Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama @ Belgaum

‘DRAVYA YAJNA’ (Distribution of raw food materials to the extremely poor people)

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama launched a new service activity named ‘Dravya Yajna’ on 28th Dec, 08. Under this scheme we provide raw food materials to the extremely poor families & destitutes.

The food items consisting of 5 kg rice, 5 kg wheat flour, 1 kg edible oil & 1 kg toor dal will be given on monthly basis. The beneficiaries are asked to come & collect the monthly ration on a specified date. They are also provided with a photo identity card & a cloth bag to collect the food items which they have to carry when they will come again to collect the next months ration. Those who have to travel long distance or are not physically fit to come & collect, for them we will be providing food items at their place.

The first relief for the month of January were given to the identified families & individuals on 28th of December, 08.

Right now we have identified 75 families & individuals from Belgaum & nearby village areas. The total cost of providing food relief to one family comes to Rs. 400 per month. That makes the total expenditure in providing relief to 75 families to Rs. 30,000/- per month.We wish to extend this help to more numbers of family in due course of time as & when we get funds for the same.

 Any contribution however small for this noble service will be thankfully acknowledged.

Note: Cheques / DDs can be drawn in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum’.

‘Donations are exempt from Income Tax u/s 80G’

The 156th Jayanti of Holy Mother Sri Sharada Devi was celebrated in the Ashrama on Thursday 18th December with due solemnity.

The pictures of Holy Mother in prayer hall & in Shri Sarada Mantapa were tastefully decorated with garlands & flower vases. so were the pictures of Sri Ramakrishna & Swamiji.

In the morning programme there were recitation of Shri Lalita Sahasranama, Vedic chanting, Special Homa, Bhajans, discourse on life of Holy Mother & Mahamangalaarati. After these cooked prasada was served to about 700 devotees who participated in the programme. In the evening there was recitation of ‘Devi Stuti’ and Bengali & Kannada bhajans were sung in praise of the Holy Mother.

Holy Mother’s Jayanti celebration (18th Dec, 08)

Also, like previous years, this year on Sunday 21st of December Sarees were distributed to 200  poor women as a part of the 156th Jayanti celebrations of the Holy Mother. All the recipients were also given books on life & teachings of the Holy Trio & a food packet consisting of a Bun, Banana & a sweet. Many dignitaries participated & distributed the sarees to the recipients.

21st Dec, Saree distribution to poor women.

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama is dedicated to serve the poor & needy in whatever way possible through its various service programmes.Continuing to do the same this year also we distributed blankets to 200 poor people from nearby areas & villages.

The chief guest for the programme was Sri Vishwanath Angadi (Principal district Judge, Belgaum) . Some of the other dignitaries invited were Dr. M R Chandrashekhar (Director, Belgaum Institute of Medical Sciences), Dr. Ashok Murgod (District Surgeon, Belgaum), Sri Ganapathi Mathur (CEO, Cantonment Board, Belgaum) & Sri Abdul Salam Saudagar (A local businessman & a long standing patron of the Ashrama).

The distribution programme was conducted in the main prayer hall of the Universal temple of Sri Ramakrishna. Amidst the Vedic chanting the chief guest for the programme Sri Vishwanath Angadi , the other invited dignitaries & Swami Raghaveshanandaji distributed the  blankets to the poor who had been selected beforehand & were provided with a coupon for the identification. They were also given food packet consisting of a Bun, Banana & Sweet). Books on the life of Holy Trio in very simple language were also given to all the recipients.

*As a part of the Holy Mother Sri Sharada Devi’s 156th Jayanti celebration we’ll be distributing sarees to 200 poor women at 4.00 pm on Sunday, 21st December 2008 in the Ashrama.

‘Donations in cash or kind for the celebrations & the Service activities will be thankfully acknowledged.’

‘DRAVYA YAJNA’ (Distribution of raw food materials to the extremely poor people)

Dear Friend,

A few weeks back there was a news article in BBC stating that about twelve Indian states have alarming levels of hunger. The rise in the global food prices has reduced the food buying capacity of many poor families, making their situation worse. In the past year food prices have increased significantly, but people’s incomes haven’t kept pace, forcing many families further into hunger, experts say.

We have therefore planned to start another service activity, “the distribution of food grains & other raw food materials” to extremely poor families.

Holy Mother Sri Sharada Devi was very much concerned for the poor & suffering people. In order to help at least some of the poor people we have planned to start this ‘Dravya Yajna’. Under this service scheme, rice, dal (lentils), oil, etc will be distributed every month to 75 poor families.

It costs a minimum of Rs. 4000/- per year to support one family. We intent to extend this service to more people as & when we get more funds from the devotees & admirers.

This project will be implemented from January 2009. The first distribution will be held on Sunday, 28th December 2008, at 4.00 pm in the Ashrama.

We invite you to extend your support to join in this seva.

You may also share this appeal with your friends & acquaintances who would wish to contribute their mite for this noble cause.

Yours in the Service of Lord,
Swami Raghaveshananda
(Secretary)

Note: Cheques / DDs can be drawn in favour of ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum’.

‘Donations are exempt from Income Tax u/s 80G’

As a part its on going services towards the student community ( Vidyarthi Devo Bhava),  Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Belgaum distributed free notebooks to the poor students from the nearby government schools.

Some of the photographs of event can be seen below:

Around 250 poor students were given 2 note books & 1 pen each, along with candies. The articles were distributed by the dignitaries present  namely Sri Sudhakar Prabhu (Manager HDFC Bank, Belgaum), Sri Vikas Kalaghatgi (President, Bengal chamber of commerce), Sri S G Wke ( advocate & an ardent devotee), Smt. Shanta Hisholkar ( a devotee) & Swami Raghveshanandaji Maharaj.