups of nations equally in all walks of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;spiritual, intellectual aesthetic and material. Each one has to strictly follow the guidelines provided by universally accepted Dharma as the only integrating force. Coming to the policy implications for the AISCO in the task of consolidation of the all-India Saraswat community, the following guidelines can be set out in comformity with the basic approach of the AISCO movement: It is only one of the organisations and that too a newly set up one wedded to the cause of consolidation of the all-India Saraswat community. Moreover, such a measure is only the first step towards integration of the entire Indian community based on the same spiritual culture shared by its members in common with other national communities of the country. Hence it should seek for unity and common

platform with all religious, charitable and social institutions and individuals or movements propagating the cause of upholding the spiritual culture of the country not only within the all India Saraswat community, but should work to promote constructive collaboration and active co-sponsorship of common projects with other similar national communities at all levels national, branch or even local, since they derive their sustenance from the same spiritual culture of the country which they want to revive together as equal partners. There is no question of high or low, rich or poor, strong or weak, educated or illeterate intellectual or common folk in this task of collaboration. AISCOshould continuously try to extend the benefit and support total progressive movements in whatever field and in whichever religious section they may work, so long as they are in conformity with this truly integrated approach of transforming society based on ideals of our spiritual culture. Existing norms set by the materialist culture or barriers of customs and traditions grown over a period of time should not hinder our task in any manner. The AISCO should always work for the spiritual perfection of activities in all fields and endeavours. In the present day society, working for the material progress of the country and meeting of adequate social and economic needs of its millions of starving people is of utmost importance, but there is also a great need to raise the moral and the spiritual standards of perfection in respect of the means used to achieve these ends in the materialist fields based on our own self-culture and self traditions associated with the community life. This calls for concerted efforts to be put forth to curb the never-ending, selfish and self-destructive forces of materialism to fulfil equally never-ending and selfish desires, while at the same ti m e w o r ki ng f o r t he f u lfi ll me nt o f

all the basic requirements in the material field relevant to

our

day

to day life in this world. The AISCOS‟s SEVEN POINT ACTION PLAN placed before the Nation on the eve of this Inaugural Function and Conference of three more Branches in the North Indian Region—i.e. Delhi, Haryana and Punjab—therefore, covers all the three categories of activities consistent with the general framework of classification adopted by the AISCO i.e. i) Dharmic and Cultural, ii) Social and Economic and iii) Organisational and Co-operative. The AISCO ought to keep a healthy balance amongst requirements in respect of all the above three categories in its long and challenging. future path, which is full of hopes and new possibilities. As rightly pointed out by E. Vedavyas in his outstanding Introduction to the great Indian Culture known as Hinduism, in his recent book titled “Hinduism in Space Age” already referred to above, we should work in anticipation of a coming AVTARA OF GOD-i.e. KALKl, prophesied by all religious leaders of the world including Jesus Christ, Prophet Mohammad and, of course, the Great, Almighty YUGA PURUSHA—LORD KRISHNA of BHAGAVAD GEETA—whose Immortal Song of Divinity and Eternity is relevent for all times and for all human races, as handed down to us by HIS Lover and Messenger MÁHARSHI VEDAVYAS, thousands of years back. Let fears, doubts, inertia, ignorance and concern for this or that petty world and its worldly things do not deter us from THIS self-chosen path of GODS and HIS GODLY ATTAINMENTS in THIS world and life meant for practice and adoption by the entire humanitv and HIS GODLY CREATION. Let us BEGIN THE TASK HERE AND NOW. II NOT ALREADY DONE. --OM T AT SAT— i. e. THAT ALONE IS THE ETERNAL AND THE UNIVERSAL TRUTH

THE A I S C O A N D W E By

Mahamahimopadhyaya Karmayogi J. L. K. Jalali * * *

Mr. President, Brother and Sister Delegates, and Honoured Guests:

JAI SARASWATI

It is really a happy occasion for us the Saraswats of the North to meet under the auspices of the AISCO on this Inaugural Function and participate in the deliberations with a view that this AllIndia Cultural Organisation may not only become an integrating liaison between the Saraswat of the North and the rest of India, but justify its establishment five years ago as constituent unit of the great nation with its secular outlook, and prove by its socialistic actions that is not a communal organisation of narrow vision, undemocratic in character with a circumscribed periphery of socioeconomic objective. Although our J and K Regional Branch was not prepared for this Interim Conference, when the Annual Conference was scheduled to meet at Kurukshetra in December next, now that the top echelons of the AISCO have so desired and planned, we offer our full cooperation and wish this Inaugural Conference of the North all success. The AISCO, J and K Region, was formally established in September, 1975 in purusance of the promise made by me at the Inaugural Function of the Central Organisation at Bombay in December 1972, wherein I had the honour of presiding at the opening session and being honoured as a distingu16

