Saturday 7 September 2013

Sabari Balashramam A Heritage Home for Poor Children


The  Plight of Children – Worse than a Nightmare

In an era, where crimes against children have been rising at an alarming rate and the plight of poor and hapless children becoming worse than a nightmare, Sabari Balashramam, Aranmula has come up with a solution to transform the lives of numerous under-privileged children.
Sabari Balashramam is envisaging a Rs. 10 crore project at Aranmula, the divinely blessed heritage village, aimed at providing the much needed support & motivation for under-privileged children. The aim is not just to provide basic amenities like good food or clothing, but to induce values in the children and groom them to become culturally oriented & committed citizens of this nation.
In a land where at least two out of ten children lead an insecure & poverty stricken life, there is an imminent need for social organizations to turn their prime focus for the cause of these under-privileged children. 
God’s Own Country Kerala, though blessed with plenitude is now witnessing an unprecedented spate of crimes against children. This is having a crippling effect on the very social fabric and gives birth to an entire generation of mentally, emotionally and spiritually bereft beings.
The state has been standing a mute witness to a rise in crime against children for the last few years. Statistics have revealed a shocking 596 crimes against children in 2010, which escalated to 1,324 cases in 2012. Alcoholism and family problems are attributed as the main factors though other reasons like poverty, unemployment, lack of social values, domestic harassment, sexual abuse etc. also play a very significant role.

Sabari Balashramam – A Heritage Home for Poor Children

         At Sabari Balashramam, we intend to provide a secure and spiritually rich environment for these children to grow up.  All essentials like food, education and safe housing would be addressed to. But the prime focus invariably would be to mould these children to becoming the torch bearers of the society tomorrow, in a cultural and ethical way, conforming to the nation’s ethos.

The plan envisaged is simple, yet grand. There would be provision for a library, dining hall, and bath area at the hostel. Apart from imparting formal education to empower these children to forge ahead in the world today, an all encompassing training would also be provided in the areas of art, philosophy, culture and heritage. Skill development programmes, which can help them establish themselves in the entrepreneur world at a later stage, would also be given thrust.

WHY ARANMULA?

           Aranmula, one of the most hallowed strips of land on the banks of the Holy River Pampa stands as a towering beacon of light with many epithets,  an inner strength of morality, ethical values and righteousness.
This tiny hamlet is the very synonym of all eternal principles of ancient heritage & civilization.  Probably this is because it has been celebrated, extolled and eulogized in our great epics, scriptures and Upanishads.
Aranmula is rich in the aspect of organic diversity of nature, abounding in rivers, paddy fields, streams, brooks, ponds, groves, sanctified woodlands and hallowed domiciles of serpents. 
The great Aranmula temple, Thiruvaranmula Parthasarathy Kshethram, is a shrine of faith, culture, artistry and heritage, standing as a hub of unification. Along with this, the glory is illumined by the ceremonious festivals of Vallamkali: the regatta or boat race and Vallasadya: the consecrated banquets served in honour of the palliyodams or participating boats. These are divine offerings to Lord Krishna for material and spiritual well-being, with the accompaniment of rustic hymns and songs sung while rowing boats on the divine river Pampa. 
            The grandeur of this heritage village is augmented by great royal snake boats; royal lanterns or candelabrum; Aranmula Kannadi, the uniquely manufactured mirror, which is not glass, but a secret amalgam of metals.

SABARI MATHA

The social and cultural renaissance of Aranmula has been strengthened and enriched by the incessant work and perseverance of our sages, who have dedicated their lives with monastic austerities and duties voluntarily undertaken. 

The Holy River Pampa, on the bank of which Sabari Balashramam is situated, is closely associated with the legends narrated in Ramayana.

Sabari Matha was a poor tribal woman who dedicated herself to Lord Rama with due renunciation, love and compassion. The message of Sabari is to see godliness in all: “All in God and God in All”.

The impoverished children here undoubtedly are the manifestations of God. To save and serve them is a divine experience and act, as enumerated by the teachings of Sabari Matha. Hence, Sabari Balashramam is intended to be developed as an asylum for poor children.

An Appeal


The mantra ‘Manav seva Madhav seva’, meaning ‘service to mankind is service to God’ motivates us to take up this cause.  We undertake this project as our humble way of expressing gratitude to God.   We believe that there is no better way to serve God than to help and motivate the under-privileged children to grow up rich in religious, cultural and humanitarian values.
We will be extremely thankful in the case of sponsorship of rooms in the building. The expense per Sq.Ft. has been worked out at an approximate of Rs 1750 (One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty).  The requirement for a child is 40Sq. Ft, for which a sum of Rs 70,000 (Seventy Thousand) is to be spent.  We have decided to earmark each class room in the names of those who offer Rs 5 lakhs as a donation amount.

The names of those who donate over a lakh rupees will be recorded and exhibited in front of the school building.  Any amount offered will definitely have a boosting effect on all efforts taken for uplifting our heritage and culture.

All philanthropists are hereby requested to cooperate and help in our efforts and mission aimed at the fulfillment of these noble dreams.

At the holy feet of  Sabari Mathaji,

Kummanam Rajasekharan
Chief Patron
Sabari Balashramam, Aranmula

NB: Please draw cheque/ DD in favour  Sabari  Balashramam Aranmula . A/C details is added below.
Name : Sabari Balashramam Aranmula
Address of A/C holder : Aranmula PO Pathanamthitta(Dist.) 689533     Telephone  : 04682278370, 227822
eMail :  sabaribalashramam@gmail.com                    
A/C number : 1378101010807                                                                  
Bank address : Canara Bank, Aranmula P.O.,  Pathanamthitta, PIN 689533               
 IFSC: CNRB0001378                                                                                
Swift Code : CNRBINBBBID




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