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JAIN DIGEST .. May 2011
to uplift and empower humanity through humanitarianism, education and spiritual development Veerayatan has centers in Bihar, Gujarat (Kutch). Maharashtra and many other places in India. There are also centers in USA, UK, East Africa, Singapore, UAE, Australia and other countries. These centers provide health care services, education and social services to those who would otherwise not have access to such services. Veerayatan is run by a dedicated team of sadhvis, trustees, committee members, professional staff and volunteers. The humanitarian work at Veerayatan in Bihar includes a 200 bed medical center (offering eye, orthopedic, dental care and general surgery), several schools providing education for 1500 village children, a college with 200 students studying for a B.Ed. degree. At the Rajgiri center, polio corrective surgeries are performed on a regular basis. Over one million eye patients have been treated free of charge and since 1973, over 150,000 successful eye surgeries have been performed in ultra modern facilities. Projects such as KIDS and Shrutam, provide literacy and hygiene education to hundreds of slum and working children. The Navalveerayatan,.established near Pune in the state of Maharashtra in 2000 is devoted to inner development. This holds training courses on yoga, meditation, stress management and new age health therapies. The center at Kutch, Gujarat, provides free education to over 1000 children. Children are also provided free uniforms and food. In fact, the center in Kutch is the offspring of the work done by Chandanaji in the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake in 2001. Chandanaji believes "Education is the future of humanity. It is not merely achieving degrees and qualifications but the refinement of the inner world which will bring everyone together." Some of Chandanaji's other accomplishments include the task of translating the "Uttaradhyayana Sutra" (a major Jain Scripture) in 33 days. She also hand crafted the panels honoring the themes of non-violence, love and the oneness of humanity which can now be found in Veerayatan Shri Brahmi Kala Mandiram in Rajgiri.
It has been visited by over 4.5 million people to date.
Chandanaji believes that creativity is the best way to fulfill oneself spiritually and therefore she is constantly evolving and re-examining all aspects of her work. She is of the opinion that, "Learning brings out the spirit of creativity and creativity brings knowledge. Knowledge is indeed an asset for the nation. Veerayatan intends to create outstanding individuals with exceptional creative abilities". A post graduate in philosophy, Chandanaji has a profound understanding of Jain Scriptures and other faiths. Her message of inner development, social responsibility and compassion are espoused as values supplemental to, but not in place of religion. Chandanaji is keenly aware of the untapped potential of the youth of today and is intent on ensuring that programs and lectures are tailored to ensure the inclusion of young people, who she feels have a profound lack of spirituality in their lives.
Chandanaji is the first Jain Sadhvi to be raised to the position of Acharya, but this has, in no way, caused her to confine herself to one religion. Man's relationship with his fellow man is religion, she says, and to respect other people's feelings and emotions is a way of worship. "There are no rules that say that taking sanyas means that you only have to meditate and search for God. Service and prayer go together. When I understood this, I felt I'd finally found what I had been seeking as a child”, says Chandanaji. "Everything we do affects us here and now: even the future is too far away, let alone the next life. Every good deed is divine." She exhorts us to love what we do, do it with happiness, and to take pride in our happiness. Many awards have been bestowed upon Chandanaji; the Shri Devi Ahilya National Award for her humanitarian service and animal welfare activities; the Mahavir Foundation award; the Sant Balaji Award; Woman of the Year award and many other national and international awards. These awards and her fame have not deflected her from her life of asceticism. She is first and foremost a spiritual leader, whose service to others is part of that spirituality.
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