Editorial: Moral Culture - Basis of Spiritual Life
Life has become so complex and diversified that each branch of knowledge and action has developed its
own code of conduct. Hence there is business ethics, medical ethics, legal ethics, etc. Ethics is
concerned with how a moral person should behave. It encapsulates those principles that define behaviour
as right or wrong. What is 'right' or 'wrong' may be debatable under certain conditions. Different
individuals may have different viewpoints regarding the notion of right and wrong.
In the Hindu scriptures it has been pointed out that those who have an unrestrained mind and are devoid
of right understanding become uncontrollable like the wicked horses of a charioteer. Such persons,
usually called asuras, cause positive harm to themselves and are a menace to society. Those that
neglect or stray away from the path of moral culture suffer great losses. "Lust, anger and greed are
the three gateways to hell," says Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita.
In Vedanta there are broad guidelines for establishing moral culture. Firstly Vedanta emphasises that
there can never be any true spiritual life without a strict moral basis. Ethics is the foundation of
spiritual life. All saints gave important consideration to the cultivation of moral values and
virtues. In Sri Ramakrishna's life we notice how uncompromisingly he adhered to truth. He could not
take another person's possession without permission or cause harm to anybody. His life is saturated
with ethical principles in all his encounters with people and under all circumstances. In the beginning
of spiritual life the aspirant may be able to draw a distinction between moral culture and spiritual
practices like meditation, etc., but as he or she advances, the dividing line between the two disappears.
The two become inseparably fused with each other. "A master dancer nevertakes a false step" says Sri
Ramakrishna. In all his minute actions Sri Ramakrishna exemplified the highest standards of moral
adherences combined with spiritual realisations. He is therefore hailed as a 'paragon of virtues' - a
role-model that would inspire all. A role-model is essential in constructing the foundations of
spiritual life.
In the Bhagavad Gita (3:20) Lord Krishna tells us that he does not cease to act nor should others
cease from action. In trying to develop Arjuna as a role-model He advises him, "Also, with a view to
guiding people (on the right path), you should perform action." Emphasizing the great responsibility
of leaders the Lord declares (Bhagavad Gita 3:21):
"Whatever a great man does,
that others follow.
Whatever standard he sets,
that the world follows."
Now, what does moral culture do? Moral culture is not a goal in itself. The Vedanta teaches us that it
leads us to the state of purity. Put simply, clean behaviour leads to a clean mind. Just as a doctor
or nurse has to be scrupulous about the principles of hygiene before carrying out a procedure
successfully, in a similar way mental hygiene is the basis of obtaining God's grace. It is said that
the bonds of the devotee are cut asunder through the mercy of God. "This mercy," says Swami Vivekananda,
"comes to the pure. So purity is the condition of His mercy. How that mercy acts! He reveals Himself to
the pure heart; and the pure and stainless man sees God, yea, even in this life. Then and then only, all
the crookedness of the heart is made straight. Then all doubts cease. Man is no longer the sport of the
terrible laws of causation." Indeed moral culture leads to purity and purity in thought, word and deed
invites the grace of God upon us.
The Sweeper and His Saviour - Abhaya Das Gupta
(The Lord's grace is not bound by limitations of caste, colour or creed. His love flows equally to
all. In this article, Abhaya Das Gupta, describes the loving interaction between Sri Ramakrishna and
Rasik Hadi, the sweeper at the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, Kolkata.)
'Don't worry, you will attain the highest. You will also see me at the hour of your death ' - Thus
Sri Ramakrishna assured Rasik.
But who was this fortunate Rasik? Rasik, that is, Rasik Hadi, was a sweeper. He cleaned the pathways
and toilets in the Kali temple complex at Dakshineshwar. Sri Ramakrishna affectionately called him
'Raske'. Rasik watched Sri Ramakrishna from a distance. He saw streams of Calcutta 'Babus' visiting
him and prostrating themselves before him. He never dared to go close to him. He was aware of his
limitations: his caste, his occupation, poverty and ignorance. He felt Ramakrishna was God in human
form, like Rama or Krishna. Why he did so he did not know. How much he wanted to talk to him or touch
his feet! But he did not have the courage to do that; he was only a sweeper!
