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A September Story! In the hills of Khandala 25th September 2021, Sadhu Vaswani Mission continues its seva efforts in serving the needy households in the remote villages of Khandala. Once every week, the volunteers from Pune set out with van loaded with ration to reach the remote adivasi tribals. "These villagers are hutment dwellers and are living in abject conditions. The ration kits bring a huge relief to them. The adults, although they express their gratitude, it's the little ones and the senior citizens who are most expressive and their smiles reflect in ours," said a volunteer. "It feels pitiable to watch women with infants in their arms coming to collect the kits or the senior citizens walk their way to us, but we are utterly grateful to Beloved Dada that we have been able to reach them," he added. On this day, ration kits were distributed to 130 families and around 150 joy packets were given to little ones in the villages of Kumbhvali k wadi (31), Kharsundi k wadi (43), Niphan k wadi (56). A team of 11 volunteers, 5 from Pune and 6 from Pimpri conducted the seva.

Children in the Red Light Area Served! September 14, 2021 Pune Sadhu Vaswani Mission in its endeavour to bring joy to the little ones carries out sevas in the slums of Pune, four times a month. Among them is included the Budhwar Peth area, where the little ones of the red light area sisters are distributed joy packets. 14th September 2021, the Mission distributed joy packets to 200 kids from the area. The packets contained 2 biscuit packets, 2 chikki packets, a bhel packet & chocolates. "These little kids are deprived of the small joys that children deserve. The sevas is a small effort to bring a smile on their face, help them rise from the neglect and make them feel like a part of the society," said a Mission official.

21st & 22nd June 2021 626 Ration Kits Distributed at Junnar 21st and 22nd June 2021 Sadhu Vaswani Mission, in a two-day seva, distributed 626 ration kits to the tribal community at Junnar Taluka. The region is a mountainous terrain with several small villages in the Taluka. “We had to cover a distance of 300 km – two-way – each day. We, therefore, started early at 7:00 am. Once we got there we divided ourselves into 3 teams and dispersed to our shortlisted villages and completed the distribution. We had to wrap up the seva as early as possible given the distance we had to cover on our way back,” said a volunteer. The volunteers take small breaks to have their lunch meals and resume the distribution immediately. At times, they have to have their meals as they are moving from one location to another. “The seva continues post our return as the sanitizing and loading of ration kits, by the packaging team, for the next day begins immediately,” he added. The seva benefited the tribal community that has been reeling under the loss of wages owing to the ongoing pandemic.

11th June - 2nd July, 2021 Sadhu Vaswani Mission, in an effort to reach out to needy families belonging to the tribals – Thakur tribe, Katkari tribe and Mahadev Koli tribe – undertook several trips to distribute ration kits. Volunteers called the villages ‘unchartered territory’. And, therefore, they would leave during the early hours of the morning with a survey sheet provided by the local authorities and reach out to the needy tribes. “These communities, most of whom are engaged in primitive occupations and manual labour, have suffered immensely from the pandemic curbs. When we were informed of their distress, we began procurement of supplies for preparing ration kits,” shared a volunteer. The packaging team, working on a tight timeline, completed the packing and loading of ration kits ready-to-be distributed. The distribution team following a 2-hour journey and then traversing through the remote areas reached the villages where the beneficiaries were queued up and waiting for the kits. “Since we had to cover several villages and ensure that we do not linger much after the sunset as these regions are mostly without street lights and the roads deserted, we completed the distribution at a quick pace,” added the volunteer. The volunteers had earlier suffered a vehicle breakdown and escaped a near-death experience, which is why, keeping their safety in mind while making sure that the seva goes on, they are requested to reach the meeting point in time. The distribution was completed in 6 trips with 531 families receiving the ration kits.

