Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission Kamarpukur (A Branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math) A REPORT 2011-2012 Issued by: The Secretary RAMAKRISHNA MISSION P.O. KAMARPUKUR, DIST. HOOGHLY, WEST BENGAL: 712 612, INDIA Phone: 03211-244221, Telex: 03244-244763 E-mail: [email protected],[email protected]; Web: www.rkmkamarpukur.org A REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission Kamarpukur (A Branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math) 2011-2012 Issued by: The Secretary RAMAKRISHNA MISSION P.O. KAMARPUKUR, DIST. HOOGHLY, WEST BENGAL: 712 612, INDIA Phone: 03211-244221, Telex: 03244-244763 E-mail: [email protected],[email protected]; Web: www.rkmkamarpukur.org RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, KAMARPUKUR THE MANAGING COMMITTEE SL. N A M E S O F F I C E 1. Swami Jyotirmayananda President 2. Sri Satyanarayan Maji Vice-President 3. Dr. Jagannath Mandal Vice-President 4. Swami Vishwanathananda Secretary 5. Swami Adrijananda Asst. Secretary 6. Swami Prajnatmananda Asst. Secretary 7. Swami Shivapradananda Asst. Secretary 8. Swami Chitswarupananda Treasurer 9. Swami Bhaktipriyananda Member 10. Sri Asit Kr. Ghosal Member 11. Sri Debi Prasad Basu Member 12. Sri Kalyan Kumar Mukherjee Member 13. Sri Shyamapada Mukhopadhyaya Member 14. Sri Rohindra Nath Tudu Member 15. Sri Kishori Mohan Dey Member 16. Sri Paresh Nath Dhara Member Names of the Auditors: 1. M/s. Sambhu N. De & Co. 2. M/s. Manoranjan Roy & Co. Chartered Accountants Chartered Accountants 1-B, Old Post Office Street P-9, Dakshini Co-Op. Housing Society 3rd Floor, Kolkata-700 001 Canal South Road, Kolkata-700 105 Names of the Bankers: 1. State Bank of India, Arambagh Branch & Maheshpur Branch 2. United Bank of India, Kamarpukur Branch & Baghbazar Branch (Kol.) 3. Axis Bank Ltd., Arambagh Branch 2 HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE: Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886), the prophet of harmony of religions, was born in Kamarpukur village. “Renunciation and love for God”, “Service, seeing God in all”—these were some of his other important teachings. His illustrious disciple Swami Vivekananda founded Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission with its Headquarters at Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal. These two organizations lead by the monastic Order started by Sri Ramakrishna himself, had the twin ideal, “Self-realization and service to the world. The Kamarpukur centre, a branch of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, was started in 1947. This centre is mainly associated with the hallowed memories of Sri Ramakrishna’s birthplace and his ancestral home. Some of the holy spots are as follows: 3 v Sri Ramakrishna’s Temple built on the spot where he was born v A mud house with thatched roof where Sri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother Sarada Devi lived v Parlour and Mango Tree planted by Sri Ramakrishna v Sri Raghuvir Temple with the family deities of Sri Ramakrishna v Sri Jugis Shiva Temple v Haldhar-Pukur v Laha’s Pathashala v Temple of Sri Gopeshwar Shiva v Sitanath Pyne’s House v Dhani Kamarini’s Birth Place v Chinu Shankhari’s Birth Place v Budhui Marol Cremation Ground v Mukundapur Shiva Temple v Cremation Ground and Banyan Tree at Bhutir Khal v Palace and Mango Grove of Manik Raja v Anur Vishalakshi Temple v Jayrambati, Koalpara, Shihore and other places associated with the life of Sri Sarada Devi 4 ACTIVITIES—A SYNOPSIS MATH–SPIRITUAL, RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL: Besides daily worship, religious discourses inside and outside the Math, spiritual retreats and spiritual counselling by the senior monks, the Centre celebrates birthdays of the Holy Trio and other religious personalities. Sri Durga Puja, Sri Kali Puja, Sri Jagannath Rath Festival, Christmas Eve and other occasions are also observed. The 175th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna (in March 2012) was observed through various programmes spread all over the year with due solemnity and enthusiasm. Some of the programmes were as follows: v Special Programme at Ravindra Bhawan, Arambagh, under the aegis of the Hooghly District Bhava Prachar Parishad. v Bhakta Sammelan at Arambagh. v Free trip for the poor people of Kamarpukur to Belur Math, Cossipore, Dakshineshwar and other holy places associated with the life of Sri Ramakrishna in Kolkata. v A Krishi Mela (Kisan Mela) to bring about awareness among the villagers regarding the benefits of scientific farming coupled with the traditional practices. v Rural Health Workers’ Meet. v Self-Employment Programme for the destitute women. v Parents’ Meet and Teachers’ Meet through Kamarpukur Ramakrishna Mission Multipurpose School. v Cultural Programmes etc. 5 MISSION—SOCIAL WELFARE ACTIVITIES (A SYNOPSIS): Ramakrishna Mission, Kamarpukur, conducted multifarious social welfare activities. Here is a brief description: A High School with 837 boys out of which 71 boys were of scheduled castes and 11 boys of scheduled tribes. A Junior Basic School with 206 boys and 68 girls out of which 26 boys and 16 girls were of scheduled castes and 1 girl and 5 boys of scheduled tribes and 14 students belonged to OBC. A Hostel with 127 boys out of which 4 boys were of scheduled castes and 10 boys of backward class. An Area Library and reading room with 11368 books, 2 daily newspapers and 8 Periodicals with an average issue of 1202 books per month. 