One day he saw Ramakrishna at some distance from him. He was coming towards him. He got frightened.
How could he stand face to face before one who was God? He hid himself behind a tree. But when
Ramakrishna came closer, he could not control himself. Rasik dashed out from behind the tree and fell
at Sri Ramakrishna's feet, tears trickling down his cheeks. He said, 'Father, won't you be kind to me?
What will be my fate without your grace?'1 Rasik's words touched Sri Ramakrishna. He at once went into
samadhi. After some time when he camedown to normal consciousness, he gave Rasik the assurance
mentioned above.
Rasik lived in a by-lane off T. N. Biswas Road, at Dakshineshwar. In his lecture, 'My Master,'2
Swami Vivekananda said, 'My Master would go to a Pariah (low caste person) and ask permission to clean
his house. The Pariah would not permit it, for it was against the caste rules. So in the dead of
night, when all were sleeping, Ramakrishna would enter the house. He had long hair, and with his hair
he would wipe the place, saying, "Oh, my Mother, make me the servant of the Pariah, make me feel that
I am even lower than the Pariah.'" This Pariah was Rasik, one of Ramakrishna's best devotees.
According to The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna one day was talking to his devotees about
Mahamaya. Then he said, 'One day as I was meditating, my mind wandered away to Rasik's house. He is a
scavenger. I said to my mind, "Stay there, you rogue!" The Divine Mother revealed to me that everybody
in that house had a mask on his face; inside them was the same Divine Power, Kundalini, that rises up
through the six spiritual centres of the body.'3 Sri Ramakrishna used to say, 'Lovers of God have no
caste. Through the divine love, an untouchable becomes pure, the Pariah remains no longer a Pariah.'
Rasik loved God. He was as good as a brahmin.
Ramlaldada's Account
Ramlal was Sri Ramakrishna's nephew. He lived at Dakshineshwar and was in close touch with Sri
Ramakrishna. Later, he became chief priest of the Kali temple at Dakshineshwar. Ramlaldada - that is
how he is referred to in the Ramakrishna Order - narrates the following incident: 'He (Sri
Ramakrishna) was resting one pleasant afternoon on the verandah of his room. All of a sudden, he
stood up and pointed to Rasik, who was passing that way at that time. He said in a voice choked with
emotion that Rasik was not an insignificant person. He was from heaven, a god in human form.'
Ramlaldada was taken aback! He knew old Rasik very well. He was only a sweeper, yet Sri Ramakrishna
paid such compliments to him!
He next gives an eye-witness account4 of another day's meeting between Sri Ramakrishna and Rasik: Sri
Ramakrishna was coming back from the pine grove. Rasik was then sweeping the area known as Panchavati.
Usually, if Rasik ever saw Sri Ramakrishna coming, he would stand aside with folded hands. This time
he fell at his feet. With his winning smile Thakur asked how he was keeping. Rasik stood erect and
said, 'Sir, who am I? Only a low-caste man. What difference does it make if I am well or not?'
Sri Ramakrishna told him he had no reason to feel unhappy about his social status. He was born a man,
the highest of God's creations. The Supreme Spirit dwelt in him. Sri Ramakrishna also reminded him
that Sri Ramachandra had embraced Guhak, also a low-caste man. Bharat and Lakshman both treated Guhak
as their own elder brother. A low-born man who recited the name of Hari with love was superior to a
brahmin who did not care for God. Pointing at the temples Sri Ramakrishna said that there could be no
discrimination between one man and another before the Divine Mother. All men and women, irrespective
of their caste and creed, were Her offspring. It was Rasik's good fortune that he was given the sacred
task of sweeping the temple yard sanctified by devotees, who came to worship at the shrines.
With tears Rasik said, 'Tell me, father, shall I be saved?' With a gracious smile Sri Ramakrishna said
to him, 'Raise a small grove of tulsi plants in one corner of your house. Everyday sing devotional
songs there. Continue doing this to the last day of your life. You will realise God... .' Having said
this Sri Ramakrishna walked back to his room.
