Rashtriya Swayam Sangh i.e. RSS has completed its 100 years.
RSS 100 years: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is now hundred years old. It was established in the year 1925 on the day of Vijayadashami. Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar established the RSS. The RSS website states that at the time of establishment, its uniform was khaki shirt, khaki half pants and khaki cap. However, in the year 2016, there was a very significant change. Let’s know the story of the uniform of the Sangh, which was decided before its establishment and why it had to be changed.
Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar Bal Gangadhar was a Congressman with a group of Gangadhar Tilak as well as the Hindu Mahasabha led by Veer Savarkar. He got the inspiration to create a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from European right -wing groups during World War II. In fact, Dr. Hedgewar was very hurt by the silence of the Congress and the Hindu Mahasabha against the atrocities on Hindus in Kerala and then Nagpur and decided to form a separate organization.
An important meeting was held at the house of Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar on the 1925 Vijayadashami in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Apart from Dr. Hedgwar, four more people were involved in this, Dr. BS Munje, Ganesh Savarkar, LV Paranjpe and Bibi Tholkar. In this meeting, Dr. Hedgewar had announced that we are starting the Sangh. However, it was just a formal announcement and the formation and implementation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) started on 17 April 1926 and branches began.
Dress code was already decided
At the time of the establishment of the RSS, the union’s uniform included khaki shirt-haf pants and hats. That is, the khaki pants are associated with the union of the union since the time of its establishment. Several media reports also said that Dr. Hedgewar had fixed the dress code for his supporters long before the establishment of the RSS.
The Sangh dress code started with Khaki Half Pants and Shirts but later the shirt was white. Photo: Getty Images
Uniform was elected in Congress session
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) well-known activist HV Seshadri has written a biography of Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. According to him, in January of 1920, LV Parajampay formed the Bharat Swayamsevak Mandal. Dr. Hedgewar was involved in this as his prominent colleague. In July this year, an attempt was made to prepare at least 1000-1500 volunteers of the volunteer division, who should contribute to the annual meeting of the Congress to be held in Nagupar. Dr. Hedgewar wanted the members of the Mandal to be seen from far away during the Congress session. Apart from this, discipline was also seen in his dress. That is why he prepared the dress code of khaki shirt-pants, khaki hats, shoes and long socks for mandal members.
Union’s uniform continued through changes
Why the half pants were selected for the uniform, the real reason behind it is not being told, but it is believed that this pants may have been selected keeping in mind the physical exercise. Five years later, when the RSS was established, the same uniform was also fixed for its member. In such a situation, it is certain that Dr. Hedgewar had fixed its uniform only five years before the establishment of RSS.
Initially, Khaki cap, which was part of the uniform, was converted into a black cap in 1930, five years after the establishment of the Sangh. Then in the year 1939, the color of the Sangh shirt was also changed and it was made white from Khaki. Behind this was the ban on the uniform and drill of the union by the British rule. After this, there was a change in shoes and belts in the uniform of the RSS and the khaki color was removed to the extent.
There was a big change in the dress in the year 2016. Photo: Getty Images
Khaki pants changed in the year 2016
In 2016, the RSS made another significant change in its uniform. In the three -day annual meeting of the highest policy -making unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Nagaur, Rajasthan, it was decided to include brown full pants in the uniform of the Sangh instead of Khaki Half Pants. However, then Sangh General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi said that there is no specific reason behind choosing this pants. However, it was believed that the size of half pants of the union uniform and its color had a hurdle in connecting it to the big youth. In such a situation, the Sangh hoped that after changing the uniform, he would be able to attract more and more youth.
PM Modi in RSS dress. (File photo)
By the way, this change was also considered important because the image of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was formed by a rigid organization in which rituals as well as rituals are considered mandatory.
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