EditorialNews in IndiaNews Outside IndiaPanchajanyaDivine MusicNew book Releasesdigitized bookspanchangam108 Holy LandsSacred Templeschildren's sectionInterviewsArchives

JAN 04 - " WORLD BRAILLE DAY " CELEBRATION BY VT & JET
Information courtesy : www.chinnajeeyar.org

for more photos:

Commemorating the Birth of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille script for the sake   of blind people, the World celebrates Jan 04th as " WORLD BRAILLE DAY ". 

As per the decision by JET and VT, it has been decided to conduct three international  events every year in service of the society. This year it has began with the blessings of  HH Sri: Chinnajeeyar Swa:miji. Walkathon has been organised extremely well connecting  Hyderabad and Secunderabad under the aegis of HH Sri: Swa:miji, in which about 11,000 people participated on the whole. 

WALKATHON has been arranged in many places round the world. It is arranged in the  city of Hyderabad, to walk about 6 Km from Baghlingampalli to Zymkhana Grounds with inspiring placards, distributing pamphlets and much information about the blind. This is aimed in creating an awareness among the public to know their responsibility in supporting the cause of blind, for their education, support and encouragement so that the blind and visually challenged ones too can lead a fair, independent and happy life.

After the whole programme has been arranged, after obtaining permission from the local  police and authorities, an official announcement is made and all people were informed of  it, many other organisations and their volunteers have expressed their interest in participating in walkathon. Many schools have shown interest in joining in the middle of the walkathon with their students. More than 15,000 people are expected to participate in the programme. Special T-Shirts have been made and distributed free to many people. Everything was set.... Minister for Home, Minister for Rural Welfare, Minister for Transportation,  Local MLAs, MLCs and other dignitories have promised to be on time (ie., 10AM) to start the  walk.


However, just in the midnight of Jan 03rd, there was an request from the police  officials that the route selected may be very much full of traffic and the walk by thousands  of people may cause some incovenience to the public. However, they left the choice to JET / VT and Swa:miji as this is for some noble cause of the society. In fact, Govt. would have taken more liberty in providing some facility to the organisers as an encouragement for such event of public cause, (as done in many advanced countries like USA etc.) if not they dare take up conducting such programmes by themselves. Hope good days will come soon.

It is a hectic thing to change everything in the eleventh hour, (that too such a big programme involving thousands of people, students, children etc., ) which was aready planned and well decided. There was no time literally to communicate to all as only few hours are left to start the programme. Sri: Swa:miji said, we cannot make major change to the programme.

Perhaps, God thinks of doing only good and nothing else in any way. So, Inspite of  all the risk involved, giving high priority to the suggestion of the police authorities, keeping public convenience and traffic in view, HH Sri: Swa:miji decided to make small changes so that the programme runs smoothly. It was decided that the walk will continue from  Baghlingampalli to Indira Park (about 3.5 Km) and then vehicles may be arranged so that all people will reach the Bantia Gardens, adjacent to Zymkhana Grounds. It is a pleasant surprise, an example of servitude and great devotion by Bantia's and their family members that they over the midnight have arranged everything including mike, stage etc. in a few hours notice for the programme. They felt it an opportunity to serve the noble cause of the society organised by HH Sri: Swa:miji.

In the midnight (3rd Jan) itself, organisers worked hard and arranged buses the next day from Indira Park to Bantia Gardens. Most of the organisers were informed.

Right from the early hours of Jan 04, thousands of people, volunteers, children, students came to the Baghlingampalli for participating in the Walkathon. HH Sri: Swa:miji after finishing the morning worship/prayers, came exactly at 9.30AM.

Andhra Pradesh State Minister for Home Affairs, Sri: Jana Reddy, Minister for Education  Sri:man D.Sri:nivas, Minister for Rural Welfare, Sri: Chinna Reddy, Minister for Transport Sri: Kanna Lakshminarayana, Sri: Hanumantha Rao M.P,  Sri:.Kishan Reddy local MLA, Nayani Narasimhareddy MLA  have all arrived at Baghlingampalli.    Students and children from many schools, specially the Blind Children from Nethra Vidyalaya Junior College, thousands of people from all walks of life including Professors, doctors, Teachers, engineers, business, IT, administrators and many other professions irrespective of caste or creed or religion or race, have arrived to participate in this noble activity of serving  BLIND.

Vikasatarangini (VT) President, Sri:man E.Ramarao, JET (S) President Sri:man Ch.Ramachandra Reddy, JIVA Chairman Sri:man J.Rameswara Rao, Prof.Purushothama Rao, Badari Kshethra BAKASS President Sri:man Ramanadham, along with their team members, volunteers and coordinators have arranged everything in an organised way. After dignitories spoke on the
occasion for a very short time, HH Sri: Swa:miji blessed the purport of the "Walk" giving a brief note about Louis Braille and his service to the Blind people.

The walkathon went on with wonderful participation of hundreds of school children. A team of children took the marching band all along, wonderful messages were displayed on the placards giving a lot of inspiration and information about the Blind people. Volunteers  distributed literature about the blind and the need to support and encourage them. T-shirts in different colours were distributed free to many people interested to serve the blind, on  the way of the walkathon.

The big eye carried by volunteers has been a special attraction to all the people. HH Sri: Swa:miji stopped intermittently in the middle and blessed all the people talking to them, encouraging them, giving them T-shirts, literature etc. Sri: Swa:miji's magical soothing voice has been the panecea for the all the people to enjoy the spirit of servitude and sweetness of inseparable spiritual relationship.

A generous donor has arranged to distribute biscuits to all the participants in the walk. Volunteers took care to provide water for the participants. Teachers and incharges took children in lines. NCC cadets came forward to serve in this walk. As the walk reached  INDIRA PARK everyone were excited to hear HH Sri: Swa:miji's message. HH Sri: Swa:miji blessed one and all and inspired people to take part in serving the noble causes of the society like serving the suffering people, serving the disabled, serving the Physically handicapped, and also appealed to the Govt. that certain special facilities and relaxations be provided to such people. HH Sri: Swa:miji honoured Blind people and physically handicapped people who came there to take the blessings of HH Sri: Swa:miji.

In addition to school buses and private vehicles, about 10 buses were provided for  people to reach Bantia Gardens. Wonderful arrangements were made by Bantia's Family. The Walkathon came to an end. Delegates spoke on the occasion and Blind children of Netra Vidyalaya Junior College too expressed their talents. HH blessed all the school children who participated from 32 schools of Secunderabad and Hyderabad. HH Sri: Swa:miji's scintillating message made a memorable mark on the tender hearts of school children. They were excited to listen to Sri: Swa:miji speaking so sweetly touching the inner values of life in a more practical way. HH explained the importance of this occasion in the terms of those children and also the elders which invoked a great thought, message and inspiration in all people alike.

HH Sri: Swa:miji left to Vijayawada immediately to participate in another WALKATHON organised at 5.PM in which about 15000 people are expected to participate.

Jai Sri:manna:ra:yana !

srikaryam