Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama @ Belgaum

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum conducted a 6 day programme from July 29^th – Aug 3rd named ‘VIVEKA VAHINI’. This programme was planned in order to spread the Value education.the programme consisted of Vedic chanting, Bhajans, lectures, classes, audio-video presentations, sales & free distribution of selected books.

A team of 7 monastics & 3 volunteers from the Ashrama headed by Swami Raghaveshanandaji Maharaj visited different schools & colleges in rural areas in the districts of Belgaum, Bagalkote & Raichur. The following was the programmed schedule in brief.

Day 1- July 29^th, 08

1^st programme: was held at Shri Annadaneshwara Swatantra pre-university college, Munavalli, Tq. Savadatti, Dist. Belgaum. 240 students from PUC I & II years (Arts & commerce) participated. Free books on teachings of Swami Vivekananda & were distributed to the participants.

2^nd programme: was held at Dr. Govindrao Vamanarao Nayik Swatantra PU college, Munavalli, Tq. Savadatti, Dist. Belgaum. In this 230 students from PUC I & II year (arts & commerce) participated. All participants were also given a free book on teachings of Swami Vivekananda & a photo of Swami Vivekananda.

3^rd programme: was conducted at Shri Kumareshwara high School, Munavalli. More than 200 students attended this session.

4^th programme: at Govt. High School, Munavalli. 250 students participated & were benifitted.

5^th programme: was held in evening for the benefit of general public at Panchalingeshwara Kalyan Mantapa, Munavalli. More than 200 people attended the Bhajans & speeches.

Day-2. July 30^th, 08

Different sessions at Sports school, Chandargi for English & Kannada medium students from 6^th – Puc 1^st Yr students. In all 900 students attended these sessions.

In the evening a public programme ( Satsanga) was organised by Swami Vivekananda Seva Kendra, Lokapur, Tq. Mudhol, Dist: Bagalkote. 150 people attended the programme.

Day 3. July 31^st, 08

Programmes were held at 3 different schools & colleges in Jamkhandi Tq, Dist. Bagalkote. More than 2,000 students attended these programmes.

In the evening a public programme was organised at Ganpati Temple, in which 200 people participated.

Day 4, 5 & 6. Aug 1, 2 & 3

In all 5 sessions were held at the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Lingasagur, dt. Raichur, for all the students of this residential school. Also a Q & A session was held for PUC students & a special programme was conducted for the staff & teachers of the School.

Apart from the Navodaya school, 4 programmes were conducted at different school & colleges in Lingasagur Tq. In which 800 students participated.

In the evening of 3rd Aug, a special satsanga was conducted at Shri Raghavendra Swami Matha for general public. Around 70 people participated in this programme.

In all more than 5,200 students were reached & an effort was made to inculcate in them higher values for self development & formation of strong character, so that they can grow into a useful member of the society.

Free books & cards were distributed & for students interested in reading more literature, facility of a mobile book stall was provided at all the places where the programmes were conducted. In all the response was overwhelming & the student community showed much enthusiasm & genuine interest in the books on & by Swami Vivkekananda. The ideals & ideas of Swami Vivekananda was received with much keenness by the students as was understandable by the demand of more such classes by the students community.

The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum is committed to take the life giving message of Swami Vivekananda by visiting as many schools & colleges as possible , specially in the rural areas.

Like previous years this year also a summer camp, viz., Vasanta Vihara for boys in the age group of 10-16 yrs is being held in the Ashrama for one whole month in two batches from April 11th to May 13th 2008. More than 150 students participated in this year’s camp.

       Some photographs of the event

The features of the camp were Vedic Chanting, Yogasanas, Meditation, Character Building, & Classes on art and many other facets of our great culture. Lectures and presentations were also organized on many themes like “Planet earth”, “Life of Swami Vivekanada”, “Health & Hygiene” & “Team work”, etc which were emphasized through audio visual presentations, group tasks & competitions. These Classes were conducted by Swamijis and eminent members of the society in the pure and elevating atmosphere of the Ashrama.

Dear Friend,

The Universal Temple of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum was consecrated in January 2004. 

To celebrate the completion of 4 years of this event, we have organized a 3-day programme at the Ashrama. These programmes are aimed at spreading the life and message of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sharada Devi and Swami Vivekananda.

