town of Sirsa in Haryana set a record on
January 25 this year. For three hours on that day, it hosted the largest
ever gathering in India of 30 lakh persons. The occasion was the coming
together of social workers from all corners of the country who
participated in the event regardless of caste, creed or faith. Their
only desire: a selfless passion to contribute to the welfare of society.
Of course, the Kumbh Mela holds the absolute record
for a gathering—over one crore people. But visitors to the Kumbh are
scattered over 21 days while the Sirsa gathering was concentrated within
just three hours. The event at Sirsa saw over 50,000 social workers
publicly honoured for their contributions to society. They included,
among others, those who selflessly gave their time, support and
assistance to the victims of the Gujarat earthquake, the Orissa cyclone
and the drought-hit victims of Rajasthan. Members of the medical
profession, an essential component of any relief operation, were
specifically felicitated.
Apart from the achievers, over 150 children from
local institutions were awarded gold and silver medals for earning
laurels for Haryana in particular and the country in general in sports,
academics and other significant areas. The main objective of the event
was not only to sustain but also to broaden the level of motivation, and
also provide an avenue for those who held the well-being of their
fellowmen dear to their hearts. The total expense of organising the
event and its activities was borne by the sadhus of Dera Sacha Sauda
Ashram.
The tremendous success of the event is attributed to
the local residents who enthusiastically came out in their thousands as
well as the State police and administration which lent full support to
the organisers. The Green S Welfare Force, a leading disaster management
agency, participated actively to ensure the smooth functioning and
success of the event.
The organisers were so overwhelmed by the response
that they have decided to make the event an annual affair.