Sometime after this, one day Ramlaldada happened to meet Rasik's wife at the Panchavati. When she saw
Ramlaldada, she started weeping. Ramlaldada asked what made her weep. She said that Rasik was
seriously ill. His sons had called a qualified physician, but Rasik refused to take medicines. He
said he did not want any medicines. He wanted only charanamrita (that is, water used in washing Mother
Kali's feet).
Ramlaldada handed to her some charanamrita. Rasik took that water with a few tulsi leaves. He wouldn't
eat or drink anything else. A few days later Ramlaldada personally went to enquire how Rasik was
doing. He discovered that he had passed away. Rasik's relations then narrated to him how his death
had come: One day Rasik told the members of his family to take their meals as soon as possible. After
they had had their meals, he told them to carry him to the tulsi grove. He lay down on a mat with his
rosary in his hands. He asked his relations to sit round him and sing devotional songs. After half an
hour his face suddenly looked bright: his eyes were fixed in one direction and there was a smile on
his face. He cried out, 'Look, Father has come, Father has come!' He then closed his eyes.
A halo of peace and happiness shone round his face.
References:
Satprasatnga, Swami Vishuddhananda, Vol. 2, p. 50, 1990 (Bengali).
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 4, p. 175.
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Vol. 1, p. 291, 1988.
Udbodhan, 1358 B.S., p. 296 - 300 (Bengali).
(Reprinted from: Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, vol. XLVII,
March 1996.)
The End of a Journey
(The following is an account of the Holy Mother's, Sri Sarada Devi's, boundless grace. Through it,
Sri Vaidyanathan, a retired civil servant of Coimbatore, India, reached the end of his journey in a
remarkable way.)
Sri Vaidyanathan retired as the Tehshildar (district official) under the Government service. Near his
house at Jai Nagar, Coimbatore, there was a branch of Ramakrishna Math. Vaidyanathan, during his busy
days, did not find time to enter the premises of the Math. Now, after his retirement, things about him
had not changed much. Still, one day, while passing by the Math, he, without his knowing, felt an urge to
drop in. In this way, he began his journey to the unknown. His pious wife also joined him in his new
venture. Both of them made the Math their second home.
Days rolled on. Vaidyanathan was happy and peaceful beyond his imagination. One evening, while he sat
in the temple to attend arati (vesper service), he saw the picture of Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi,
becoming animated. She came out of the picture with two hands stretched towards Vaidyanathan. He
could not dismiss the vision to be mere imagination as it had left a deep impression on his mind.
The same vision was repeated for three consecutive days. Vaidyanathan then had a premonition that
Mother wanted him back on her lap! He told the Swami at the Math and his wife about the vision and
his premonitions. They tried to explain it in a different way. But he was convinced of an end to his
journey in a spiritual consummation, which his soul longed so much!
He struck an agreement with his wife that of them whoever survived would dedicate him or her self
solely to the service of the Lord for the rest of their life.
However, in a week's time, one day after he had finished his regular reading of The Gospel of Sri
Ramakrishna, Vaidyanathan fainted. He was immediately hospitalized. With two badly affected kidneys
giving rise to further complications, his condition deteriorated. But he was unperturbed. A picture
of the Holy Mother was presented to him by a monk. He had it hung in front of his bed and kept gazing
at it. The next day he asked his wife and son to place the picture in his hand. In spite of the
hardship he held it in both his hands, and kept looking at it for a while. Clasping it close to his
chest, with the words, 'Mother, I am coming to you' on his lips, he attained the Holy Mother's lotus
feet.
The next year, his wife went on pilgrimage to Belur Math and Kamarpukur, where she had a vision of her
husband. She asked in astonishment, 'You are here?' to which he replied, 'Yes, I have reached my
desired destination' and vanished into thin air.
(Reprinted from: "The Vedanta Kesari", December 2003.)
Holy Kailas - Swami Nischalananda
(Swami Nischalananda, 1925 - 1965, was the founder and first President of the Ramakrishna Centre of
South Africa. The following is an account of his pilgrimage to Holy Mount Kailas, situated in the
Himalayan Mountain Range, Tibet. Mount Kailas is revered by Hindus and is considered to be the abode
of Lord Shiva.)
