December 2007 Update: 2007 has been a productive year for Project GANESH. We have continued and expanded our involvement in educational, social and temple renovation projects, making a very real difference to the poor of India.

A Project GANESH site visit was conducted in the months of October and November, 2007, to audit two educational projects being sponsored in the north of India. Project GANESH was very pleased to begin a partnership with the Godhuli School in New Delhi, a school that serves 480 impoverished children. The school is under the able guidance of Dr. Y.P. Anand, former chairman of Indian Railways. Indian Railways is the largest employer in the world, with over 1.6 million employees, and Dr. Anand has channeled his significant skills into making a difference to the poor of Delhi for the past 11 years. We thank Narayan Das of San Jose, CA, for bringing this worthy project to our attention.

The school caters to children up to the fifth grade by providing free education to those in need. A visit to the school revealed that the children were all neatly dressed and of cheerful disposition. They all stood to attention and greeted Dr. Anand and his guests in unison, and were clearly very enthusiastic about their education. A special arrangement with the Delhi City Corporation allows the students to continue with their sixth grade education by passing an exam and transferring to a government school. To date, no child who has taken the qualification exam has failed to qualify for entrance to the government school. For further details see: Godhuli

Project GANESH also visited the Sandipani Muni School in Vrindavan and was delighted to see that Sri Rupa Raghunath continues his fine tradition of serving the poorest of the poor in this small town of around 70,000 inhabitants. The school is growing by leaps and bounds, reflecting the rambunctious energy of the children. and serves over 800 children. However, there are over 500 students on a waiting list, and Sri Rupa is exploring options to build a third school in Vrindavan (currently there is a primary school and a secondary school). For more details on the school see: SMS

While in Vrindavan, Project GANESH learned of the plight of 15 year old Radha, in desperate need of life-saving surgery to replace two faulty heart valves, as well as replace a third. A similar operation in the US would cost maybe $50,000. Even in India, the surgery typically costs at least $8,000. Due to Sri Rupa’s influence, a crack team of doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi had offered to donate much of their time, reducing the cost to $4,000. Radha’s father, Pandit Braj Mohan Mishra, despite his monthly salary of only $100, had managed to raise about half of the surgery’s cost. However, with only a week before the scheduled surgery date, there remained an almost insurmountable hurdle of the remaining $2,000. Never losing faith, Radha’s father, an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna, fervently implored the Lord to rescue the life of his daughter.

Project GANESH was humbled to be able to step in and provide the final funding for the surgery. It is with deep gratitude that we honor all our donors who facilitated this donation. The surgery was successfully conducted on November 21, 2007 at AIMS, New Delhi, and we are delighted to report that it was a full success. Radha was discharged from the hospital with the doctors predicting full recovery. Radha will need to continue taking medication for some time, but she is currently doing well and undertaking a daily 1.5km walk. We wish Radha a speedy recovery, and look forward to bringing you further news of her new life. We also wish Radha’s family well, as they navigate through this difficult time.

A deeply moving thank you letter from Radha’s father is shown below:

Translation of thank you letter from Radha’s father:

Most respected and dear [Project GANESH],

Your kind help of Rs 100,000 came at a time that I had lost all hope. You came like a gift from God to help me with a sum of money that I could never have managed to get for my daughter’s treatment. No thanks are enough for all that you have done. In our holy book, The Bhagavad Gita, we read that helping others is the greatest work .This you have done. I went to so many people but got no help. You have given my daughter life. I pray to God to give you a long life I pray you may always help other Brajbasis as you have helped us. May He keep you happy and give you much more wealth to do this work. I hope one day to see you. Please do come and meet us sometime. I end with this quote:

Vrindavan(Krishna’s land) is heaven on Earth. Those who serve Radha here, please Shyam ( Krishna).

With immense gratitude-

Pandit Braj Mohan Mishra (Radha’s father)

[End letter]

Project GANESH will continue to change the world, one life at a time. We thank you for working with us to do so...

Previous Updates:

August 2007 Update: A number of worthy projects have made substantial progress in the first half of 2007.

Sandipani Muni School: A fundraiser was held on April 14, 2007 in Santa Barbara, CA for the Sandipani Muni School, Vrindavan, India. The audience was entertained by a classic bharat natyam dance performance by young artist Suhasini Ramakrishna, as well with traditional bhajan style Indian devotional singing. The most moving part of the evening was a presentation by Dr. Rupa Raghunath Das, founder and director of the Sandipani Muni School.

All present were both moved and inspired by the incredible good work being performed by Dr. Rupa and his volunteers. The challenge is huge, but over 800 students are being served by this incredible good work, all being provided free education, food and love. Dr. Rupa’s enthusiasm, humility and commitment inspired those present to donate over $9,000 to the school – a sum that will go a very long way in India. Many attendees at the fundraiser also made an ongoing commitment to sponsor a child on a monthly basis. Dr Rupa later gratefully received the funds and profusely thanked the supporters and well-wishers of Project GANESH who have contributed so generously to this project that is literally changing one life at a time. For more details on the school see: SMS

In addition, Bruce and Inez Canvasser were the lucky recipients of two roundrip tickets to India on Singapore Airlines, consistently rated one of the best airlines in the world. Bruce and Inez are planning a trip to Delhi/Vrindavan in October, and are very eager to visit the school to see how lives are being transformed. We look forward to hearing details of their trip when they return, and will post further information when we receive it.

