Swami Vivekananda Jayanthi Celebrations

As Swamiji's 153rd birth tithi is on 31st January, it was decided to have a month long programme with various competitions  for  school children and collegiates.i) On the 12th Sandepani Sishuvihar childrens' programme  at Anandadham  ii)Samuhik Surya Namaskar group competitions at school levels from 12th January to 27th January. iii) Samuhika Surya Namaskar group competition final at Anandadham campus on 28th. iv) Vimarsha on' Women of India-past, present and future ' on 30th January and v) Swamiji Jayanthi celebration public function on 31st January.

12th January

Swamiji's Jayanthi was celebrated by the  tiny tots of Sishuvihar. Each of them was dressed in different attires depicting the different characters and incidents from Swamiji's life, characters from  Puranas as well as the patriots of Kerala  etc. This was followed by short speeches by the tiny tots from Swamiji's thoughts.

Swamiji's Jayanthi was also celebrated in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Vidya Mandir, Irinjalakuda. There was Groupwise Samuhika Surya Namaskar competition, where 102 students of classes VII and VIII participated.The best group of girls and of boys were selected for the final round to be held on 28th January.

Vishwabhanu October - November 2015

Vishwa Bhanu October -November 2015

Vishwabhanu October - November 2015

GITA JAYANTHI AND MATRU PUJA

This year Gita Jayanthi and Mathru Puja celebrations were clubbed together. 24th December was chosen for the celebration of Gita Jayanthi and Matru puja.The tiny tots  of Sandeepani Sishuvihar and the  children of Samskar varg, Kodungallur, along with their mothers and grandmothers were present for the programme in the morning.

The programme started at 9.30 with the chanting of the Bhagavad Geeta by the inmates of Anandadham, children and mothers who had come for Mathru puja. Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi explained to them that the urgent need  of the hour today was to understand the importance of the Bhagavad Geeta in daily life. She urged the mothers to take a resolve to regularly chant the Bhagavad Geeta and try to understand the meaning.

This was followed by Matrupuja. Sishuvihar  students and Samskar varg children together performed Pada Puja of their mothers or grandmothers. Didi guided the children throughout the puja. Smt Rekha and Smt. Smitha, who have won panchayat elections under the banner of B.J.P. and whose children are students of Sishuvihar, were felicitated.

On the same day, in the evening, it was the first day of the three days residential camp for the SKIE children  starting from 24th to 27th December. Thirteen children, 7 girls and 6 boys reported at 5 pm... After registration and wash, they visited the Ganapathi temple inside  the campus to watch the evening puja at 5.45 pm. After the puja, a short introduction session was taken by Sri Sudhakarji. Bhajans  followed. At 7.30 children were given supper, after which a film show on Mananeeya Eknathji was shown.

parents with Lakshmi Didi

ONE DAY SAMSKAR VARG PRASHIKSHAN SHIBIR

One-day Samskara varga Prashikshan Shibir for 20 ladies mostly housewives and teenage girls from Vellangallur area of Irinjalakuda, was held at Ananda Dham today. Shibir started at 10 a.m. with an introduction by Sri Sudhakarji. After the Deepa prajwalan, the practice of daily prayers was taken. This was  followed by the Group discussion where all the 20 participants were  divided into five groups.

Each group was given different topics based on Indian Culture, for discussion, viz a) Concept of Ishwara b) Different forms of Ishwara and the significance of each form c) Dharma Kshetrangal d) Bharata deshavum - samskaravum and lastly e) Scriptures of Sanatana Dharma. One member of each group  presented their topic beautifully. 

Sri Sudhakarji guided them on how they could organize and conduct classes for children within a limited time of one and a half hour, which would include all aspects of development- physical, mental, spiritual, intellectual and patriotic zeal in a child. Song practice, summing up by Didi, introduction to breathing exercises and games followed thereafter. The Shibir concluded at 4.30 with Kendra prayer. All the participants enthusiastically participated in the entire programme and looking forward in organising the classes in the different areas of Aripalem near Irinjalakuda. This training programme will be conducted once in two months. 

SAMIDHA

Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation conducted 'Samidha' on 22nd November (Sunday).A total of forty karyakartas including old patrons, well wishers and those who are actively involved in the project's activities.

Programme started with  deepa prajwalan by Mananeeya Didi, Sri Ramachandra Prabhuji, a well wisher who had known Man.Eknathji personally and the other poorna kaleen workers. A Malayalam song on Man.Eknathji composed by Smt Rema Menon, Didi's younger sister, followed. Didi's talk was on the reminiscences of Eknathji.

A film on Man.Eknathji was shown. The programme concluded with shanti mantra and Kendra prarthana .

Sadhana Divas

SADHANA DIVAS

Today being the auspicious day,the one hundredth birth anniversary of Mananeeya Eknathji.

To celebrate the day , children of Shishuvihar under the able guidance of their teachers, put up a short but sweet programme . As audience their mothers, inmates of Vedic Vision Foundation and the yoga varga participants were present to appreciate their effort to convey in their own way, their gratitude and pay their homage to the great leader and founder of this organisation.

The programme started with prayer and a song in Malayalam on Mananeeya Eknathji. Each child had memorised a thought of Mananeeya Eknathji from 'Sevanam Oru Tapas" (Sadhana Of Service) and recited the thought in front of the audience. A short speech by Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi on the significance of this day, followed. Lastly there  was pushparchana by all followed  by Kendra Prarthana.

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A new yoga satra for women was started on 11th November in the locality of Sringapuram, consisting of a group of twenty housewives belonging to the SNDP microfinance unit. Once a week , every Wednesday.