The Mission distributed food supplies, gas stoves for cooking animal food and essential miscellaneous items to animal shelters and stray feeders across the city on 12th May & 12th June 2021, as part of its monthly sevas, and in observance of Dada Yagna — Remembrance Day of Dada J.P. Vaswani. Upasana Foundation, Alandi was in dire need of utensils and a gas stove for cooking a minimum of 25kgs rice at a time. The owner, Vaishali, was collecting money to fund the purchase. Sadhu Vaswani Mission has been serving the foundation since the pandemic hit. Upon realising the need, the Mission provided 16"X16" 2 big utensils with lids, and 2 filled gas cylinders. “All this while, she has been using wood to cook. The smoke that emits is a cause of concern to the neighbours and they were against the use of it. While she was in a dilemma, the help was not only timely but also unexpected and brought tears to her eyes,” said a volunteer. “She began using it the very next day and the cooking that would usually take 8-9 hours now takes 1-2 hours. Moreover, Vaishali shared with us how she would cook a specific amount of rice at a time and feed the strays in batches and how the strays would have to wait with hunger. It’s pleasant news that all the strays can now be fed at the same time and none has to wait!” added the volunteer. While the world is battling the pandemic, there continue to exist people who are willing to give their all for the cause of animals. One such incident is that of a lady who is undergoing a rough patch in her life financially for her husband is being paid only half his salary due to the pandemic. “She saw 5 pups being harmed by people in her colony at Bhopla Chowk Market (Gattar/Khada market); one of them even hammered the pup. She immediately jumped to their rescue and took them to a vet. Not one to leave them back on the road to be troubled by the cruel acts of people, she has taken their responsibility although she herself lives in a tiny tin shed house. She is now being helped by another stray feeder that the Mission caters to. We have added her to our list of beneficiaries and thank Beloved Dada for such kind hearted souls,” shared the volunteer. In yet another incident, the Mission was moved by the compassionate heart of an elderly man who the volunteers now fondly call as ‘Shaikh Uncle’. Shaik uncle who lives in a one-room residence in Yerwada and works for his living at an advanced age as his is blessed with a ‘Heart of Gold’. His means are less but his spirit of service is undeterred. An electrician by profession, he takes us small assignments that earn him a meagre income with which he sustains himself, his wife and feeds strays chapattis, rice, and biscuits. His heart is one of giver and never a taker. It is said of him that if he is offered help he returns the favour in his own ways. When the Mission volunteers heard of him and his noble heart they urged him to accept Beloved Dada’s prasad for the voiceless ones. With blessings and a kind smile, he accepted the offering. May 2021 distributions included: rice 5000kg, poha 5000kg, and biscuit cartons approx. weight of biscuits in kg = 1400 kg. June 2021 distributions included: rice — 1600 kg to Mission Possible, 700 kg to Upasana Foundation, 100 kg to Prani Seva Kendra (Camp), 50 kg to a stray feeder at Yerwada, 550 kg to another stray feeder at Camp; 2200 kg poha to Mission Possible, 500 kg to Upasana Foundation, 100 kg to a stray feeder at Urli Kanchan, 200 kg to a stray feeder at VishrantWadi; and biscuits cartons to the stray feeders and shelters. Additionally, 11 tarpaulin sheets and empty cartons were provided to Upasana Foundation to weather the monsoons. Stray Animals Seva | Glimpses | Sadhu Vaswani Mission - https://youtu.be/cgkUTMLSVWg

12th June 2021 12th June 2021, Sadhu Vaswani Mission served 150 ration kits to the Katkari and Thakur tribes at Bhorgiri Village near Bhimashankar and neighbouring areas. Bhorgiri is located in a lush green expanse, with a combination of the plateau and hilly terrain, with a scenic beauty unlike any other! Tourists look forward to a quiet retreat from their every day, rushed lives. But the story is different now, with the pandemic continuing to spread across states and cities and even into the rural regions, the place has a deserted look with only the inhabitants occupying it. Moreover, belonging to the tribal community their occupations are primitive and therefore they are in dire need of everyday supplies. Sadhu Vaswani Mission, further to a survey and a list of the tribes provided by the local authorities, in a one-day, seva carried out the distribution of ration kits. “The condition is utterly poor and what bothered us the most was their living conditions. At one place, we saw over 25 people living in the tiny houses constructed in the middle of the fields. We had to walk all the way and the place was muddy from the rains. We had to walk cautiously to save us from slipping in the mud; it is impossible to walk with footwear. Most of the tribes were walking barefoot here. Their need was urgent!” recalled a volunteer. The Mission in 2 cars and with 5 volunteers conducted this seva.

