ATMA VIKAS SHIBIR III EDAVILANGU- APRIL 16 TH TO 18TH

Inauguration

A three days non residential Atma-Vikas Shibir was conducted by V.K.Vedic Vision Foundation for the Samskarvarga children of  Shrutam village of  Edavilangu.  65 children attended. 30-36 children were from classes III to VI, 10 from class VII and 20  from VIII th to Degree level. The Shibir was conducted in the Srutam Grama Seva Samiti Hall. Sri Sudhakarji delivered the inaugural address.
Apart from chants, songs, lectures, storytelling.agnya, and games, maximum time was kept for making science and maths models from trash articles. A total of 27 working Science and Maths models were made by children according to their capacities. There were 10 karyakartas from Kendra, assisted by 15 mothers belonging to the Seva Samiti, who guided the children in making of science and Maths working models.Children were divided into 3 groups after the names of great Indian scientists viz  CV Raman- for the youngest group( classes III to VI), JC Bose- for the children of classes VII  and Ramanujam- for children of class VIII to Degree level.The maximum experimental science models were done by the third group. Overall guidance was from Sushree Lalitha Didi, in charge of  Thiruvananthapuram Vivekananda Kendra branch center.

On the third day, a display of all the models was arranged for the parents to see. Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi and a popular retired teacher were the Chief Guests for the concluding function. All the karyakartas were felicitated by the members of Srutam Samiti.

Parachute successfully landing

Concluding day

KPS- APRIL 11TH TO 13TH

A non-residential, three days Karyakarta Prashikshan Shibir was conducted from  11th April to 13th April.23 Karyakartas were present out of whom 11 of them were from Yoga Varga group, 7 from Samskarvarga, 4 were well-wishers -  from Kodungallur, and 1 from Thiruvananthapuram V.K. branch centre.

From 11th evening to 13th afternoon, participants were exposed to various facets of Vivekananda Kendra's Karya Padhati to spread Swamiji's message to the nook and corners of India and world.Lectures, group discussion, yogabhyas, games, and songs formed part of the Shibir.Organizing team was of six Karyakartas.

ATMAVIKAS SHIBIR (PDC) - I APRIL 1ST TO 7 TH

ATMA VIKAS SHIBIR

Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation conducts non-residential Summer Camps- Atma-Vikas Shibir for children of all ages during the month of April and May. 

The first camp from 1st April to 7th April, was for the children from classes VII to X. 42 children were enrolled.Children were divided into five groups viz Akash, Vayu, Agni, Jal and Prithvi, the pancha mahabhuta. 

Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi was present for the formal inauguration of the camp.Apart from the daily routine of Vedic chants, patriotic songs and a lecture on values or lives of great personalities and yoga in the morning hours and creativity, games and group discussion in the afternoon sessions, this time we had 'Maths is fun' also, for example, each child had to create his or her own figure out of the 7 geometrical shapes of the tangrams.After this, each group had to compose a story using the figures.Each group came out  beautiful stories! There was a written test for the participants based on the lectures they heard. Master Gokul Krishna of Class VIII got the highest points. 

The resource persons were Ma.Didi, Sri Sudhakarji, Su Sutapa, Smt Sakeena, Smt Jayashree, and Sri Dharmanji and for the creativity session Kum Lakshmi Ponoth, leader of Jal group taught flower making using straw and chart papers, Smt Prabha taught flower making using nylon and organdi cloth pieces. 

On the 7th evening after a parents' meeting for half an hour, the concluding function was organized by the children themselves.Major General Vivekanandan, a close well-wisher was the Chief Guest of the Shibir. 

Vishwabhanu

Vishwabhanu February - March  2017    

BHAGAVATA SAPTAHAM

Bhagavatha Saptaham -Srimad Bhagavatha Saptaham started at Anandadham with Bhagavata Mahatmya on the evening of March Ist. Brahma Sri Madassery Neelakanthan Namboothiri was the Yagnaacharya. His Saha Acharya was his sister Sushree Haripriya and Kizhakizhum Narayanan Namboothiri as the poojari. The programme started with lighting of the lamp by the Acharya. Ma Lakshmididi honored the yagnacharya and others. Sreemad Bhagavatha Mahatmyam was read and the yagnya acharya gave a detailed explanation.

