Personalia
Revered President Maharaj is in Jayrambati and will return to Belur Math on 3 November. Thereafter, he will visit Kankhal, Delhi, Gurugram, and the Gol Park centre in Kolkata, from 7 to 17 November, Mysuru from 20 to 25 November, and Baghbazar Math, Kolkata, on 29 and 30 November.
Swami Suhitanandaji is in Raipur and will return to Belur Math on 2 November. Subsequently, he will visit Kathamrita Bhavan, Kolkata, from 11 to 15 November, and Katwa, Srikhanda, Bardhaman and Sargachhi from 22 November to 7 December.
Swami Bhajananandaji is at Belur Math.
Swami Girishanandaji is in Agartala. He is scheduled to return to Belur Math on 1 December, after visiting Kailashahar, Sribhumi (Karimganj) and Silchar.
Swami Divyanandaji will be visiting Jaipur, Udaipur, Mount Abu, Ajmer, Bikaner, Khetri, Delhi, Almora, Mayavati, Shyamla Tal, Lucknow, Asansol and Jamtara from 4 to 29 November.
Swami Vimalatmanandaji will visit New Town centre, Kolkata, on 3 November, Itanagar and Tezpur from 7 to 16 November, and Tirupati, Kadapa, Ananthapuramu and Bengaluru from 22 to 29 November.
All of them are keeping well.
Headquarters
Durga Puja was celebrated at Belur Math from 29 September to 2 October with great joy and devotional fervour. The weather remained fine throughout the four days, with only slight rainfall on the final two days. Thousands of devotees attended the Puja on all the days and had darshan of the Divine Mother. Prasad was served to 46,000 devotees on Maha Ashtami day and, in total, to 1,00,000 devotees during the four days.
News of Branch Centres in India
A number of our centres celebrated Durga Puja in a grand manner. At the following 37 centres, the Divine Mother was invoked and worshipped in the image from 29 September to 2 October: Antpur, Asansol, Barasat, Bilaspur, Borjhar, Chhatrapur (under Raiganj), Contai, Cooch Behar, Delhi, Dhaleswar (Agartala), Digboi, Garbeta, Ghatshila, Guwahati, Gwalior, Haflong, Jalpaiguri, Jamshedpur, Jayrambati, Kailashahar, Kamarpukur, Kasundia (Howrah), Lucknow, Malda, Medinipur, Mumbai, Patna, Rahara, Sahudangi, Shella (under Sohra), Shillong, Shyamsayer (Bardhaman), Silchar, Siliguri, Sribhumi (Karimganj), Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) and Varanasi Advaita Ashrama.
Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, attended Durga Puja at Borjhar centre.
Dr Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura, and other dignitaries attended Durga Puja at Kailashahar centre.
The newly constructed staff quarters building at Guwahati centre was opened on 27 September.
Sri Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Governor of Haryana, visited Chandigarh centre on 2 October.
Swami Vimalatmanandaji dedicated the renovated Sri Ramakrishna Temple at Jammu centre on 24 October.
The convocation ceremony of the off-campus centre of RKMVERI (deemed university) at Coimbatore Mission Vidyalaya was held on 25 October. A pre-recorded video message of the General Secretary, who is also the Chancellor of the university, was played during the programme. Certificates and degrees were awarded to 159 successful candidates.
The General Secretary inaugurated the newly started agriculture college at Purulia centre on 25 October, in the presence of Justice N Kotiswar Singh, a judge of the Supreme Court of India, and other dignitaries. He also opened an agriculture fair organized by the centre on this occasion.
The General Secretary opened a conference hall and a few other facilities at Bajepratappur centre, Bardhaman, on 23 October. Subsequently, on 26 October, he inaugurated the centre’s newly acquired campus located in the village of Dutta Dariaton. The ancestors of Swami Vivekananda originally hailed from this village. During the event, he dedicated a multipurpose building and a prayer hall there.
A student of Blind Boys’ Academy (BBA) at Narendrapur centre secured the All India Trade Test (AITT) Topper Award in the Metal Cutting Trade category, conducted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. He received the award from Sri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, at a programme held in Delhi on 4 October.
A student of the ITI at Viveknagar centre, Agartala, became the state topper in the All India Trade Test (AITT) in the Top 10 NCVT (National Council on Vocational Training) Trades category.
The Directorate of Technical Education, Chennai, conferred the Best Polytechnic Award on the Polytechnic College of Chennai Students’ Home, and the ‘Nal Aasaan Viruthu’ (Best Teacher Award) on the Principal of the college at a programme in Chennai on 6 October.
Swami Suhitanandaji laid the foundation stone for the new hospital building at Ponnampet centre on 17 September.
Swami Suhitanandaji laid the foundation stone for the new monks’ quarters building at Halasuru centre, Bengaluru, on 20 September, the birthday of Swami Akhandanandaji Maharaj.