ished Saraswat from the North. It was a gesture of goodwill and cooperative understanding on the part of the President and the Managing Committee, particularly Mr. J. S. Rao, Vice President of AISCO and Chairman of the Kurukshetra Conference, to have seen eye to eye with me in having fullfledged branches instead of Regional Councils, and I am glad that after the Kashmir Branch, the other Branches of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi came into being whose Inauguration is being formally made at this Conference. Our J and K Branch has a wide ambit, provided the Jammu Division (or Province) becomes a willing associate and partner in this attempt of broadening the base and activities of the parent organisation. Although I have tried to have some members from Jammu and suspicion that the AISCO may give rise to a supposed schism between the Saraswat Brahmins and non-Saraswat Brahmins has to be removed. It is hoped that will be done as soon as the J and K Branch, which has for the present established its Head-

quarters at Srinagar, begins moving about with the coming of spring, and enters upon a campaign of personal contacts vigorously, though such contacts have been initiated on a small scale already with hopeful anticipations. The J and K Regional AISCO has many a socio-cultural problem to tackle apart from the political or economic one that is beyond the purview of the AISCO, if we do not hold that cultural existence is in fact the political existence of a people, for those that have no cultural motivation can have, no conscious political mobility called political life. There are problems which minorities do not usually have, and where history has been so hard and unbending, those problems have their times and assume a meaningful interrogational attitude as to the future of a minority. Times have changed and era on the anvil of change every millionth of a moment which naturally confirms a dynamism that appealed to be static in the past due to comparative absence of competition and intrepidity of human aspiration, but has now shaken the slough off Integral Existence in order to be a cohesive constitutent of the One National Awareness and Componental Existence. Kashmir has had a chequered past ; its present has since the Independence of India been no less chequered, compared to the other States of the Union, and the Kashmiri Sa ra sw a t s —a term which we now prefer to the much worn out term Kashmiri Pandits — have been the subject and object of that chequered vicissitude and its disturbing experimentation. The shock of circumstantial conditioning of environments has, on the one hand, pushed out thousands of them from the ancestral home, and on the other, imper-

ceptibly told on their socio-cultural existence so gravely and grievously that unless they muster courage to recover as speedily, as practicable, their giddiness may throw them tangentially off with no each chances of regaining balance and stabilisation, though unfortunately they do not seem to feel the shock either due to its continued intensity or through a sense of frustration, which howsoever we may try to discount, persists in one form or another, individually and collecttively. It is amusing and at the same time tragic that during the past 28 years the Kashmiri Saraswat like other fellow citizens has become more individualistic, when the big upheaval should have awakened him to the realities, and I think that the cultural incident of 1967 and its political echo followed by a similar shock of 1971 has made him more indifferent and self-centred. Altruism, congregational or collective existence has become for him an allergy of „Touch Me Not‟. Is it not a problem ? Why should some girls have chosen to go out of the Saraswat fold and set bad procedents ? Is it not a problem ? Is it the social custom or temptation of mammon ? Is it the dowry that the educated young men have been demanding. With the result that notwithstanding the fact that for every 10 boys we have only 5-7 girls, the girls adopt such a course and the boys, educated or not, still play truants and make the lives of their life partners miserable and old man like me sad ' As President of the All State Kashmiri Pandits Conference, I had once led a deputation to the Prime Minister of India, and there the same curse of dowry was talked of by that Great Saraswat Daughter. I had to hand my head in shame.

though eventually I appointed a social jptegration committee which issued a questionnaire of 20 questions. But the most astounding part of it is that excepting a couple of indifferent replies of general nature, none of the young and old Kashmiri Saraswats (Pandits) would condescend to show his earnestness about reforming the evils that are still eating into the vitals of the community. I had prepared a Report, which is with me but due to circumstances could not be made use of. I hope I may either forward it to be the Central Committee for publication or place it before my Branch for consideration and changes if any, consistent with the anti-dowry drive of our Great Prime Minister. Again, why should our youth refuse to believe that even as Saraswats they are as good Indians as good secularists, as good nationalists, as good socialists and as good democrats as any other citizen of the Union ? is it due to the fact that their parents, that their elders, have under the stress of the same conditions and circumstances become simple automata without any compunction to live as Saraswats conscious of their duties and obligations to the society and the country. Is this not a problem ? and there is the growing number of the unemployed youth. They are a socio-cultural and economic problem; for on them hinges the future of the community and the country. This has led me to dwell on and discuss the cultural mission of the AISCO. Is culture, I am asked, so forceful a tie, a cord that can bind the community together and at the same time make it truly national ? Unfortunately, in the modern changing world of individual and collective concepts there are other forces, seemingly more potent, 18

