We are pleased to report that the Hindu Dharma Campaign in Tongaat on 15 April was well received. The event which took place at the Trubel Primary School in Tongaat, commenced at 6am and concluded at 1pm. The following organisations participated: Sathya Sai Organisation of SA; Vedanta Gurukula; Maidstone Youth; Art of Living; Tongaat Hindu Unity Forum; Shree Bhagavada Vedanta Gurukula; Belvedere Sai Centre; Vishwaroop Dharmshala; Chinna Thirupathi Temple and Satya Seva Sancarana. Divine Life Society of S.A. was delighted to share this platform with our sister organisations. Their keen participation is indicative of their deep and abiding love for Hindu Dharma, and the preservation thereof.

Divine Life Society of S.A. celebrated the auspicious event of Ram Naumi on Sunday, 25 March. Our Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda wrote, "Sri Rama was the best of men. He had a sterling character. He was the very image of love, He led the ideal life of a householder to teach the tenets of righteousness to humanity. None but the righteous can be truly happy".

Sri Hanuman Jayanti was observed on Saturday, 31 March at all Divine Life Society Ashrams. Sri Hanuman was the embodiment of humility and pure devotion. He was recognised as a great Karma Yogi and the ideal Brahmachari. It was the power of Brahmacharya that gave him enormous strength and courage. Within a second, he could become as big as a mountain or as small as a thumb-nail. In spite of all the super human deeds that Sri Hanuman performed, he remained humble and always replied that everything was accomplished "By the Grace of Lord Rama". During the course of the day, 108 recitals of the Sri Hanuman Chalisa was done at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills and Chatsworth. Various branches participated in the chanting in Reservoir Hills. Pujya Swami Sahajananda wrote the following in the Divine Life Society Prayer Book, “The Sri Hanuman Chalisa is very powerful and very effective for the removal of all mental problems. It brings good health, success and prosperity. It cures diseases, counteracts evil forces and the effect of ‘black magic’, which are so prevalent today”.

"In 2018, the world's most religiously and culturally diverse interfaith event will be meeting in the world's most diverse city! More than 10,000 people of faith and conscience will come together in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the 7th convening of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Together, they will bring the wisdom of more than 80 nations and 200 unique spiritual traditions to share, learn, network, and celebrate. They will explore what "The Promise of Inclusion" and "The Power of Love" means in the pursuit of a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world. The 2018 Parliament will build upon our legacy of initiating dialogue and facilitating positive relationships among people of vast spiritual, ethnic, and national identities, providing a framework for expressing many visions of a just, peaceful and sustainable future. We meet at a time of promise for the world's people to be motivated to tackle the most pressing dangers of our times together. In this moment, the powers of the world are bringing civic and religious spheres into one to make a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world. This is our reason for meeting. Our future generations and planet need us now." (Parliament of the World's Religions 70 E. Lake St., Ste. 205, Chicago)

1. "How can I avoid being outraged by men?"
2. "Why is suicide not an option?"
3. "How to cope with stress while preparing for the Grade 12 examination?"
4. "What is the importance of forgiveness in our lives?"

These are a few searching questions raised by learners from the schools in Ladysmith at a special follow-up workshop held on Friday, 9 March at the Agra Crescent Hall. Eighty-one learners from the following schools participated in a workshop to help them overcome drug addiction and other social ills: Ladysmith Secondary, Windsor Secondary and Acaciavale Primary. Our presenters, who are volunteers, are drawn from the medical, social science, academic and business spheres with vast experience. They answered these questions with great sympathy and understanding. Due to time constraints we were not able to answer all the questions.