2nd July 2021 Each year, come June and the morning hours are filled with the chatter of children getting ready for school. Rickshaw drivers honking at stops, calling for their lot, and plying them to school is scene common to the roads of the city. However, the pandemic curbs resulted in the shutting of schools and education has temporarily moved online. But what of the transporters? Indeed, a hit on their income! Taking note of the situation, Sadhu Vaswani Mission distributed ration kits to rickshaw drivers who drop the students of St. Mira’s school all year and ensure their safety. “The income of the drivers is definitely not nil but the major portion of their income was from the revenue of school transport. Moreover, in most cases they are the sole breadwinners and have EMI’s to pay. We therefore thought that it was necessary to provide them with rations,” said a volunteer. The beneficiaries were extremely grateful and expressed their gratitude to our volunteers. “Most of the recipients personally thanked us. Most of them have faith in Beloved Dada, Expressing their inability to visit the Sacred Samadhi owing to the pandemic restrictions; some even gave us offerings of coconut to be placed at Beloved Dada’s Sacred Samadhi. We made them place the coconut before the portrait of Dada that we have in our vehicles to give them the feeling of having offered it with their hands, they were immensely pleased. We later ensured that the arpanams reached the Samadhi,” added the volunteer. The ration kits have been distributed to last for a month. Depending on further government regulations on the lockdown, the Mission shall review the situation of the drivers. A total of 66 ration kits were distributed.

Prayer is the most powerful force that anyone can ever generate.— Rev. Dada J.P. Vaswani 26th April to 16th May 2021, Sadhu Vaswani Mission held a 21-day virtual session — Prayers for Universal Well-being. This came as a humble effort, amid the raging pandemic, to harness the power of prayer and begin the day with a collective effort to send healing vibrations to relieve suffering and pain of people. The 10-minute sessions started at 8 AM IST with chanting the sacred Gayatri Mantra 11 times followed by Revered Dada’s prayer. Viewers and devotees joining from across the globe, chanted along with the video. The video also included a prayer of Rev. Dada J.P. Vaswani, narrated by Didi Krishna Kumari. The prayer read as: O Lord, In these challenging times, our hearts turn to thee O Merciful One, do listen to our plea Thou art the ocean of mercy and compassion Great as are our trespasses Thy mercy is infinitely greater We seek refuge in thy mercy and surrender our lives in thy safe hands Thou art our strength and support and stay Keep us healthy and safe we pray May your healing grace be poured on us all May all be happy and full of peace and bliss May all be free from disease, sorrow, ignorance and pain Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Participants from the world-over related their experiences. Vaneeta Nanwani said, “It was really heart soothing and caressed the mind with peace and tranquillity. Much needed." While Ms. Hanan from Israel said, “It’s great to join these prayers and pray all together every day first thing in the morning.” Another attendee added, “I wait every day for 8 AM!” Children too participated in the morning prayers. The playlist is available here: https://bit.ly/3tXviJH

