Shri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Seva Samiti Trust

Dharampur (Gujarat)

Onward for ever! Sympathy for the poor, the downtrodden, even unto death-this is our motto. Onward, brave lads! Have faith in the Lord; no policy, it is nothing. Feel for the miserable and look up for help-it shall come.

-swami vivekananda

Tribal youth

Aavalkhandi chhatralaya students

Natural scenery of dharampur

Swami Vivekananda`s views about indian masses and their upliftment

"If the poor boy cannot come to education, education must go to him."

"Educate your women first and leave them to themselves; then they will tell you what reforms are necessary for them."

Findings:

I consider that the great national sin is the neglect of the masses, and that is one of the causes of our downfall.”

“The whole defect is here: The real nation who live in cottage have forgotten their manhood, their individuality.”

“The one thing that is at the root of all evils in India is the condition of the poor.”

Remedies:

“The only service to be done for our lower classes is to give them education, to develop their lost individuality.”

“Give them their rights, and let them stand on their rights.

“Keep the motto before you ‘Elevation of the masses without injuring their religion’.”

In February 1897, in Chennai, after his return from triumphant tour of the west, Swami Vivekananda was asked,

“What are your views with regard to the Indian masses?’

He replied,

“Oh, we are awfully poor, and our masses are very ignorant about secular things. Our masses are very good because poverty here is not crime. Our masses are not violent…”

What will you propose for the improvement of our masses?’

“We have to give them secular education. We have to follow the plan laid down by our ancestors, that is, to bring all the ideals slowly down among the masses. Raise them slowly up, raise them to equality. Impart even secular knowledge through religion.”

Swami Vivekananda is a great and popular icon for the youth who called upon the youth to ‘Arise, Awake and Stop not till the Goal is Reached’, and commit themselves to rebuild India by formation of character