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

26TH JANUARY- KUTUMBA SANGAMAM

At Anandadham, early morning, the tiny tots of Sishuvihar came with their parents.The Samskar varga children were also present for the hoisting of the flag by Didi. Little Srihari led the  Pledge.

As usual like every year, 26th January is fixed for Kutumba Sangamam. This year the Kutumba Sangamam at Anandadham was one of its unique kind because it was the fifteenth year.Also because apart from  Sishuvihar tiny tots and their parents and grandparents and teachers, yoga varga members, well-wishers associated from the start of this project centre of Vivekananda Kendra, samskar varga children and their parents were also invited. It became a family of more about 150 members and so it was decided to introduce Kendra Varga to all present. 

Kumari Durga

The programme started with 'Sahana vavatu' and 'daivadashakam' led by the tiny tots. Deepa prajwalanam was by the representatives of all the groups. This was followed by the celebration of  our special child Durga's birthday. All her Sishvihar classmates chanted the 'Janmadinam mantra, and then she received the blessings of Didi. 

Our Samskar varg leader Sri Lakshmi's parents too took the blessings of Didi since it was their wedding anniversary. A short session of yoga followed. Then there were games like balloon bursting and filling the bucket for all age groups. Didi spoke to all urging them to attend all the programmes of Kendra.

Balloon bursting

Lunch was sumptuous because the dishes were a contribution from each family, hence there were a number of items. It was an opportunity for the elders to serve the kids. After food, there were one or two games again for the children. Kumari Lakshmi, her mother Smt Shanta and father Devdas received a token of love from Didi since they were present in all the fifteen years of annual Kutumba Sangamam without fail. By 3 p.m the programme concluded with Kendra prayer led by the tiny tots of Sishuvihar.

Smt Shanta and family

  

Swami Vivekananda Jayanti and Sister Nivedita 150th Anniversary Celebration

On 12th January, it was the day for the tiny tots of Sandeepani Sishuvihar. It was 'go as you like' for them. All the 15 tiny tots were dressed by their mothers as stalwarts of ancient and modern India. From Sri Rama, Mother Sita Sri Lakshmana and Sri Hanuman to Adi Sankaracharya and from Unni Archa to Sri Narendra Modi, all were present on stage. Sri Ramakrishna, the Holy Mother and their Swami Vivekananda were there to bless the audience. Sister Nivedita and Swamiji accompanied by Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi lighted the lamp to start off the programme. Each character had  some message for the audience. Each child had beautifully mastered their short speech and delivered it in front the audience only to keep them spellbound with wonder!

Amongst the audience were the children's' parents, yoga varga and satra participants and the inmates of Anandadham. 

Mananeeya Didi while speaking to the kids tiny tots and the audience stressed the need of sowing the seed of this love for the Nation's heritage by introducing to them the great heroes of our land who made India proud by their patriotism, their spirituality and the multifaceted talents, who selflessly work for the upliftment of the Nation and who are a constant source of inspiration to all. It was a short but sweet programme appreciated by all.

Swamijis Jayanthi

   21st January was celebrated as Swamiji 
Jayanthi and Sister Nivedita 150th Anniversary. The Chief Guest for the programme was Smt Jyothi Unniraman, a very close well wisher of Kendra. The programme started with Sopana Sangeetam by famous Soupana Sangeet Singer Sri Eloor Biju from Paravur. 

Smt Jyothi Unniraman gave a brief sketch of the life and message of Sister Nivedita. Mananeeya Didi spoke on Swamiji. 

The winners of Patriotic and Folk songs, both juniors and senior presented their songs on stage. Prizes were given away by the Chief Guest. The Rolling Trophy  for the best Patriotic Song Group was shared by Govt.U.P School Konathukunnu and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Irinjalakuda and the Trophy for Folk song went to Shantiniketan International School, Kodungallur. Scholarships of Rs 500/-for financially backward yet high grade scorers of Govt Girls Higher Secondary School, Kodungallur were given to five students of Class X and five of Class XI. The highest grade holder of XI class too received an amount of  Rs 1000/- as  scholarship . The programme concluded with Shanti mantra.

One day- Samskarvarga Prashikshan Shibir at P.Vemballur

One day Samskar Varga Prashikshan Shibir

Games 

On 22 January, (Sunday), a one day Samskar Varga prashikshan Shibir was conducted at P.Vemballur at Smt Mridula Chechi's (a well wisher of Kendra) house. 20 children attended . Leaders of Kodungallur Samskar Varga um Sreelakshmi and newly trained students of Edavilangu Kum Aiyana, Kum.Aparna,Kum. Archana and Kum.Ardra and Su Bindu, were the resource persons. From morning 9.30 to evening 3.30pm, children were trained in chanting of prayers, singing of a song on Swamiji,an action song on Mother India,  slogans, commands, Surya Namaskar, games and stories.

At the concluding session these children who come regularly for tuition at Smt Mridula Chechi's, promised to fix  every Saturday for samskar varga. They also shared their experiences  of the camp during the concluding session

Song session

Story telling session by Su.Bindu.

Concluding Session