Tolerance on Track in India; Youth Trained in Peace on 8-Month Railroad Yatra

Like a lightening bolt of hope, the blue train travels to distant corners of India carrying the message of peace, harmony and justice, reminding Indians of the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinobha. Called the Sadbhavana Rail Yatra, this unique project on wheels is the master-work of Shri S.N. Subba Rao, an eminent Gandhian, sexagenarian and livewire of the National Youth Project. He is known nationwide for his youth camps and innovative programs to reform criminals. It was at the NYP's Communal Harmony and National Integration Camp at Kanpur in March, 1993, that the Union Railway Minister, Mr. C.K. Jaffar Sharief, causually pledged that his ministry would provide assistance to anyone who would like to carry the message of sadbhavana ("harmony") through the countrywide network of the Indian railways. For the minister, he was thinking aloud. But to Subba Rao, a veteran social worker and youth motivator, this was just the right kind of approach to reach out to Indians, especially the youth. It was dramatic. It was free. And it was poten tially able to impact India's scattered masses. I caught up with the yatra at new Jalpaiguri, as it headed East into West Bengal state. Subba Rao seemed to be all over the place at once. He was organizing, planning, participating and praying. Taking an example from the NYP camps that had been the harbingers of national reconstruction, Subba Rao -- "Bhai-ji" to all -- affirmed the message of the yatra, telling HINDUISM TODAY, "The effort is to create a platform where youths of the country can come together without any barriers of state, language, religion or political ideologies. The youths will establish that, with all existing differences, we can still be friendly to one another. We can still live together and be friendly to one another, bringing forth the true spirit behind `unity in diversity!'" And one did not have to seek far for proof. One of the cultural programs includes presentation of Ramayana through the folk art called yaksha-gana. The group did not have a girl participant to play the part of Sita. So a North Indian girl played the role after mastering the Kannadiga dialogue. A typical day on the yatra begins at 5:30AM as everyone gathers for morning prayers and discourses. Around 8:00AM, the bicycle procession is ready to move out, voicing their slogans such as Deshmata ki Kamna/Sadbhavana, Sadbhavana ("Mother India desires good feelings among all people"); Party-Jhagrey Chchoro, Chch