Response to Funding of various of Srivaishnava Causes

[Guest guest]

Pranamams to all Bhakthas

 

The feedback to the above posting was on expected lines – viz: no feedback.

 

Funding to SriVaishanva causes today is dependant mainly on charity. Even

this charity follows an unexplainable but mercurial pattern. My idea in

raising this subject in this august sadhas is to confirm if what is being

done currently is good enough and adequate for the cause. I have no other

agenda.

 

I have in this sadhas (in the last one month plus) come across requests for

financial help for the following causes:

1) For the printing of the books of Uttamur Swami.

2) For Thoopul trust.

3) For Ubhaya Vedanta Trust.

4) For renovation of Yathokthakari temple.

5) For printing of Sribhashayam & Tiruppavai books. Etc.

I do not know if I have been able to recollect all the causes. But the basic

question is how many of them have really benefited from these appeals. Have

the donations been in adequate measures and are the bhakthas happy with what

is happening. Infact I did happen to listen to none other than HH Jeer of

Ahobilam say:quote: “ People accuse me of being avaricious. People hardly

realize how difficult it is to run this organization. I have spent many

sleepless nights.”unquote.

 

It is my personal conviction that for causes such as ours, Charity should

only be complimentary, basically because of it’s unpredictable nature.

Further, tapping of charity regularly could dry this source immediately and

create some form of "fatigue" in the minds of the donors. The potential

base of donors all of us are talking to is also very small. We have to

develop a larger database of Srivaishnavas who may be willing to

to the cause. This basically would entail a huge communication effort. To

illustrate, if there are 5000 srivaishnavas and if each one of them could

donate Rs.100/- p.m, we could be talking about a cash generation of Rs.5/-

lacs p.m. The amounts so gathered could be used partly for further asset

creation and partly for financing the cause. I further feel that we should

get into the business of making money for the cause, as a primary objective.

By lessening dependence on charity, cash flow projections can be steadied to

a great extent. We may also have to scout for projects and start financing

them. THIS WAY THERE COULD BE A GREAT RESURGENCE IN SRIVAISHNAVA ACTIVITIES.

 

If adiyen’s ramblings are found inappropriate, the same may be excused.

 

Adiyen

K.Lakshminarayan.

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Srimathe Malola NarasimhAya Namaha

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

As Sriman Lakshmi Narayanan Krishnaswamy said that there is a "shortage" of

finances towards the Sri Vaishnava cause, this fact is clearly true. The temples

which are one of the main sources of "income" towards all Mathams, are today

mostly under the control of State Governments.

 

For Example, the Karnataka State Goverment has a department called the " Muzzrai

Department" which virtually controls all the temples in Karnataka. Nonetheless,

there are local trusts set up by the bhaktas at each temple, but the powers of

these trusts are nothing compared to the goverment.

 

All forms of "income" to these temples are taken away by the goverment through

the " Muzzrai Department" and they restrict any "developmentary" work in these

temples.

 

At the Venugopala Krishnaswmy Temple,Malleswaram,Bangalore, The government has

posted an " Executive Officer" to oversee all the activities of the temple. As

such funds for the sake of development are largely curtailed by the government.

At present a " Pravachana Mandiram" is beign built for the sake of propagating

Ubhaya Vedantha. This project took 3 years to get clerance from the government.

Labourers work for hardly 4 - 5 hours a day or sometimees do not work at all.The

funds are stuck up with the goverment.

 

Even Donations towards this project have to pass through the government and

never reach to their ultimate cause. So far no action has been taken against

this apathy of the government.

 

This is not the only temple in Bangalore, but as a matter of fact almost all

temples in Karnataka are suffering the same fate.

 

We here in Bangalore do not know how to go about removing this impediment--The

Corrupt Government. This is the bear fact. As long as the government is meddling

with the affairs of a holy place, there will be less or no development in these

holy places.

>>Further, tapping of charity regularly could dry this source immediately and

>>create some form of "fatigue" in the minds of the donors

 

Let us try to form a Samithi which will be responsible for handling all the

finances. We could contiubuted on a regular basis to this samithi, which will

cater towards the need for all kainkaryams undertaken in the future. Instead of

us contributing towards kainkaryams individually, we could contribute on a

regular basis to the Samithi will consequently, proportionally distribute

finances towards kainkaryams.

 

 

adiyEn sri malola narasimha dasan,

 

Malolan Cadambi,

Bangalore,India.

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sri. Malolan and others who share this mindset: There already exists one

such organization - SVSS (Sri Vaishnava Seva Samithi); it operates as a

registered tax-exempt charity in the USA, and also (recently) has been

granted similar status in India under section 80-G. There are about 4

volunteers in Bangalore including my father, who are in the process of

administering the funds transmitted to SVSS-India with a goal to form a corpus

fund whose

proceeds can be donated to Srivaishnava causes.

This year, the contributions from USA to SVSS were directly sent to their

destinations since

80-G clearance hadn't been obtained at that time. For details, please refer to

the SVSS web

page:

 

http://www.geocities.com/vaishnavas/

 

I have mentioned this before, and wish to say it again: Please pitch in

and help make a difference. Even Sri. Rangapriya Mahadesikan Swami

recently mentioned in Bangalore, that Srivaishnavas should meet the

challenge of these times by donating about a tenth of their earnings to

such charitable causes. No matter which divya desam, temple or matham

you visit today, you will find the overwhelming need for financial support.

This is simply because each one of us does not do our bit. All Srivaishnava

institutions

today can be well placed, if we collectively pitch in with a

fraction of our income. We have a LOT TO LEARN from the so-called

RELIGIONS OF THE BOOK, in my humble opinion.

 

Please peruse the above URL and register for regular contributions,

which will be tax-deductible. If you have questions contact Nagu Satyan

at email: satyan or reply to my email (below).

 

aDiyEn,

-Srinath Chakravarty

email: xsrinath

> Sat, 08 Jul 2000 01:02:03 +0530

> Malolan Cadambi <mcadambi

> Let us try to form a Samithi which will be responsible for handling all

thefinances. We

> could contiubuted on a regular basis to this samithi, which will cater towards

the need for

> all kainkaryams undertaken in the future. Instead of us contributing towards

kainkaryams

> individually, we could contribute on a regular basis to the Samithi will

consequently,

> proportionally distribute finances towards kainkaryams.

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhakthas,

 

I am indeed grateful to Sri.Malolan Cadambi & Sri.Srinath Chakravarthy for

chosing to react to the above topic. It is only and only if we put our heads

together, agree on a modality for raising finance, identify projects on a

reasonable and rational basis, that we will be able to achieve some results.

 

As regards regular contributions, we definitely need to work out some basis

for this. Further we also need to widen the donor base. Considering that

there are already so many samithis and matams, this could be a difficult

task. Well there is only one consolation: if there is a will, there is a

way!

 

As regards governmental intervention in Hindu religious matters, may be we

can talk to religious heads, governmental depts:, and look at PIL if

necessary.

 

But for all this to happen we need to arise,awake,consolidate and march

on.If today we find all the srivaishanava institutions in some form or other

of degneration, we will have none but us to blame.

 

Adiyen

K.Lakshminarayan.

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