Sadhu Vaswani Mission serves remote tribes in Ambegaon · Braveheart volunteers maneuver treacherous terrains & deep valleys · 550 Ration kits distributed in 48 villages · Thakur Tribe, Katkari Tribe, and Mahadev Koli Tribe served in the remote interiors · Miraculous escape reaffirms faith and resolve to serve · Old innocent tribal woman offers to pay for the ration from her meagre savings Epilogue: “A serpentine climb, we were on a dizzying height, a deep, dark valley right behind us and our vehicle broke down. It had poured heavily and the muddy roads were extremely slippery; the accelerator failed to do its job, the break was struggling to function, and the hand brake wouldn’t work. Slowly but scarily, the vehicle began to slip behind…” In time, the volunteer on the passenger seat got out of the vehicle as did the volunteer on the wheel continue to struggle. Thinking on the feet, the volunteer found a huge stone that could help stall the vehicle until they could figure something out. On their lips were the words, “Dada, Dada, Dada’… And that’s how the story unfolds… Ambegaon Diaries Begins: Sadhu Vaswani Mission received a distress call from a local social activist who works towards the welfare of tribes; Thakur Tribe, Katkari Tribe, and Mahadev Koli Tribe in the Ambegaon Taluka and others across Maharashtra. The Mission was apprised of their pitiable condition and how the pandemic has cost them dearly and how their livelihood has been severely impacted. Hastening and heeding to the call, Sadhu Vaswani Mission began the service efforts and sent out help. 3rd June 2021, a group of 6 volunteers in two cars set out to serve in the region. “Starting at 8:00 AM from the Mission we reached a densely populated village at 10:30 AM; completed a part of our ration kit distribution, catered to the select-tribes. Then, we split into two teams to go into the interiors of the Taluka where other villagers lived. We also made this our meeting point to assemble once the distribution was done to head home,” said a Mission volunteer. Here on, the terrains were hilly, difficult, and risky and the villages inaccessible and remote. Accompanied by the social activist and few others the volunteers, in their vehicles, followed them into the interiors of Ambegaon. With the tribes being scattered across Ambegaon, the volunteers made several halts in each village and distributed ration kits to them. “The areas we drove through are deserted for kilometres with no one in the vicinity. There were times when we lost our way and had to look for help, for some local whom we could spot and proceed with our journey. Also, with one village being at a distance of 5-10 kilometres from another it was quite a task. But the sheer joy and contentment that we saw on the faces of the people who received the kits was enough to make it all worth the effort! They are all with a grateful heart and their gratitude is genuine,” added the volunteer. The social activist had a list ready, would brief the locals and the volunteers would execute the distribution with strict adherence to the pandemic protocols. On day 1 of the distribution, 240 ration kits were distributed and the volunteers after an all-day seva returned by 10:30 PM. Ambegaon Diaries Continues: 5th June 2021, the volunteers once again set out to complete the pending distribution. This day was one of myriad experiences — from meeting an old lady with a bent spine but a generous heart, to a young lady living on her own in a paralytic condition and the volunteers in a vehicle breakdown escaping a life-threatening fall in the deep valleys; it was one eventful day! “We continued with the sevas as we had done on day one. But today was different. One team was out and serving and we were a part of the other. Our vehicle broke down and we were scarily positioned on a slope with our van edging to the cliff. All we could do was pray to our Beloved Master Dada JP Vaswani and miraculously we are here, narrating the story. As soon as my volunteer friend in the passenger seat got down and the vehicle that was ahead of us realised that we are in a spot, they immediately helped us and we found a stone that could stall the van. Meanwhile, I was struggling to accelerate and keep the vehicle from going down to the cliff; in all of it was Beloved Dada’s hands for none – the brake, the accelerator or the hand brake were doing their job as they should, all they did was keep us up and we know that was Dada! But again this was a sign; we were stranded in an area where the need was dire.” A tractor was called and the volunteer's van was towed for about 60 kilometres. Meanwhile, they unloaded the ration kits, a load that possibly made the vehicle struggle on the slope. Undeterred after this experience they continued the distribution. Here, they found a lady who was paralysed and living on her own in a dark room without electricity. The lady, still bedridden, thanked the volunteers and related her sorry condition. Another experience was that of an old lady. “The elderly lady’s spine was bent and she was coating a shed with cow dung when we spotted her. When we brought her the ration kits, she immediately asked us to accompany her to her home which was another 500-meter walk and that we did. As soon as we got there, we had a surprising question waiting for us, with a smile and utter innocence she asked, ‘what shall I pay for this?’ The sincerity despite her condition moved us into tears. We sought her blessings and she asked us to wait for tea. But given the protocols, we had to leave. It made us think how contentment is a virtue and generosity isn’t always about money,” shared the volunteer. With the van still in Ambegaon and the volunteers returning home in one car at 1:00 AM the following day, it was quite a seva experience. On day 2 of the sevas, 210 ration kits were distributed. Each ration kit consists of 5kg wheat flour, 5kg rice, 1kg dal, 1kg pulses, 1kg poha/sabudana/suji, 1kg sugar, 1litre cooking oil, and 250gms tea that will last the families a minimum of 15 days. Ambegaon Diaries Concludes: 7th June 2021, the Mission sent additional 100 ration kits to a local coordinator who will conclude the sevas with the distribution of the kits. Over 3 days, the Mission distributed 550 ration kits in the Ambegaon Taluka.

Mahabaleshwar earlier, Panchgani now! 31st May 2021, Sadhu Vaswani Mission adopted 150 starving horses at Panchgani, committing to provide feed for them. Earlier, the Mission adopted 147 horses from Mahabaleshwar who were facing a similar situation owing to the second wave of the pandemic. “Once we committed to providing food for the horses at Mahabaleshwar, we realised that the situation would be similar in other regions where tourism is the basic earning factor. Following a survey, we found that another 150 horses in Panchgani were undergoing the same plight, we decided to support them also,” said the spokesperson. The fodder is sourced from a local provider. Each horse eats about 10 kgs of fodder per day. The cost of the fodder is Rs. 10 per kg. The daily cost for feeding a horse is Rs. 100. The Mission plans to continue serving the horses until the need is there. The activities, coordination and supervision are regularly done by the Mission volunteers. Related News Links: * Punekar News - https://www.punekarnews.in/150-horses-in-panchgani-rescued-by-sadhu-vaswani-mission/ * Pune Pulse - https://www.mypunepulse.com/sadhu-vaswani-mission-adopted-150-starving-horses-from-panchgani/ * 297 horses abandoned in Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani; Sadhu Vaswani mission to the rescue - https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/297-horses-abandoned-in-mahabaleshwar-panchgani-sadhu-vaswani-mission-to-the-rescue-101622567879190.html

