HE WAS described as a missile man, but former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had more down to earth things in mind when he met HH Pujya Chidanand Swamiji (HH Pujya Muniji) in north India last month.
Kalam masterminded India’s nuclear programme before he became the country’s president in July 2002.
When he met HH Pujya Muniji, the head of Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, at the foot of the Himalayas, both leaders discussed the work being done by the Ganga Action Parivar in Uttarakhand and other north Indian states. The project aims to clean and protect the waters of the River Ganges, a vital resource for millions of Indians, but which is polluted along vast stretches.
In his conversation, HH Pujya Muniji told the former preisdent: “Every day, one billion litres of toxic chemicals pour into the Ganga River due to industry and agriculture.
Because of this, our beautiful natural resources are decaying and far too many people are sickening and dying. This is why when we chant, ‘Jai Jai Gange,’ we encourage people to also say, ‘Jaivik Gange,’ so that our holy river and those who depend on her are protected through the planting of trees and practices including organic farming.
“We are working to inspire people not only to chant ‘Har Har Gange’ but also to serve together for Herbal Gange with Har Bal Gange, bringing together everyone’s Bal (strength and power) to protect and preserve Mother Ganga and Her tributaries.”
Pujya Muniji also discussed with Dr Kalamji the new Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), which he co-founded and which was launched at the UNICEF headquarters in New York. It aims to bring together the world’s faiths to ensure even the most marginalised people have access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Every day, some 1,600 children die mostly preventable deaths due to unhygienic conditions. India leads the world in the number of children under the age of five who die every year.
Pujya Swamiji said, “We can no longer sit idly in our prayer rooms while children are dying painful and preventable deaths due to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. That is why the faiths are joining forces to ensure everyone has access to clean water and proper sanitation and hygiene. In light of our nation’s growing population and the rapid degradation of our natural resources, the need couldn’t be greater than it is right now.”
Pujya Swamiji presented Dr. Kalamji with a sapling of the sacred rudraksh tree as a symbol of the efforts to bring new, green life, green energy and green development to Uttarakhand and all of India.
