Gadchiroli Sept. 10 (District Correspondent) Ramai Mahila Mandal, an organization of the Buddhist women from Sai Nagar area of the city of Gadchiroli has continued its tradition of ‘Kheer Daan’ for the last over 10 years now uninterruptedly and has set an ideal example of unity and brotherhood before the society.
Under this venture, a get together of the community women is organized at the residence of one of the family on every Purnima and mass ‘Buddha Vandana’ is recited after garlanding the portraits of the lord Buddha and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the icons and ideals of the Buddhists. Later on, ‘kheer’ (a sweet liquid food made out of rice, milk and sugar) is served to all those present at that gathering by the family at whose residence this programme is organized.
Sai Nagar is a mixed locality situated behind Carmel School. There are over 50 families from the Buddhist community in the area. As there was no any community place like Buddha Viahar in the area, the women decided to say prayer at somebody’s residence and thus the practice started, told Ms. Neeta Sahare, President of the Ramai Mahila Mandal, who has been taking the lead in this initiative for the last several years now. Of course, all the other women and men too from the locality also help in this endeavour, she informed.
The concept became very popular and is being continued till now without any break. Every family hosts the programme spontaneously and feels happy and proud to have the ‘kheer daan’, according to Ms. Sahare.
This certainly helps in strengthening the mutual relations among the community members and also following the teachings of love, peace and brotherhood, preached by the Buddhism, she told and reaffirmed Mahila Mandal’s commitment to continue the venture in the future too with the same spirit.
Besides the ‘kheer daan’, the Mahila Mandal has been organizing various social, cultural and religious activities in the locality and thereby propagating the thoughts of Buddhism and Ambedkarite movement among the people. The lectures of eminent speakers and religious discourses are organized regularly.
The Mahila Mandal also took leading role in raising a statue of the Lord Buddha in the locality by developing a piece of land that was lying unused and neglected. Now all the programmes are organized on this land. However, the venture of ‘kheer daan’ is still continuing.
The Mandal has also a self- help group which have progressed well. Financial assistance is given to the needy people through this group and thereby their financial requirements are fulfilled. The other members of the Mahila Mandal Ms. Vandana Jambhule, Kunda Gedam, Kiran Sahare, Rajni Dabhade, Varsha Khobragade, Sneha dudhe, Sangeeta Chahande, Karuna Khobragade, Chitra Ramteke, Sanghamitra Ghutke, Punam Bhaisare, Kiran Gajbhiye and others have been important role in all these activities.
The Mahila Mandal has thus become quite popular in the city and its work is being appreciated here.