The 3-day programme held from February 1st to February 3rd includes youth conventions – aimed at exhorting our youth to incorporate the man-making and character building teachings of Swami Vivekananda, devotees’ conventions, talks and cultural events. As a prelude to these celebrations various competitions for school students have also been organized on January 31st.

I extend a warm welcome to you, your relatives & friends to participate in these programmes. You can download the details of the programmes here.

      Yours in the Lord,
Swami Raghaveshananda
         (Secretary)

Dear friend,

Spreading the divine life and message of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sharada Devi and Swami Vivekananda - The Holy Trio - is one of the important activities of the Ashrama. The Ashrama has been rendering this service to the students, youths and devotees from the beginning.

With the same objective in view, students’ convention, youth convention, and special satsang programmes for devotees were organized in some of the taluks of Belgaum District. To introduce and promote ‘Viveka Prabha’ the Kannada monthly magazine of the ‘Ramakrishna Order’ was the other objective of these programmes.

Swami Vireshanandaji Maharaj of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysore and the team of Sannyasins, Brahmacharis and volunteers of Belgaum Ashrama organized and conducted these programmes.

The details of the programmes are given below. Our heartfelt thanks go to all those who helped in organizing the programmes and also to those who participated in them.

May the Holy Trio bless them all immensely! We seek your prayers and support for such programmes.

Yours in the Lord
Swami Raghaveshananda
(Secretary)

DETAILS OF PROGRAMMES
Photos of the event are awaited

Date: 21/11/2007
Place: Moodalagi, Tq. Gokak Dt. Belgaum

• 600 participated in the Students Convention for High School Students
• 400 participated in the Students Convention for 10^th Standard & PUC Students
• 100 participated in the Satsanga programme for Devotees

Date: 22/11/2007
Place:Gokak

• 100 participated in the Youth Convention for College Students
• 800 participated in the Students Convention for  High School Students
• 200 participated in Satsanga programme for Devotees

Date: 23/11/2007
Place: Ghataprabha, Tq. Gokak Dt. Belgaum

• 400 participated in the Students Convention for 10^th Standard Students
• 300 participated in the Youth Convention for the students of K.H.I Nursing School
• 100 participated in the Satsanga programme for Devotees

Date: 24/11/07
Place: Savadatti, Tq. Bailhongal Dt. Belgaum

• 1200 participated in the Students Convention for High School Students
• 300 participated in the Youth Convention for College Students
• 100 participated in the Satsanga programme for Devotees

IN ALL
3400 students, 700 Youths & 500 Devotees (spiritual aspirants) Participated &
Ramakrishna - Vivekananda literature worth Rs.41,000/- were sold

To inspire students, youths, teachers with character building and man-making ideals, the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum had organized various conventions on August 21 & 22, 2007. Apart from these conventions lecture programmes were held for MBBS students, Doctors and PG Students, staff Nurses at KLES’ Hospital and at Belgaum Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS).

Students gathering on the day of the convention

Sri Swami Bodhamayanandaji Maharaj, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, T.Nagar, Chennai, Sri Swami Atmaprananandaji and Swami Yukteshanandaji (Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum), Dr Gururaj Karajagi (Chairman, International Academy of Creative Teaching, Bangalore), Sri Chakravarthi Sulibele (well known columnist and orator) addressed the gathering during these conventions.The guests of honour were Sri K.D. Birje (Additional Commissioner, Belgaum), Sri S. Jayakumar (Deputy Director of Public Instructions, Belgaum) & Sri Raghavendra Auradker (Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, Belgaum). The conventions were held in the Ashrama premises thus providing a congenial atmosphere for deep and noble thinking.

Features of the conventions:

Vedic Chanting & Bhajans

Lectures with Multimedia Presentation

Exhibition & sale of Books, CDs & Cassettes

Lunch Prasad & Tea/Snacks for all participants

• Free distribution of books on Character building, Personality Development and on life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda
• Video Recordings of the Conventions are available & can be ordered.

Details:

The Response:

The conventions and lectures were aimed at providing noble thoughts to the participants to strengthen their personality. Ideas that inspire students, youths and teachers were put forward during the conventions.

Teachers’ Convention

Youth Convention

The response was overwhelming. The interest shown by the participants was clear by the way they welcomed these ideas. Throughout the sessions there was quiet and order showing that the participants were deeply absorbed in the programme.