Kuruvimalai Shiva Temple: Project GANESH partnered with the Kapilaranyam Charitable Trust to help renovate an ancient Shiva temple some 15 miles (25kms) from Tiruvannamalai. This massive undertaking was overseen by Sri Sethuraman, an IBM employee who divides his time between Chennai and Silicon Valley. Sri Sethu hails from the village of Kuruvimalai, and worked tirelessly to bring the necessary participants together to make this project the success it was, from the local villagers to the main advisers of the Kanchi Shankaracharya.

A careful plan was formulated and executed on a precise timeline, with the Kumbhabhishekam being performed on a grand scale exactly on schedule on June 18, 2007. A Mandala abhishekam on August 4 completed the Kumbhabhishekam, and the temple is now renovated and restored to full function, with the local villagers taking responsibility for its ongoing functioning. During restoration it was discovered the vigraha is a rare Kubeera Lingam, well over a thousand years old. For further details see: Kuruvimalai

Godhuli School, New Delhi: Project GANESH is very pleased to be in the initial stages of partnering with a very worthy educational project in New Delhi, India. The Godhuli School serves a growing number (currently 480) of street/slum kids in New Delhi by providing free primary school education. Additionally, the children receive free study materials, free uniforms, as well as occasional medical checkups. After completing Class V the students transfer to a government school, via special arrangement. For further details see: Godhuli

February 2007 Update: 2006 was a productive year for Project GANESH, as a number of projects were successfully implemented and concluded. Project GANESH sponsored the construction of a school lunch hall/bicycle shed in Godicherla, Andhra Pradesh. The hall was inaugurated by Mr. Paul Throne on 18 September, 2006, amidst great revelry by the local villagers. This project was coordinated with Big Help for Education, who provided full logistical support in Godicherla. The shed will cater to the 650 students (300+ girls, 350 boys) at the school, and provide shelter from the scorching summer sun. Further details can be found at: Godicherla

Additionally, both co-founders of Project GANESH, Paul Throne and Richard Stocker, held an inaugural meeting of the Project GANESH directors in the sacred setting of Tirupati, south India. After securing Sri Venkateshwar’s blessings, the two directors visited a number of Project GANESH sponsored initiatives in the greater Chennai area. The directors were pleased to discover that great progress had been made working in conjunction with the Kanchi Health and Education Society (KHES), under the able leadership of Sri B. Rajesh. A site visit was made to Kovalam, Tamil Nadu, to visit the first PG sponsored project, an installation of a Vidya Vinayaka murthi in a tranquil roadside setting. Vidya Vinayaka offers His blessings to the passing school children, as well as to all those seeking higher knowledge.

A visit was also made to the first Ganesh temple sponsored by Project GANESH, in the small village of Pudupakkam just north of Pondicherry. This shrine is part of a larger temple complex that remains under construction that will eventually house a Shiva lingam, as well as a Subramanium shrine, and possibly a Navagraha sannidhi. The Ganesh murthi has resided for some time now, along with the Shiva lingam, in a makeshift wooden structure. Project GANESH is pleased that the deities will soon be housed in appropriate temples, and we look forward to providing details of the kumbha abhishekam ceremonies.

Both Paul and Richard were fortunate to be able to attend a bhumi puja (ground breaking ceremony) to inaugurate the construction of a second Ganesh temple, located in Kadalur, Tamil Nadu. This Ganesh temple is adjacent to a magnificent 1,000 year old Shiva temple that is currently undergoing renovations under the auspices of the KHES. The temple houses an ancient Shiva lingam, and is situated in a setting of rural tranquility. Unfortunately, due to the ravages of time and human indifference, the temple has deteriorated significantly, and the renovation undertaking will be a significant one. We at Project GANESH were pleased to be able to offer support for the Ganesh temple, which we trust will serve to propel this worthy project forward. Further details can be found at: Kadalur

As part of their Chennai visit, the directors of Project GANESH also committed to providing school desks and benches to a needy school. Sri Rajesh, KHES, is following up on the requirements, and is seeking to engage local carpenters and workers in the project to ensure that the local economy benefits from this undertaking. Stay tuned for further details.

Project GANESH is pleased to continue its sponsorship of the Sandipani Muni School (SMS) in Vrindavan, north India. Richard Stocker was able to conduct a site visit to the school, and reports that excellent progress has been made in advancing the educational needs of Vrindavan’s poor. Vrindavan was home to many of Krishna’s earthly pastimes, and as such is a powerful spiritual magnet. Over 700 children have been benefited by the SMS, under the humble yet competent leadership of Sri Rupa Raghunath Das. Sri Rupa is an Italian citizen who holds a doctorate in sociology, and who has spent the past 17 years of his life dedicated to serving Vrindavan’s needy. Further details can be found at: Education

Project GANESH is pleased to have been able to make a small yet tangible difference to the lives of many in India. We are currently investigating a number of potential new projects, and look forward to sharing details of these shortly. Above all, we are grateful to the contributors to Project GANESH who, through their active support, have made the above projects feasible. Together we can continue to make the world a better place for all…

 

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