JAN 04 2008 – “WORLD BRAILLE DAY”
CELEBRATION BY VTSeva & JET

“Their fingers have eyes…Their ears have vision…
Their hearts of courage…Their lives are full of zeal.
They are deprived of vision.
Yet their vision is fair and realistic. Lets encourage them !”

Commemorating the birth of Louis Braille Jan 4 1809, the inventor of Braille script, the World celebrates on Jan 4 1809 as ” WORLD BRAILLE DAY “.

For the first time JET & VTSeva have organized a walkathon in a grand scale in India and Australia on Jan 4 2008 to bring awareness of the blind people under the guidance of HH Sri Swamiji, at following locations:

1.Hyderabad, India – 10 am – From Baghlingampally (Sundarayya Park) to Secunderabad (Zymkhana Grounds)

World Braille day, Walkathon in Hyderabad – India
Walkathon was arranged in several major cities and towns in Andhra pradesh The walk was mapped connecting the two twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad for a 6 Km (4.5 miles) walk. The walk started from Baghlingampalli on Jan 4 at 10 AM. Over 11,000 people walked the route for 6 Km to final destination ‘Zymkhana Grounds’, holding inspiring placards, banners, and distributing pamphlets about the blind awareness. The walk was to promote awareness for the  blind in the area and to bring support to the visually challenged and to help improve their lives.

2.Vijayawada, India – 6 pm – Passes through Besant Road

3.Vizianagara,, India

4.Vishakhapatnam, India

5.Nellore, India

6.Zaheerabad, India

7.Karimnagar, India

8.Rajahmundry, India

9.Warangal – India

10.Several other districts, cities and towns – India

11.Melbourne, Australia – 4 pm

12.Sydney, Australia – 4 pm

13.Brisbane, Australia – 4 pm

 

The day before the walkathon…
All the plans were in place for the scheduled walkathon on Jan 4. But ! around midnight an unexpected call from police officials came with concerns for the approved route for the walk because of traffic issues. Hope good days are ahead when the government would patronize noble causes.

As hectic as one can imagine to change everything in the eleventh hour, walkathon involving thousands of supporters, which was already planned and approved. HH Swamiji expressed the consequences of a major change as literally there was no time to communicate to all the participants, organizers, and supporters when a few hours were left for walkathon to start.

Inspite of  all the risk involved, considering the police authorities suggestions, keeping all the participants in traffic in view, HH Swamiji, decided to make only small changes so that the program uninterruptedly.

Finally, it was decided that the participants will walk from  Baghlingampalli to Indira Park (about 3.5 Km) and then ride in the vehicles arranged by VTSeva, to avoid further delays to the rush hour traffic. The vehicles drove from Indira Park to Bantia Gardens, adjacent to Zymkhana Grounds. Thanks to all Bantia family members for enthusiastically arranging all the necessary facilities at the new venue of destination of the walkathon in a few hours of notice. In addition, thanks to all school buses and private vehicles provided for transportation. Without the hard work of the organizers, transporting the people from Indira Park to Bhatia Gardens would not have been possible.

The day of the event, Jan 4…
Thousands of people, volunteers, participants, children, students and many officials came to Baghlingampalli by 9.30 AM for participating in the Walkathon.

Many dignitaries and VIPs at the state level have shown their support by participating in the walkathon. Andhra Pradesh State Minister for Home Affairs, Sri Jana Reddy, Minister for Education  Sriman D.Srinivas, Minister for Rural Welfare, Sri Chinna Reddy, Minister for Transport Sri Kanna Lakshminarayana, Sri Hanumantha Rao M.P, Sri.Kishan Reddy local MLA, Nayani Narasimhareddy MLA have all arrived at Baghlingampalli. Students and children from many schools and universities, and especially the blind children from Nethra Vidyalaya Junior College, thousands of people from all walks of life including professors, doctors, teachers, engineers, business, IT, administrators and people of all religions and race, have arrived to participate in this first huge monumental walk for a noble cause.

VTSeva President Sriman E.Ramarao, JET President Sriman Ch.Ramachandra Reddy, JIVA Chairman Sriman J.Rameswara Rao, Prof.Purushothama Rao, Badari Kshethra BAKASS President Sriman Ramanadham, along with their team members, volunteers and coordinators have worked methodically. The event commenced with a prayer conducted by HH Swamiji, followed by a brief talk about Louise Braille and his service to the blind people. HH Swamiji, blessed all the school children who participated from 32 schools from Secunderabad and Hyderabad India. HH Sri Swamiji’s scintillating message made a memorable mark on the tender hearts of school children. They were excited to listen to Sri Swamiji speaking so sweetly touching the inner values of life in a more practical way. HH explained the importance of this occasion to children and elders to invoke a great thought, and give a message and inspiration.The other dignitaries also spoke on the occasion about the nethra vidyalaya junior college for blind, commending their talents and determination.

The magnitude of the first walkathon was a sight to see, a spiritual uplifting, with bounds of joy and hope resonating everywhere. Most of the participants had T-Shirts on with different colors and many t-shirts were also distributed to the people along the walk. Children marched with banners with message of hope and people walked with placards giving inspiration and information about the blind people. The banner with the ‘big eye’ carried by the volunteers was a great attraction to all the people. Volunteers distributed literature about the event and their need to support the cause.

HH Sri Swamiji stopped intermittently during the walk, and blessed all the people along the way encouraging them, giving them T-shirts, literature etc. HH Sri Swamiji’s drive and passion for the noble cause has been the panacea for all the people to enjoy the spirit of servitude and experience the sweetness of inseparable spiritual relationship. A generous donor distributed cookies to all the participants in the walk and the volunteers distributed water for the participants. NCC cadets and teachers where mandating the children during the walk.

As the walk reached midpoint to Indira Park, everyone was cheering and rejoicing to hear HH Sri Swamiji’s message. HH Sri Swamiji blessed everyone, and inspired the people to take part in serving the noble causes of our society by volunteering to the disabled, underprivileged, physically handicapped, and needy people. He also appealed to the government to implement special fa cities which will improve the life of such people. HH Sri Swamiji honored all the blind and disabled people who participated in the event.

Immediately following the walkathon HH Sri Swamiji left to Vijayawada to participate in another walkathon scheduled at 5.PM on the same day, in which about 15000 people were expected to participate.

 

India – MORE PHOTO

Brisbane – MORE PHOTOS

Melbourne – MORE PHOTOS

Sydney – MORE PHOTOS