As part of 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai has launched “Experience Vivekananda” Project, an initiative to spread Swami Vivekananda’s personality and message through state-of-the-art multimedia galleries at Vivekananda House utilizing short inspirational videos, 3D animated movie clips and a Holographic presentation. There would be five facets to this experience. They are:
1. Indian Culture in the Eyes of Vivekananda : Art Gallery
The present Art Gallery at Vivekananda Illam has exquisite paintings by eminent artists to chronologically depict India’s grand traditions from Vedic to the present times. The proposed plan is to enhance the Art Gallery by introducing fiberglass models and dioramas illustrating turning points of our cultural heritage.
2. Making of Vivekananda : Multimedia Gallery
This section would present how the traditions of India that consummated in Sri Ramakrishna got transmitted to young Narendranath and transformed him into Swami Vivekananda.
3. Vivekananda, the Man and His Message : Multimedia Gallery
The existing photo gallery at Illam presents all the known photographs of Swami Vivekananda supported with information from relevant portions of his life. The proposed plan is to enhance the gallery by introducing LCD displays with color photographs of Swamiji. Short inspirational video clips on Swami Vivekananda are designed to reach out to the present day youth. Special attraction is the 3D animated short films and holographic presentation that will give visitors a realistic experience of Swami Vivekananda.
4. Vivekananda, the World Mover : Multimedia Gallery
This new section presents the impact of Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts on national and international leaders.
5. Vivekananda’s room : Meditation Room
The room where Swami Vivekananda stayed during those nine days in Chennai is a great experience by itself. This room needs to be maintained so as to preserve the sanctity for the generations to come.
Please join us in offering tributes to the Prophet of modern India and the modern World. Your contributions can be made online here http://www.chennaimath.org/istore/category/donations/
Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai as one of its activities is rehabilitating the leprosy affected persons (LAP) since 1988.
Over the last 23 years over 1200 affected persons have been rehabilitated.
Math is helping the LAPs with treatment & self- employment materials and sponsoring the education of the LAPs and their Children.
Also Math is working to integrated these people back into the society and lead a dignified life.
Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, on the occasion of Sri Ramakrishna’s 175th Birth Aniversary Celebrations Feb 22-26, 2012 worshiped leprosy afflicted persons as manifestation of God – ‘Nara seva is Narayana seva’.
This video covers the highlights of the program:
Duration: 13 min
Click here to download the Video.
5th day – 26th Feb 2012
Nara Narayana Seva day began with morning Mangala arti followed by Usha kirtan by Swami Atmajnananda. Bajans and temple pradakshina was by Ramakrishna Sarada Samithi Trichy. Sri Radhe Krishna Bajan Mandali a team of young boys and girls offered soulful music at 8 am.
Students of Balamandir of Ramakrishna Math presented an interesting account of Sri Ramakrishna`s life,the values dear to him and his adherence to truth aparigraha, love of all irrespective of barriers of any type – all in the form of short sweet narratives of 5 minutes . They got a Birthday Cake for their friend Bala Gadhadar and cut it to greet him Happy Birthday.
Youth Convention
Over 500 youth who had already registered for the youth convention came in to Math campus with lot of enthusiasm to hear eminent speakers . Dr Ambika Kameswar one of the speakers opened the theme of the Youth convention with a hymn of Sankara that asks How does it happen -Tathah kim tathah kim .
Swami Atmashraddhananda welcomed the youth to the convention which had its theme AS long as I live ,so long do I learn. He explained the genuine enthusiasm which Sri Ramakrishna had in learning new things from any one who came to Him . His spirit of enquiry and urge to verify all truth by personal experience marked His uniqueness
Sri Vijay Menon International Trainer of Human Resources cited 4 different real life personalities and their skills in acquiring ability, knowledge, love of fellow humans and the will to bear the suffering for the sake of others . He cited case pf Pullela Gopinath the star Baadminton champion`s struggle to overcome knee injury and the lesson he learnt from a foreigner who had immense faith and respect for our Indian values – Divinity of River Ganga. He cited Wright`s assessment of Swami Vivekananda as the collective wisdom of all the dignitaries assembled at Chicago Parliament of Religions and quoted the creativity of a budding Management Trainee when left in dirty lonely Bihar village. This boy built structure in the minds of the villagers aand not on the ground
Swami Vidyanathananda-Mahaan Maharaj from Vivekananda University who had received the prestigious Shanthi swaroop Bhatnagar Award for Mathematics for the year 2011 , beganhis speech with the life of young Vivekananda . He cited 3 things from Swamiji`s life
Desire to know- Jignyasu
Desire to go beyond
Desire to enquire
Mahaan Maharaj quoted stories of Satyakama jabhala, Newton , and the urge to know from Nature
Questions were asked from various groups of students and other than the 3 speakers Swamini Krishna Priya Amba also explained process of learning .
Nara Narayana Seva was conducted at 12.30 pm . 175 leopracy affected people were honoured by the Math and worshipped as Narayana . They were given new dress , garlanded offered flowers and deepa aradana was performed to them . Prior to this in the meeting that explained the service activities done to them by Math since 1987.
Evening session witnessed a marvelous pictorization of life of Sri Ramakrishna by students of Ramakrishna Mission Students` Home. Songs ,Dance weaved through incidents from Master`s life captured the appreciation of all .
A Public meeting was held in the Evening. Swami Sukhadevananda Secretary Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College welcomed the gathering. Swami Ilayapattam Marudhajalam Wwamigal of Perur Santhalinga Adigalar Adheenam addressed the gathering and expressed his love for Sri Ramakrishna and his message.
Padmabhushan Dr N Mahalingam Industrialist and Chairman SAKTHI groups pointed how he got inspiration fro reading Ramakrishna`s life and Ramakrishna Vijayam the Tamil journal . He appreciated the spiritual ,educational and relief works done by the Math and Mission and pointed out how this proved to be service to Siva . Pazha Karuppiah Member of the Legislative Assembly from Chennai Harbour constituency appreciated concept of Universal temple that harmonises all religions . He criticized the current thinking of people worshiping God for only material gains.Quoting from Vallalar, Poet Kannadasan, Ramayanam, and Tirukkural
Sri A K Ganguly the retiring Judge of the Supreme court replied to encomiums paid to him for his just judgements in sensitive cases of corruption, said that he received inspiration for truth only from the life and message of Sri Ramakrishna.He read out silent aspects from the life Sri Ramkrishna and traced his love for truth , courage and love of all our traditional values.The metaphors and anecdotes in the Gospel Of Sri Ramakrishna was underlined by the Justice.
Swami Gautamananda presented memontoes to the guests while Swami Satyjnananandaji Secetary Ramakrishna Mission Students Home proposed Vote of thanks
Sri Sukhi Sivam the popular exponent of scripture and literature spoke on Guruvum Thiruvum . His lively talk with quotes from epics and day to day life incidents brought to light the message of Sri Ramakrishana