The next day onwards for seven days it was reading and explanation of the different avatars of Sree Krishna. Ganapathi temple annual Pratishtha Divasam, celebration fell on the sixth day. Hence along with Bhagavatha reading, Ganapathi Homam and Sri Chakra Pooja was also performed. The whole programme concluded on 8th March with the distribution of yagna prasadam by the Yagnacharya. Dakshin pranta Sanghatak Sushree Radha Didi was present for the program during the last two days.

YOGA SANGAMAM II

Yoga Sangamam

The monthly yoga sangamam for ladies which was started on 18th February, was scheduled on 18th March, Saturday. 17 yoga Varga lady participants (from the 2015 to 2017 batches), were present. Sri Sudhakarji conducted the theory as well as practical classes. The topic of this class was Cyclic Meditation.

Sri Sudhakarji explained to them the reasons for today's tension and stresses and how they could gradually develop on body-mind awareness through this unique technique called Cyclic meditation and get rid of their deep-rooted stresses and tensions.

Each participant narrated her experiences after the practical was over. Thus Yoga sangamam will not help them to gain knowledge but also make them practically realize their bodily imbalances. The class started at 3.30pm and concluded at 5p.m.

Swantanam - March 

Swantanam program for the month of March started with Man. Lakshmi Didi introducing the speaker of the day Dr. Lakshmi Kutty who is a staunch devotee of Swami Vivekananda and whose Ph.d., thesis itself is on Swami Vivekananda's Integral Humanism.

Prof. Lakshmi Kutty in her own indomitable style, taking a leaf from her own lives experiences shared how one should keep oneself busy in doing something constructive and creative, that takes them closer to divinity. Life is an opportunity to become one with the vision of cosmic consciousness. All the members were happy to receive the message as though they are in a gurukula. The class ended with prayer.

ANNUAL DAY CELEBRATION OF SANDEEPANI SISHUVIHAR

Sri Ramakrishna Jayanthi is usually celebrated as Annual Day by Sandeepani Sishuvihar every year. This year was special because it was the fifteenth year of Sishuvihar. 25th February was fixed as the Annual Day. The programme started at 3.30 p.m. and concluded with Shanti mantra at 7 p.m.

On this day every year, there is a mini-convocation for the outgoing UKG students of Sishuvihar. A shawl, lighted lamp, a certificate and a book on Swamiji's messages are awarded to each student by the Chief Guest and Mananeeya Didi. This year too we had the same. The Chief Guest was Smt Madhumati, retired DPI of Thrissur district.

Apart from this, a short but beautiful cultural programme was also organized. The participants included not only the present LKG and UKG students of Sishuvihar but also the ex-students, Samskar Varga children, mothers of the present students and this time even the Yoga Varga lady students presented a musical yoga asana demonstration programme.

The Sishuvihar children performed various items like Thiruvadira dance, short skits, dances on Murugan and dance drama on Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Veer Hanuman. Mothers presented a Thiruvadira dance and cream of the crop was the yoga demonstration by the yoga Varga ladies group. A beautiful synchronization of asanas with music,  with contrast group of the youngest member in her twenties and the oldest member in her seventies.

After the cultural programme there was prize distribution for the children, their parents and Samskar Varga children who took part in various competitions during the Kutumba Sangamam on 26th January.

YOGA SANGAMAM AND SWANTANAM

On 18th February, Saturday, which was an auspicious day since it was the 182nd birth anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna according to the English calendar, a Yoga Sangamam for all the Yoga Satra and Yoga Varga participants (from April 2016 to February 2017), was held. 25 participants were present. With the resolve to start a swadhyaya class once a month,  based only on yoga text was the thought behind this Sangamam.

The programme started from  3.30 pm and concluded at 5 p.m. It began with three OMkaras and Sahhanavavatu followed by introduction by Sri Sudhakaranji, a close wellwisher and local karyakarta. Mananeeya Didi threw light on the purpose of swadhaya. Adaraneeya Sudhakarji conducted the class on the theory behind yoga nidra and also took a practical class on this topic. At the end during the feedback session, the participants themselves took over the responsibility of fixing the date for swadhaya every month on a Saturday for the ladies and Sunday for  the gents.

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A regular 2-hour programme for the senior citizens once in a month is Swantanam. This time 19th February, Sunday evening from 3.30 to 5.30 p.m, was fixed for Swantanam.