Of all the mountains in the world, none has figured as the centre of so much interest and attraction
as the Holy Kailas, nor have the glory and praises of any other peak been sung with such ecstatic
reverence and exaltation. Similarly, the neighbouring Lake of Manasarowar has claimed a significance
and importance which has remained unrivalled from time immemorial. In its limpid waters the
surrounding peaks are mirrored with a clarity second only to the undistorted depth of an illumined
soul.
There are mountains which, having been conquered by man, stand forgotten like gaunt, dead trees,
whilst there are others which vibrate with a holy personality and aura that sweep a man off his feet
and carry him to spiritual heights hitherto unexperienced. Kailas not only belongs to this latter
category, but is the Lord of it. It ever points to the Ancient Quest wherein Man, the eternal pilgrim,
has wended his slow and painful way up the precipitous slopes of life, with eyes fixed upon the far-off
peak of Self-Realisation. It stands as a symbol of Divinity, and, like a Holy Sentinel, perpetually warns
all comers against the insidious enmity of lost integrity and equilibrium.
Overwhelmed by a yearning to give myself to the holiness which is Kailas, I committedmyself into the
hands of the Great Power and set out, penniless and on foot from Rishikesh, determined to brave
whatever hardships and perils lay before me.
It is 239 miles from Almora to Kailas and all necessities for the trip must be carried by the pilgrim
who will find little shelter and few amenities en route. The hardest part of the journey starts from
Dharchoola, where ponies are not even negotiable. At Kehla I was glad to reach the welcome shelter of
the Narayan-ashram. From an altitude of 9,000 feet, this ashram commands a magnificent view of the
Nepalese peaks. There I met Swamiji Narayana, a gentle and benevolent man who renders yeoman service
to the hill-folk for miles around, running both a college and a hospital for them. He provided me with
a few material necessities, a great deal of encouragement, and a Benediction.
Lord Shiva
The journey from Jipti to Malpa is perilous, but I set out with a light heart upon the narrow path
which wound its tortuous way through the thick forest. The first adventure befell me when I swung
jauntily round a sharp turn in the path - and suddenly found myself face to face with an enormous
black bear but a few paces away, and proceeding in my direction. A tense moment followed in which
neither of us stepped forward or backward, but we just stood mutely staring into the eyes of each
other. After a few moments of eternity, the creature reared upon its hind legs, bared glistening
fangs, then dived into the undergrowth, disappearing completely!
A trying ascent of ten to fifteen miles brought me to Garbyang, the last Indian village, at an
altitude of 10,000 ft. It is some 137 miles from Almora and is inhabited by Bhotias. The surrounding
vista of mountains is superb with thousands of richgreen deodars marching up their slopes like
phalanxes of invading soldiers. From here the route is very rugged and difficult; often man and beast
are forced to huddle together to pass the night with any safety. At Siangchum it was drizzling and
snowing and I did not know whether the pass ahead of me would be accessible. But the thought of
spending a further day in such penetrating and petrifying cold was a torture! There was only one
thing to do - pray! I did so, and, miraculously the rain and snow ceased at once and I set off again
just after midnight. Before me lay a terrific climb of some three miles to reach the pass. The moon
was hidden by the mountain and the path was shrouded in clinging darkness. I staggered over and round
unexpected stones and boulders until one of my tyre-soled shoes gave way. I strapped it with hessian
as best I could and struggled on, accompanied only by the distant bleat of sheep and goats,
pack-animals laden with food and commodities on their way to Thaklakot and driven by Bhotias, whose
mustering yelps could occasionally be heard on the midnight breeze. Each step became an agony through
the difficulty of breathing the rarified air, which became thinner and thinner as I progressed. With
the coming of dawn, I still had a mile to go -but what a sight met my eyes at the birth of that new
day! Everything was covered with a caressingly soft, white mantle. Not a crag or rock was
visible -nothing but mile upon mile of white billowing snow. The silence was uncanny - positively
heavy; my footsteps broke the crisp snow with a sound like pistol shots, whilst my heartbeat sounded
like an African drum. My breath was thickly visible on the frozen air. I was alone the only living
being in a strange new white world!
