Jana Seva Janardhana Seva - A Musical Fundraiser

More than a month ago, Still Waters Wisdom conducted the first ever fundraiser program for Phoenix Children’s Hospital. It was called, “Jana Seva Janardhana Seva,” which means service to Bhagavan through service to people. A three hour event that took place on the second of August, at the end of the summer, Jana Seva Janardhana Seva was filled with spectacular performances of talented youth artists of classical music and dance that captivated the audience, and we ended up raising $2,200 for the cause of helping patients and their families receiving the most comprehensive pediatric care services at Phoenix Children's Hospital. This fundraiser was the beginning of a new chapter of service, devotion, and love from Still Waters Wisdom. But more than anything, I think that the most wonderful and inspiring aspect of this fundraiser was the immense amount of support it got from the wonderful community around us in the valley.

I got this idea to conduct and hold a fundraiser in the middle of the summer, while being a part of multiple other teaching programs as a celebration of International Yoga Day. This thought goes all the way back to 2017, when I participated by singing a vocal solo in the Talent Slam fundraiser by the National Kidney Foundation.

Here is the link to this performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyzzV17S3lA&t=87s

It was a fulfilling experience, knowing that my singing, along with many other youth star talents, aided in helping those with kidney disorders and progressing in research for cures.

It was this idea that fueled me to help Phoenix Children’s Hospital. I wanted to contribute as much as possible to Phoenix Children's, because there are hundreds of patients, and their families, that are being treated for various illnesses, conditions, and injuries. I don’t think it is right for a child to be sick or with any sort of illness. Children are embodiments of joy that spread their smiles and innocence wherever they go, and they should be playing in parks and studying in school rather than being treated on a hospital bed. It was these children I thought of first when organizing this fundraiser, and Phoenix Children’s helps them with exceptional preventive and medical care for all ages.

Being an Indian classical musician vocalist and enthusiast, I felt it apt for this event to be a grand musical fundraiser, as music is not only the language of the soul, but for the heart as well. Music and dance can bring out all sorts of emotions and modes, and for the fundraiser, I felt that devotional Carnatic music and expressive Bharatanatyam were the perfect mediums to communicate a mindset of service. So, I requested my dear friends, nine of the valley’s best Indian classical art youth performers, to participate in this event to raise funds for Phoenix Children’s. They immediately accepted, and I am forever grateful to them for not only making the event a memorable one but graciously accepting it as being a part of what was the most memorable event of the year.

As the event day got closer, the community donated increasingly, and we were edging towards the original goal of a thousand dollars raised. I was ecstatic, to say the least. Even those who couldn’t come donated to our cause, and I can’t thank everyone who contributed enough for helping the children at Phoenix Children's Hospital. We planned the venue at the beautiful hall of Chinmaya Mission, and the team there was so supportive and helped with not just setup and decorations, but also making the overall evening a divine experience.

Volunteers serving the artists!

More than a hundred people attended the event, raising more than double the original goal of $1,000 – a total of $2,200. It was truly the community who acted as the pillars of making this dream a reality. Youth volunteers managed to collect donations, confirming reservations, and serving food, making sure nobody was left with an empty stomach. On the topic of food, so many families made delicious items to eat, and at the end of the musical feast, the potluck feast was equally satisfying! So many people graciously helped in arranging decorations, capturing photos, setting up the mic and stage, organizing chairs and tables, cleaning, and so much more. All the talented artists, the true stars of the evening, shone so brightly with their beautiful performances. And every member of our community stepped forward with wholehearted support and help. It was truly a joy to see our community come together for such a great cause and to serve it with love, devotion, and unity.

A few weeks later, this event and the contribution to Phoenix Children’s Hospital was recognized in FOX News (the story is available here: https://www.fox10phoenix.com/video/1700307), and I am so happy and humbled for this recognition, though my motivation in my heart always comes from simply wanting to see everyone happy and healthy. 

|| लोकः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु || "May all beings in all the worlds be happy."