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invitation card.” Saying this, he took out the invitation card from
his bag, only then he saw that it was a year old. Everything was
correct in terms of date, time and venue, but its year was one
year before. The poor Pracharak had to sleep on a hungry
stomach that night.
In the OTC, Vasantrao held the responsibility of examining
debate. He was capable enough to shake every strand of learning
of anyone in his topics for debates, and he enjoyed these
moments. One day, he assigned the Swayamsevaks the topic—
‘the difference between Hom, Havan and Yajna’. All
Swayamsevaks were confused. At this time, Vanikar was the
chief observer listening to the debate. Vasantrao kept sending
the Swayamsevaks to Vanikar for the right answer. He kept
sending the Swayamsevaks to different officials, but none of
them knew the distinction. Such an answer required insight and
profound learning. Vasantrao posed such questions in order to
test and sharpen the intellectual capability and logic of all his
companions as well as participants in the course.
The Shivirs (training camps) enjoy a unique place in the
Sangh work. Its environment is very suitable for inculcating
qualities for leading a collective way of life. The Swayamsevaks
themselves pitch the tents in order to hold the Shivirs. A large
Shivir was held every year in Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in
Ahmedabad. It was held that year too. It was the winter season.
After rain, the tents were all wet and it grew colder. Still, all the
Swayamsevaks attending the Shivir slept on the wet ground in
such a chilling cold. Everybody remembered this Shivir as quite
troublesome. After the Shivir came to a close, and everything
had been packed, an officer remembered that the pits dug for
cooking were yet to be filled up. Vasantrao alone took over this
responsibility. He filled up all the pits with earth with his hands
as he had no tools to do it. There was nobody to ask them had
they left the pits unfilled, yet they did not do it. This is the special
quality of the Sangh.
An atmosphere of high ideals prevails in the Sangh so as to
attain purity in behaviour. There is a system for the Pracharaks
to submit their income and expenditure account every month.