Right Word | Why Guru Dakshina in RSS is a unique celebration in modern times

With the celebration of the festival of ‘Guru Purnima’ this year in mid-July, a unique exercise which isn’t known much outside the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will also commence. This is known as 'Guru Dakshina’ (Offerings to the Guru). This exercise would be carried out over a period of one month by more than 60,000 RSS shakhas across the country. ‘Guru Dakshina’ is part of the celebrations of ‘Guru Puja’, one of the six festivals celebrated by the RSS every year. The other five festivals are — Vijaydashami, Makar Sankranti, Varsh Pratipada, Hindu Samrajya Divas and Rakshabandhan.

Every RSS Shakha organises Guru Dakshina, a programme for its Swayamsevaks on a particular day in the year starting from ‘Guru Purnima’ which generally falls in the month of July and the whole exercise is carried out over a period of one month There are primarily two reasons for organising this programme. First, to carry forward the age-old revered tradition of Guru-Shishya (Master-Disciple) tradition of Bharatiya culture and second, to generate resources for functioning of the organisation so that it doesn't have to be dependent on any one outside the organisation. This helps it to retain the freedom to work for the society.

The students used to stay in the ashrams of saints in ancient India and on completion of their education and training, used to offer dakshina, as a mark of respect for the teachers/gurus. In the Hindu tradition, the value of the ‘offering’ did not matter, what really mattered was the sense of gratitude with which dakshina was given. The teachers used to accept whatever was offered with an equal sense of contentment.

This sacred tradition was revived by the RSS in modern times in its  shakha, right since its inception and is performed till date. It is a simple ceremony which is held indoors. Generally, it is held in a hall where around 50-100 people can sit. The ceremony is generally held in the morning. The dress code is, ‘all white’. On the day of Guru Dakshina, the Swayamsevaks prefer to wear the traditional Indian dress of Kurta-Payjama or Kurta-Dhoti.

The saffron flag is hoisted within the big room/hall auditorium and a ceremonial Indian earthen lamp is lighted. The framed photographs of the RSS founder Dr KB Hedgewar and the second RSS Sarsanghchalak, MS Golwalkar (fondly addressed as Guruji within the RSS) are placed alongside. Incensed sticks are also placed.

All the Swayamsevaks sit on the floor where a number of daris (a kind of Indian carpet made of thick cloth used at homes generally), or cloth sheets are laid. Before that the room is properly cleaned. There is pin-drop silence and it is mandatory for Swayamsevaks to reach well in time before the scheduled beginning of the programme. All of them sit in rows. Prior to the beginning of the programme, they are given a plain white envelope with their names written on it by the shakha head, i.e. Mukhya shikshak/Shakha Karyavah. These envelopes are often delivered to them personally at their homes along with the information regarding the schedule of the Guru-Dakshina. The attempt is to inform all the Swayamsevaks who have ever attended a shakha in that area even once. This is probably an effective way to keep the new recruits connected to the RSS even if they are not attending the shakha.

The programme of Guru Dakshina is simple but very impressionable at least for the newcomers due to the spiritual atmosphere that prevails there. Anyone who has ever attended Guru Dakshina, with an open mind would vouch for it that the atmosphere is unique and leaves a long-lasting impression, especially on the youth.

The ceremony begins as the Indian incense sticks are lit; there is an aroma of sobriety all around. A few Sanskrit shlokas are recited by everyone in the chorus praising the Guru and expressing their gratitude. The swayamsevaks also sing together some patriotic songs remembering the ‘golden age’ of India and vowing to bring back that age by being part of the nation-building process. Then swayamsevaks get up one by one, offer some flower petals kept in a tray near the saffron flag, bow their head to the flag with Dhwaj Pranam (salutations to the saffron flag).

The swayamsevaks then place the envelopes which have some money in it (there is no fixed amount which one has to keep in the envelope and no one asks about it, one can place only flower petals in an envelope also). The envelope is closed, so no one knows who has put in how much money. The swayamsevak again does  Dhwaj Pranam  and comes back and sits at his place in the row and the next swayamsevak then goes and performs Guru Dakshina, in a similar way.

After Guru Dakshina, there is a brief intellectual discourse delivered by either one of the senior RSS functionaries invited for the same or by any other guest who has been invited for the special occasion. The RSS encourages its shakha chiefs to utilise the ‘Guru Dakshina’, programme to invite the local professors, doctors, retired members of the armed forces or any other well-known person as the ‘keynote speaker’, for the programme. This helps to expand the organisation its outreach by getting non-RSS members involved. The general experience has been that anyone who is not an RSS swayamsevak and comes to the programme of Guru Dakshina for the first time as a main speaker goes back with such a strong impression that he remains a lifelong supporter and friend of the RSS.

At the end of the programme, there is the usual RSS Prayer and the programme comes to an end. After that there is informal chit-chat amongst those who have attended the programme and then everyone leaves the venue.

Concept of Guru Dakshina in RSS

Here a few things must be mentioned regarding the concept of Guru Dakshina. Guru Dakshina was conceived in the earlier days as a two-pronged measure to collect funds from within the organisation to support its expansion and to establish the importance of the saffron flag as the “Supreme Master”.

With the passage of time, the programme of Guru Dakshina, became a great medium to connect with even those swayamsevaks who generally may not attend the RSS activities regularly. At least once in a year, the RSS is able to connect with them.

The most important lesson that can be drawn from the Guru Dakshina programme is the honesty with which all the money is handled and how money is not used as the criteria for judging a swayamsevak’s place in the organisation.

After every Guru Dakshina programme, the money is counted by the Chief Organiser (Mukhyashikshak/Shakha Karyavah), a list is prepared in which names of persons and the money kept in their envelopes is recorded in writing and handed over to the designated senior functionary who further hands it over to the seniors and then at the Central level, all the money is utilised for supporting the RSS activities. No one keeps a single paisa and there has never been a case of any ‘corruption’, in the whole history of RSS. The RSS functionaries attribute all this to the ‘character-building’, carried out at the RSS shakhas day in and day out. Even critics of the RSS would agree that in a corruption-ridden society, this is a successful model which can be followed. In fact, the key for all the successful RSS activities is its focus on ‘building strong character’ of swayamsevaks.

The Guru Dakshina is performed once a year. Generally, a fortnight or a month’s deadline is fixed within which all RSS shakhas have to organise, ‘Guru Dakshina’. It is a tradition which has never been broken in the RSS and is considered to be the most revered and sacred one.

The writer, an author and columnist, has written several books including ‘Know About RSS’ and ‘The Saffron Surge: Untold Story of RSS Leadership’. Views expressed are personal.

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