SingaSpeaks ROAR 25 | SINGAPORE | SATURDAY | 24 SEPTEMBER 2016 A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, SINGAPORE
Guru Purnima at Yangon Ramakrishna Mission Most of our readers know that till 1962 our I am glad that my visit created positive monks were there in the Ramakrishna feedback. I could understand clearly that our Mission's two branches at Yangon, formerly Mission Library would have been the best at Rangoon. These were busy, useful and pre-1960s. Not only the elder generation prosperous centres and one of the important acknowledged it so but also there I could not branches abroad. After the militarisation of but think that some rare treasure of Burma now Myanmar, the monks were knowledge is hidden in the form of books of asked to leave the country. From then on the historical value. Ramakrishna Mission's Hospital was taken over by the Govt. The Library branch, which Presently I was sad to note that there is no had a chapel for the Holy Trio, was handed maintenance at all of the Library. Dirt and over to a Committee of Citizens. The dust aside, the books in the almirahs have members and the devotees carried on the never been touched! Working hands have ashram's minimal dwindled to such an activities. extent, presumably in the Venerable Sitagu Sayadaw at the Sitagu absence of a Resident International Buddhist Academy Two decades back, it was Monk for the last 20 years. Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj who visited after The devotees there in a gap of 35 years. It is to Yangon are indeed praying the immense credit of the for a Resident Monk. devotees who kept up the I could feel the pulse of light at the shrine in spite positive support from the of many challenges. Last Hindu Community in year in the month of general. It was a fruitful December, the Govt., after meeting with Venerable a gap of 20 years Sitagu Sayadaw at the permitted another monk Sitagu International of the Ramakrishna Buddhist Academy on 9th Mission i.e. me to visit December 2015. The Yangon. I met many amiable Venerable warmly elderly devotees, old welcomed me and Prof. admirers and friends. Dr. Kamal Bose and others
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