‘Following unique tradition of Bhiksha Pheri from 400 years’

By Rajendra Diwe :

Ramdas Swami Sansthan from Sajjangad is organisng Bhiksha Pheri in different areas in city

Jai Jai Raghuveer Samarth! The chant by Swmarth Ramdas Swami, when he used to visit from door-to-door for Bhiksha, had awakened social minds, inculcated a sense of togetherness, commitment and patriotism. After more than 400 years, in 2019, a descendent of Samarth Ramdas Swami’s 11th generation ‘Bhushan Swami’ is following the footsteps of Samarth Ramdas Swami and roaming on the different roads in Nagpur city with the same chant Jai Jai Raghuveer Samarth!! Swnarth Ramdas Swami galvanised people to believe in themselves and to work towards winning freedom and towards self-actualisation. His teachings comprise devotion and meditation coupled with worldly prowess and transformation. Considering all humans equal, he encouraged women to take up key roles and to participate in religious events.

He also worked to remove distinctions of caste and creed. Now, his successor trying to awake the modern, educated, so called cultured, civilized people enjoying freedom and exploiting others to fulfill their worldly desires. Bhushan Swami, President of Ramdas Swami Sansthan Sajjangad has come all the way from Satara district and organizing Bhiksha Pheri daily in city. Talking to The Hitavada at the premises of Sant Dnyaneshwar Mandir in Bajaj Nagar on Monday, he said, “400 years ago, people of India in general and of Maharashtra in particular were facing lot of miseries of the invaders who became rulers. In modern India, people are being harassed by our own rulers.

The mind pollution has grabbed the society. The educated intellectuals are suffering from number of hazards of advancements. In such situations, only principles and teachings of Samarth Ramdas Swami work as remedy for the social disaster. With the aim to spread the principles of Ramdas Swami and bring social harmony, we are conducting Bhiksha Pheri in city.” “Bhiksha Pheri is a unique process of connecting society. When people are unable to reach to Samarth Ramdas Swami, we have decided to take Ramdas Swami to their respective houses. Bhiksha Pheri is the wonderful way to reach to different people despite from their castes, creeds, faiths, religions and customs.

This is the method by which one could understand pains, sorrows and problems of each person in society. It is also a process to inculcate reading habits in society and preach good thoughts in people,” Swami said. Ramdas Swami Sansthan has a publication division by the name Samarth Granth Bhandar. The books written by Samarth Ramdas Swami are available for sale by Granth Bhandar. Purshottam Kulkarni, Director of Books Division said, “There are 350 books published by Granth Bhandar and other publishers. The books are either written by Samarth Ramdas Swami or by other eminent authors on Ramdas Swami. Books in Marathi, Hindi, and English are available in the stall.

But in the era of whasapp, facebook and internet, people do not want to read books. We are also planning to spread principles of Samarth Ramdas Swami through the new media.” Bhushan Swami explained the generations of Samarth Ramdas Swami and said, “The name of elder brother of Ramdas Swami was Gangadhar. The disciples of Ramdas Swami named Uddhav Swami and Akka Swami were following the traditions of Sajjangad fort for almost 35 years. The decision was taken during the period of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a son of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj to hand over the care taking of Sajjangad fort to the successor of Ramdas Swami. Ramchandra Maharaj, the son of Gangadhar Swami was the second care taker after Gangadhar Swami. Since last 11 generations we are following the traditions of Ramdasi Sampradaya.