PAGDI RASM (Uthavana)
It is performed by the bereaved family normally the third day of cremation of the dead body. It is also known in some communities as
"Uthavana" "Shok Sabha" or "Shanti Milan". People from the society gather at one place at schedule time to pay homage to the departed soul.
Members of the organization reach to the designated place one hour in advance and make necessary arrangements which include sitting arrangements, drinking water, parking of
vehicles, shoe stand, switching off mobiles etc as befitting to the requirement of the occasion. It has received tremendous response from the society.
The organization has also made efforts to create social awareness for 2 - 3 such events in a day at one place which not only saves the time, money but also reduces botherations
of the people who come to pay homage. We have succeeded in our efforts at number of times.
Blood Donation
Members of the organization are regularly contributing blood of various groups for needy persons of the society. On the 1st anniversary of the organization members
have contributed 54 units of blood to the Red Cross blood bank. Besides it's the organization has also developed system to arrange blood of a particular group in
exchange of blood of other group within 10 - 15 minutes.
Eye Donation
The activity involves removal of cornea from the eyes of the deceased & handing over the same to the designated eye hospitals for implantation to the needy persons.
It was felt that good numbers of cornea are required for implantation but people were not coming forward due to lack of awareness in this regard. The organization took the advantage of the people's confidence and tried to educate masses about the service of mankind & recognition by the society. It resulted in overwhelming response from the people; so far 249 numbers of eye donations have been arranged. Now the people are coming forward for eye donations of their own. This has resulted almost in a situation where waiting list for cornea requirements has come to an end. However looking at the flow, it is being considered to set up Eye Bank so that requirements of other cities in the country may be met.
Donation - Food, Cloth & Medicine
Inspired by the dire needs of food, clothes & medicines of poorer section of the society, the organization has started a programme since last four years to collect
surplus food from different places on various occasions i.e. Marriage parties, Birthdays, Uthawanas, Tehravis & distribute amongst needy persons. Food is normally
collected at 1.00 am & distributed by 2.00 am to various poor persons on railway station, slum areas & other needy people.
Similarly woolen & other clothes collected from various places are distributed amongst needy persons & medicines through various dispensaries/ hospitals engaged for the noble
cause. We have distributed food to 75000 people, clothes to 12000 people & medicines worth 6.25 lakhs.
Scholarships
The organization has also started scheme of scholarships for the poor & needy students with the view that rays of sunlight fall on all equally so the rays of
knowledge should also fall on all equally. Such students are provided with scholarships to meet the expenses on fee, books & stationary. Not only that their
activities are also monitored regularly so that proper utilization of scholarship amount is ensured.
We feel honored to quote here that a student who uses to sell belts, purses etc to earn his bread, and was selected for engineering studies. He was given financial assistance to persue his studies and now he is an engineer undergoing job training at Delhi. Scholarships are given to needy students irrespective of caste, color & creed. We try to ensure that needy students are not deprived of financial assistance. We are able to meet the requirements of good number of students because of tremendous response being received from donors. So far 150 children have been benefited from the scheme.
Body Donation
Encouraged with the response of eye donations, the members took up the work of convincing people to donate dead bodies of their near & dears for the service of
mankind so that the medical students may use the same for research purpose. So far 26 numbers of persons have been motivated for the noble cause. It is matter of
proud that since last three years 26 persons have donated their bodies to various medical colleges in Chhattisgarh State as well as outside as against 4 numbers
of bodies received in last 50 years by the Medical College Raipur. It may also be mentioned that the first body donated was of respected mother of our Founder
Shri Anil Guru Baxani on 16th July 2007.
In view of the over whelming response, we hope to meet the requirements of other medical colleges also in near future.
Old Age Home
Old age home by name "Sanjeevini" is being run by the organization on Kota road Gudhiyari Raipur in the memory of late Shri Prahaladrai Ahuja. It is being run
successfully since last year or so. We try our level best to provide homely atmosphere to the elderly persons, deprived of the same by their family members.
Our members look after them like their parents.
They are also being provided requisite medical facilities. Presently 25 persons are residing in Sanjeevini Ashram.
Coffin Freezer
The organization has four mobile coffin freezers for preserving death bodies. This arrangement helps family members residing at distant places to have last glimpses of departed soul. Members of Badhte Kadam provide the service within an hour of receipt of the request from bereaved family. Coffin freezer works on normal power supply available at the residence of the family.
LPG - Cremation House
Motivated by various calls given by our scientists & leaders to create awareness for saving trees, global warming, pollution free environment and saving energy,
labour, time & money, the organization is maintaining LPG cremation house for cremation of dead bodies instead of conventional way of burning wood.
It has been handed over to Raipur Development Authority to meet the above the referred requirements. Cremation of poor members of the society is being done free of charge with the courtesy of Honorable "Sharma Family" (Sun & Sun Jwellers). 97 bodies has been cremated by LPG during last one year.
Ambulance and Swarg Rath
Ambulance
The organization has five numbers of Ambulances to meet the urgent requirements of the society. These are being used for transportation of patients from their
residence to various hospitals in the state of Chhattisgarh as well as outside the state.
Swarg Rath & Mukti Rath
The organization has got two vehicles for transportation of dead body from home to cremation ground for respectful last journey.
These vehicles are designed in such a way that all the activities are visible through transparent glass, sliding stretcher for dead body, comfortable sitting arrangements are made for family members accompanying. Fan & Lights, besides speakers for Ram dhun are also provided in the vehicles.
Mortuary
The organization is maintaining private mortuary at Devendra Nagar Mokshdham Raipur which is the first of its kind in India. It is being used for keeping dead body before burial or cremation. Dead body can be kept for 10 days safely. Mortuary has got facility to keep 12 bodies at a time. Bodies are kept between 2 to 6 degree centigrade temperatures where as air conditioners maintain the temperature between 16 to 22 degree centigrade.
Other Activities
Besides various activities enumerated above the organization is also running "Ganeshram Jivnani Public School" (English Medium) in association with Sai Kisharam
Darbar to provide education to the needy children of the society. Birds and animals are also provided food, drinking water at scheduled places during summer
seasons specially.
During natural calamities i.e. flood, storms etc. members of the organization render assistance to various Government organizations to help the affected persons. Every year in the month of Savan the organization conducts camps for devotees who bring "Holy Water" from Triveni Sangam Rajim to Mahadevghat for abhishek of Lord Hatkeswernath Raipur.