Sadhu Vaswani Mission, in its endeavor to serve the voiceless ones, has adopted 147 starving horses at Mahabaleshwar. Mahabaleshwar, a picturesque hill station and a weekend getaway for the residents of Pune and other cities of Maharashtra, is bearing the brunt of the pandemic. With the lockdown in force and people restricted from traveling for leisure, the hill station wears a look of gloom. With tourism at a stand-still, the conditions are pitiable. Another segment that has suffered immensely is one of the major tourist attractions here — horse-riding. With the owners of the horses being unable to meet ends, the horses are close to losing their lives to starvation; their condition worse than any of our imagination (pictures and videos attached). An aristocratic and regal pride of the animal kingdom today appears enfeebled and malnourished; a tragedy in itself. It is here that the Sadhu Vaswani Missioncomes into the picture. 22nd May 2021,the Mission received an SOS for saving the starving horses. 23rd May 2021, the Mission, immediately swung into action. A group of 8 volunteers, in two cars, started from the Pune Headquarters at 8:00 AM. Given the pandemic restrictions and owing to several check posts, a journey that usually takes two and half hours was delayed. When the volunteers finally made it to the location, they encountered the condition of the horses. “When we reached the location, we were immensely troubled and disturbed at the sight that we saw. 3-4 horses cooped up in a tiny room and how malnourished they were! We came across 25 such horses and we were told of over 115+ horses that were in this state across Mahabaleshwar. The owners shared their plight with us and said that the horses are their breadwinners and with tourism stalled, it is impossible to manage their livelihood let alone feeding the horses. Besides, what they are feeding too is insufficient for them,” said a Mission volunteer. The volunteers, realizing the essence of the time and also the logistical difficulty in commuting from Pune to Mahabaleshwar regularly, began scouting for a local fodder supplier. “Each horse requires 10kgs of fodder per day. We, therefore, had to look for a local supplier who would be willing to deliver the fodder to the owners. Finally, we found one who agreed to our requirements,” added the volunteer. After a day-long journey coupled with pouring rains, the volunteers reached Pune at 10 PM. Nevertheless, the efforts resulted in the Sadhu Vaswani Mission adopting 147 horses. The cost of the fodder is Rs. 10/- kg – a day’s cost for one horse is Rs. 100/- per day with each horse consuming 10kgs of fodder/day. The Mission will be providing fodder to horses for 15 days, to begin with, and continue the seva efforts until things return to normalcy at the hill station. To ensure delivery of the fodder, volunteers would be overseeing and supervising the activity by visiting Mahabaleshwar at least twice a week.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission, in continuance of its seva efforts, distributed 1600 ration kits to specially-abled persons in about 70 villages of Purandar Taluka. The sevas were carried out over 4 days from 20th – 24th May 2021. The second wave of the pandemic that hit worse than before has once again impacted lives and livelihoods; one such instance is that of the specially-abled community in the Purandar Taluka. Work opportunities have been hit hard and they are undergoing an immensely difficult phase so much so that securing a two-square meal is a struggle. This was brought to the attention of the Mission by the Tehsildar. The Sadhu Vaswani Mission, to offer them aid during these challenging times, organised a ration kit distribution. The Tehsildar carried out a survey and shared a list of specially-abled persons in need of the ration kits. Upon receiving the list, ration kits were packed. The distribution spanned over 4 trips, with 3 teams of 3+ volunteers. Ration kits included tur dal 1 kg, moong dal 1 kg, green moong 1 kg, sugar 2 kgs, tea 1/4, cooking oil 1 litre, salt 1 kg, chilli powder 100 gm, dhaniya powder 100 gm, haldi powder 100 gm, kanda lasun masala 200 gms. The Mission was informed that rice is grown locally and is available in surplus hence excluded from the kit. Additionally, hygiene kits were also given.