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Monks' Dilemma
Monks' Dilemma
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On the main road towards Jaipur, adjacent to the village Sohangarh, Deepti spotted two huts little away from the road and asked Deepak to see people there. As car entered the campus a young man came and greeted them, "You are welcome. I am working on the project for uplift and empowerment of women with Aruna Roy of SWRC, Tilonia."
NINE
Acharya Vinay left Jaipur for onward journey to Udaipur where the next stay for four months was fixed. It is mandatory for Jain monks to remain at one location during rainy season. They walk on foot and cover ten to fifteen kilometres a day staying in villages or towns on the way. Acharya and his group were at village Sohangarh when Deepak and Deepti met them on their way to Jaipur from where they were to fly to Bangalore. After paying customary obeisance Deepak requested the Acharya, "Kindly expedite and fix dates as early as possible for your proposed conference of monks of all sects and religious orders to deliberate upon the futility or utility of monkhood so that my parents can be freed from the forced monkhood on them."
Acharya, "I shall do it on reaching Udaipur."
Deepak, "I know her. Is she here?
Mrs Roy was happy to see Deepak and his wife Deepti and explained in brief their project on which they had been working for one year, "We at Tilonia came to know that the ex jagirdar of Sohangarh is still perpetuating his fiefdom even after the abolition of jagirs. They still charge fees for dry wood which is allowed free by the government for the villagers for their bonafide domestic use. The matter of concern was that the spoiled sons of the jagirdar harassed the girls going to collect wood or to defecate in the forest to the extent that many times the girls were molested and even raped. We trained the girls in self defence measures including some martial arts. Now the situation has changed and it is the sons of jagirdar whom girls feared, are now afraid of girls who go in groups and beat them up if harassed. We have also done some development work like tree planting, construction of anicuts, bundhs etc. We are also organising vocational training programmes to provide employment and self help"
Deepak, "We are also taking up a social welfare programme under our 'Deepshree Rehabilitation Trust" at Jhadol near Udaipur. Vibha, my friend's wife a committed social worker and a reputed environmentalist has taken up the responsibility to implement it."
Deepak, "It will be late in case it is to be held at Udaipur. I request you to start preparatory work right now during your journey. If you permit I shall depute my sister Shree, earlier your disciple Shradha to accompany you and do correspondence work as per your instructions. She is now well versed in operating a computer. She will bring her laptop for this work."
Acharya hesitated because he was deliberately delaying it to gain time, but agreed lest he may be misunderstood.