At last I reached the summit of Lipu Lekh Pass, 16,750 ft. above sea level. The view was magnificent
at this elevation as the rising sun transfigured the cavalcade of snow-clad peaks into sheets of
burnished gold which cascaded and slid into one another like giant waterfalls of molten metal, so
brilliant that my eyes could hardly bear to gaze upon them. There followed now an abrupt descent,
and the going was even more difficult on account of the slippery snow.Each step had to be carefully
tested before it was taken; one false step and down on all fours, and one had to consider oneself
fortunate if nothing worse resulted!
It was not long before my second adventure befell me: after scrambling up from a fall, I placed my
speared stick carefully - as I thought - but suddenly it slipped and shot clean out of my grasp,
coming to rest many yards further down. Another step without that stick was impossible; it simply had
to be regained, but how? There was only one thing to do - to crouch down and skate on my tyre-soled
shoes, using the palms of my hands as a rudder to steer me (I hoped) in the direction of the stick.
Like a human toboggan I pelted down the steep incline and landed in a heap in a small valley just near
the stick.
The next problem was how to get back on to the path or track; the ice below was cracked and I had not
the experience to know what was underneath it. Whilst struggling to obtain a safe foothold I was
totally unaware of sympathetic eyes following my antics until - just in the nick of time - a warning
shout from above averted catastrophe as I was about to trust my weight to snow-banks under which a
subterranean river was running. Two kindly Bhotias had saved me from dire calamity and a tragic end.
With the help of my new-found friends I was soon back on the trail and all three of us approaching
Thaklakot Mandi. This is an Indo-Tibetan trading centre in Western Tibet. It boasts the biggest
monastery in the area, which smiles down from a high ridge, and there are also many cave dwellings
there.
Lake Manasarovar
Three more days' trek brought me to the summit of the Gurla Pass (16,200 ft.) and it was from there
that I was rewarded with my very first view of Holy Kailas. There it stood, resplendent in all its
majesty and dignity, presiding over the beautiful lakes Manasarowar and Rakshastal which lay like
embedded sapphire and turquoise at its feet. A long cherished ambition was fulfilled! My heart began
to pound with joy, and my knees gave way in reverence to the Lord of Kailas. I was a captive to His
magnetic touch - my eyes were riveted to that Holy scene, and could not be withdrawn from It. It was
likethe robbing of my heart by unseen hands - not a word could be uttered - not a thought could
enter: it was all Silence - nothing but that drowning Shanti with the soul dancing in the Ananda of
the Spirit. Tears streamed down my cheeks and were the only outward expression of that Inner
Benediction. Such moments are rare, and when they are upon us it seems as though we are caught up, as
it were, into the very Presence of God, where we see and hear things unspeakable. We know Him, and are
known, and the intensely overwhelming joy of it robs the body of any physical feeling. The freezing
snow and rain and the biting winds were non-existent. In the face of such rich and eternal experience
all the hardships and perils undergone faded into nothingness. I walked slowly, slowly, in a trance -
unable to utter a word - drowned in the ecstatic joy of a continuous flow of Ananda which filled every
cell of my being, and stretched on and on, unto eternity. Everything was perfect shanti; I lived a
lifetime in that never-to-be-forgotten experience as I walked on and on, surely and irresistibly drawn
by that Magnetic Mightiness. The bliss could never be described: It transcends words; even the memory
is sufficient to transport me to the very highest spheres.
The Holy Kailas is not like other mountains. It is full of mystery; it is sublime, bewitching and,
strangest of all, it speaks. But its message is couched in the language of the Gods - the tongue of
Silence - and can only be apprehended by those who approach with reverence and humility. It rests not,
but is ever vibrating with cosmic power and radiance which immediately conquer its devotees,
renderingthem silent too. It is in the presence of Holy Kailas that Man realises his complete
insignificance, and understands the greatness of the Supreme Being. There is no compromise. The
petty intellect is crushed and swept away by the vibrating onslaught of Shanti and Ananda.
