A BANK UNIQUE IN ITS WEALTH- THE INTERNATIONAL SRI SITARAM BANK, AYODHYA

THE ARTICLE  PUBLISHED IN 'HINDUISM TODAY', USA.

SRI NRITYAGOPAL DAS JI MAHARAJ- THE FOUNDER OF INTERNATIONAL SRI SITARAM NAAM BANK

SRI PUNITRAM DAS JI- THE MANAGER OF THE BANK AT THE ENTRANCE OF BANKAdd caption

SRI PUNITRAM DAS JI- MANAGER OF THE BANK IN HIS OFFICE

LEDGER FOLIO OF BANK ACCOUNT

STANDARD RAMNAMA LEKHAN COPY

BANK PASSBOOK WHICH IS PROVIDED TO EACH ACCOUNT HOLDER

CERTIFICATE OF PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP OF THE BANK

A DISPLAY AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE BANK

RAMNAMA RECEIVED THROUGH POST

INSIDE THE BANK- THE LEDGERS STACKED NEATLY

BANK LEDGERS

ACCOUNT HOLDERS LINING UP IN QUEUE TO DEPOSIT THEIR WEALTH OF RAM NAMA

THE IMAGE OF SITARAM AT THE BANK

RAMNAMA IN ENGLISH

RAMNAMA IN OTHER VERNACULAR LANGUAGES

RAMNAMA MADE OF RICE GRAIN

HANUMAN IN RICE GRAIN

RAMNAMA

This is a Bank with a difference. The peculiarity of this Bank is it only accepts credits from its depositors and never debits their account.  In other words, it only takes deposits and does not pay back to its account holder. The account holder expects to be paid back by Lord Rama. Yes, I am talking about the famous “International Sri Sitaram Naam Bank” which has its headquarters at the Maniram ki Chhavni in Ayodhya. The Bank was founded by Sri Nritygopaldasji Maharaj in the year 1970 at Ayodhya on the pious day of Ekadashi (11^th day) of the waxing moon in the Hindi month of Kartik.  Over the years the Bank has spread out throughout India and even in several overseas countries like Nepal, Italy, Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Canada, England and the US of A. It presently has over 112 branches in India and overseas.  As per ledger of individual account holders, maintained by the Bank, it has over 35,000 account holders, with a total capital of over 13 thousand million “Sitaram” in its kitty.

I was fortunate to meet the founder of this International Sri Sitaram Nama Bank Sri. Nritygopal Dasji, who is exalted by his followers as “Mahant Swami Anant Srivibhushit”, during my visit to the city of Ayodhya during the Mani-Parvat fair in August. Speaking about the objective of the Bank, the Mahant said that the effort is aimed at propagating the bhakti of Lord Rama all over the world. He said it was aimed at utilizing leisure time of devotees for good purposes who can thus make their life fruitful, instead of whiling away their time in wasteful gossips.  In the process, it helps the growth of faith and also helps devotees attain great happiness.

The main office of the Bank is located on the first floor of the Valmiki Temple opposite to the Maniram Ki Chhavni. I decided to take a look at how the Bank functions. I was amazed to see that the Bank has a Manager and a Cashier on its roll, who maintains the account of individual account holders scrupulously. They also keep a record of the overall deposit. I found the manager Sri Punit Ram Dasji in office. The office is maintained like any other Bank office, the only difference being that it has not yet been computerized. The ledgers in hardbound thick register are stacked in almirah behind the manager. Several devotees, who were account holders, stood in the queue to get their deposits of “Sitaram” recorded in the passbook, provided to them by the bank. This is also entered into the ledger of the Bank maintained by the Bank. When asked about the procedure for opening an account in the Bank, the manager Sri. Punit Ram Das Ji informed that a minimum initial deposit of 5 lakhs “Sitaram” is required for opening an account. No money is accepted to open account. Once an account has been opened, subsequent deposits are accepted in multiple of 10 million. Joint Account can also be opened by two or more devotees. On opening of account, each devotee is given an account number and a pass-book. The bank also provides “Lekhanjaap copy” (grid ruled paged copies) and pen free of cost to facilitate writing of “Sitaram” by devotees. The stationery is usually donated to the temple by devotees. However, devotees are also free to use their own stationery. “At the beginning of the exercise, the devotee should write the mantra “Om Sri Sita-Lakshman-Bharata-Shatrughan-hanuman sameta Sri Rama Chandra parbrahmane Namah”- informed the manager. “As one writes “Sitaram” he should also utter the word “Sitaram” in silence so that he can concentrate upon his Lord”- he added. The individual devotee is expected to deposit at least 84 lakhs “Sitaram” equal to the number of lives a creature lives on this earth, as per Hindu religion. Devotees are expected to write at least a page of Sitaram every day. Devotees can also send their deposits by post and this is duly acknowledged by the Bank. The cashier Sri Keshav Das Ji informed that deposits are accepted in all the Indian languages and even in foreign languages. He showed me some of the deposits in various Indian languages such as English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu and of course Hindi. He also showed me various other modes used by devotees to write “Sitaram” viz on grains such as pulses and rice etc. I was simply amazed to see the devotion of people who take so much pain to write the name of their beloved lord in different mediums and in different manners.

I next move to what can be called the strong room of the Bank. I found the deposits of “Sitaram” neatly tied in red cloth and kept in an inner room of the temple.

I also talked to several devotee account holders who I found had come far of places like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. When asked what purpose it serves to write “Sitaram”, one such devotee Braj Raj Kishore informed that it gives him immense inner satisfaction to write the name of his Lord and he keeps himself busy by doing so. He informed that he retired as District Engineer from Nalanda in Bihar and now finds it as a means of pleasurable pastime to be close to his Lord by writing His name. It keeps him away from evil spirits and helps him to concentrate upon His Lord in this stage of Vanprastashram (the third stage of life as per Hindu tradition of life) of his life now that he has fulfilled all the responsibilities of a grihastha (The second stage of life as per Hindu tradition which is the stage of a householder). I am reminded of the Father of Nation. Commenting on the practice, Mahatma Gandhi had stressed on the need to take to Ramanama from the heart which he felt was capable of removing all pain. (Harijan, 13.10.1946) In Braj Raj Kishore I found one such stout devotee of Lord Rama. Saluting the profound faith of this devotee upon his Lord, I leave the premises of the Bank to continue my divine journey.