which are found to be dominating the field. For this the main reason appears to be that those who profess to be leaders, advisers, and guides live in a world different, wholly and totally from the world of those whom they announce and declare to lead—be it a Government, an organisation, A mutual benefit society, a shareholding industry or business, or the simple patriarchal society, a village panchayat or the like. Everywhere one sees the difference—it is one of degree and dimension between the talkers and the talked to. I have called it „The Two Percent Domination‟, which takes any form, but is invariably removed from the plebein condemned to toil and moil to keep the top echelons in power, in dominating control, but ever as far away as imaginable. Culture has taken on a new interpretation in view of what Governments all over the world are seen doing in the world of today in respect of strengthening and diversifying cultural relations between States and States, countries and countries, and in the light of that all individual cultures have suffered if not lost their intrinsic value and significance and only outer or external forms have taken their place, I am told, naturally, the youth of a given culture are confused and confounded, especially when State culture is proving to be something different from community-culture, and turns out to be like hit-and-run with the toss of the coin Head or Tail‟. Community culture is now considered to be a misnomer and a „misguide , especially when we do nothing on the community level to keep that culture alive and socially and economically beneficial a and beneficient. To make the point clear, let me

given you a living instance. For some time past an academic controversy has been going on about the hostoricity, authenticity and religiosity of the great epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana and even the Holy Vedas of ageless time have been challenged. One can not say why some of the Hindu scholars riding the hobby horse of so called research and chasing the wil-o‟- the wisp of fancy in the thickly over-grown forest of academic empiricism, should have in the footsteps of European scholastic trekkers taken it into their head to tingle themselves with exercises in futility least thinking that such erratic brain waves have the danger of affecting the tender and plastic minds of our immature youth with the apprehended result of confusting them about those very traditions and sanctities which we as Saraswats hold dear and want to revive for the uplift of our community and the country at large. As an orthodox Saraswat, I too jumped into the arena and when one of the gladiators took cover under a new plea of „Lost Civilisations of the Earth‟ to avoid direct argumentation, I only enjoyed the dull brandishings and aimless thrusts of plywood swords for a while. For me it was no new experience. Twenty years earlier I had come across a similar snag in the Report of the Calendar Reform Committee composed of great astronomers and mathematicians, astrologers and scientists stating that the Ramayana followed the Mahabharata and recommending the Shaka Invaders Era in preference to the Bharat‟s own traditional, dignified and time and time-honoured Saptarshi Samvat, perhaps because the latter gave us the leap year in the same year as the Christian or Gregorian Calendar did and does, while the former wanted to give our children an exer-

cise in arithmatic by asking them to add 78 to the Saka Samvat to check its leap-yearism. I had then to protest but it was too late.' I have, therefore, submitted to this august assemblage a resolution, which I think may be placed before you too for consideration and adoption. When this is my cultural dilemma, how am I and my Saraswat friends to go about to make this Saraswat Cultural Organisation a responsive, modern, uptodate forum not for debates and discussions alone, but for allembracing national and community purposes as well. What we have seen in the world of today (and experienced) is nothing but unrest, indiscipline, disorder, disruption, corruption, falsehood, cut-throatism, gangsterism, dishonesty, dissimultion, toomuch-penal-codism, and to boot the exploitation of the poor and the weak by means of political, economic and power of any kind and the wonder is that when pledge is taken to smash it all and evolve a wholly new order of peace and equality, social fraternity without distinction of high and low, we turn out to be chips of the same block or as the Persian maxim would say „Har ki dar kan-i nimak raft nimak shud‟ (whoever entered the salt mine become salt). As an orthodox Saraswat, I feel and would appeal to you all to feel that though Vinobaji Bhave would prescribe atmanushasan for all a far better and effective remedy for this fell disease of varied ramifications is Religious Education, and for that we should approach the Government at the Centre and the Governments of the States, for Education is a transferred subject and on the Union and State lists and press them to introduce it in to Government institutions without delay.

As Saraswats, as custodians of the nations health, healthy life and healthy future, it is but our duty and responsibility to inject a healty virus in our people and then become world teachers and perceptors once again to make the people of the world healthy so as to justify the concepts of world brotherhood and one world in their real and factual senses. Secondly, as Saraswats we have to press for the spread of Sanskrit for the sanskriti (culture) of the Indians is based on Sanskrit and all that is implies and stands for. Sanskrit is the only leaven between the North and the South, between the East and West, between India and Europe where scholars and savants during the past and particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, came to know of India and the Indian people as also their great lore in the divyabhasha, the language that has united us as one people and one nation. To place Sanskrit on par with religional languages or any other language is derogatory to our ancient culture and a challenge to our intellectualism. Thirdly, Saraswats are the head of the Indian nation, and so long as the head is not unmuddled, unbefuddled, lear, uncorrupt and is not altruistically charitable and generous in thinking, behaving and acting, the nation cannot, notwithstanding its political manoeuvres and manipulations, socio economic planning and projecting, be expected to make a healthy progress and develop into a strong world-respected nation. I am reminded of the Chhandogya Upanishad story of the senses (Indriyas) and the Prana (the suffle vital), and if I am not deemed to be presumptuous, the Saraswats have to be the Prana of the nation and regulate its healthy life, in cooperation and alliance with other elements of the body. Now to do that 20

