The duties for RAWA workers and optees are:

i) Formation of RAWA clubs and committees, firstly in all regional headquarters, important towns, and places where units of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha (AMPS) have already been formed, and then each and every part of the world.
ii) To arrange for printing and publishing of newsletters every month.
iii) To publish magazines in every recognised language of the world.

RAWA clubs enable artists and writers of all types to:

i) Socialise, communicate, organise concerts, art exhibitions, promote literary works, research new art forms, etc;
ii) Help purchase equipment to be used by the members of RAWA clubs;
iii) Organise fund raising programmes to promote the arts and literature.

At the sectorial level of AMPS of every sector a RAWA ACB (Advisory Committee and Working Board) can be formed.  The same applies at the regional levels of the sector. There is ample scope for giving organisational duties in RAWA.

RAWA is a means for spreading the ideals of spiritual humanism - Neo-humanism. Within the structure of AMPS it is a branch of Renaissance Universal (RU) that deals with artist and writers who wish to use their talents to promote “art for service and blessedness”.

RAWA was founded by Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar in India in 1958 in order to restore art and literature to its true role as an instrument for social and spiritual awakening. Sarkar envisioned a new artistic and literary renaissance where artists and writers would unite and inspire society to move forward in a progressive and spiritual direction.

RAWA’s founder, P. R. Sarkar, composed 5018 songs and wrote several essays on the role of the artist and writer in society. His essay, “The Practice of Art and Literature”, has inspired artists and writers around the world to begin to reverse the tide of materialism and to create art and literature “for service and blessedness”.

Art and literature has the capacity to awaken social consciousness and lead a person towards spiritual self-realization. However, in the present age art and literature has become a slave of both commercial and political interests.

“When artists, absorbed in the essence of love, try to convey it to the people through their language, rhetoric and subtle suggestions, the sweetness of their artistic genius reaches the apex of expression.”  (‘The Practise of Art and Literature’ by Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar.)

RAWA works to achieve its aims and objectives through the following programs:

1. Formation of cooperatives for production, promotion and dissemination of art and literature .

2. Sponsoring art exhibitions and literary works.

3. Publication and production of recordings, books and journals.

4. Organizing concerts, musical events, theatrical and drama productions, and other events which provide a means for deserving artists and writers to reach the public.

5. Holding meetings and conferences where artists and writers can discuss their common problems and interests.

6. Encouraging artists and writers to participate in social service programs.

RAWA aims to:

a)    Develop the finer faculties of the human mind through artistic works and music, song, dance, drama, poetry and other literary works;
b)    Encourage the subtler branches of art and literature;
c)    Bring change in social values through art and literature;
d)    Protect the artist and writer from commercial exploitation.

RAWA also works to popularise Prabhat Samgiita through cassettes, CDs, concerts, etc.

RAWA musicians and singers have produced a range of sound recording to promote spirituality and social change. They have come together under the banner and logo or RAWA and dedicated their works for the propagation of spirituality and social service. RAWA, as part of the organisation of Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, seeks to uplift all persons in all parts of the world.

A collection of musical works can be found at www.rawa.asia/mp3, many of which are available for downloading.

You can also find articles on ethnomusicology at www.rawa.asia/ethno.