Editing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (section)

===Shakhas===
The term ''shakha'' is Hindi for "branch". Most of the organisational work of the RSS is done through the co-ordination of the various ''shakhas''. These ''shakhas'' are run for one hour in public places. The number of ''shakhas'' increased from 8500 in 1975 to 11,000 in 1977, and became 20,000 by 1982.{{sfn|Tapan Basu, Khaki Shorts|1993|pp=51–54}} In 2004 more than 51,000 ''shakhas'' were run throughout India. The number of shakas had fallen by over 10,000 after the fall of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP)-led government in 2004. However, by mid-2014, the number had again increased to about 40,000 after the return of BJP to power in the same year.<ref name="Modi">{{cite news |title=Modi effect: 2,000-odd RSS shakas sprout in 3 months |newspaper=The Times of India |date=13 April 2014 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Modi-effect-2000-odd-RSS-shakhas-sprout-in-3-months/articleshow/33671908.cms |access-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227163209/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Modi-effect-2000-odd-RSS-shakhas-sprout-in-3-months/articleshow/33671908.cms |archive-date=27 December 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="KAUSHIK">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-shakhas-fight-for-survival/articleshow/6015003.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811073343/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-05/india/28306317_1_shakha-rss-rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh|url-status=live|archive-date=11 August 2011|title=RSS shakhas fight for survival  |last1=Kaushik|first1=Narendra|date=5 June 2010|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=11 June 2010}}
</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/shakhas-grown-by-13-per-cent-across-the-country-rss/article6489345.ece|title=Shakhas have grown by 13% across the country: RSS|first1=Suvojit|last1=Bagchi|date=10 October 2014|access-date=28 December 2019 |newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> This number stood at 51,335 in August 2015.<ref name="ToI_roll_2015">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/RSS-is-on-a-roll-Number-of-shakhas-up-61-in-5-years/articleshow/48498034.cms|title=RSS is on a roll: Number of shakhas up 61% in 5 years|work=The Times of India|date=16 August 2015 }}</ref>

The ''shakhas'' conduct various activities for its volunteers such as physical fitness through yoga, exercises, and games, and activities that encourage civic awareness, social service, community living, and patriotism.<ref name="Malkani">{{Cite book |last=Malkani |first=K.R. |author-link=K. R. Malkani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s0RAAAAAMAAJ |title=The RSS Story |publisher=Impex India |year=1980 |access-date=3 July 2024 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Volunteers are trained in first aid and in rescue and rehabilitation operations, and are encouraged to become involved in community development.<ref name="Malkani" />{{sfn|Chitkara, National Upsurge|2004}}

Generally, ''shakhas'' involve the gathering of male RSS members to train in martial arts, exercise in other ways, and "recite nationalist stories" to outsiders.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Luce |first=Edward |title=In Spite of The Gods: The Rise of Modern India |publisher=[[Anchor Books]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-4000-7977-3 |edition=1st Anchor Books |location=New York |pages=151–152 |author-link=Edward Luce}}</ref>