is for the august assemblage here to devise by sitting together and conferring, but not forgetting that atma-tyaga (renunciation and self-abnegation) is the condition precedent for such leadership. It is not a vain boast but a fact (the Brahman is the great and brilliant light, he is the great penance and austerity incarnate, and it is the namaskars of the Brahman that keep the sun going in its full effulgence.), Namaskar does not only signify literal bowing and bendings to the Sun, but that the Brahman has by penance, by self-sacrifice for the sake of others all non-Brahmans, non-Saraswats and other including the chandalas without distinctions of caste, creed, faith, colour, place and nationality to prepare himself (to sankritize himself) for the service of all, so that even the Sun-god considers it a privilege to be worshipped with an offering of a flower by that scion of Dadhichi to dispel allround darkness. This is so far as the religic-cultural and socio-educational side of Saraswatism and the duty of the AISCO are concerned. As for the needs of modern economics, the Saraswats apart from the defence of the Mother at the cost of their life and everything that is easier to them, have to set an example, and eschew the bania trend and attitude, and work to earn wealth and distribute itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not among their family members only but among all the citizens of India including Saraswatsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and teach others to do the same, for that would, on the one hand, smoothen the path and hasten the pace of socialism, and on the other blaze the trail for others to follow, in the real sense of simple living and high thinking, in contributing the Saraswat moiety to the 20-Point Programme of our

Great Prime Minister without creating a furore about it. That would at the same time help solving of the unemployment problem of our Saraswat youth and the youth of the country by initiating of schemes and projects in which and in the financing of which every Saraswat employed and earning, high and low, must come forward without demurso as to give a visible proof of Saraswatic spirit of service and sacrifice. It is true it will mean a supreme sacrifice of one‟s comforts and conveniences, luxuries and extravagances, but as a Saraswant I would only say that if we want to give a lie to lip professions of sympathy for our youth and to teach non-Saraswats and the world a new way of Bharat‟s Life, we have to cut a new path in the economic brambles and tangled growth to the wonder of the nations of the world. I am not talking as visionary, but as a true son of India, as a true Saraswat, and I appeal to all sons and daughters of my Holy Land to help in the realization of this project of „Give all thou canst; High Heav‟n rejects the lore Of nicely calculated less or more.‟

I have no lucubration of Saraswat greatness, Saraswat glory, to regale you with. I am an old, matter-of-fact Saraswat, who has had sufficient experience of tossings in the bark of fellow service in and outside Kashmir and is disgruntled and dissatisfied nay even disappointed-and now with all the weight of years on his fail shoulders is prepared to offer his services in whatever way is possible for him.

It is not a project for starting an AllIndia-All-Saraswat-Business or Trading Com-pany with a Board of Directors, whose chiefqualification is the display of their businessand commercial involvements and connec-tions as Directors, Managing Directors, orManaging Agents of a score of exploitingComapnies, but a Company with everySaraswat as a Director whose main virtue,merit and qualification will be that he con-tributes as much as he can at the cost of hispersonal comfort, for the sake of others, Saraswats and non-Saraswats, in a spirit of cooperation, sacrifice, mutualism and national uplifiment. How to do that is for you to work out, my friends. This I think, is sufficient for the present. 21

IDEOLOGY AND PURPOSE OF

THE ALL-INDIA SARASWAT CULTURAL ORGANISATION by

Triloki Nath Dhar (Read at the Inaugural Function of the Kashmir Branch of AISCO at Srinagar on 7 9.1975)

(1) History and Meaning of Saraswats : 1.1 Saraswats are a stock of Aryan Brahmins who claim their descent from Saraswat Muni who is supposed to have lived on the banks of the river Saraswati some 5000 years ago. It is believed that Saraswat Muni saved the Vedas from destruction. 1.2 Some scholars trace the descent of Saraswat Brahmins to the Aryans who migrated towards Asia and Europe from the North Pole, 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Tracing descent to such remote antiquity may perhaps appear to be a futile exercise. However, some say that there was a Saraswat Pradesh (modern Punjab) which was the original home of the Saraswats. Others say that the Saraswati river actually flowed through Kashmir and presume that the original Saraswats lived in Kashmir and the adjoining areas and then they spread towards other parts of the Punjab and Kurukshetra. According to Bilhana, great Kashmiri poet of the 11th century, Kashmir is the original home of the Saraswats. 1.3 The Saraswats are divided into two branches. Those who spread in the North 22

who crossed the Vindhya Range and spread towards the South are called Dakhshini Saraswats. In course of time, many Saraswat settlements sprouted along the banks of the Narmada. It is further believed that Parshurama after exterminating wicked Kshatriya rulers established Saraswat hegemony in Goa and the Western coast. Most of the Saraswats who settled in Goa were later on forced to flee to the Malabar coast and Kerala owing to persecution let loose by the foreign regimes. 1.4 It is mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagwat that Maharshi Vays was inspired to write the Bhagwat while he was contemplating on the banks of the Saraswati. However, there is no trace of this river nor has the bed of this river been discovered so far. The Devi Bhagwati which in my view is one of the greatest works on spritualism and

