Guest guest Posted December 4, 2000 Report Share Posted December 4, 2000 You will find the below article very interesting! Yours, Madhava ======================= Deccan Chronicle A unique bank that loans spirituality Varanasi, Dec. 4: The Ram Rampati Bank here offers a unique banking experience. There is no money transacted, yet people from all walks of life rush to seek loans, whether they are simple village folk or affluent Indians settled abroad. There is no collateral required for a loan no proof of fixed deposits, nor mortgage of property. One doesnt even need a guarantor.At the 73-year-old bank in this pilgrim town, everything runs on faith. All one really needs to do to get a loan from the bank is to fill a simple application form and make a wish. An applicant needs to state his or her lifes wish and fulfill the only conditions: Write Hindu warrior god Rams name 1.25 lakh times and practice vegetarianism.That is the mode of repayment by writing Ram 500 times every day, said a bank spokesman. Since this has to be done with unfailing consistency, the repayment is completed in exactly eight months and 10 days. The only security the bank asks for in return for the loan is personal details of the applicant and a promise to repay in the manner prescribed. When one writes the name of Lord Ram continuously for such long period following strict vegetarianism, the creditor himself becomes devoted towards Ram, who fulfils the wish written on the first day of taking the loan, says Das Basudev Prasad, the bank manager. The bank loan serves a dual purpose. It fulfils the spiritual need of the applicant and promotes bhakti (devotion); and one remains thankful to Ram, fulfilling the objective of the bank to awaken religious consciousness in more and more people. According to Prasad, the loan can be returned in any script, such as those used by Hindi and English, but not in Urdu as that is written from right to left. While the bank pays all other expenses, a creditor is required to feed 11 holy men on the day he returns the loan and attends prayers with his Ramnaam papers.The Ramnaam loan is the banks most popular scheme, the others being working a rosary string and reciting mantras. The registrations for the three schemes have crossed the 70,000 mark.The number of applicants for the Ramnaam scheme is growing every day, with even NRIs sending requests for loans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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