National Youth Day was celebrated with a vibrant procession starting at 8 AM comprising approximately 153 students, 5 teaching staff, 8 non-teaching staff, and 14 monastic members from our university (RKMVERI). The procession carried beautifully decorated photographs of Swami Vivekananda in a chariot-like structure and was accompanied by devotional singing by the students. The procession culminated at Swamiji’s Room in Belur Math. Afterward, the students, faculty, other staff members and monastics members were encouraged to attend the National Youth day meeting that was held at the special pandal at Belur Math (beside the main temple) from 9 – 11 AM, and many of them participated.
The inauguration ceremony for the Spiritual Heritage Courses for the year 2025 was also held on 12th January 2025, the National Youth Day. The event began at 3:45 pm in the Abhedananda Convention Centre at Belur Math and continued upto 6:15 pm. By a happy coincidence, the day also marked the janma-tithi (birth anniversary) of Swami Turiyanandaji, regarded as an embodiment of the truths of the Shastras. To honor the occasion, selected Upanishads, including Katha, Kena, Mundaka, Mandukya, Isa, and parts of Taittiriya, were chanted by around 460 Spiritual Heritage Course students (mostly adults) and 9 monatic members of RKMVERI. Around 8 Sanskrit students from our university also joined the event. Six acharya monks from RKMVERI delivered short lectures highlighting the importance of scriptural studies in daily life. Certificates were distributed to successful students of the Spiritual courses, and all attendees were served snacks & sweets after the program.
