Life in shakha shifts over decades, but discipline a constant

At 7 pm in Pune’s Sahakarnagar, agroup of around 50 young men~some in their 20s, others still in their teens — gather in an open ground. They begin with Suryanamaskar and a round of yoga before moving on to games. An hour later, they conclude with the Sangh prarthana ~ “Namaste sada vatsale matrubhume...” The routine may appear unchanged to anyone who has attended a RSS shakha. Yet, within that familiar framework, the life inside a shakha has shifted. “I have been attending since I was in first standard. My father came, and now my son Vidish too is a karyavah,” said Shekhar Ghodke, 56.

- Yogesh Joshi

Prabhat shakhas — held in the mornings ~ are largely attended by seniors who cannot make it in the evenings.

“The core philosophy of the RSS has not changed, but with changing times, alterations have been made in outward or practical aspects,” Ghodke said. The most visible is the uniform. The khaki half-pants have given way to full-length trousers. Even the belt - once made of leather ~ has changed.