Puri Jagannath Ratha Yatra: 1,560 RSS Swayamsevaks selflessly serve the devotees, draw widespread praiseBhubaneswar: Demonstrating their enduring commitment to selfless service, over 1,560 dedicated Swayamsevaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been actively involv in providing a wide range of humanitarian services during the renowned Ratha Yatra festival Puri. As in previous years, the RSS, in coordination with the Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti, h implemented nine structured service activities, garnering admiration from devotees and the public alike.
True to the spirit of the Sangh, RSS Swayamsevaks have been the first to respond to needs, offering timely assistance in the midst of massive crowds, managing critical situations, and ensuring medical help reaches those in distress. The Swayamsevak work during the Ratha Yat is a longstanding tradition rooted in compassion and discipline.
The service operations officially began at 8:30 AM on the day of the Ratha Yatra in front of th Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti’s primary medical center near Bholanath School. The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior Sangh leaders, including Jagadish Prasad Khadanga, Sah-Kshetra Pracharak of RSS, Kshetra Sampark Pramukh Vidyut Mukherjee, VHP Odisha President Prafulla Kumar Mishra, and Samiti President Akshay Kumar Bit, who togeth lit the ceremonial lamp to signify the start of this noble endeavor.
Rudranarayan Mahapatra, the Ratha Yatra Seva Sanyojak (service coordinator) of the Samiti, provided a detailed overview of the service plan. He noted the frequent incidents of devotees fainting or getting injured due to the immense crowds and heat during the festival, prompting the implementation of a comprehensive emergency response plan.
Swayamsevak teams assisted in transporting injured and unconscious devotees to hospitals using stretchers and ambulances. Human chains were formed to create emergency corridors, allowing ambulances to navigate and evacuate patients from the dense crowds along the Bada Danda st (Grand Road). Upon arrival at hospitals, the Swayamsevaks coordinated with doctors to ensure PN prompt and appropriate medical treatment.
The nine major services provided during this year’s Ratha Yatra included managing ambulance corridors, ambulance assistance, stretcher services, traffic control, drinking water distribution, water sprinkling, hospital facilitation, cleanliness drives along the Bada Danda, and primary medical assistance.
The manpower distribution for the event was meticulously organized. A total of 20 Swayamsevaks operated in two shifts across two ambulances to transport patients. For water distribution, 25 Swayamsevaks were assigned in two shifts at five key locations. Water sprinkling was managed by 40 Swayamsevaks using ten sprayers, while 80 Swayamsevaks provided stretcher services in two shifts.
Approximately 200 Swayamsevaks were stationed at two medical centers, another 200 were engaged in cleaning the Bada Danda, and primary medical services were delivered by a team consisting of five doctors, two pharmacists, and four assistants. Additionally, 100 Swayamsevaks were deployed for traffic management, and an impressive 884 Swayamsevaks created and maintained the ambulance corridor stretching from the Ratha site to Medical Chhak
Senior RSS leaders supervising and supporting the entire operation included Bipin Prasad Nanda (Prant Pracharak, Odisha (Purv)), Asit Kumar Sahu (Saha-Prant Pracharak), Shantanu Majhi (Prant Seva Pramukh), Ranjan Maharana (Vibhag Seva Pramukh), Chandrasekhar Mahapatra (Vibhag Pracharak), Bamidev Nayak (Vibhag Sah-Sampark Pramukh), Sarbeshwar Bishoi (Zilla Karyavah), and Rudranarayan Mahapatra. Under their able leadership, these service efforts were successfully coordinated. On the day of the Ratha Yatra alone, 750 devotees received medical assistance through the primary medical camps, with services continuing until Bahuda Yatra (the return journey of the chariots).
In addition to the RSS and Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti, several other Sangh-affiliated organizations are actively involved in service. These include the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Jagran Manch, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh,.