Two students of our Chennai Vidyapith secured the first place in the national-level online Military History & Awareness Quiz held by the Colours of Glory Foundation, Chennai, in October.
Students of our Narainpur school took part in different games conducted at Raipur in September‑October by the School Games Federation of India and won 11 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze medals at the state level.
Our school in Viveknagar, Agartala, has been ranked 23rd among the best schools in India, and 1st among the schools in Tripura, by Education World, an education news magazine. Additionally, two students of the school secured second place, and another student third place in the state‑level Gita chanting competition held by Bharat Vikas Parishad, Agartala.
News of Branch Centres Outside India
Durga Puja (in the image) was performed at Durban (South Africa) centre and its sub-centres at Chatsworth and Pietermaritzburg, Lusaka (Zambia) centre, Mauritius Ashrama, and 15 centres in Bangladesh, namely Bagerhat, Baliati, Barisal, Chandpur, Chittagong, Comilla, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Habiganj, Jashore, Mymensingh, Narayanganj, Rangpur and Sylhet, and at the Narail sub‑centre of Jashore Ashrama.
Communication Addresses
Websites: Kharupetia centre has launched a website with the address rkmkharupetia.org.
Sarisha centre has changed its website address from <rkmsarisha.org> to sarisha.rkmm.org.
Values Education and Youth Programmes
The following centres held programmes mentioned against their names:
Basavanagudi, Bengaluru: (i) A youth awareness programme on 5 October, in which 170 students participated. (ii) A lecture for youths on 18 October, in which 100 youths were in attendance. (iii) A teachers’ workshop on 25 October, in which 42 teachers from 2 schools took part.
Belagavi: A youths’ convention on 17 October, in which 350 students participated.
Coimbatore Mission: (i) Five values education programmes from 10 to 27 September, in which a total of 527 students were in attendance. (ii) A two-day teachers’ convention on 26 and 27 September, in which 40 teachers took part.
Dakshineshwar, Kolkata: (i) A quiz competition on the life of Sri Sarada Devi at a local school, on 29 August, in which 172 students participated. (ii) Nine online personality development classes for youths on 31 August and 30 September, in which a total of 183 youths took part. (iii) A motivational camp for youths at a college in Purulia, in which 45 students participated.
Halasuru, Bengaluru: A youths’ convention on 20 September, in which 200 students were in attendance. Swami Suhitanandaji addressed the youths in the programme.
Jammu: A youths’ convention, in collaboration with a local university, on 26 September, in which 250 students from 5 colleges took part.
Khetri: A quiz competition from 1 August to 9 September, in which 1069 students and 94 teachers from 62 local schools participated.
Konampatti: Two values education camps on 27 September and 4 October, in which a total of 262 students were in attendance.
Ponnampet: A programme for youths on 6 October, in which 70 college students were in attendance.
Prayagraj: Cultural competitions from 2 August to 14 September, in which 350 school and college students participated. The prize-giving ceremony was held on 24 September, with 300 students and devotees in attendance.
Raipur: Five personality development camps in as many educational institutions at Sarangarh district on 14 October, in which a total of 1060 students and 74 teachers participated.
Rajamahendravaram: An online values education programme on 18 October, in which 51,519 students and 2336 teachers from 213 government schools participated.
Salem: Three personality development classes in local educational institutions from 12 September to 9 October, where altogether 455 students were in attendance.
Thanjavur: (i) Two values education programmes for teachers on 28 September and 11 October, in which a total of 155 teachers took part. (ii) A two-day youths’ camp on 4 and 5 October, in which 45 youths participated. (iii) A special programme for youths on 10 October, which was attended by 100 youths.
Eye Camps and other Healthcare Services
The following centres conducted medical camps. A summary of the services provided by them is given below.
Bankura: Eye camps from 28 July to 27 September: 755 eye patients were screened, 96 were operated on, and 77 were given spectacles.
Belagavi: Eye camps in October, in which 171 patients were screened; subsequently, 62 underwent cataract surgery at the ashrama’s dispensary.
Chennai Math: An eye camp in Chengalpattu district, with the help of Chengalpattu centre, on 26 October, in which 65 patients were screened; subsequently, 18 were given spectacles and 10 underwent cataract surgery at an eye hospital in Chennai.
Coimbatore Mission: Eight medical camps (1 orthopaedic, 2 ENT, 2 eye and 3 general camps) in and around Coimbatore from 31 August to 21 September, in which a total of 407 patients were treated.
Dakshineshwar, Kolkata: Two medical camps on 31 August and 17 October, in which a total of 221 patients were treated.
Dhaleswar, Agartala: A medical camp at a nearby place on 11 October, in which 105 patients were treated.