The pilgrimage to the 22,000 ft. Mount Kailas is not complete without the Parikarma, which is
32 miles, and takes three days. From Diraphuk the perpendicular peak of Kailas was clearly visible.
Another excruciating climb followed over the 18,600 ft. Dolma Pass to Gouri Kund. I struggled through
knee-deep snow; breathing became difficult and it was impossible to walk more than ten yards at a
stretch as my nostrils kept filling with clotted, freezing blood. Gouri Kund reached, I then broke
the thick layer of ice on the perpetually-snow-clad lake and took my bath. From here I made a gradual
descent to the Lake of Manasarowar.
Added to the splendour of Kailas is the most beautiful and inspiring of all lakes - the famous
Manasarowar. Its green blue waters stretch for 54 miles and many stately swans sail regally across its
placid depths - a royal bird in royal scenery! Numerous gompas and monasteries are to be found on the
shores of the lake, where countless monks strive daily to enter the eternal silence of Nirvana. There
is also the seablue lake of Rakshastal with a delightful coastline of 77 miles and with two islands
floating within it like emeralds set in a crystal bowl. Often it is placid and calm in the morning, a
dream of peace in the glinting sun...then, suddenly, by afternoon it becomes a roaring maelstrom, with
giant waves dashing violently against the shore as if to awaken a whole world slumbering in ignorance.
On one hand, copper-coloured foothills trailed away into the far distance, and on the other, slopes
dotted with shrubs and bushes rose to meet the purple summits of more distant mountains splashed here
and there with brilliant patches of snow.
But directly before me soared the dazzling silver dome of Kailas. Mutely I stood at the very threshold
of Life, and with humble, grateful heart received the cup of Peace and Anand from the
Invisible Hands.
Baba Amte: The Purveyor of Creative Humanism - Prof. B Singh
Baba Amte
(Baba Amte is globally recognised for his selfless service to the leprosy affected communities in
India. He blazed a new trail in the field of selfless service. The author of this article, Prof B
Singh, is a general surgeon attached to the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of
KwaZulu-Natal. He also serves on the panel of medical professionals of the Ramakrishna Clinic of
South Africa.)
Murlidhar Devidas Amte is universally revered today as an exceptional social and moral leader. He
represents the noble values of uplifting the lowest of the low, of sparking the dignity and self
esteem inherent in all humanity, of service without reward - a true apostle of Mahatma Gandhi. The
remarkable chronicle of Amte reflects the dogged fight for the physically challenged, the poor and the
downtrodden consistently over six decades in remote, hostile areas, with meagre resources and
crippling personal ailments, far removed from the privileged background he was raised in.
Amte was born on 26 December 1914, in the Wardha District,Maharashtra. His early childhood was
notable for his spontaneous association with children of servants and the like. During his
adolescence he met the Madia-Gonds tribals whose gaiety, zest for life and simplicity left a lasting
impression on him, to the extent that he would later champion their cause. Baba Amte's college life
was characterized by comfort and luxury; he developed so great a liking and knowledge for Hollywood
films that he wrote film reviews and communicated with the then Hollywood icons. However, during a
three month study period at Santiniketan, he was influenced by Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy,
simplicity and writings and developed a consciousness of God. The compassion and innate kindness of
his mother (who affectionately called him "Baba"), the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, Acharya Vinoba
Bhave and Sane Guruji, also influenced Baba Amte's way of life.
In 1936 Baba Amte graduated with a law degree from Nagpur University and practiced law at Warora, near
the family home; he combined his law practice with managing the family estate. During the "Quit India"
movement, Baba Amte pleaded the cases of many arrested, engaged in protests and strengthened his
nationalistic fervour and patriotism.
Notwithstanding his successful practice, the combination of being lawyer and landowner brought little
comfort to Baba Amte; it bothered him that: "I, who never had planted a single seed in the estate was
expected to enjoy the comfort of a beautiful farm house, while those who had toiled there all their
lives had only the meanest hovels…". I was charging fifty rupees for arguing for fifteen minutes while
a laborer was getting only three-quarters of a rupee for twelve hours of toil. That was eating into me."
At his marriage to Indu (December 1946), on whom he conferred the name Sadhana, Baba Amte formally
yielded to his selfless instincts and turned his back on his lucrative profession and the comforts of
his estate. The couple moved to a hut onto a plot courtesy of a family friend and turned this into a
commune for the downtrodden. Thus began a life journey of great social involvement and selfless
service, a creative humanism that has earned universal admiration.
Baba engaged in civic issues, proving his commitment to the cause of striking "night soil" carriers by
undertaking their responsibilities daily for nine months. An early foray into politics disillusioned
him to the extent that he developed a disdain for politicians. Thus he would comment contemptuously,
years later, when saddened by the country's body-polity: "When leprosy patients touch the soil, they
transform it into gold but when the politicians do so, they convert it into dirt".
Baba's involvement with the leprosy cause followed a chance meeting with a severely affected patient,
Tulsiram. The deformed and maggot infested patient was at death's door; Tulsiram died in Baba's care
but following this encounter he resolved to work for the upliftment of leprosy patients. Having
undertook formal training in leprosy care, Baba began to treat leprosy patients at Warora "at a clinic
under a tree".
His dedication to the care of leprosy patients, the need to acquire scientific knowledge about the
disease and treatment was evident in him attending the School of Tropical Medicine at Calcutta in
1949; Baba received special permission to attend this course since he was not a medical doctor.
Baba's commitment to the leprosy cause was evident by him allowing himself to be injected by the
leprosy bacterium in the endeavour to contribute to the greater understanding of the disease. The
crusade against leprosy commenced in earnest with the Maharogi Sewa Samiti which he founded in 1949
to facilitate the rehabilitation of the leprosy patient.
In June 1951, "armed with a lame cow and a dog and fourteen rupees" and with his wife and infant son,
Vikas, Baba took possession of some barren land donated by the government situated 200km south of
Nagpur in Maharashtra. By dint of hard grafting, this place - called "Anandwan - The Forest of Joy" -
is today home to over 3000 lepers and the physically challenged, perhaps the largest community of
this kind in the world.
Baba Amte
Baba Amte worked side by side with the leprosy patients, giving them respect, hope and dignity. He
championed that while "these people may have lost their limbs... that does not mean that they should
lose their dignity". The concept that "Charity Destroys; Work Builds" evolved from Baba's belief that
only work could build a whole human being. The hospital at Anandwan provides the medical treatment of
leprosy patients; a sizeable population of cured patients remain as the working population and are
engaged in up to 50 diverse and productive trades such as agriculture, industrial production, textile
printing, handicrafts and leather crafts, amongst other trades. Some cured leprosy patients have
acquired skills and have become productive members of the society outside Anandwan; provision for the
population of cured old aged leprosy patients is made at "Snehsawali" (old age home). Anandwan also
has the "Youth Village Programme" that affords vocational training for the socially deprived school
drop-outs; this live-in programme provides the youth, over a 6 month period, vocational training that
enhances their employment opportunities.
Further projects under the auspices of the Maharogi Sewa Samiti (MSS):
1957: Ashokwan, 18 kms from Nagpur and on barren and dry land, was established as a Satellite
community of Anandwan; it today has become as productive and admired as Anandwan.
1964: The College of Arts, Science and Commerce (the "Anand Niketan College") was established as an
affiliate of Nagpur University. This collegewas developed and is maintained by cured leprosy patients.
These colleges cater for up to 2500 non-disabled students.
1965: The College of Agriculture was started at Anandwan.
1966: A school for the blind was established; this was extended for the deaf as well as the mentally and physically challenged.
1966: At Somnath the MSS launched an environmental rehabilitation project aimed at developing and
conserving the land, water and vegetation resources for sustaining production sectors such as food
crops, horticulture, fisheries, forestry and animal husbandry. Six residential communes were built by
cured leprosy patients. This facility also serves as an annual camp for youth where issues are
discussed and ideas and projects generated.
1972: The "Sandhi Niketan" was established to train the non- leprosy handicapped (due to polio, the
mute, the vision impaired) to acquire vocational skills over a 2 year period; thereafter the students
return to their villages to earn their livelihood.
