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One of our problems was how to start Samiti work in a new place where we did not know any people. He offered us addresses of some swayamsevaks who would help us. But he insisted that we do some concrete work and be on our own. it would not be proper to seek the help of fraternal friends on a regular basis. Actually Balasaheb supported us to become self-reliant, not to be dependent on the RSS.
Every year we used to call on him on the conclusion of the summer training camp, We were required to give him on exhaustive report. He would then ask us how many workers would the camp turn out, how many new shakhas could we start, etc. He did give an impression of being involved with the work of the Samiti.
Devi Ahalya Mandir has boarding facilities for girls- students from Poorvanchal. M. Swamalata Bhishikar from Jnan Prabodhini had come to consecrate the girls with the upanayana samskara. P.P. Balasaheb had a keen desire to know how the sacred-thread ceremony of girls would be performed. As a matter of fact he was not at all well, But his will power brought him there. He had Latatai explaining every mantra and the attendant accompanying ritual.
He insisted that a lot more deserved to be done for work among the women. He wanted them to arise from centuries old slumber and engage themselves in doing work for the Samiti. His guidance was always along these lines. Many times he attended the Samiti's triennial gatherings and offered invaluable guidance.
A couple of years ago he was honoured with the Jiya Mata Award by the Chhatrapati Seva Pratishthan. Two days later he issued instructions to inform Devi Ahalya Mandir and also sent for me. He then said to me. "An award in the name of a mother can rightly belong to no one but a mother." With these words he handed over the purse to me. He was a passionate champion of Hindutva. But then he was also a social reformer, a pioneer of radical change. He was of the view that we needed to introduce all that was relevant to the modem times. Society must change in accordance with the times, yet without swerving from the eternal values of Hindutva, he maintained.
Although he was very much of a thinker he laid great stress on being practical.
The conviction that the daily shakha is the soul of the Sangh is born of this attitude.
I feel as if we have lost someone against whom we could lean. Let us therefore endeavour to make up the loss by going ahead along the path shown by him without losing track of his thoughts.
All of us sevikas offer our sincere homage to the divine soul that was P.P. Balasaheb.
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