Our club Bondhu Mahal organised Bhandara (community feast) during Bada Mangal on May 28. The occasion helped me to know different facets of human life in the light of blood donation camp we had organized earlier. It was indeed a good learning curve for me.
To start with we were not sure about organizing Bada Mangal as we did not have enough funds with us. After Chandan Das – our Joint Secretary – decided to share the half of the cost we decided to go ahead. On May 26 we had a meeting at my place. Members were asked to donate for the cause, and within no time we collected over Rs 29,000.
As our treasurer B.M. Chakroborty was counting the money my thoughts went to Blood donation camp. At that time too we did not have money and then also we asked members to chip in. The members did contribute – but it was not close to what we received for bhandara in Bada Mangal. Thanks to Daya Shankar Patwa – a businessman from Mumbai – with whose generously donation we were able to organize blood donation camp. We collected 58 units of blood and for this Bondhu Mahal got appreciation letter from the RML Hospital.
I tried to fathom human psychology as why people were too willing to donate for any religious event but were shy in doing so for social cause. On any day I believe donating blood is better service to humanity than distributing puri-subzi. We save precious lives through blood donation – can we say the same thing about bhandaras.
This is my personal argument. I am not taking away anything from the friends who contribute generously in religious events. My only complaint is – they should also come forward for social cause.
Sir ji, thank you for your comment. You are always first with your reaction.
Great to see you again after a long time. Completely agree with your argument. It is said if relatives of all people dying in India donate eyes of their kin, visual impairment from country will vanish in just six days! Is anyone listening (seeing)?