The first half of the programme was an awareness on the disease' Diabetes'. Adaraneeya Sudhakarji spoke to the audience on the yogic concept of the disease and its solution. Sushree Jaya Radhakrishnan conducted the practical class which included the initial special yogic techniques and exercises for the group.

The second half of the programme included a talk on 'how to lead a graceful life of a vanaprasthi' by Professor Dr Aravindakshan a well-known writer and orator whose talks are relayed in  TV channels such as YOGI channel etc. It was a successful programme. About 40 people participated.

Vishwabhanu

Vishwabhanu December2016 - January  2017    

Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair 2017 at Thiruvananthapuram

Vivekananda Kendra Thiruvananthapuram received an invitation from Hindu Spiritual & Service Fair 2017 to arrange a stall in the fair. VKVVF, Kodungallur, VK Nagercoil and VK Thiruvananthapuram jointly organised the Exhibition cum Sale stall from 2 Feb to 5 Feb 2017 at Pujapura stadium, Thiruvanantha puram. Nearly 120 Hindu organizations took part in this HSSF 2017.

Vivekananda Kendra was given a space of 30X10 ft. to showcase its activities. Utilizing this space VK organised the following exhibitions:

1. Vishwabhanu: An exhibition on the life and message of Swami Vivekananda in Mural painting style (a traditional painting style of Kerala) 40X3.5 ft. based on the Khandakavya “Vishwa Bhanu” in Sanskrit on Swamiji by Dr. P.K. Narayana Pillai (Scholar in Sanskrit). Mural paintings were done by Sri K.K. Warrier of Indian School of Arts, Kochi.

2. Samarpanam: An exhibition on the life and message of Bhagini Nivedita (31 panels of 4X2.5 ft.) specially prepared for the celebration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Bhagini Nivedita.

3. Activities of VK: Activities of VK were displayed on 10X10 ft. panel.

4. Sales: Around 105 titles of Vivekananda Kendra, VKVVF and VK Nardep publications were displayed for sales. Different Siddha medicines prepared by the self-help group of VKNARDEP were also there for sales/exhibition.

The Stall was inaugurated by Sri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Chairman, HSSF, & MP, Rajya Sabha on 2 Feb 2017 at 7.00 pm, immediately after the inauguration of the main Fair. 

Themes of the fair: Foster Women’s Honour, Preserve Ecology, Sustain Environment & Conserve Forest and Instil Patriotism. Various programmes were organized to inculcate thematic Samskarams from 10.30 am to 9.00pm on all days. 

There were 60 stalls from various Hindu organisations to showcase their activities. Exhibitions in different stalls were educative not only to the public but also for the various organisations who were taking part in the Fair.

11 volunteers from VK worked full time for 4 days and few volunteers gave few hours in the stall to manage various activities like explaining the exhibition, helping in sales, distributing VK brochures and collecting addresses and other details of the visitors. The stall received continuous, flow of visitors on all the four days. In all approximately five thousand people visited. 

Volunteers could collect details of 620 people who visited our stall, for making use of the future activities of VK. Many dignitaries visited the stall and appreciated the exhibitions. VK got invitations from different organizations to conduct similar exhibitions in their respective places. Few people recalled their association with VK in various places. Around Rs 40,000/- worth books and novelties were sold.

Dignitaries who visited the stall during the fair.

1. Sri O. Rajagopalan, MLA, Trivandrum

2. Sri Rajeev Chandra Sekhar, MP, Rajya Sabha

3. Sri Sukumaran, Well known satirist, and cartoonist, Trivandrum

4. Sri Gurumurthy, Chennai

5. Swami Bhuvanatamanandaji. Ramakrishna Math, Kayamkulam

6. Sri Rahul Eswar, Well known orator and critic

7. Col. R.G. Nair, Trivandrum.

8. Sri Kummanamji, BJP State President, Trivandrum

9. Sri Ganesh Subramanyam, Well Known Nano sculptor.

10. Sri Ranjit Kartikeyan, General Convenor of HSS, Trivandrum.

11. Sri Gurvant Singh, National Co-ordinator, HSS Foundation, Chennai

12. Sri Vande Vara Jyothi Swamiji, Buddhist Monk, Bangalore

13. Sri Gyani Darbar Singh, Bangalore