6 A Mobile Audio Visual Unit which patients were from SC and 139 screened 80 Film Shows on the patients from ST and 472 of OBC. subjects – education, culture, Homoeopathic Mobile Unit treated health and hygiene, moral values, 1348 patients. 550 were new environment, etc. in 5 villages patents, 741 patients belonged to of Goghat – II Block in Hooghly SC, 28 from ST and 197 of OBC. District. Charitable Allopathic Dispensary treated 21825 patients including 14835 new patients. Out of which 6513 patients were from SC and 405 patients from ST and 1055 of OBC. Ayurvedic Dispensary comprising of OPD and Panchakarma Units together treated 4549 patients including 1458 new, out of which 1268 were from SC, 57 of ST and OBC 233. Gadadhara Bheshaja Udyan, the Eye Day Care Unit operated 1017 Herbal Garden situated around cataract patients out of which the sacred Haldharpukur pond, patients 375 were of SC, 25 ST nurtures many rare medicinal and OBC 68. plants. This garden also acts as Homoeopathic Dispensary treated a feeder unit for providing herbal 10313 patients including 4176 medicines to the Ayurvedic new patients out of which 2245 Dispensary. 7 Computer Training Center provided Short Term Vocational Training (STVT) course of six months duration in the Computer Fundamentals under West Bengal State Council of Technical Education (WBSCTE) to 30 rural students during the Academic Year (January to December 2011 – two short terms of six months duration each). Pecuniary help was given to 148 poor persons of this locality and the adjoining areas for repair of their dilapidated homes and also to conduct funeral ceremony of the deceased family members. Books were also distributed to the poor and meritorious school and college students of this locality. 1250 poor villagers received free blankets during the winter season. 8 As part of the four-year-long service programmes being conducted by the Headquarter to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Gadadhar Abhyudaya Prakalpa (All-round personality development of the children) was launched at Kamarpukur on the 2nd October 2010—Janma Tithi of Swami Abhedananda. In addition, Vivekananda Swasthya Pariseva Prakalpa (Community Health Programme) has been started at Deregram, the place where the ancestral home of Sri Ramakrishna was situated. Further, the efforts are on to take up Swami Akhandananda Seva Prakalpa (Integrated Rural Development Programme) aimed at the alleviation of poverty. PALLIMANGAL: The Mission is organizing Integrated Rural Development Work under this head. Pallimangal is imparting vocational training in various crafts and trying to generate self-employment for the local youths and especially for the destitute women. The Medical Wing of Pallimangal is rendering valuable service in the rural areas with its Mobile Medical Unit and also in the field of awareness and eradication of Leprosy, Tuberculosis Aids and other diseases. 9 Kamarpukur Ramakrishna Mission Multipurpose School is a High School recognized by the Directorate of Secondary Education, West Bengal. The students of the Kamarpukur institution are endowed with luminous intelligence and obtain good results. This school should not be conceived as a mere academic institution, but rather as a movement for imparting character-building education and to help students to inculcate the fundamental values of truth, purity and unselfishness. This institution inspires the students to actualize one of Swami Vivekananda’s most favourite vision—a glorious India of the future. It is worth mentioning that this school is catering to the needs of rural students—especially from the poor families of this area since1962. As a result, this school has brought a huge number of students from the low- income families, backward sections and minority communities under the fold of education since last five decades. The school is committed to make the education more effective as well as attractive to the students and to evolve multifaceted human beings with head, heart and hand harmoniously developed. During the year–long Golden Jubilee Celebrations (2011-2012), the school has constructed four Science Laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, Biology & Geography) to give the real taste and concept of Science Education to the students. A computerized School Library with a