Bangalore Math organized a programme from 24 to 27 March to mark the centenary of Holy Mother’s visit to Bangalore.  It was inaugurated by Sri M N Venkatachalaiah, former Chief Justice of India.  The programme included ceremonially receiving the Mother at Bangalore Cantonment Railway Station, special worship on the Holy Mother Rock, and a public meeting at Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple which the Holy Mother had visited.

Cherrapunjee centre organized 32 health awareness camps in different parts of Meghalaya and Assam from August 2010 to March 2011.  About 13,800 persons attended the camps

Porbandar centre conducted 30 value education classes from July 2010 to February 2011 in which 7578 students and 245 teachers from 23 schools participated.

Porbandar centre conducted a dental camp at the Ashrama campus on 11 March, in which 34 patients were treated.

Commemoration of the 175th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna

The 175th birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna was celebrated by the Headquarters and the following centres with great zeal; main programmes are given within brackets:

Headquarters (symposium and drama on 9 March), Baranagar Math (devotees’ convention, public meeting and cultural programmes from 4 to 6 March), Delhi (public meeting, presided over by Dr Karan Singh, and musical performance on 6 March), Jammu (bringing out a book Sri Ramakrishna ke Ikwal-e-Zarin, an Urdu translation of the abridged version of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, which was released by Sri N N Vohra, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, on 9 March), Kamarpukur (religious discourses, devotional songs, cultural programmes and exhibition from 6 to 10 March), Kankurgachhi (japa yajna, devotees’ convention and public meeting on 26 and 27 March), Nagpur (spiritual retreat from 11 to 13 March), Rahara (parliament of religions, devotees’ convention, procession and cultural programmes from 3 to 8 March).

An all-India convention of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Bhava Prachar Parishads was held at Belur Math on 12 and 13 February in which 78 Conveners and Joint Conveners of different Parishads and 81 monks, mostly Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Parishads, took part.  Swami Prabhanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, delivered the welcome address.  The convention mainly discussed the programmes that may be conducted by different unaffiliated ashramas under the Parishads to commemorate the 175th birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna and the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Hyderabad Math has set up 14 bookstalls in the temple precincts of important pilgrimage places in Andhra Pradesh like Tirumala, Srisailam, Annavaram and Kalahasti to spread the message of the Holy Trio in particular and Sanatana Dharma in general.

In a function held on 13 March, Chennai Math presented Vivekananda Vidya Prashasti Award, comprising a citation and a sum of Rs. 1,00,000/-, to Sri Pe. Su. Mani, renowned Tamil writer who has authored a number of books on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda.

Swami Prabhanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, inaugurated the newly built Primary School building and the first floor of the Pallimangal building at Kamarpukur centre on 4 March.

News of Branch Centres: Outside India : March 2011

Swami Baneshanandaji left Belur Math for Germany on 31 March after an eleven-week visit to India.

Swami Jyotirupanandaji, head of Moscow (Russia) centre, reached Belur Math on 24 March on an eight-week visit to India.

Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, inaugurated the newly constructed building at Samaj Sevak Shikshana Mandir (Saradapitha, Belur) comprising classrooms, laboratories, office, residential rooms, etc on 11 March.

On 23 March, the birthday of Swami Yoganandaji, Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, inaugurated the newly constructed office building, near the headquarters office, to be used for Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations.

The birthday (tithi puja) of Sri Ramakrishna was celebrated at Belur Math on Sunday, 6 March.  Cooked prasad was served to about 38,000 devotees.  Swami Prabhanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, presided over the public meeting held in the afternoon.  The public celebration held on Sunday, 13 March, drew more than a lakh of visitors who thronged the Math throughout the day.  Cooked prasad was served to about 36,000 persons on that occasion.

Personalia: as on 31 March 2011

Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, is keeping well at Belur Math.

Swami Gitanandaji, Vice-President, was admitted to Seva Pratishthan hospital in Kolkata on 7 March for the treatment of fracture of the neck of the right femur and infection in respiratory and urinary tracts.  His condition is gradually improving.  Operation for fracture will be planned after his medical condition is stabilized.

Swami Smarananandaji, Vice-President, is scheduled to return to Belur Math on 3 April after his visit to Narendrapur.  He will be visiting South Africa from 18 April to 2 May.  He is in good health.

Swami Prameyanandaji, Vice-President, returned to Belur Math from Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata, on 4 March after medical investigation.  He is keeping tolerably well.

The following centres conducted free eye camps: as 31 march 2011

* through Chengalpattu centre