It is said that two powerful things in the world, the sword, and the pen. Yet there is another powerful force is the woman’s power. Listen to Angad Raut on the Forbes most powerful woman list 2021.
Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed, it can only be converted from one form to another. The famous law is aptly applicable to Ulka Nagarkar, the President of Maharashtra Mandal Chicago. And yes, her name also suggest the same. Ulka, the meteor, an another form of energy.
Ulka Tai’s initiation and ride into social work –
Ulka Nagarkar, always an enthusiast, was involved in many volunteering activities at different institutions around her. She was MD Ayurveda from Mumbai and later turned to surgery coding and medical billing when shifted to US in 2005. She volunteered for one year at a museum, taught Sanskrit to Indian students for three and half years at Lemont Ram Temple. She also volunteered at the library of a local public school. While doing all these chores, she got the opportunity to work as a volunteer in the Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal convention committee from 2009-11. Since then she continued to work for Maharashtra Mandal with all zest till 2020.
Ulka Nagarkar with Marathi Mandal Procession in Chicago
Ulka Tai with Family
Transformer as a Editor of Rachana Magzine –
In the year 2015, Ulka Tai was elected as an Editor of Maharashtra Mandal’s trimonthly Rachana. In her stint as an Editor, she literally restructured the publication. She introduced Marathi literature in it and connected the new generation of Marathi people in US with it. Readers were given the opportunity to know about varied and rich Marathi literature as well as great writers. She also included spiritual subjects and also made youngsters write upon a variety of topics. These efforts resulted into a completely changed look of the Rachana. All credit goes to Ulka Nagarkar for her out of the box thinking and efforts to implement it to perfection.
All-around, Influential and Innovative as a President of Marathi Mandal Chicago
While working as a member for Maharashtra Mandal, she was elected as the President and here started the amazing journey of leadership and innovative style of working. During her tenure, the entire world was facing a Covid lockdown. People were restricted in their houses, however, that could not stop Tai from working . She created a social media group for ladies across USA and organized numerous activities for them, right from cooking to modeling. She also created a popular (Amacha Nadach Khula) Facebook page to show the hidden talent. This got very popular in the community. She even published modeling photos of these member women on the calendar of Maharashtra Marathi Mandal. These WhatsApp groups played a major role as an outlet for depression and loneliness that women were facing during Covid restrictions.
Addressing MMC function as MMC President
As a President of Mandal, she initiated the activities like Sahitya Katta, Adhyatma Peeth, Itihaas Manch, MMC news and Bolka Katta. In addition to that, online programs were organized for an entire year and on different topics like a Talent show, Atharvashirsha and many others.
Along with inviting professional artists from India, she started organizing programs by local artists. During Diwali around 125 local artists presented a well articulated program-thanks to consistent efforts of six months- and the inspiration behind this was Ulka Nagarkar.
Ulka Tai humbly says this is all teamwork of Marathi Mandal members and without every member’s committed support this was not possible to carry out the successful execution of the activities.
Helping others during Covid
Ulka Tai also initiated help during testing times of Covid and provided food, groceries and help to seniors. She got immense support from many other women, who equally contributed in this noble task. As a part of Indian Task Force, she also got the opportunity to work for Indian students who were stuck in the MidWest part of the US. She also extended to help many Afro-American students who suffered during the Pandemic.
The President 2.0
Generally in the Maharashtra Marathi Mandal, one person gets only one tenure as a President and the person is to be elected unopposed. But, that pattern also changed during Ulka Tai’s tenure. She had started many new things at the Mandal and wanted to continue those. To make it possible, she decided to contest the election for the President of Mandal once again. As expected, some opposition was also there, but she got huge support and once again was reigned the post of President. This would help to set a tradition of constructive and innovative programs, in the Mandal, says Ulka Tai.
While Covid restrictions are loosening, the open skies would help this Ulka to make her voyage even more marvelous .
