RSS Marks 100 Years: Key moments that make it the world’s largest voluntary organisation    

RSS' only agenda was to train the young men making them physically, mentally and intellectually strong to serve the country.

(RSSFACTS is a column that demystifies the functioning, organisational structure and ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.)

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the largest voluntary organisation in the world, will enter its 100^th year on this year’s Vijaydashami. The organisation was founded on the festive day of ‘Vijyadashmi’, also known as ‘Dussehra’, in 1925. Since its inception the Sarsanghchalak(Chief Mentor) of the RSS  delivers an annual address on  Vijaydashami at Nagpur where the RSS has its headquarter. This speech is watched with keen interest as it spells out the RSS’ stand on contemporary issues and provides clarity about its ideological moorings while indicating its future course of action in the year ahead.

It is interesting to note that the RSS was founded with only 15-20 young men and teenagers. Those who were present on the day it was established included Bhauji Kawre, Anna Sohni, Vishwanathrao Kelkar, Balaji Huddar and Bapurao Bhedi . These are amongst a long list of unsung heroes who played an important role in building the pan-India organisational network of the RSS.

First daily RSS Shakha

Interestingly, initially there was no formal preparation for building the RSS as we see it today. The only agenda was to train the young men making them physically, mentally and intellectually strong to serve the country. The first daily ‘Shakha’ of RSS actually began from May 28, 1926, which had a regular schedule. The place where daily gathering of the initial volunteers/swayamsevaks of the RSS took place was Mohitewada Ground in Nagpur, which is today part of the RSS headquarters.

Prayer, Commands, Saffron Flag

Initially, some commands to swayamsevaks(volunteers) were given in Sanskrit. There were some commands given in English also but they were gradually replaced by the commands in Sanskrit or in local Indian languages over a period of time as the RSS grew. There was a conscious effort to repose and rekindle faith in Indian culture with Sanskrit as its integral part. Even today this tradition of giving key commands in Sanskrit continues at thousands of daily Shakhas. A Saffron Flag used to be hoisted, which is known as ‘Bhagwa Dhwaj’ in RSS terminology and the first Shakha used to begin with a salutation to the Saffron Flag.

This tradition continues even today with the beginning and end of every daily Shakha happening with a salutation to a Saffron Flag which is designed in such a fashion that it appears to have two flames of fire. Initially, the first daily Shakha used to end after recitation of a concluding prayer which was a combination of Marathi and Hindi verses. Later on, it was replaced by a Sanskrit prayer. Both these prayers were focussed on promoting nationalistic fervour among the swayamsevaks. The initial prayer for the first Shakha could be translated as: “Salutations to the Motherland where I am born. Salutations to the Hindu Land where I have been brought up. Salutations to the Land of Dharma for which may my body fall. To Her, I salute again and again.” The current prayer in Sanskrit is also on similar lines.

How RSS got its name

It is interesting to note that the RSS got its present name almost six months after it was founded. On April 17, 1926, Dr. Hedgewar called a meeting at his house in which 26 swayamsevaks participated. A detailed discussion followed to decide the name of the organisation for which everyone contributed their ideas. None of them were aware that the name decided at the meeting would one day find huge resonance across the globe in the years to come. Several names were suggested and each of the names was discussed threadbare. Finally, three names were finalised after several rounds of elimination. They were: 1. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. 2. Jaripataka Mandal. 3. Bhedratoddharak Mandal. There were more deliberations on these three names and the name ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’ was chosen unanimously.

Sindi Meeting in 1939

An important meeting of the RSS brass was convened in February 1939 at a place called Sindi, around 50 km away from Nagpur. It was organised at the residence of a senior RSS functionary Nanasaheb Talatule. RSS founder Dr Hedgewar, MS Golwalkar popularly known as ‘Guruji’, Bala Saheb Deoras, Appaji Joshi, Vithalrao Patki, Tatyarao Telang, Babaji Salodkar and Krishnarao Mohril participated in the meeting. Several important decisions, which had a long-lasting impact on the way RSS functioned, were taken at this meeting. These decisions had a definitive influence on the structure of the RSS.

Those who attended the meeting conducted a detailed review of the way RSS functioned from 1925 to 1939 and decided to bring uniformity. Marathi and English were replaced by Sanskrit as a medium of instruction and it was decided that the instructions issued at the RSS shakhas will be in Sanskrit henceforth. The issue of developing an RSS prayer in Sanskrit was also discussed. The essence of the RSS’ prayer was initially penned in Marathi and then the ‘Karyavah’ (Head) of Mohite Shakha at Nagpur, Narayanrao Bhide, who was known to be an expert in Sanskrit, was entrusted with the responsibility of converting the Marathi prose into a Sanskrit prayer. He did his job so well that, with hardly any changes, the Sanskrit translation was accepted by all. This Sanskrit prayer was recited in the next RSS camp held at Pune in the presence of Dr. Hedgewar and Guru Golwalkar for the first time. The same Sanskrit prayer is recited even today in the RSS shakhas without any change.

Three bans on RSS

The RSS has been banned thrice by the Central government but every time the ban had to be lifted unconditionally as the allegations against the RSS proved to be baseless. The first ban was imposed on February 4, 1948 and lifted on July 12, 1949. The RSS was banned a second time on July 4, 1975 and the ban was lifted on March 22, 1977.  Third, the RSS was banned on December 10,1992 and the ban was lifted on June 4, 1993.

Earlier RSSFACTS columns can be read here.