Jammu: An ayurvedic health-cum-awareness camp, in collaboration with a local hospital on 17 September, through which 150 participants benefitted.
Jamshedpur: An eye camp at a nearby place on 10 October, in which 49 patients were screened; later, 21 of them underwent cataract surgery at a local eye hospital.
Kanpur: A medical camp at a nearby place on 12 October, in which 72 patients were treated.
Khetri: (i) A Child Eye Care and Blindness Prevention project in August and September, under which 9570 school students were checked; subsequently, 945 of them were given spectacles. (ii) An eye camp on 28 September, in which 75 patients were checked; later, 40 of them underwent cataract surgery at an eye hospital in Jaipur.
Lucknow: Eye camps in September: 4491 patients were examined, of whom 166 underwent surgery and received spectacles.
Madurai: A health awareness camp on 28 September, in which 130 people took part.
Nagpur: An eye camp on 5 October, in which 220 patients were screened; later, 45 of them underwent cataract surgery in a local hospital, and 116 were given spectacles.
Naora: (i) A general medical camp on 16 October, in which 229 patients were treated. (ii) An ayurvedic camp, with the help of Narendrapur centre, on 17 October, in which 49 patients were checked.
Nattarampalli: An eye camp on 21 September: 225 patients were checked; subsequently, 76 underwent cataract surgery in an eye hospital, and 41 were given spectacles.
Pathanamthitta: A cancer awareness camp on 5 October, in which 78 people took part.
Porbandar: An eye camp on 10 October, where 100 patients were checked; later on, 64 were operated on for cataract in an eye hospital.
Prayagraj: A medical camp on 14 September, in which 114 patients were treated.
Rajamahendravaram: Eye camps from July to September: a total of 506 patients were screened, of whom 92 underwent cataract surgery at a local hospital, and 127 were provided with spectacles.
Ramharipur: Two cataract surgery camps, in association with another organization, in July and October, in which a total of 17 patients underwent cataract surgery.
Rishikesh: A health awareness webinar in collaboration with Kankhal centre on 29 September, in which 120 people were in attendance.
Salem: Three eye camps at nearby places from 21 September to 12 October, in which a total of 349 patients were checked; subsequently, 75 of them underwent cataract surgery at a local eye hospital, and 82 were given spectacles.
Thanjavur: A medical camp on 12 October, in which 49 patients were treated.
Thirumukkudal: (i) A dental camp at a nearby place on 14 September, in which 38 patients were treated. (ii) An eye camp in collaboration with an eye hospital on 28 September, in which 86 patients were screened; later, 19 of them underwent cataract surgery in the hospital, and 33 were given spectacles.
Viveknagar, Agartala: (i) Five medical camps at Gomati and West Tripura districts from 7 September to 15 October, in which, altogether 256 patients were checked. (ii) An orthopaedic camp in association with a hospital on 16 September, in which 67 patients were treated. (iii) A medical awareness camp, in association with a hospital in Kolkata, on 17 September, in which 150 people were in attendance. (iv) Following the eye camp held on 22 August, 64 spectacles were given to as many patients on 26 September.
Obituary
We record with sorrow the passing away of three of our brother monks.
Swami Sudevananda (Makhan), aged 76 years, passed away at Belur Math at 3.20 am on 1 October, the sacred Mahanavami of Durga Puja. An initiated disciple of Swami Nirvananandaji Maharaj, he joined the order in 1973 at Shillong centre and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj in 1984. He served at Belur Math for 34 years—first in the Thakur Bhandar and later in the Math Office—as well as at Shillong and Taki centres. In 1977, he participated in the flood relief work in Tripura. He had been leading a retired life for the past decade, first at Bhubaneswar centre for a few months and then at Belur Math. Jovial and sociable by nature, he endeared himself to all who came in contact with him.
Swami Tatswarupananda (Madan) expired at our Thiruvananthapuram hospital on 3 October at 11.10 am. He was 72. Initiated by Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj, he joined the order in 1978 at Saradapitha centre and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj in 1988. He served at Saradapitha, Kankhal, Ranchi Morabadi and Kamarpukur centres. He had been staying at Thiruvananthapuram centre for the last one and a half years. The swami was amiable by nature.
Swami Vitasprihanandaji (Prabhakaran Maharaj) breathed his last at our Thiruvananthapuram hospital on 6 October, the sacred Lakshmi Puja day, at 7.08 pm. He was 93. Initiated by Swami Yatishwaranandaji Maharaj, he joined the order in 1960 at Chennai Math and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj in 1970. He served at Chennai Math, Thiruvalla, Kalady, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram centres. Since 2017, he had been living a retired life, primarily residing at Thiruvalla and Thiruvananthapuram centres. The swami was well-versed in Kerala’s traditional rituals and was proficient in Sanskrit.