Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Lectures on Sister Nivedita in colleges and Sadhana Divas Celebration

VKVVF was fortunate enough to have Mananeeya Nivedita Didi, (Vice President of Vivekananda Kendra)on the 17th and 18th of November. On the 17th morning, an hour-long talk on Sister Nivedita and her idea of Education was delivered by her at Hindi Prachar Kendra, Kodungallur for the benefit of B.Ed students . Fifty students attended. How Sister, transformed herself under the able guidance of Swami Vivekananda and how she applied her unique methods of teaching for the all-round development of the girls of the school which she established in Kolkata. The key points highlighted by her were the essential qualities of a budding teacher.

On the 18th morning, at Asmabi College, Mannaneeya Nivedita Didi spoke to the first year B.A.and BSc students. Dr.Ranjit and Dr Mrs Soorya Ranjit both from the Hindi department of the college arranged the talk.She told them about Sister Nivedita who was trained by Swami Vivekananda when she came to India to serve Mother India.The qualities required to be an able student were - All knowledge is within us, the need is of self-confidence which Sister Nivedita stressed on. She narrated how Sister prepared her girl students some of who were child widows, to become faculty members of the Vishwa Bharati International University of Rabindranath Tagore, at Shantiniketan. The second quality needed for a student is to know how to learn and for this, concentration is a must, like that of Swami Vivekananda who was known for his photographic memory. Concentration can be increased by developing self-control. Again along with concentration, detachment also must be practised. Another important method was -TCI (Topic-Concept-Information) technique. This was how Sister Nivedita taught her girls. She also mentioned that, a student should understand his or her oneness with nature since each of them was a spark of the Divine, hence one has to give more than take. That is what Sister Nivedita made her students understand. She taught her girl students everything including the pride for their family, society and country. The whole talk was delivered in simple Hindi which the students listened with rapt attention. Lastly one of the girls came and delivered a beautiful vote of thanks.

SWANTANAM

On the eve of Mananeeya Eknathji's birthday, there was a gathering of senior citizens at Anandadham to participate in the 'Santwanam' programme meant for the retired teachers who were honoured by V.K.Vedic Vision on Gurupurnima day, all the elderly well-wishers and karyakartas of Kendra. Taking the opportunity of the presence of Mananeeya Nivedita Didi's at Anandadham on the 18th evening , the unique programme was arranged.

Man. Nivedita Didi's talk was on the four Ashrama system of our Indian culture and how it bound the people of all ages together, how it helped to build up the inclusive nature of every child as it grew up to be a man with dignity and total personality . She stressed on the duties of a Vanaprasthi for the society in which he or she lived.

Inaugural talk was followed by a short meditation session conducted by Sri Sudhakarji, a video clipping on Sri Narayan Guru's 'Daiva Dashakam'. The programme ended with Kendra prarthana, with an assurance to all that 'Swantanam' was a monthly programme for all the vanaprasthis who had responded to this programme. 25 people attended the programme.

Monday, October 31, 2016

DIWALI CELEBRATION

DIWALI CELEBRATION

Pushpa Archana

On Sunday morning, Samskar Varga children celebrated Diwali by paying homage to Veermata Nivedita. Little Dakshina dressed as Sister Nivedita together with Mananeeya LakshmiDidi, lit the lamp in front of the photo of Sister. Some parents of the Sandeepani Sishuvihar and the inmates of Anandadham were present as the audience to encourage them.A short speech by Little Sister, chanting of Suktas of Sister and Swamiji, a group song and Surya Namaskar formed part of their programme. Didi spoke to them on the life and work of Sister Nivedita. At the end, after pushparchana each of them received a booklet on Sister Nivedita as prasad.

Suryanamaskar

Sister listening attentively to Didi

Reciting Ssuktam

Our Ganapati temple on Diwali day

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Inauguration of Sister Nivedita -150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations

Inauguration of the year long 150th Birth Anniversary celebration of Sister Nivedita began with the inaugural programme at Paramekkavu auditorium, Thrissur on Friday, October 28th.

The Programme started sharp at 4p.m with a Bhajan session conducted by the Bhaktamahila Trust of Thrissur. A good number of devotees were already in the auditorium to listen to the melody of bhajans invoking the Holy Trinity.

At 5p.m the main programme started with Mangalacharan by Sushree Sutapa followed by the welcome speech by Dr Lakshmi Sankar,General Convenor of (the organising committee) Samarpanam. She gave a brief introduction to the yearlong programmes in connections with Sister Nivedita's 150th Birth Anniversary and introduced the guests on the dais.

Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi,Chairperson of Samarpan, spoke on Sister Nivedita's shraddha for her Guru and how she absorbed the spirit of Bharat through her association with her Guru. The opening group song and a short speech on Sister Nivedita were the contributions of the senior students of Harishree School,Thrissur. Deepa prajwalan was by the Chief Guest, Retd. Justice. Smt. K.K. Usha (Former Chief Justice, High Court of Kerala). In her inaugural address, Justice Usha spoke on the dedication and total surrender of Sister to her Guru's instruction. The keynote address was given by Prof.Dr. Prameela Devi, Member-Women’s Commission.on the need of 'Nivedita ' in this era of utter confusion and anarchy. Apart from the main speakers, Revered Swami Mokshavratanandaji - President of Sri Ramakrishna Math Thiruvananthapuram blessed the audience and Rev. Swami Sadbhavanandaji President Ramakrishna Math, Thrissur released a book on Sister Nivedita in Malayalam, translated by Smt. Vinila Vijay from the English version of Smt. Sarala Bala Sarkar entitled "Nivedita As I Saw Her". Sri Terambil Ramakrishnan (Ex-MLA) and Smt. Padma Devy received the copies of the books.

The most interesting part of the programme was Rev. Swami Nadatmajanandaji's (Editor of Prabuddha Keralam) 'Vanichitrapuja' or sketching of Sister Nivedita on the tune of a poem on Sister composed by Sri Dilip - a member of Vivekananda Darshanika Samajam and sung by a Master. Ananta Narayan from Ramakrishna Mission High School. The vote of thanks was given by Smt Beena Govind, a member of Samarpanam. The programme ended at 7p.m.with the chanting of 'Asatoma Satgamaya'.