A Donation appeal for a pilgrimage

Hi All,

I recently met this genuine Brahmin. His name is Suryakantbhai Jani, but popularly known as Kanu Ada. He is 72 years old. We had a conversation on many topics. He described how he spends his retired life helping other Brahmins. He has this small office in a very busy area in Rajkot city. Many Brahmins do visit him regularly. What he does is, he finds Karma Kand work for every Brahmin who is in need of work. He doesn’t charge a single dime for this. Neither, he accepts any gifts.

Kanu Ada says “God has given me enough. I don’t need anymore. I want to spend my rest of life by helping others. I have no more attachment to monetary gains now. My only son is very well established. I am really satisfied with my life. Now onwards, each day of my life is spent in helping the needy ones“.

I visited his office too several times. Every time, I found someone seeking his help there. An interesting thing I noticed during my visits to his office is that, he gives a very humble response to whoever visits him. He talks with total involvement. He is extremely positive. He doesn’t believe in being sad or pessimist. He does a work to pour confidence in others. I felt this everytime I visited him.

Kanu Ada has travelled to various Indian religious places like Haridwar, Hrishikesh, Gokul, Mathura, Vrundavan etc. He also shared his experience with me about his visit to Gokul. He says “When I visited Govardhan Hill, I was truly impressed by one of the Leela’s that Lord Krishna performed.” I must note that, he constantly shared his this experience with me. All I could see during this conversation, was his totally true and pure emotions.

Kanu Ada

Recently, he came to meet me. He had this unique idea in this mind, which literary moved my heart. He told me about rich and affording people’s life-style. He said, “Devang, rich and affording people can travel anywhere and anytime they want to. That’s a good thing. I’m not against it. But when I think from the hearts of those non-affording ones from village, I literary feel that I should do something for them. I have a thought in my mind. I want to take such 100 people from villages, who are old but physically capable enough to take care of ownself to an eight day religious tour to Haridwar and Hrishikesh. I want to arrange a Bhagwat Katha there (which is an eight days Hindu religious event) in Haridwar in an Ashram. Now, I know of a good Ashram too in Haridwar where we can have this. We will have a volunteer Bhagwat Kathakar, who will join our mission. What we require is little donation from every helping hand from our society.”

I felt reality in his words. And his mission truly is unique. I agreed with him and joined his hands. I have already started spreading a word about this in my resources and people I know. I will be collecting donation for this religious event, which I believe will give a life-time memorable experience to those un-affording old age people. We do spend money for various personal entertainment things, like watching a movie costs us around 200 for a couple, having dinner at a good restaurant costs us Rs. 300 to 400 for 3 to 4 persons. So I think that, we can surely do this.

I then asked for the total required donation to take 100 people. Kanu Ada says “It will be on a token charge only. It means that, we would require donation to cover MUST expenses such as to and fro train tickets (Rajkot-Haridwar-Rajkot), Lodging and Boarding at an Ashram in Haridwar for eight day. Total expense per person comes around Rs. 3000/-.”

I was stunned to know this that it costs only Rs. 3000/- per person for a week day long religious pilgrimage. I remember, when I visited Haridwar and Hrishkesh with my family, our expense was quite much than this. But Kanu Ada says “Here, we will need not to pay a single rupee to Kathakar, Musicians who play music during Katha, and other Bhudevs (Brahmins) who would join. They all will come for free. And because I want to make this pilgrimage, just like any other paid pilgrimage, we will have this Katha as others, but with difference that the expenses or the charges made for Kathakar, musicians and other Bhudevs, will be cut here. Otherwise, in paid pilgrimages, the total expense for collectively Kathakar Dakshina, Musicians charges, Voice mike charges, Hall charges at Ashram, Electric charges at Ashram and Bhudev Dakshina comes around Rs. 60,000 to 80,000 in total. Here this expense will be cut totally. This is why, we can do this pilgrimage for just Rs. 3000/- per person.”

Kanu Ada adds “I have a dream of bringing 100 such unaffording beneficiaries to this pilgrimage, so in total, we would require a collective donation of Rs. 3,00,000. Alternatively, if we do not get donation for 100 people, a pilgrimage can also be arranged for 50 to 75 beneficiaries. Then the total required donation would decrease to Rs. 1,50,000/- for 50 beneficiaries and Rs. 2,25,000/- for 75 beneficiaries.”

Well, I am with this. I already have such donors who have agreed to sponsor to 5 beneficiaries.

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To know more about this, you can contact on following numbers.

Kanu Ada: (+91) 99131 32516
Devang Vibhakar: (+91) 94269 70479, 96243 29206

You can send your donations directly to following address.

Swadhin Environmental and Educational Trust
19, Swapnalok Plaza, Ground Floor,
Nr. Dharamnagar, 150 feet ring road,
Rajkot – 360 007 (Gujarat – India)

Check and D.D. can be drawn in favor of:

Swadhin Environmental and Educational Trust

Email: speakbindas AT Gmail Dot com

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Watch above video where Kanu Ada exclusively shares his thoughts.

Sponsorship chart: