India

Concerned about the situation of the saintly, spiritual practitioners in northern India, when a strong cold front was sweeping into the region in November 2009, Supreme Master Ching Hai especially allocated US$20,000 and asked our Association members to buy blankets for them to withstand the cold weather.

Our Association members from Formosa reached Delhi, India, on November 17 and purchased more than 4,000 blankets, which they began to distribute to the saints who gather by the Ganges River banks near Varanasi (Benares) and Haridwar.

When the practitioners in the Santosh Puri Ashram in Hardiwar heard that our Association members were going to hand out several thousand blankets, they cordially helped to spread the news and generously let them use their ashram for the distribution. As the saints were queuing for the blankets, many of them sang holy songs of India to express their gratitude to the divine for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s love, who brought them warmth and comfort in the cold winter.

Yogacharya Ganga Puri and Mataji, who help to run the Santosh Puri Ashram, were very grateful to Master for Her charitable deeds. “I think it’s wonderful! . . . Supreme Master Ching Hai is really enlightened and She is sharing Her love to all the suffering people in the world to keep the balance of the world.”

Receipt for 4,335 blankets, amounting to 905,332 rupees (US$20,000)

During the last six months of 2009, many regions in India had been repeatedly stricken by floods and earthquakes. Upon knowing of the unfortunate circumstances, Supreme Master Ching Hai promptly allocated funds and instructed our Association members to render aid in the affected areas, each time. Our fellow initiates from Formosa and India then conducted relief operations in the following regions: Barpeta District in Assam, Rajkot City in Gujarat, Patna City in Bihar, Pithoragarh District in Uttaranchal, Bahraich District in Uttar Pradesh, Vijayawada in Andhra, Sundarbans in West Bengal, and Nilgiri District in Tamil Nadu.

Flood Relief Work

Barpeta, Assam - When our relief team reached Assam on July 23, with assistance from the local fellow initiates and Mr. Anupam—former Chairman of the local Rotary Club, they purchased the required rice, vegetable oil, salt, vitamins, saris, dhotis, beverages, biscuits and ferro-aluminum roofing, then distributed these items to about 2,000 of the most needy households in the four most devastated villages in Barpeta District.

Rajkot, Gujarat - On August 6, 2009 the team handed out 500 packages containing clothes, towels, food and cooking utensils in the most seriously flood damaged areas of Rajkot, Gujarat.

Patna, Bihar- Following the August 17 distribution of supplies in Saidpur and Sitamarhi Villages near Patna, Bihar, the local newspapers published articles and photos on Supreme Master Ching Hai’s relief efforts. The local government provided food and tents to people in the affected regions and the team, assisted by area Rotary Club members, delivered 1,000 packages of clothing, towels, flashlights and extra food. The residents gratefully accepted our group’s love and care given on Master’s behalf.

The Hindustan and Dainik Jagran newspapers covered Master’s flood relief work in Patna, India. (Originally in Hindi)

In September, heavy rains again caused the major rivers of India’s Bihar State to overflow and flood villages, so on September 23, our Association relief team returned to Patna to provide aid. With the help from Rotary Club members, they distributed 1,500 packages containing clothes, blankets, towels, flashlights and staple foods to families, the elderly, orphanages and the local blind center. The items were received with much joy and gratitude.

Thank you letters from village heads, schools and charitable organizations for Master’s generous contributions 

Uttar Pradesh- On September 14, the team handed out 600 packages of daily supplies and local currency to 100 affected people after Nepal’s Sharda River flooded and devastated several villages in the Bahraich, Gonda and Balrampur Districts of Uttar Pradesh. Fortunately, the local government had already brought tents and most of the food. The village head expressed his sincere thanks to Master for all Her help.

Vijayawada, Sundarbans and Bahraich - On October 9, having received information from the disaster relief command center and the social welfare bureau in Vijayawada City, regarding the 2,000 most severely stricken households, our relief team quickly purchased the required cooking oil, salt, lentils, sugar, tea leaves and spices, then distributed the articles to the victims in the affected area the following day.

Our relief team reached Calcutta, capital of West Bengal State on October 14, where they bought blankets, saris, dhotis, rice, sugar, salt and other material, which were given to 1,500 households in the Lahripur and Binapan Villages in the Sundarbans region. To express their deepest gratitude and love to Supreme Master Ching Hai, the villagers in Lahripur together chanted “Om” loud enough to reach Heaven. Everyone present was touched by their sincerity and pure heart.

In Bahraich, on October 17, with the assistance of the local Lions Club, the fellow initiates purchased rice, salt, saris, wheat flour, tableware, matches, candles, soap, laundry soap, biscuits, sweets, breads and other materials, which were gratefully received by about 2,000 households in the heavily stricken villages of Pipri, Mahsi and Siluta.

Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu - Continuous torrential rains, in early November, had caused severe landslides in Ooty City, Ketti Village and other places in Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu, in southern India, destroying hundreds of houses and taking the lives of dozens of people. Our Formosa relief team reached the devastated area on November 19 and after having contacted the local government, they learned that the victims were in need of warm clothing. The next day, they bought more than 2,000 pieces of warm jackets, sweaters and children’s clothing, of which they handed out 311 pieces to those in need, and then gave various government departments the remainder to distribute to victims in other affected areas.

Earthquake Relief Work

Pithoragarh, Uttaranchal - In August an earthquake that struck Nachani, Pithoragarh, Uttaranchal, India, caused the loss of 43 lives as many were trapped in their homes by a landslide. Since the local government had provided the victims with food and shelter in camps, the team urgently prepared needed daily necessities and other items, and on August 24, went to the heavily damaged Nachani Village to distribute the supplies. They also arranged for more food to be delivered to the affected families each month for the next three months. On the villagers’ behalf the leader thanked Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her help, which greatly improved their living conditions.
 

*Throughout the relief operation, the team members paid for their own transportation, food and accommodation.

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To view the Humanitarian Relief Activities by the Supreme Master Ching Hai and Her International Association, please visit: http://www.GodsDirectContact.org.tw/humanitarian (The list can be sorted by year, country/region and type of events.)