esoteric sciences is referred to have been first started for compilation by Krishndvepayan popularly known as Vyas (which means the Arranger) during the Saraswat Kalpa which started on the 12th of Shukulapaksha of Phalguna. 1.5 For getting some idea of the word Saraswat, I shall quote English rendering of some of the verses of the Rig Veda : “May Saraswati, the purifier, the bestower of food, the recompenser of worship with wealth, be attracted to our offered viands to our rites ! Saraswat, the inspirer of those who delight in turth, the instructress of the right-minded has accepted our sacrifice.” “Saraswat makes manifest by her acts a mighty river and enlightens all understandings.” 1.6 From the verses quoted about, it is evident that Saraswati is actually a river of the form of understanding and wisdom and knowledge which gushes forth from the enlightened hearts of saints and finds expression in the form of written or verbal instructions. 1.7 The development of human civilization would be an impossibility without language. Language is the most efficacious means of communication and enlightenment and, in fact, it is only language which has enabled human civilization to pregress since the dawn of history. From the excerpts of the Rig Veda quoted above, we understand that Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom, makes manifest by her acts a mighty river which is nothing but the supremely beautiful and material utterances enshrined in the Vedas which have enlightened mankind through the ages. There is not a single sub-

ject in the cosmos on which we do not find instructions, commands and revelations contained in the verses of the Vedas. There are also prayers unique in their power and meaning. The instructions and commands contained in the Vedas are catalytically germinal and have since the dawn of history, activated the collective thought processes of mankind towards peace, progress and knowledge. 1.8 I beg permission to quote again the English rendering of some more verses of the 22nd Anuvaka of the 1st Mandata of the Rig Veda : “From her clouds shed abundant rain and thence the four quarters live : “Thence the moisture spreads and the universe exists.” “Four are the definite grade of speech : those Brahmins who are wise know them : three, deposited in secret indicate no meaning. Men speak the fourth grade of speech.” 1.9 From the verses quoted just now, it is clear that the Bramins who are wise know the four grades of speech (para, pashyanti, madhma, vaikhuri). And who are these Brahmins ? It my view, they are Saraswat Brahmins. In this sense Parashuram Vyas were Saraswat Brahmins. The great river Saraswati which has flown through the highly grammatical and metrical compositions of the Vedas, has been sustained through the grace of the Vedas, has been sustained through the grace of Saraswati and Saraswati always resides in the hearts of the Saraswat Brahmins and through her grace, the Saraswats down the ages have not only mastered their own language but have also mastered foreign languages with ease and facility.

1.10 Saraswat Brahmins have been not only repositories of the Vedas but have also sustained and preserved Vedic knowledge down the ages. 1.11 Just at the beginning of the Mahabharata was when Dhritashtra was gloomy, Maharshi Vyas came and told him that he would make that war famous for all time to come. The credit for creating the work of the Mahabharata goes to Vyas Muni. Kashmir Saraswats have a special significance in this respect because the oldest manuscript of the Mahabharata stands written in the pure Sharda script of Kashmir. 1.12 In the Brahmapurana, we havea reference to Saraswat Tirth situated on the banks of the Gomti. At this place, through the grace of Shakli Muni, the demon of darkness, Parushu was able to obtain benedictions of Goddess Saraswati which enabled him to praise Vishnu through beautiful verses and hymns. 1.13 As we have explained above, it can safely be concluded that the river Saraswati is synonymous with the river of elightened wisdom and speech which flows through Vedic literature. Saraswats have the special privilege of having attained access to this river of Saraswatas. All the 24 guardian rishis of the Gayatri Mantra may be regarded as Saraswat Brahmins. (2)

Conglomerations of Saraswats 2.1 The Hindus of Kashmir are mostly Saraswat Brahmins. Vasu Gupta, the expounder of Shaiva philosophy, Utpala Deva, the originator of the Praitvigya philosophy, Abhinavagupta, the greatest Shaiva thinker, are all Saraswat Brahmins. 2.2 There are a good number of Saraswats spread in Haryana and Punjab. Then there are Saraswat groups spread in Gujarat, the Rann of Kutch, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Bengal. It is believed that Saraswats were brough to the West Coast of India by Shri Parashurama, the 24great revolutionary and Tapasvin Brahmin,

