In the event of any calamity caused by nature or human being or in sickness my follower should act in a way ensuring his own and others protection and not in any other way.” – Obeying this benevolent command of Bhagawan Shree Swaminarayan, Gurukul serves the society time to time with intention of compassion and humanity and without the partiality of cast and creed.
Currently due to heavy rain, people in Surat and surrounded area faced the terrible tragedy of flood. Excessive overflow of water from river Tapi flooded the residential area with the level of six to twelve feet. People and kids staying at low places had lost everything under the stretch of water. They were suffering with crises of drinking water and food. At some places such appalling hardship was continuously for two to three days. No road or way was clear enough to go for the help of sufferers.
Only after the time of ebb-tide the flood water receded and flowed back in the sea and immediately the relief work was started by Gurukul Surat. With the Agnya of Sadguru Mahant Swami Shree Devkrishnadasji Swami and Sadguru Shastri Swami Shree Madhavpriyadasji Swami, and with the guidance of Pujya Purani Shree Dharmavallabhdasji Swami, distribution of prepared food and drinking water was started. At Dabholi and some other areas still 7-8 feet of stagnant water was there. Saints and volunteers used JCB to reach to the people and served them with fresh food. At Gurukul, members of Mahila-manch and Yuva-manch started to make food and served hot food twice a day in Ved, Karada, Amroli, Simada, Varachha, Katargam, Kubernagar and other internal affected areas. Each time, over 3000 people were served with food and water. Due to the familiar with interior affected areas saints and volunteers personally visited those areas to help where outsider volunteers were unknown to go. Hearts melted with feelings and tears rolled down from eyes of the people when they got hot and fresh food in cold atmosphere after the long period of sufferings. Temples at lower places were facing hard trouble as entire areas were submerged badly in floodwater. Saints visited those temples and provided food, grains and medicines to the saints and devotees there.
With the food, second priority was of Medical services. Volunteer team of doctors from Gurukul Rajkot, Gurukul Ahmedabad and Gurukul Navasari appointed with maximum possible medicines and medical kits. Daily three medical vans were visiting victims starting from early morning to late night.
Condition was very worst at some lower areas were 15 to 18 feet of water was flooded. People staying in ground level residences had nothing with them except starvation. Saints and volunteers provided them with grains, spices, oil etc required for one month and all essential cooking kits. Shree Chetanbhai Sheth, Mumbai provided these entire kits. The Kachchi devotees from Navi Mumbai suppied the blankets and mats for such people. Moreover, by the inspiration of saints, devotees of Mumbai supplied full loaded truck of grains and edibles.
At Gurukul Rajkot, Gurukul Ahmedabad and other Gurukuls, food packets were prepared and provided to government supply depots right from the first day of flood. Pujay Purani Shree Balkrishnadasji Swami visited the affected areas with volunteers. Minister of Disaster Management Shree Kaushikbhai Patel personally visited Gurukul Surat and appreciated the relief work conducted voluntarily and successfully on large extent by Gurukul.
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