From the early 1960's Baba Amte has been severely affected by cervical and lumbar spondylosis,
developing a progressive degeneration of the spine. This condition required major surgery (in London
in 1971), keeping him in bed for much of 1971 and 1972. Persistent agony and debility prompted a
second operation. The legacy of these procedures left Baba with a permanent handicap; he would never
be able to sit again, being only able to either lie down or stand and even then only for limited
periods.
1973: Undaunted by his physical debility, a year after his surgery, Baba established the Lok
Biradari Prakalp (Brotherhood of the People) at Hemalkasa, deep in the forests about 350 kilometers
south of Nagpur. Thisarea was inhabited by the Madia Gond tribals. There was almost a 100% illiteracy
in the area, medical care was non-existent and agriculture primitive. From a solitary hut and school
under a tree, the Lok Biradari today runs a 50 bed hospital that caters for up to 40,000 patients
annually. A residential school has been established and settled agriculture has now been
adopted by the tribals.
The Anandwan community, together with its satellite communities at Somnath and Hemalkasa, is today
nearly totally self-sufficient as a result of subsistence farming and light industry that generates
income to purchase commodities that cannot be produced. Even though the projects undertaken by the MSS
were effectively administered by responsible and committed individuals, Baba remained irresistibly
drawn towards the afflicted and the suffering. Thus, during the turbulent 1980's, when there was civil
discord, Baba launched the "Knit India" programmes. During long marches along the length (1981) and
breadth (1988) of the country undertaken by thousands of students and volunteers, Baba implored the
return of a patriotic fervour, environmental consciousness, the unity and integrity of India.
When the mega-dam projects on the Indravati and Godavari rivers endangered the Madia- Gond tribals
way of life and the ecosystem, Baba was appalled and prompted into action.
He mobilized mass demonstrations that culminated in these projects being halted in 1984. Thereafter
he relocated, aged 76 years, to the banks of the Narmada river, the site of two giant projects (Sardar
Sarovar Project and Narmada Sagar); these projects, in addition, to disturbing the uninterrupted
chain of prehistoric and historic civilization from the early stone age and an important ecosystem,
would have caused the displacement of a multitude of aborigine and non-tribal communities. He became
the fountain head of the protests against these projects (NBA); his decade long vigil at his house at
Kasravad on the Narmada bank met opposition, not surprisingly given the enormous political and
financial vested interests in suchventures. Baba remained here until 2000, when due to health reasons
he returned to Anandwan. To date the dam projects on the Narmada have been put on hold.
Throughout his life Baba has gravitated to the poor, the marginalized, handicapped and ostracized. He
has steadfastly promoted the dignity and self esteem inherent in humanity, harbouring neither personal
ambitions nor wealth. His life's contribution is represented by the quote from the Upanishads: "I
aspire neither for kingdom, nor for heaven, nor for re-birth. The only yearning I have is to relieve
the aggrieved from their sorrows".
Awards and accolades
Baba Amte has been widely recognized for his contributions. International awards include, among
several others, the International Gandhi Peace Prize (1999), the highest award given by the
Government of India for selfless work towards social, economic and political transformation and for
the amelioration of human suffering; the Magsaysay Award (1985) for public service; the Damien-Dutton
Award (1983), the highest international award in the field of leprosy; the UN Human Rights Award
(1988) for outstanding contribution in the field of human rights. Among several national awards Baba
Amte has received the Padmashree (1971), Rashtra Bhusan - Pride of the Nation (1978), the Padma
Vibhusan (1986) and the Diwaliben Mehta Charitable Trust Award 2000 - Lifetime Achievement Award
(2000). Honorary doctorates have been conferred on Baba Amte by the Universities of Nagpur (1980),
Akola (1981), Pune (1985) and Viswabharti (1988).
Bibliography:
Mirchandani, N, "Wisdom Song - The Life of Baba Amte". Roli Books, New Delhi, 2006.
S.J. Hans, Staffner, "Baba Amte - A Vision Of New India". Popular Prakashan, Mumbai, 2000.
Adige,V, "The Legacy of Baba Amte". Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, 2003.
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