who fought several battles to exterminate tyrannical and decadent Kshatriya regimes. It was Parashurama who initiated Shukra Rishi into the key notational ineantations of Saraswati at Pushkar Kshetra. 2.3 Wherever Gowd Saraswat Brahmins went, temples sprang up. Gowd Saraswat Brahmins along the Western coast and in the South are under the pontifical authority of Mathadhipatis of the four Maths of Kavle, Kashi, Gokarn and Chitrapur. These Maths have saved Saraswat ethos from annihilation during the tyrannical regimes of Portuguese and other foreign powers and their vested interests. At present these Maths are devoting themselves to social and welfare activities like awarding free scholarships to poor and deserving students and doing other praiseworthy charitable works like providing medical assistance or distress relief to the poor and the needy. (3) Saraswat Ethos 3.1 We have said that Saraswats throughout the last five thousand years have been the repositories and expounders of the Vedic ideology. Their chief aim, throughout the millennia, has been to save the vedic ideology from destruction, ensure continuity of civilization and contribute to the development of one world consciousness. We have already mentioned the names of some great Saraswat Rishis of yore. We may now make mention of few names of the present millennium just to recall to our memory the great

purpose for which life has been endowed on by the creator. 3.2 Govinda Padacharya Guru of Sri Adi Shankaracharya was a Saraswat Brahmin. Nine of the Gurus who adorned the Kamakoti Peetha were Saraswat Brahmins. The famous Madan Misra, a Kashmiri Pandit Sanyasin, who become a disciple of Sri Shankaracharya, was a Saraswat Brahmin. He become a Sanyasin and followed Shankaracharya to the South and as Sweshwaracharya he succeeded Shankara as the second Guru of the Sringeri Peeth. 3.3 In order to enable you to gauge the intellectual potentialities and ideolgical propensities of the Saraswats, I may mention names of some great Kashmiri Saraswats such as Raja Dinanath, Pandit Moti Lal Nehru, Gangadhar Kaul, Pt. Bishen Narayan Dhar, Pt. Tej Bahadur Sapru, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Pt. Hriday Nath Kunzru, Mr. S.L. Saraf, Mr. D.P. Dhar, Pt. Lajpat Rai and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and Shri J.L.K. Jalali and other great poets like Nasim Kashmiri. (4) Links Unbroken 4.1 Though Saraswats, South and North, began to forget about their common ancestors and common destiny, somehow Nature intervened to revive the lost memories which otherwise, through the vissicitudes of history, might have been obliterated long ago. I have just now related that the second Guru of the Sringeri Peeth was a KashmiriSaraswat Brahmin furnishing direct proof of the fact that the North and South of Bharat Varsha are indivisible like the poles of a magnet. Saraswat communities have been migrating from North to South and vice versa. Ancestors of the Dhar families of Kashmir belonging to Bharadwaj Gotra have come from a place named Dhar in Malwa.

4.2 To illustrate how Kashmir Saraswats are spiritually one with their brethren in the South of the Vindhyas. I may recount the story of how the present parampara of the Chitrapur Math got established through the grace of a Kashmiri Pandit sanyasi. It was in the year 1708 A.D., the Portuguese chief told the representatives of the Saraswat community that they were not real Brahmins because they had no Guru or Pontiff. Unfortunately, their Guru had left Goa for Banaras a long time ago. Some of the local groups were happy at the predicamental situation of the Saraswat community and were happy that they would be further persecuted by the Portuguese authorities. The Saraswat community met at Gokarn for prayers. God Mahableshwar revealed to them in a dream that a Kashmiri Saraswat Brahmin sanyasi was coming to them and they should accept him as their Guru. As revealed, a Kashmir Saraswat Brahmin Sanyasi came and they approached him to accept them as his disciples. They took him to the Portuguese chief who was much impressed by his grace, wisdom and learning. Jagatguru of Sringeri Peeth also accepted him as the Guru of the Chitrapur Saraswat community. In this way the present parampara of the Chitrapur Math was established by a Kashmiri Saraswat Brahmin sanyasi at Gokarn which was later on shifted to the present headquarters at Shri Chitrapur in North Kanara district of Karnataka State. To some of the people in the North, the institution of Maths may appear anachronistic but South of the Vindyas, the Saraswats have unshakable faith in Maths and Mathadhispatis because it is through the

grace and works of these Maths that Saraswat communities have withstood the ravages of time and persections that were engineered by the foreign regimes. (5) Necessity for establishing AISCO The first attempt in the present century to organise all Saraswats of India into a wellknit community was made in 1926. 5.1 In this year, a conference of all the Saraswats of India was held under the presidentship of Pt. Motilal Nehru, father of the first Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. 5.2 45 years after, in November, 1971 the Kanara Saraswat Association began to work on the plan for calling a convention for uniting the Dakshini Saraswats. Shri T.A. Pai, Union Minister for Industries and Civil Supplies, who is also a Saraswat, was approached for his support for the original idea of a convention for uniting Dakshini Saraswats under one banner. His immediate reply was why not work for the consolidation of all Saraswats, not only of the South but also of Kashmir, Gujarat, U.P. and Bengal ? Acceptance of Shri T.A. Pai‟s suggestion led to the formation of a preparatory committee for creating a permanent organisation of Saraswats of all India. 5.3 The constitution of the All-India Saraswat Organisation was adopted on November 19, 1971. In pursuance of the aims and objects of the AISCO, the AllIndia Saraswat Foundation was brought into existence as a Public Trust for the general benefit without any restriction of caste, religion and nationality. Both the institutions i.e., the AISCO and the AISF, were registered with the Charity Commissioner, Bombay, on April, 19, 1972. (6) Aims of AISCO 26

