WHC-lll- ‘And Program Turned Historic’!

   Evening hours on 10^th February! The youthfulness of grand “Shri Guruji Campus” in Prayag Kumbha Fair area at its peak! Rapidity in the hearts of young workers who were continuously on work for the past one month! 60 towns of tents were built in just 15 days time. 15000 small & big tents were erected. The impossible task of constructing 6000 toilets with fitting of same number of water taps was completed in merely 7 days time. The construction of 18 Km of road and commissioning of 50 Km of pipeline was made possible in just 10 days. 350 Acres of land was ornately made ready for the program in just 15 days. The preparations for the lodging & boarding of 2.5 Lacs delegates were complete. During the month long preparations, at many occasions, it seemed as if the congregation might have to be organized under the open sky. Almighty put us to stringent tests but simultaneously showered us with the windfall of helps from all corners. There was satisfaction to everyone; task entrusted with were completed in time. But all of a sudden what had happened to “Lord Indra” that it started raining heavily? It was not envisaged by anyone of us. Everybody astonished! A situation of bewilderment! By the time we could recollect, there was tumult everywhere. The sweat, poured in to build the empire, seemed billowing out of eyes seeing the empire being razed. Everyone having only one question in mind; Oh Almighty! What’s going on? What were we being punished for?

      No one could sleep whole night. Heavy raining had entirely disrupted the power supply. The complete darkness all around was further terrifying the circumstances. Inside the tent, even getting the shelter from rain was difficult, forgot about having had the sleep. Rain over the heads and ground transformed into mud! Now, even passing a single minute there, was almost impossible. At dawn, flocks came out of their respective towns erected with tents. No one knew the destination. Everyone desiring only one thing; since we were at “Prayag” we must first had a dip in the holy Ganga at “Sangam”. Thus, within a fraction of time, there was a crowd of thousands of people at “Sangam”. But where to proceed after the bath at “Sangam”? The grand “Shri Guruji Campus” was completely razed. There was no point in going there. Thus, all streets of Prayag were filled with the wandering delegates.

There at the railway station, the space was overcrowded due to the arrival of more delegates. They were also unaware about where to proceed? It seemed like an unending competition between the arriving delegates and the rain; no one inferior to other. And all of a sudden, everyone caught the sight of what we had been told of for centuries. “The Krishna of Gokul” descended all of a sudden; lifted the “Govardhan” at His index finger and destroyed the pride of “Indra” by providing shelter to the people of “Gokul”. “Prayag” had also transformed into “Gokul”. Ma. Ashokji and Pravinbhai had arrived at the railway station at dawn itself. Other workers started supervising the work and keeping watch at the “Shri Guruji Campus” front. In the meantime, someone spread the rumor that the program had been adjourned and the workers from nearby the Prayag area might go back home. But it’s the miracle of the Supreme-Soul disguising as society that whole Prayag came forward to bail Vishwa Hindu Parishad out of that testing situation. The psychological barriers of society, organizations & administration were all removed. The buildings of all schools & colleges of Prayag were made available for the delegates. When even 50 such institutions could not accommodate the delegates, families opened their doors to provide accommodation, as if whole Prayag city had transformed itself into ‘Shri Guruji Campus”. Each home had become a “tent-town”. The human-ocean, walking 10-15 Km with luggage over head and drenched in rain, disappeared from the roads in no time and took shelter at one or other place. Hundreds of self motivated families devoted themselves feeding those unexpected guests. By the evening food and other things were arranged but the acute shortage of space to stretch a little remained unsolved. While the night of 10^th February was passed in rain at “Shri Guruji Campus” and at railway station, we had the shelter over head on 11^th February but the space available was insufficient even to sit properly forget about having had the sleep. But never mind; delegates started singing devotional songs/”bhajans” and passed the night sitting inside their respective shelters. The next morning, having had inadequate arrangements to get fresh and bathe, almost everyone again approached “Maa Ganga” and took holy dip at “Sangam”.

      On 12^th morning, “God Sun” appeared as if proclaiming that we had passed the test of the time and God had saluted the utter devotion of its devotees. The lucent faces of Lacs of devotees were gaining luster with the increasing sheen of “God Sun”. Like a student, everybody looked consoled by having had passed the trial of the Nature’s wrath. With full zeal, everyone again started moving on foot towards the 10-15 Km distant “Shri Guruji Campus”. By 12 O’ clock in the noon, the conference venue was completely filled with delegates and all senior workers/office bearers and distinguished saints had taken their respective seats on the dais. In the meantime, a very senior govt. official from administration came congratulating and said, “Shyamji! Till date, we had evaluated Vishwa Hindu Parishad based upon the reports in newspapers and television. But, from what we saw yesterday, we are remorseful that we were absolutely wrong. Approximate 2.5 to 3 lacs people kept wandering in the city whole day and that too without food & water and no untoward incident took place. Had it been with any other organization, only God knows what would have happened to the city? And, today program has started with full zeal as if nothing happened yesterday.”

      I was also thinking, had there been no rain, program would have been extremely grand and successful. But perhaps Almighty had planned some other way. Now, the program had become so historical that it will be kept on being remembered for next 20-25 years. This generation will tell coming generation about how is our Vishwa Hindu Parishad, which God had given us an opportunity to have pride on.