The Order on the March When God Calls Pocket Tal e s Poorva: Magic, Mircles and Mystical Twelve

The Order on the March

PAGE DONOR : SMT. ANURADHA BHATTACHARYA, MUMBAI News & Notes from Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Belur Math which had remained closed since 22 April due to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, was opened to devotees and visitors on 18 August. The entry is restricted however to those who have received the vaccination or tested negative for Covid.

To streamline the Order’s activities among the youth, the headquarters conducted an online orientation programme on 22 August in which 79 heads and monastic youth coordinators from 52 centres in West Bengal took part.

Official relations between UNESCO and the Ramakrishna Mission which were established in 2015 have been renewed for a further period of five years until 2026.

Ranchi Morabadi Ashrama launched Prabuddha Gram, a quarterly magazine on agriculture and rural development, on 21 July. With the publication of this bilingual magazine in Hindi and English, the centre has discontinued its earlier Hindi monthly Divyayan Samachar.

Srimat Swami Smarananandaji, President of the Ramakrishna Order inaugurated the new building for ‘Ma Sarada Charitable Dispensary and Pathology Centre’ of Baghbazar centre through virtual mode on 15 August.

In a programme to mark Indian Independence Day (15 August), Sri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, presented a certificate to Vivekananda Netralaya of Dehradun centre in recognition of the medical services provided during the Covid-19 pandemic. In similar programmes held on that day, local government authorities honoured Delhi, Shivanahalli (Bengaluru) and Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) Ashramas for their relief activities during the pandemic.

Ramakrishna Math Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu which was functioning for the last one year as a sub-centre of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai has now become a full-fledged branch centre of the Order. At the Math’s village centre, which is sunctionig for the last 26 years, Sri Ramakrishna’s temple was renovated and its Kumbhabhishekam held on Ganesha Chaturthi, 10 September 2021 in the presence of Srimat Swami Gautamanandaji, one of the Vice-presidents of the Ramakrishna Order. This was followed by a public meeting and Nama Sankeerthanam by Govindapuram Sri Vittaldas Maharaj. 250 devotees and 20 sannyasis participated maintaining Covid restriction protocols.

In 1906, Swami Ramakrishnanandaji, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, started a primary school in Chennai’s Mint area to educate the children of poor daily wagers, fishermen and other such backward communities. Known as Ramakrishna Math National School, this institution continues to

Flood Relief: Ichapur Flood Relief: Saradapitha Distress Relief: Kasundia

provide best education free of cost to underprivileged children. Recognising the school’s sincere work, the Government of Tamil Nadu awarded it ‘The Best School’ award for 2018-19 academic year; the ‘Kamarajar Award’ with a cash prize of Rs. 25000/- in January 2020; and on 5 Sept 2021 the Dr. Radhakrishnan ‘Best Teacher’ Award for its Headmistress Smt S.V. Saraswathi along with a cash prize of Rs. 10,000/-. Covid Relief: 11 centres from 05 states in India and 01 centre in Bangladesh continued Covid relief and distributed 435 kg rice, 25 kg flour, 50 kg wheat, 216 kg pulses, 110 kg spices, 150 kg jiggery, 108 kg oil, 135 kg potatoes, etc., and vaccinated 14,634 people. Flood Relief: Heavy rains created floods in some parts of Bihar and West Bengal in Aug 2021. In response 08 centres in west Bengal and one centre in Bihar rendered flood relief by distributing 4,300 kg rice, 1,860 kg pulses, 32,150 kg chira (rice flakes), 500 kg potatoes, 250 kg onions, 11,100 kg sugar, 1,113 kg salt, 505 litres cooking oil, 27,403 biscuit packets, 2,974 soap bars, etc., among 30,570 families, and also served cooked food to 5725 people. Distress Relief: 04 centres in 03 states distributed among the poor people 660 kg rice, 1832 kg pulses, 60 kg potatoes, 61 kg spices, 525 kg salt, 50 kg sugar, 262 litres cooking oil, 4160 soap bars, 1140 saris.

Dance performance as Seva

Born and brought up in the city of Boston in America, Dhakshinya Thangavel and Nanditha Prashanth grew up cherishing their Indian roots. They started learning Bharatanatyam from a young age under Smt. Sujatha Meyyappan of the Kolam Academy of Dance. Their Arangetram, or first on-stage performance, scheduled after 10 years of training had to be cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. Both the young ladies who, even while studying at the University of Connecticut, are actively engaged in social service felt very disturbed by the sufferings of the common people, especially in India. So, recently when their Bharatanatyam Arangetram was again scheduled they decided to use the occasion to serve the poor. They informed the invitees that instead of giving them personal gifts, they could donate towards the Covid relief work undertaken by Ramakrishna Math, Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India! Dhakshinya and Nanditha thus received $ 3000/- (Rs. 2,27,000) and it has reached the pandemic affected people in and around Thanjavur. The two young ladies have shown how the youth can connect with and serve the suffering mankind. May the Lord bless them with a long journey as accomplished dancers.