6.1 The AISCO is a totally non-political, non-controversial and non-communal organisation. The late Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru talked so much about the emotional integration of our country. This was essential in view of the damage that had been done to the unity of the country by the currency of vague historical theories which had been invented by the imperialists with a view to dividing our people. 6.2 We, Saraswats believe in the Vedic injunction which says : Man for the family, family for the community, community for the nation ; nation for the world, world for the soul. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru had felt captivated and influenced by the said Vedic injunction. 6.3 As a community, we want to restore the obliterated links between our brothers in the North, South, East and West and in this way set an example for other communities to emulate. All the efforts of the AISCO in the ultimate analysis are directed towards national welfare. 6.4 As per Article 5 of the Constitution of the AISCO, the object of the AISCO is to secure and promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and material welfare and progress of Saraswat Brahmins of all India, stimulation of their predilection and development of their ability to serve the country and to enrich the national life. You should not forget that the Saraswats all over India have common modes of worship and performance of yajna and initiation. 6.5 We are obtaining copies of the constitution of the AISCO and the AISF and also of the booklet entitled „Community and Communion‟ by Shri K. Guru Dutt,

IAS. These will be distributed to our members is order to enable them to understand the deep significance of the AISCO and its activities. 6.6 So far, the AISCO has held three annual conferences. 6.7 The first conference was held in December, 1972. In this conference, Shri J.L.K. Jalali, the then President of the AllState Kashmiri Pandits Conference (Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha), along with his sweet daughter the Late Swaraj Dhar, represented the Saraswats of Jammu and Kashmir. The following guidelines were laid down in this Conference : (i) Research in economic and sociological problems. (ii) Employment promotion schemes and organised finance.

(iii) Establishment of AISCO branches in different parts of the country. (iv) Establishment of a Vedic Research Bureau. 6.8 The second conference of the AISCO was held at Mangalore in January, 1974. Some of the resolutions adopted in this conference are given below (i)

voice

the

community‟s

support

to the Saraswats of Kerala in struggle against the Devaswom Bill. (ii)

encourage the development languages spoken by Saraswats.

(iii)

To fight to evils of dowry system.

(iv)

urge

themselves

Saraswat to

employment needs but

problems

according

and based

youth

changing on

Saraswat

their of

apply

work

and

natural

environments, ways

and

fulfilment.

6.9 The third conference was held at Cochin, Kerala in January, 1975. The delibe-

rations brought into existence the Saraswat Industrial Advisory Board with a view to creating training facilities for unemployed Saraswat youth. 6.10 The fourth conference will be held sometime in 1976 at Kurukshetra. A wide specturm of subjects and objects will be discussed in this conference. 6.11 For providing a common forum of expression, dissemination and communication, the AISCO has been bringing out a quarterly Journal. „The Sanmarg Series‟ several tracts and books have also been published. (7) Work of the Kashmir Branch of the AISCO 7.1 The problems of Kashmir Saraswats are varied and many. A random survey was conducted recently which revealed that the Kashmir Saraswats are not only ignorant about their native philosophy of Shaivism but also of such indispensable, immortal and revealed works as the Gita. This was highly painful especially when we have come to know that Prof. Gnoli of the University of Rome has translated 13 volumes of our Abhinavagupta into Italian and our Somanand‟s Shivdrishti has been included by the University of Rome in the syllabus of the Postgraduate studies in Eastern philosophy. 7.2 Shaivism is ever new and modern in its content and import. Its main theme is to revitalise the human individuality and make it creative in all aspects of human endeavour. Kashmir Branch of the AISCO has already started lecture series on the Gita and we are shortly issuing pamphlet to

disseminate the philosophy and ideals of Shaivism. This is being done only for the Saraswat community and we have no aim extending our field of ideological propaganda beyond the members of our community. (8) Our Sacred Crest 8.1 The significance of our Sacred Crest has been explained in detail by Shri D.N. Nadkarni in his article entitled 'Our Sacred Crest‟. 8.2 Our sacred crest represents a yajna or sacrificial fire with the pranava Om projected on the Vedic (Sacrificial fire sump) and sacrificial fire blazing out of the Hawan Kund is encircled with the motto ‘Yagyo

Yagyeu Kalptam', „May sacrifice be attained through sacrifice‟. 8.3 On September 2, our Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, said, today time had come when people must say „not what we can get from our country, but what we can give to our country.' In my view the concept as enunciated by the Prime Minister stands perfectly symbolized and communicated in our sacred crest. 8.4 Thus, I have striven in my humble way to place before you some of the facts relating to the ideology and the purpose of AISCO.

