Kashish Aggarwal and Prafull Lande
A Blood Donation Camp at Sant Nirankari Satsang Bhawan, Tracy was organized on April 23, 2023, from 10 am- 5 pm with the blessings of the head of the Sant Nirankari Mission (SNM), Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj.
To commemorate the teachings of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji, blood drives were organized by the Nirankari fraternity on 23rd April, which was observed as ‘Manav Ekta Diwas- Human Unity Day’. The Sant Nirankari Mission has distinguished itself as a leading blood-donating voluntary organization. Since 1986, SNM has been conducting Blood drives across the centers in the month of April as a tribute to Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji Maharaj.
The first Blood Donation Camp at Tracy was organized in 1992. Blood donation is a life-saving act that has many benefits for both donors and recipients. According to the American Red Cross, one donation can save as many as three lives, and someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors. In the camp, organized on April 23rd, around 55 volunteers donated blood. The Blood Donation Camp was conducted in partnership with the American Red Cross. Much enthusiasm and a feeling of Humanity were observed among all the volunteers. On the blood donation camp day, every donor’s hemoglobin and blood group was checked.
The criterion to donate blood was to at least have hemoglobin of 13 gm% and 12.5 gm% for males and females, respectively. There were a few who could not satisfy the criteria and one could see sadness in their eyes as they could not contribute to the noble cause. Looking at the enthusiasm of the donors and the organizing team, the timings of the Blood Donation had to be extended by 2 hrs, to accommodate more donors. It was energizing to see elderly donor volunteers guiding and cheering the young blood donors (16 years old). “Blood should flow in veins not in drains”.
The devotees of Sant Nirankari Mission are giving practical meaning to this message by working selflessly in serving humanity day and night, and are taking the initiative to greater heights under the able guidance of present Satguru Mata Sudiksha ji Maharaj, for the welfare of mankind and for the development of the society as a whole. “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” -the whole world is one (my) family. We belong to the whole world and the whole of humanity falls within the ambit of our activity. Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj said, “Blood donation is not a social factor, but a divine quality of humanity which reflects the spirit of contribution,” while addressing a gathering on the occasion of ‘Manav Ekta Diwas’ organized in Delhi, India. She further said, “Blood donation is such a beautiful gesture of selfless service in which only the good of the world is in mind then, the feeling does not arise in the heart that not only our relatives or our family is important but, the whole world becomes our family.”
The Sant Nirankari Mission is essentially a spiritual movement. Its principal commitment to its followers is to make their minds conscious of the Eternal Reality and unite their Soul with the Creator, the Formless God. The Mission believes that ignorance and superstition are the biggest obstacles in man’s path to real progress and happiness. The narrow-mindedness, hatred and pride brooded by them are the most vicious source of trouble for mankind. The Mission endeavors to remove the same by making spiritual enlightenment within the reach of every man and woman–young or old, rich or poor, high or low, educated or illiterate, whatever the language, faith or culture, whatever the state or the nation.
For more information about the mission please visit http://www.nirankari.org