August 15th MMC program
Ulka Tai with Mr Amit Kumar- General Consul of India
Spiritualism in the crux of any religion and those who follow that path certainly to reach the place of immense satisfaction of happiness. But, when spirituality and service gets combined, it serves humanity at large beyond limits. Sant Gajanan Maharaj Devotees Parivar, USA is an perfect example of this combination and Rishi Mudgal is the man behind this noble work.
Seema Tai and Rishiji
How Gajanan Maharaj came into life of Rishiji ?
Rishiji was born on the auspicious day of Rishi Panchami, his grandfather named him as Rishi. It’s the same day when Maharaj took the Sanjeveeni Samadhi and left the material world . It is is observed as Samadhi day by Gajanan Maharaj devotees. But the affection and devotion for Gajanan Maharaj came in his life much later, only through his wife, Seema. It was Seema Tai who started worshipping Maharaj and along with her Rishiji too.
How Gajanan Maharaj Journey started in USA ?
Meanwhile in 2010, they visited Shegaon in India, the holy place of Sant Gajanan Maharaj. On returning from there, they got acquainted with one family in Sai Temple and the journey of Devotees Parivar started. Slowly, four families came together and Naamjapa programme was in US. The activity started getting a shape. Watching movie on Gajanan Maharaj, reciting Gajanan Ashtak, Gajanan Chalisa, Gajanan Bawani, Japa of Swami Samartha and Sai Baba, doing Aarati gave a proper structure to this activity. The continuity in efforts gave boost and that also increased the number of families associated with the Parivaar.
Rishiji with Mauli
Namjapa Preparation in USA
Temple establishments across USA by GMADP
In 2016, an idol of Gajanan Maharaj was brought from India and it was established at Sai Temple in Atlanta, Georgia. As devotees from Dallas, Chicago, New Jersey and other places kept joining, Gajanan Maharaj America Devotees Parivar (GMADP) kept growing and also got a proper structure .
GMADP is instrumental in initiating Gajanan Maharaj Satsang (Naam Japa) at 16 locations (USA and UK) and Gajanan Maharaj Temple establishment at 7 locations in USA (Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey)
Maharaj Arrived at Dunwoody
Maharaj Abhishek
A grand Palakhi of Gajanan Maharaj was taken out in a programme held at Houston and around ten thousand people witnessed the momenof Hit. Rishiji says For me, Sant Gajanan Maharaj is a great management Guru. If you go through Shree Gajanan Vijay Granth and read it carefully, its quite visible there. The holy book also tells us that what he did in his life was totally logical. Just you need to think it accordingly and read minutely,” believes Rishiji Mudgal.
Rishiji delevering Gajanan Mahima session
Community Services through GMADP
Now, as Gajanan Maharaj devotees parivar is increasing rapidly, it has not restricted itself to spiritual activities. The Parivar exhibited a great sense of social commitment during Covid period. Members of the organization helped Indian students and people trapped in US due to covid restrictions. They also helped homeless people at different places. Parivar is also contributing immensely for running a daily free of cost food service (Annakshetra) at Baroda in India for around 150 poors. In addition to that, activities like summer camps for kids , Gurupournima Utsav and many others are organized by Parivar.
Annadan Seva by GMADP to homeless shelters
While closing out our heart soothing discussion Rishiji says – “ Whatever we do as an organization on an individual, its due to blessings of Gajanan Maharaj. While providing any service we request beneficiaries to put either a photo of Maharaj in programme or read Gajanan Vijay Granth or do something like that. The thought behind this insistence is that, we believe whatever good we are doing its for Maharaj and it’s a service to Maharaj,” mentions Rishi Mudgal with utter devoting and soothing smile on his face. And no doubt that he can elaborate this for hours and hours, such is his devotion, beyond words, beyond any expression.
Aiming to take this sense of devotion to next generation, Sant Gajanan Maharaj Devotees Parivar going ahead and expanding day by day, slowly and steadily.
For any information on Gajanan Maharaj America Devotees Parivar , please text OR what’s app on (323) 318-0392 OR email on rishimudgal@yahoo.com
More details – http://www.gajananmaharajamerica.org/
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