On Thursdays ,every week , a Yoga Varga for the ladies  who come for practice daily,at Anandadham. 16 of them present on the first day.

Karyakarta Prashikshan Shibir

On 23^rd October, a two day nonresidential Karyakarta Shibir was held in the campus. 27 participants including 8 students (Cl - VI to XII), 5 brothers and 14 sisters participated. Apart from Mananeeya Lakshmi Didi who was present throughout, Sri Sudhakarji, Su Sutapa and Sri Raghunathji from Kanyakumari were also present as the organizing team.

There were five lecture sessions apart from group discussions and games.The topics of the sessions were: i) Vivekananda Kendra a thought movement ii) Karya Padhati iii) Mananeeya Eknathji iv) Swami Vivekananda and v) Kendra Prarthana.

For the group discussion, participants were divided into three groups according to their work ability viz: Samskar Varga group, yoga varga group and project activity group. Each group was led by a coordinator. On the first day, the topic was ‘how can the activity be improved further.’ One from each group was asked to present the report. On the second day, during group discussion, each participant was individually asked as to how they could contribute and what would be their target for the next three months. Almost all responded positively.

On the second day the last session from 3pm to 3.30 pm was kept for Sankalpa wherein each one offered flowers in front of OM and took their Sankalpa.

Navaratri

The auspicious Navratri poojas started every day in the morning with a prayer session by the Sandeepani Sishu Vihar tiny tots along with their teachers in front of the ‘Bomma –Kolu’. In the evening it concluded with the Chanting of Devi Mahatmyam by all the inmates of the Kendra.

On Durga Ashtami morning at 10 a.m., there was a get together of the ex-Sandeepani Sishu Vihar students of the first two batches who are at present in classes Xth to XIIth. 16 students turned up. Sri Arjun and Gishore of class XII, took the initiative of calling all their classmates and juniors to Ananda dham. It was decided that every fourth Sunday evening a Swadhaya Varga will be held in the campus, especially for these ex-Sandeepani students.

In the noon Sishu Vihar children enjoyed prasadam in Kendra after placing their study books for puja before Goddess Saraswathi. A number of children of different age groups from neighbourhood also placed their books at the feet of Saraswathi at the ‘Bomma Kolu’

Vidyarambham: On Dashami day, 23^rd October, early in the morning, Sishu Vihar tiny tots and other toddlers from the neighbourhood came for Vidyarambham from Didi’s hand. After the usual ritual of writing ‘Hari Shree Ganapathaye Namaha’ on rice, all the older children took their books and read from them. All of them received prasadam.

Vishwabhanu August-September 2015

Vishwabhanu August - September 2015

Universal Brotherhood Day Celebrations - Samapan

The Universal Brotherhood Day celebration came to a grand finale today, September 19, 2015, with the prize distributions and a unique event called "Vanichithrapuja". The concluding function began with a short prayer, lighting of the ceremonial brass lamp by two 'child' Vivekanandas, Ma. Lakshmi Didi, and Swami Nandatmajananda. Ma. Lakshmi Didi, transformed the moment to September 11, 1893, and the description of the event at Chicago, took each and everyone present on a journey back in time to visualize the magnificent event when the world stood dazzled to hear the saffron robbed, monk from India, give a soul-stirring speech about tolerance and universal acceptance. Swami Nandatmajananda, of Ramakrishna Math, present editor of Prabhuda Keralam, held the audience spellbound to the drawing of a beautiful portrait of Swami Vivekananda to the tunes of a song in the praise of the Swami by Sutapa Didi. Later Swami Nandatmajananda in his address to the gathering recounted an event in the life of Charles Darwin.

Darwin was not very keen in visiting the church on Sunday's. So when his family spend their time at church he would visit a nearby colony of underprivileged people and take 10 children out to the nearby city and buy them whatever they liked. The joy he experienced in seeing the children enjoying the day was far greater than the required visit to church. On weekend an Afro-American mother came to him with her child and requested that Darwin take that child to the city. Darwin stated that we had already selected the 10 children and he cannot include an extra. However after repeated request from the Mother and her appeal that her child had never visited the city and that they are too poor to even have a proper meal a day, Darwin agreed. The child was thrilled, and had a good time in the city, was able to have some food and move around with the other children. Late in the evening Darwin got the children back and left them with their parents. While Darwin was leaving the 11th child, called, came running to him and asked "Are you Jesus".  The joy that Darwin could give the child, brought Darwin closer to the Almighty than the dedicated worshippers.

Blessed are those who spend time with the needy, to share their sorrow and pain and in the process get peace, happiness for the self and  bring in joy and harmony to others.

Swamiji gave away prizes for the individuals and teams for the different events like Painting, Elocution(Mal and Eng), Narration(Mal and Eng),  and Quiz.

The ceremony came to a close with the chanting of the Shanti Mantra.

 

Quiz on India Freedom Movement

Like previous years this year too quiz programme was conducted for the Higher Secondary school children as part of Universal Brotherhood day celebrations. The subject chosen was Indian Freedom Movement.  Some twenty schools were contacted for this purpose, out of which eight teams, consisting five members in each team  from in and around Kodungallur participated.

The programme started with a prayer and brief introduction by Mananiya Lakshmi Didi with her unique way of conveying message, explained to the children the real meaning of 'freedom', Shri Vinod Ponoth was the quiz master. 

The winners of the competition 

1. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Irinjalakuda

2. Phonix Public School, Kodungallur

3. H.D.P.Y  School, Andipillikavu

consolation was given to Heera English Medium School, Chandrapini.