Most of the ''shakhas'' are located in the Hindi-speaking regions. As of 2016 Delhi had 1,898 ''shakhas''.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 March 2016 |title=Highest growth ever: RSS adds 5,000 new shakhas in last 12 months |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/rss-uniform-over-5000-new-shakhas-claims-rss/ |website=The Indian Express}}</ref> There are more than 8,000 ''shakhas'' in UP, 6,845 ''shakhas'' in Kerala,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/rss-added-8000-new-members-in-kerala-last-year-state-chief/articleshow/63322319.cms|title=Kerala RSS: RSS added 8000 new members in Kerala last year: State chief &#124; Kozhikode News – Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=16 March 2018 |access-date=28 December 2019}}</ref> 4,000 in Maharashtra, and around 1,000 in Gujarat.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/india/article/kerala-accounts-for-over-5000-rss-shakhas-per-day-says-sangh/55906|title=Kerala Accounts For Over 5000 RSS Shakhas Per Day, Says Sangh|date=1 January 2000|work=TimesNow|access-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314062808/http://www.timesnow.tv/india/article/kerala-accounts-for-over-5000-rss-shakhas-per-day-says-sangh/55906|archive-date=14 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In northeast India, there are more than 1,000 ''shakhas'', including 903 in Assam, 107 in Manipur, 36 in Arunachal, and 4 in Nagaland.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 May 2016 |title=Sowing saffron, reaping lotus |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1160522/jsp/7days/story_86900.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313214633/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1160522/jsp/7days/story_86900.jsp |archive-date=13 March 2017 |access-date=6 April 2017 |work=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rise-of-hindutva-in-north-east-rss-bjp-make-a-mark-in-assam-manipur-but-poll-waters-still-untested-in-arunachal-3391504.html|title=Rise of Hindutva in North East: RSS, BJP score in Assam, Manipur but still untested in Arunachal|date=20 April 2017|work=Firstpost|access-date=4 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430160537/http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rise-of-hindutva-in-north-east-rss-bjp-make-a-mark-in-assam-manipur-but-poll-waters-still-untested-in-arunachal-3391504.html|archive-date=30 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In Punjab, there are more than 900 ''shakhas'' as of 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2016/sep/25/rising-rss-clout-in-rural-punjab-took-gagneja-down-1522808.html|title=Rising RSS clout in rural Punjab took Gagneja down|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313220951/http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2016/sep/25/Rising-RSS-clout-in-rural-Punjab-took-Gagneja-down-1522808.html|archive-date=13 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> As of late 2015 there were a total of 1,421 ''shakhas'' in Bihar,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/RSS-to-reach-each-Bihar-hamlet-in-3-years/articleshow/49650558.cms|title=We will reach each Bihar hamlet in 3 years: RSS |work=The Times of India|access-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108042426/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/RSS-to-reach-each-Bihar-hamlet-in-3-years/articleshow/49650558.cms|archive-date=8 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 4,870 in Rajasthan,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/jaipur/66-of-rss-shakhas-consists-of-school-college-students-sanghachalak-ramesh-agrawal/|title=66% of RSS shakhas consists of school, college students: Sanghachalak Ramesh Agrawal|date=4 November 2015|work=The Indian Express|access-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407055413/http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/jaipur/66-of-rss-shakhas-consists-of-school-college-students-sanghachalak-ramesh-agrawal/|archive-date=7 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> 1,252 in Uttarakhand,<ref>{{Cite news |title=उत्तराखंड में बढ़ी आरएसएस की शाखाएं |trans-title=RSS branches increased in Uttarakhand |url=http://www.jagran.com/uttarakhand/dehradun-city-13736910.html?src=article-on-scroll |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407233508/http://www.jagran.com/uttarakhand/dehradun%2Dcity%2D13736910.html?src%3Darticle%2Don%2Dscroll |archive-date=7 April 2017 |access-date=6 April 2017 |work=jagran |language=hi}}</ref> 2,060 in Tamil Nadu,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mayilvaganan |last2=J |first2=Shanmughasundarm |title=RSS bets on small shakhas in hinterland to make it big in Tamil Nadu {{!}} Chennai News – Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/rss-bets-on-small-shakhas-in-hinterland-to-make-it-big-in-tn/articleshow/79885853.cms |access-date=9 January 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=23 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> and 1,492 in West Bengal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/mar/27/rss-in-bengal-has-grown-threefold-in-five-years-says-report-1586535.html|title=RSS in Bengal has grown threefold in five years, says report|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407054153/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/mar/27/rss-in-bengal-has-grown-threefold-in-five-years-says-report-1586535.html|archive-date=7 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> There are close to 500 ''shakhas'' in Jammu and Kashmir,<ref>{{cite news |date=20 July 2015 |title=जम्मू और कश्मीर में 500 शाखाएं चल रहा है |trans-title=Running 500 branches in Jammu and Kashmir |url=http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/jammu-and-kashmir/srinagar/500-rss-shakhas-in-jammu-and-kashmir/articleshow/48138742.cms |work=Navbharat Times |language=hi}}</ref> 130 in Tripura, and 46 in Meghalaya.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rise-of-hindutva-in-north-east-rss-bjp-face-challenge-in-nagaland-and-mizoram-better-off-in-meghalaya-tripura-3369560.html|title=Rise of Hindutva in North East: Christians in Nagaland, Mizoram may weaken BJP despite RSS' gains in Tripura, Meghalaya|date=21 April 2017|work=Firstpost|access-date=2 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425191054/http://www.firstpost.com/politics/rise-of-hindutva-in-north-east-rss-bjp-face-challenge-in-nagaland-and-mizoram-better-off-in-meghalaya-tripura-3369560.html|archive-date=25 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

As per the RSS Annual Report of 2019, there were a total of 84,877 ''shakhas'', of which 59,266 are being held daily; 17,229 are weekly ''shakhas'' (58,967 in 2018, 57,165 in 2017, and 56,569 in 2016)<ref>{{cite web |last= |date=10 March 2018 |title=Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Annual Report 2018 |url=https://arisebharat.com/2018/03/10/rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh-annual-report-2018/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402180131/https://arisebharat.com/2018/03/10/rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh-annual-report-2018/ |archive-date=2 April 2019 |access-date=9 December 2018 |website=arisebharat.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Panigrahi |first1=Saswat |title=How Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is spreading its footprint across the nation |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-how-rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh-is-spreading-its-footprint-across-the-nation-2728048 |access-date=18 March 2019 |work=DNA |date=9 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402181752/https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-how-rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh-is-spreading-its-footprint-across-the-nation-2728048 |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>