Ramakrishna Math

Mekhliganj, Dt.Cooch Behar, West Bengal- 735304 (A branch centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal) Phone: 8017876512 / 8617380756, E-mail: mekhliganj@rkmm.org

Dear all, Ramakrishna Math Mekhliganj, situated close to India-Bangladesh border, runs a Primary School attended by around 250 students, a Medical Dispensary offering free treatment, and conducts regular distress relief service in interior tribal and rural villages. Added to this the Math has decided to impart Computer & Agriculture training, and other essential life-skills to the local youth. The Math is trying to purchase land to house this Vocational Training Institute. For all these service activities, the Math largely depends upon help from outside because, due to economic backwardness, the local people are unable to financially support the Math. Now, as the Covid-19 pandemic condition has almost dried up donations, it is becoming increasingly difficult to even manage the daily expenses of the Math. We therefore earnestly request your kind aid to support the below mentioned activities of the Math:

Sl. Activity Amount

1 Daily Worship in the Temple 1,00,000/-

2 Salary to School & Math staff

10,00,000/3 Renovation of Math buildings & pathways 10,00,000/4 Completion of Sadhu Nivas & Devotees’ Dining Hall construction 12,00,000/5 Purchase of land to construct Vocational Training Institute 30,00,000/6 A four wheeler vehicle to support relief activities 8,00,000/Total estimated costing 71 Lakhs I humbly appeal to you all to donate generously and help us to serve and uplift the people of this region. Donations details: Cheque in favour of Ramakrishna Math, Mekhliganj

Account Holders name : Ramakrishna Math Account Holders name : Ramakrishna Math Bank : State Bank of India Bank : Central Bank of India Branch : Mekhliganj Branch : Mekhliganj A/c No. : 35367015024 A/c No. : 2162973276 IFSC : SBIN0018013 IFSC : CBIN0280131

After donation, kindly send your PAN Number, full Postal Address, and an E-mail with Transaction details. Only donations with PAN number are eligible for tax exemption under section 80G of I.T. Act 1961.

In anticipation of your help and prayer to the Almighty for His blessings on all. Swami Omkaratmananda Adhyaksha

RAMAKRISHNA MATH, UTTARKASHI

Ganganagar, P.O. Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, 249193 Mobile: 9447051231; Email: uttarkashi@rkmm.org

Offering to Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna: An Appeal

Dear Devotees & Friends, Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Belur Math declared open a Math centre at Uttarkashi, an ancient holy town in the Garhwal Himalayas on 20th Oct 2017. There was already an Ashrama on a small piece of land, named “Ramakrishna Kutir” since 1963, maintained directly by Belur Math, where sadhus of our Order used to stay for intense Tapasya in the traditional monastic way, begging food from outside and living a simple austere life. The same tradition continues till date. Monks and brahmacharins of the Ramakrishna Order regularly visit this Ashrama in great numbers on their pilgrimage to the Chardham- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri & Yamunotri. In view of expanding Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of service and spirituality among the masses we plan to purchase some land around Harsil Valley, near Gangotri. Along with retreat centres for sadhus and devotees, some welfare activities for the benefit of the poor and underprivileged will be taken up after acquiring and developing the land. A sum of Rs. 2 crores is estimated to set up and develop the additional unit of the Uttarkashi Math. We request our friends and devotees, trusts and corporate bodies to contribute liberally to complete this project of welfare and spirituality at the earliest. Donations can be made by NEFT/RTGS to the account given below: A/C Name : Ramakrishna Math, Uttarkashi Bank Name : Union Bank of India Branch Name : Uttarkashi Branch A/C No. : 601802010006696 IFSC : UBIN0560189 Kindly mention the purpose- “Donation for purchase of land and development of the Math”, the PAN and full address of the donor by email to uttarkashi@rkmm.org or SMS to

9447051231.

Donations towards our Math is exempted from IT under 80G Act. May Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada, Swami Vivekananda bless you all. Yours in the Lord, Swami Amaleshananda Adhyaksha

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Vol.108. No.10 The Vedanta Kesari (English Monthly) October 2021. Regd. with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No.1084 / 1957. Postal registration number: TN / CH (C) /190 / 2021-2023. Licensed to Post without prepayment TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-259 / 2021-2023. Date of Publication: 24th of every month. Posted on 27.09.2021 at Egmore RMS/1 (Patrika Channel), Chennai - 8.

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