HYDERABAD: On the watch of Goddess Bharat Mata mounted on a lion holding flag of "Akhand Bharat", the top decision making national executive of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) began three days long brainstorming sessions on Sunday. The sprawling over four acres complex of Shree Vidya Vihar High School, which is affiliated to the RSS, has been named Bhagyanagar, which is said to be the ancient name of Hyderabad.
Over four hundred delegates, who are regional (prant) heads of the RSS along with leaders of 38 saffron wings, will remain in a huddle till Tuesday. The road leading to the venue is dotted with the trademark RSS red flag.
The day began with the delegates massed at the sports field of the school for the morning drill as part of the programme of the daily Shakha (branch) held across the country. The RSS Sarsanghchalak (chief) Mohan Bhagwat along with the general secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi led the morning deal amidst the air reverberating with the song in the glory of "Bharat Mata".
Women in white golden saree put traditional tilak made of turmeric and red powder on delegates even while two hundred youth drawn from the vibrant IT sector of Hyderabad took position for organising various services. Some of them have taken a week long leave from their offices to deliver a perfectly organised event. "Most of us work in IT companies here. We are responsible for arrangements for delegates, including cooking food and serving them, besides standing guard to ensure all go well," said Bharat Bhushan, an RSS activist.
Under the banner of "Rashtriya Karyakari mandal", Bhagwat and Joshi took positions on the dais, while the men in their 50s, 60s and more squatted on floor, besides some on the floor. In the men's world as it looked in the "Bhavyanagar hall", four women who head a few RSS wings presented a contrasting picture. Incidentally, majority of the delegates are pracharaks (bachelors), who happen to be mostly men.
Known for rigorous discipline and opaque to the outside world, RSS volunteers ensured that none who were not expected to take part in the deliberations were even at an earshot distance of the hall. Outside the hall slippers and shoes were left in perfectly placed positions making a long rows attracting the attention to the famed disciplined behaviour of the RSS leaders.
With the chanting of a Sanskrit shloka singing the glory of the" Bharat Mata", Bhagwat led the deliberations, while the volunteers gently led the men with the shutter-boxes and scribes outside.
Outside an exhibition is put out with the black colour iron statue of "Bharat Mata" which exhibits and chronicles the lives of the RSS leaders who passed away in the recent times, besides the icons of the saffron outfit, which includes Dr Keshav Bakiram Hedgewar. Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay who was sent by the RSS for political works to the Jansangh and the BJP afterwards occupies key centre stage as the Narendra Modi led NDA government at the Centre along with the BJP celebrate the birth centenary of the propounder of the philosophy of integral humanism. "His philosophy is relevant at a time when the world is dealing with consequences of over exploitation of nature, besides lack of dignity to men," said V Bhagayya, the joint general secretary of the RSS.
After day long deliberations, the delegates will mass in the sports field of the school for the Sandhya Prarthana (evening prayers). The delegates proudly strut around knowing well that only once in six months they all gather together and come face to face with the top brass of the saffron outfit.