KUTUMBA SAMMELAN

26^TH January is the day fixed for Kutumba sammelan, at Anandadham every year. On this day, all the parents of Sishuvihar students and ex-students, well-wishers, yoga satra and Varga, Samskarvarga members, close well-wishers all come together along with their family members to spend the day as one family. Games for all ages, talks and lastly eating together.This year too, there was a gathering of a mixed group. Members of Samskara Varga of Edavilangu too joined this time. A total of 130 members were present.

After the flag hoisting by Mananeeya Lakshmi Didishe give a short talk. Su.Bindu, Anitha teacher, and Samskarvarga leaders conducted games for the different age groups. Having lunch together gave that feeling of ‘samgacchachdhwam, samvadadhwam’.

TWO DAYS RESIDENTIAL CAMP FOR YCC STUDENTS

Students of Yoga Certificate course in Malayalam under Kanyakumari Centre were invited to a two-day residential camp to get accustomed to the regular routine of the Kendra Shibirs. The camp started from Bhajan Sandhya on Friday evening and concluded on Sunday evening. Su Radha Didi- Dakshin Pranta Sanghatak and Sri Raghuji- Office Secretary, Central Office Kanyakumari, were there to guide the students on the Kendra activities and Kendra Karya Paddhaties, challenges and their responses etc. 

Swami Veerabhadranandaji, of Sri Ramarishna Math, Haripad, gave insights into the Raja Yoga of Swami Vivekananda. This is a bonus to all the students as they didnt expect to hear Swamiji.  He was the Chief Guest for Swamijis Jayanthi celebrations at Kodungallur.

At the concluding programme, the students expressed their feedbacks in front of Su. Radha Didi regarding their experience in Yoga Sastra Sangamam and also in the two days residential camp.

SAMARTHA BHARATH PARVA AND SWAMIJI JAYANTHI

A pradakshina around the campus of Anandadham was arranged on the 155th birth anniversary of Swamiji. Sandeepani Sishuvihar children, their parents, teachers and the inmates of Anandadham took part. This was followed by speeches on Swamiji by the tiny tots, a short talk by Mananeeya Didi and pusparchana. Prasada distribution followed after the children's programme.

On the same day, powerpoint presentation of Samartha Bharathb Parva was done in two schools MES Asmabi School and Sri Sai Vidya Bhavan in P.Vemballur. 100 students of class VIII attended. Yoga Certificate Course students conducted the ppt programme. To test their grasping capacities, students were asked questions based on the ppt. Those who answered confidently received Swamiji's books as prizes.

Swami Vivekananda Jayanthi Celebration

Patriotic and folk group song competitions were conducted in Anandadham, on 17th and 18th January. 14 schools and a total of 80 students participated.

Samuhika Surya Namaskar competition was held in the same campus on 19th January. The students demonstrated 6 rounds of Surya Namaskar in groups of 12 each. Boys and girls groups were separate. 6 schools, totaling 142 students participated. The creative skills of each group were beautifully projected. Each school performed the same steps in different formations, It was a real treat to the eyes.

The 155th birth anniversary was celebrated at Anandadham, on 21st January, Sunday. Srimad Swami Veerabhadranandaji Maharaj, head of the Haripad Ramakrishna Math center, was the Chief Guest. 200 people attended.

The programme started with a song on Swamiji by Kum. Sree Lakshmi, who conducts Samskarvarga on every Sunday at Anandadham. Mananeeya Didi welcomed the Chief Guest. Swami Veerabhadranandaji spoke on the need of focused mind not only for the students but for all in order to create an ideal society, free from hypocrisy and filled with love for themselves, others around, their society, and country.

The winners of Patriotic and Folk songs, both juniors and seniors presented their songs on the stage.There was a short speech delivered byMaster Ananthasree dressed as Swamiji, UKG student of Sandeepani Sishuvihar. Prizes were given away by the Chief Guest. The Rolling Trophy for the best Patriotic Group Song went to Amrita Vidyalayam, Kodungallur whereas the Trophy for Folk song went to Shantiniketan International School, Kodungallur, for the second time.

A special prize was given to Sri Udayan, Kendra Karyakarta for the essay he wrote on Swami Vivekananda and his love for India.

There was a sumptuous meal sponsored by Sri Murli and his wife Rema, of Irinjalakuda, a very close well-wisher, were the sponsorers of the meals.

Satsangha on Devi Mahatmyam

From October 2017 onwards, Sri L. Girish Kumar, a well known scholar on Tantra Vidya  of http://www.shripuram.org started his second series of talks on Devi Mahatmyam. Earlier, we had in depth explanation of Lalitha Sahasranama for almost two long years. The beauty of his talks are how these lucid explanations could be put into daily practice of our our lives.

Traditionally the ‘Devi Mahatmyam’ is a portion of the Markandeya Mahapurana. The Devi Mahatmya is variously known as Sri Durga Saptashati, Sri Chandi or Saptashati. It is referred to as Saptashati as it comprises of seven hundred mantras. It is more popularly known as Chandi because it describes the glory of the Goddess as Chandika, the terrible. Like the god Rudra, the Goddess too has two forms- a malevolent form and another benevolent form. In Her terrible form She destroys the evil demons. Yet in Her destruction, one can see the light of a resplendent regeneration too. This resplendent and benevolent form is Her compassionate form as the Mother of the Universe. Among the sacred texts that laud the glory of the Mother, Lalita sahasranamam and Devi Mahatmyam are most popular. Both are considered to be extremely auspicious and powerful as tools of transformation. Both can be recited daily. Whilst Lalita sahasranamam describes the victory of the Goddess over Bhandasura, the Devi Mahatmyam describes the victory of the Goddess over the asuras Madhu-Kaitabha, Mahishasura and Shumbha-Nishumbha. 

This year on 19th and 20th January, Sri Girishiji addressed the seekers on the above subject. It was well received by the participants.

SAI RATNA PURASKAR

The Sai Ratna Puraskar by Baba Sai Educational Trust and Sri Satya Sai Seva Organisation Kerala, Thrissur, for this year has been conferred to Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi on 6th January 2018, for her great contribution in the fields of          Spirituality, Philosophy, and Social Service rendered to humanity.The award consisted of a memento, a citation and a cheque of 50,001/- rupees.