Om Namah Shivavah

With best compliments from

Trans Garments Company 3-Jorwar Bhawan, 93â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Mahreshi Karve Road, BOMB A Y - 20.

A Powerful Solution To Power Cut Problem Commins JYOTI

DIESEL GENERATING SETS AVAILABLE FROM 60 KW TO 75 KW ON SHORT DELIVERY BASIS BACKED BY EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE AFTER SALES SERVICE

TRADING ENGINEERS (International) PRIVATE LTD. 3/4A, ASAF ALI ROAD, NEW DELHI-110001. T e l : 272251-52, 273692 & 270392 Telex 2744 — Grams UNIBUILT

with best Compliments

INTRA DRUGS E. Himalaya House, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001.

With best compliments from

DELHI TYRES 873, Queen Road, DELHI.

Manufacturers of

Polyster Blended Suitings, Shirtings, Nylon Crimp Georgetts, Jacquards, Lining Cloth, Knitted Fabrics, Cotton Poplins, Drills, Sheetings, Longcloth, Crepes, Furnishing Cloth, Medium, Fine & Superfine Cotton, & Polyster Blended Yarn. Processors of

Calendring, Bleaching, Dyeing, Mercerising, Printing (Screen and Roller) and Finishing of all types of Cotton, Synthetic and Mixed Fabrics.

PODAR MILLS LIMITED * PODAR SILKS & SYNTHETICS LIMITED * PODAR SPINNING MILLS â&#x2DC;&#x2026;PODAR PROCESSORS * PODAR KNITTINGS LIMITED

With best compliments from

JAESSBRO & COMPANY Manufacturers and Exporters of Quality Zinc Oxide, Acid Slurry, Eetergents Textile Auxiliaries and allied products

Works at

Mile Stone Rasoi, G. T. Road, Sonepat

With best compliments from

Sharp Edge (India) 472/4 Chasti Chaman, Kishen Ganj, DELHI.

With best compliments from

Bansal Rubber Products 114 Darya Ganj, DELHI-6.

Manufacturers, Suppliers & Exporters of Quality Vee Belts & Allied Products ; Grams UJJUAL BANS

Solvent Chemicals 990, Gali Talian, Tilak Bazar, Delhi-6. PHONE OFF. 26 41 41 RES. 26 59 70

Dealers Stockists & Commission Agents

★ Heavy Chemicals ★ Commercial Acids ★ Colours ★ Solvents

GLOBAL LINKERS 3992, Ajmeri Gate, Delhi-110006. PHONES Office : 26 22 96, 26 48 84 Resi. 58 49 86 Telegrams “GLOBLINKER”

Manufacturers, Distributors & Dealers in

Ferro-Alloys, Foundry Raw Materials Foundry Fluxes, Virgin Metals, Graphite Electrodes, Ores, Insulations & M-Seal Epoxy Compounds.

We wish AISCO Conference a

Success

Southern India Trading Corporation Southern India Transport Service Lakshmi Textile Aqency Himalaya House, Palton Road, BOMBAY-1.

Tele 'SOUTHERNSâ&#x20AC;&#x;

Tel 261028

SPECIAL STEEL LIMITED Manufacturers of

Steel Wires-High Carbon, Medium Carbon Low Carbon, Alloy Steel, Stainless Steel etc.

REGISTERED OFFICE AND FACTORY Mouje Magathane, Dattapara Road, Borivli (East), Bombay-400 066.

Phone : 66 24 21

Grams : DRAWNWIRES

Telex : 26 52

For All Your Requirements of

“INDÜ” Positive Cinefilms (Black & White) and Medical X-Ray Films

Please Contact

REGE CINEEILMS LIMITED Distributors for

Hindustan Photo Films Mfg. Co. Ltd. (A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ENTERPRISE)

Registered Office INDUSTRIAL ASSURANCE BUILDING, 5th FLOOR. CHURCHGATE, BOMBAY—400 020

Branches at NEW DELHI—CALCUTTA-MADRAS

Bombay Office 227, DR. ANNIE BESANT ROAD. WORLI, BOMBAY—400 018 TEL. 4 5 2 8 3 6

Go for VIKASâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Winner Syndicate Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Vikas Cash Certificates fetch attractive returns on your investment. They come in denominations of Rs. 500/- and multiples thereof. They are best medium term investment earning Compound Interest. A Certificate of Rs- 500 fetches you Rs. 651.50 after 36 monthsAnd There are fobulous cash prizes ranging from Rs- 1000 to Rs. 25000/-. _

Step into any of our Branches for more details

SYNDICATEBANK Where Service is a Way of Life Head Office Manipal 576 119 (Karnataka)

Printed at Paramount Publishing House, New Delhi. Ph. 48711