Singaspeaks 79

SingaSpeaks A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, SINGAPORE

ROAR 79 | SINGAPORE | SATURDAY | 2 DECEMBER 2017

Brilliant Bow Music on Sister Nivedita

“Kalaichudamani” (Crest Jewel of Arts) Smt Bharathi Thirumagan from Chennai, India presented a “Villisai” on the dedicated Life of Sister Nivedita, an Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda at the Sarada Hall on the evening of Sunday, 5 November 2017. She was ably assisted in the musical performance by her son Sri Kalaimagan. She rendered a few inspiring incidents from the life of Sister Nivedita accompanied by her husband Sri Thirumagan on the Ghatam, Dr Shivraj on Flute and Keyboard and Sri Ganesh Rao on Tabla. The Programme Director was Smt Swarna Kalyan. Sri S M Arumugam gave a Vote of Thanks. Swami Vimokshananda concluded with a benedictory address. Supper was served at the end to all the assembled rasikas.

150th Birth Anniversary of Sister Nivedita The 150th Birth Anniversary of Sister Nivedita is being celebrated all over the world. The Singapore Ramakrishna Mission joined the world community in paying homage to the great dedicated disciple of Swami Vivekananda by organising two 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

functions – one on 8 August 2016 held at the PGP Hall where Swami Sarvagananda from India participated.

The Villisai was the second programme where Smt Bharathi presented a brilliant Bow Music. Villisai is a folk art form of southern India. The PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

performer uses a Bow with bells tied on it’s long string, singing mythological stories from the Puranas with music essentially meant for the rural masses who delight in the colloquial narration. Smt Bharathi weaves modern subjects into the ancient art of Villisai. singapore@rkmm.org

PERIODIC NEWSLETTER ROAR 79

PAGE TWO

SATURDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2017

Valued Visitors

Puttige Math in the State of Karnataka is a Madhva Vaishnava Monastery. It is one of the 8 Monasteries in Udupi founded by Dvaita saintphilosopher Madhvacharya. Till date, there have been 29 pontiffs who have headed the Math. The present pontiff is Sri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji.

During his visit to Singapore, he paid a visit to the Ra m a k r i s h n a M i ss i o n Te m p l e . S w a m i Vimokshananda along with Sri Malladi Srinivas warmly welcomed him and his followers. The Udupi Swami was taken to the Sarada Hall where he was told about the Sanskrit class activity. In simple

Sanskrit, he addressed the students elaborating on the importance of the study of this ancient language. His advice was not to consider learning Sanskrit as a mere language but to get acquainted with the age-old spiritual culture. He also distributed the Certificates to all those students who had passed the Samskrita Bharati Examinations conducted this year. Earlier, the children of the Sanskrit class welcomed him by l rendering melodiously a Sanskrit song. Thereafter, he was taken to the Library in the Cultural Building. Both the Swamis discussed subjects of mutual interest.

Ms Ma Thida (second from left) is a medical doctor, author and human rights activist. She currently edits a Burmese magazine.

Ms Nilanjana Sengupta (first from left) is a well-known author based in Singapore. She wrote “The Female Voice of Myanmar: Khin Myo Chit to Aung San Suu Kyi” while she was a Visiting Scholar with the Asia Research Institute, NUS. Along with Dr (Prof) Kamal Bose they visited the Mission on 24 October 2017 and discussed on Yangon RKM. Swami Mahayogananda, on his way to Belur Math had a brief stopover at Singapore when he visited the Mission and spent some time with the monks here on 25 October 2017. He is presently an Assistant Minister in the Vedanta Society of Southern California in Hollywood, USA.

179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org

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SATURDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2017

Silent Prayers on Remembrance Day

The Second Sunday of November is observed as Remembrance Day in Singapore. It was organised on 12th November by the British High Commissioner and SAF Veterans League at Kranji War Cemetry. The assembled war veterans and their families,

peace. A special Silent Prayer was done by 10 religious leaders at the Memorial Wall.

Swami Vimokshananda as a representative of Hinduism participated in the pious Prayer Ceremony.

school children, diplomats and others paid homage to those who made the supreme sacrifice so that the generations that followed could live in 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798

singapore@rkmm.org

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SATURDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2017

Silent Prayers at LMV Commissioning

179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784

Two more Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs) joined the fleet of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) after they were commissioned in the morning hours of 14 November 2017.

The Commissioning was officiated by the Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen along with Senior MoS Dr Maliki Osman and Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Lew Chuen Hong.

On this occasion the Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen said: "The LMVs represent a quantum jump compared to its predecessor, the Fearlessclass patrol vessel… The LMVs outperform by leaps and bounds the patrol vessels that were built in the 1990s.”

The two warships – RSS Unity and RSS Sovereignty – are the latest to be commissioned after the first, RSS Independence.

An IRO Blessing Ceremony was held at the Changi Naval Base. 10 Religious leaders came together and participated in the silent Prayer, wishing safe-sail for all the Naval Crews of the warships and those in the Support Units of both LMVs. God bless them all!

PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798 singapore@rkmm.org