India Heritage Research Foundation

Dust to Diamonds:

In India today there are thousands and thousands of abandoned and impoverished children, roaming the streets of the cities and the dirt paths of the villages. These are children whose parents were too poor to raise them, or who simply decided they did not want to accept the burden of a child, or who were befallen by an accident that left them incapable of fending for themselves, let alone a child.

However, simple shelters with food, beds and babysitters are not sufficient. These children need not only to be fed and sheltered – they need to be educated and trained so they can be productive members of society. They need to be inculcated with values, ethics and spirituality which will make them torchbearers of Indian culture and divine cultural ambassadors.

We have opened an orphanage/gurukul in Rishikesh where over 200 young boys live and study – both basic academics as well as intensive Sanskrit and ancient Vedic texts. Their days are filled with yoga, meditation, Vedic chanting, reading of scriptures, mathematics, seva and special programs designed to infuse their lives with essential sanskaras. They are being trained to be not only doctors, scientists and engineers, but they are also being trained to be India's cultural ambassadors, to be the priests and guides who will travel throughout the world, carrying with them the ancient secrets of the Vedas combined with the blessings of Mother Ganga.

From the first minute that the boys arrived, their identity was changed from "orphan" and "poor" to "Rishikumar." With that slight, simple change of term, their entire identities have changed. Looks of hopelessness have become looks of great optimism and hope. Lightless eyes have become bright, shining eyes. Feelings of destitution and despair have become feelings of pride, of faith and of enthusiasm.

We currently have over 200 young boys living in our 2 gurukuls, one on the premises of Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh and the other on the premises of the Veerpur ashram, 8 km. away. We are looking to take in up to 500 more children.

Pujya Swamiji has opened His arms to any child in need: "He who has no one. He who is broken, alone and shattered. He is the child for whom we have opened this gurukul." Children will be coming from Gujarat, from South India and from the Himalayan villages.

Computer Centre for Rishikumars

February 2005 saw the inauguration of a computer centre in the Gurukul, which was kindly sponsored by Bellaben and Yogeshbhai Patel. A special prayer was said at the function so that the rishikumars grow, blossom and bridge the gap between ancient traditions of the Himalayas and modern technology of the computer age.

Janeo Sanskar of Rishikumars
July 12, 2005

On 12 July 2005, Parmarth Gurukul accepted 91 new Rishikumars into the Gurukul. The children, all of whom come from poor, disadvantaged situations (some of whom are orphans, some who have one parent, some who have both but the parents cannot properly care for the children) received their janeo sanskar. The sacred thread ceremony is an important ritual in the life of a Hindu boy (see www.parmarth.com/sanskaras.htm for details of the meaning of this ceremony), and one which prepares him to study the scriptures.

The ceremony was performed and all the rishikumars received the sacred mantra from Pujya Swamiji and a mala for japa, as well as a special asana for sitting for their meditation and sandhya.

In the evening, after the Ganga Aarti, the rishikumars all (new and old) received new clothes, new school books and big sweet ladoos, by the hands of the Shahra family from Indore and Mumbai.

Above: Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Asanganandji distribute malas and asanas to the new rishikumars

Above: Rishikumars after sacred thread ceremony sit on the banks of the Ganga with Pujya Swamiji

Above: Shahra family distributes clothes, books and sweets to the children.

Veerpur distribution

In addition to the 150 rishikumars living on the premises of Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, we also have more than 60 rishikumars (classes 9, 10, 11) living on our land in Veerpur, at the Parmarth Veerpur Gurukul.

We went there as well for a distribution of clothing, books and sweets. We also had a special tree plantation ceremony.

Above: Pujya Swamiji and the Shahra family distribute books and prasad to the rishikumars at Veerpur. The special tree plantation ceremony.

IHRF - Creates Cultural Ambassadors

All help is greatly needed and appreciated to provide these children with nourishing food on a daily basis. This year, for a loved one's birthday or for a special anniversary, we invite you to sponsor the daily nourishment for these children. On the day you sponsor, a special prayer will be said in honor of your loved one prior to the meat and special puja will be performed on the holy banks of Mother Ganga at Ganga aarti in the evening. On all special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, graduations - give your loved ones something more valuable, more lasting and more fulfilling than possessions in a box. Sponsor the meals for 100 Rishikumars in your children's names, in your loved ones' names, in your parents' names. It is not only their stomachs which your generosity will feed. You will feed their hearts and souls with the nourishment of care, of hope and of faith.

We also have plans in the immediate future to take in more children.

For US$500 a year, you can sponsor every aspect of a rishikumar's life -
including clothing, academic supplies and nutrition.

Give the gift of a new life to a child who has no hope and no future.

Fill broken hearts with tenderness, love and faith.

Light the lamps of education, training and culture in a child's otherwise dark and bleak future.

Sponsor a young rishikumar in your children's names, in your loved ones' names, in your parents' names.