SKIE Camp at Anandadham - May 2017

 

The second SKIE camp for the academic session 2016-2017, was held from 4th to 7th May 2017 at

Anandadham. The children were asked to report on 4th evening by 4 pm which they did. When the children arrived the Swantanam program for the month was just about to begin so the children were asked to join the same. Man. Balakrishnan Ji, Vice President of Vivekananda Kendra addressed this session of Swantanam and the children were taken through a small talk on the Vivekananda Kendra’s Bharata Parikrama. Man. Balakrishnan Ji also recalled about his journey in life of serving in the challenging environment of IAF(Indian Air force) and then responding to Mananeeya Eknathji’s call and joining the Kendra as a Jeevanvrati.

Later the children settled down, refreshed and joined for the sandhya bhajan, followed by dinner. Post dinner the children were briefed on the schedule for the next 3 days. The focus of this camp was on creating working Science models and understanding the principles and functioning of the same. Some, time would also be devoted to building Math models and there will also be an outing.

 

Day 2, 5th May started at around 5 in the morning. At 5:30 everyone assembled for pratha smaran, followed by yoga that included couple of rounds of Surya Namaskar. A short break ensued for personal chores. By 8:30 everyone finished their breakfast and was ready to begin. Sushree Lalitha Didi had the first session explaining to the children the plan for the day. By 10:00 am.  Mananeeya

Balakrishnan Ji addressed the children; The power of discrimination resides in human’s only, and it helps us humans to decided what should be done and what not, it is important that in this wheel of birth and death, it is important for each of us to know the purposee of life. Use our knowledge to do good. What is good and bad, good is what is done keeping in mind the welfare of one and all, whereas bad deeds or where there is the selfish motive. The purpose of life is sevanam or service. So then the question that comes to mind is, don't animals  also do service; some animals give us milk, some help us in doing our chores, then how are humans different? Human’s have the power to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad.

 

Day 3,  May 6th, was the day of outing. As usaul the day started at 5:00 am and after pratha smaran and short yoga session, everyone was ready to board the bus at 7:00 am.  Breakfast was picked on the way and had on the bus. Reached Archaeological Museum, Hill Palace, Thripunithura quite early much before the Museum had opened. Kerala's first heritage museum, is also the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. Once upon a time it was the Imperial Administrative offices and official residence of Cochin Maharaja, built in 1865, spread across 54 acres of land, and with 49 buildings. Photography is not allowed in the Museum, however the photographs that get recorded within each of us would not be erased for a very long time. There are 14 different categories of exhibits, including the crown and ornaments of the royal family. All found the exhibits extremely interesting, attractive, and some kindled the curiosity within. From the Hill Palace our next destination was Sri. Raghu Ji's house, where we had a sumptuous lunch. We thank Sri. Raghu Ji and Family for their kind hospitality, and wish them the very Best. We then visited the Museum of Kerala History, and went through the light and sound show on Kerala History. We also visited the Doll exhibition there.

By then it was time to return, so started our journey back to Anandadham. Black clouds were building and we reached just in time before the huge downpour started. The day was long and tiring. The  sandhya bhajan was rejuvenating and post dinner it was time for review. The children could not control their excitement from their trip to the Hill Palace Museum and went on sharing their experiences of the day. And then it was time for lights out.
 

On 7th morning after the usual prayers, yoga and breakfast, Sushree Lalitha Didi briefed the children. Post this Adarneeya Lakshmi Didi addressed the children. She emphasized upon Swami Vivekananda's words "Each Soul is Potentially Divine,  The goal is to manifest this divinity by controlling nature, external and internal." She also stressed on the need for the goal in Life, and to ascertain the same very early in life. Didi related few key incidents from the life of Swamiji, incidents that paved the way and strengthened the focus to the Goal. Later the children went through the math modelling till lunch time. After lunch it was time to finish the science models and be ready for the demonstration during the closing session when the parents would also be present.

 

ATMA VIKAS SHIBIR IV - KOVILAKATH DHARMASABHA, EDAVILANGU

                                            ATMAVIKAS SHIBIR - KOVILAKATH, EDAVILANGU


This time, the Kovilakath Dharmasabha members invited Vivekananda KendraVedic Vision to conduct a Shibir for children from class III to XI.
Accordingly, a three days non-residential shibir from 22nd April to 24th April was organized. This type of a shibir was held for the first time in Kovilakath. 40 children were enrolled. Dakshin Pranth Sanghatak, Su.Radha Didi was present for the inauguration as well as throughout the three days  Shibir.

Children were divided into five groups according to their age, viz Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Sw.Vivekananda, Sister Nivedita, and Ma.Eknathji.Apart from the usual routine, one hour in the afternoon was planned for creativity class, where the small children were taught paper crafts and older ones made science models. 24th evening was the concluding day. Prior to the concluding programme, the parents and  Dharmasabha members' expressed their opinions about the camp. All agreed that a samskarvarga should start in Kovilakath so that the children of the neighbourhood would be benefited  .Ma. Lakshmi Didi was invited for the concluding programme. Didi urged the need for mothers to pass on the right type of samskaras to the children. The mothers' team at Kovilakath was a good one . 10 -15 mothers managed the vyavastha of the entire camp. They themselves cooked and served breakfast, lunch, and tea and created a vibrant and homely atmosphere. How true it is when we remember what Swami Vivekananda said that the real India could be seen in villages only!

 

WORKSHOP FOR SAMSKARVARG CHILDREN OF ARIPALAM

                                         WORKSHOP FOR SAMSKARVARG CHILDREN-ARIPALA

Under the guidance of Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation,  10 regular Samskar Vargas are being conducted in the Aripalam Panchayat area every Sunday by LP school teachers trained by Vivekananda Kendra. 104 children  belonging to these 10 Samaska Vargas, participated in the two days workshop held on 19th and 20th of April. Sushree Lalitha Didi along with Kum.Nidhika( nivasi Karyakarta) and Abhijit from Thiruvananthapuram center, Su.Sutapa and 6 other local karyakartas, with the assistance of 10 teachers of Aripalam conducted the workshop. Many Maths and Science working models were made by the children, which they displayed on the last day for their parents to see.Other interesting models made by karyakartas were shown and the science behind each was explained to the children by Adaraneeya Lalitha Didi. New songs, games, and agnyas were also taught. The organizers of these centers Sri KKBinu, Smt Siju teacher and many others expressed their gratitude to all the Kendra workers.

    

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.