Saturday 15 March 2014

Donation

All the activities require funds on a large scale. Our generous industrial houses, government departments and local donars contribute money and material to the project. A large number of local people participate in this National Yagna, by contributing small amounts of money(Anbu Nidhi and Amrit Surabhi).

Social institutions and organizations have the object of equipping every individual in his own way according to his capacity to make him to reach the goal. Every social organization, lays stress on man-making only, directly or indirectly. Man-making is the most basic of all human efforts. When man is equipped, the society and the nation also becomes fully equipped. “Take care of the pie and the rupee will take care of itself”, says an old proverb. Even if it is nation-building or world-building or international-building, man-making is the fundamental process. Take care of the man and the society takes care of itself. All other arrangements and devices are but secondary.

We must renovate it and try to remove the angularities from our conduct and character which prick others and keep them away from us, thus creating a hindrance in the progress of the society and of the nation. There should be no friction in work and our faces should avoid wrinkles and wryness. Only sweet and lubricant words will bring this old glory back to us again. We have lost many good sciences like the science of organization and to cope with the progress of the world, we are now forced to borrow ideas from others. Let us accept the challenge and march ahead boldly and confidently.

The organization has members and they are of various classes. There are ordinary members, associate members, life members, active members, whole-timers, office bearers and a number of them, according to the requirement of the organization. There is a technique in bringing people together. A mere collection of people is not congenial to the growth of the organization. The individuals must be competent in the sense that they must be physical sound, intellectually equipped and monetarily rich.

As is said in Sanskrit or in most of the Indian languages, they should offer their Tana(body), Mana(mind) and Dhana(wealth) for the propagation of the cause. They must be physically prepared for the exertion and torture, mentally ready to suffer everything and monetarily unhesitating to part with their wealth for translating the noble thought into concrete form. In short, they must totally surrender everything at the altar of the sacred area. The body and the mind together constitute what may be termed as generator plant. It produces energies of various types and they are employed in the various actions. A man works in the factory with his hands. Thus, he employs his physical energy in the work. Another person sitting at the office-table carries on the brain work. He also utilizes his intellectual-mental energy for the action. Thus, the body-mind complex generates energy. This energy is to be employed for the success of the idea.

Work Opportunities

Thus we need not learn the art and the science of organization newly from anybody else, as it was originated and set in motion by our foreseeing forefathers in the most perfect and ideal manner, but we have forgotten it. It is our own precious heritage presented in the new fashion by the West. We have unfortunately, through the blind and irrational following of others, lost the technique of coming together and working together for the furtherance of a sacred cause.

One outstanding feature of our organization is that it is a Non-Sannyasi or Lay-Order. Progressively the life-worker cultivates and develops renunciation through steady efforts. He has left his personal attachments for his near and dear relatives and friends to extent that he is lost to every one of them. He gives a training to himself as well as to his near or dear ones, so that they also forget him in due course.
People must feel on critical scrutiny that the moral rectitude and the essential attitude of a Sannyasi towards life are equally present in the worker. We call our order a Non-Sannyasi Order and not a household as well as Sannyasi order. Taking into consideration the strength and capacity of an individual, he has done the maximum renunciation within his reach. He takes three vows (i) Shuchita( or purity, and not of celibacy necessarily) (ii) Aparigraha or non-possession, the guiding star of a life either married or celibate; and (iii) implicit obedience to the organization, a resolution of mind to follow rules, regulations, policy etc. of the organization most rigorously.

Calling Young men and women with an urge for spiritually oriented social service.
If you are a Graduate or higher secondary passed with experience in any trade or technical profession, below thirty years (this may be relaxed), free from family encumbrances, and willing to remain unmarried for at least five years, satisfied with simple living and ready to serve anywhere in India.It is not a salaried job, but provides ample scope for one’s own unfoldment in national interest.

You can serve our Bharat Through Vivekananda Kendra   by
•    Becoming a Life Patron/Perpetual Patron.
•    Donating generously for any of our Projects.
•    Enrolling your friends as Patrons.
•    Subscribing to our Journals.
•    Purchasing our publications, Greeting Cards, Calendars and Diaries.
•    Enlisting to your friends as participants in our Spiritual Retreats.
•    Contacting our nearest Branch Centre and involving in the activities there.
•    Offering your self as a KaryaKarta of Vivekananda Kendra.
•    Motivating qualified young men/women to work as teachers in our schools in ArunachalPradesh/Assam.
•    Sponsoring the educational expenses of needy children studying in our schools in the North-East.
•    Contributing to the “Mid-Sea Monument Renovation Project”.
•    Motivating young men and women to join as Seva Vrati/Jeevan Vrati.

You can serve humanity through the man-making and nation-building projects in education, culture and sustainable development and branches spread over all India. Come, dedicate yourself for the service of the nation as a full-time worker. It is not a carrier-but a mission, your yogashema-well being-would be taken care of by the Kendra.

Come, Join Vivekananda Kendra,
A Non-Sannyasi Order of Seva-Vrati/Jeevan-Vrati

Volunteer

Swamiji has clearly stated that every soul is potentially divine. That power is there within everyone. We are the sons of immortality. Calamities and difficulties will always be there; they demand that we must prove equal to the task. Adversities and difficulties are sent by the Divine power to manifest our faculties and capabilities which have been granted to us. We must channelize them for the proper cause only and never for a wrong cause.

Fearlessness is another superb quality which we lost. Such enormous youth power we have, but it is wastes as our youths are chicken-hearted. They become home sick when they are away from home. There is no sense of adventure. We are terribly afraid of death. The Gita chanting and the Upanishadic recitations that we do are only a remnant of the past glory. We speak of high principle but live just the contrary. Our concepts, believes and faiths move in one direction and our stream of life flows just in the opposite direction. It was the very brave and fearless philosophy of our ancients, but we have forgotten it, and live a pitiable life. We must remember the glorious past of our ancients and must make bold to revive all those ideal virtues and values of life which we have lost and forgotten.

One can work without any self-interest for the betterment of the world. There is no give-and-take; it is impersonal service. But there is one point to be noticed and that is a man renders service for the most part to satisfies his ego. Ego-satisfaction is the urge behind the service. This betterment of the world takes for granted so many things. One of them is that the betterment is according to one’s own ideas. Thuis, it is subjective and the man feels that there are certain flaws or defects in the world created by God and that he is doing the work to set it in order. One’s own ideas are reflected in the service and ego is nourished.

The master organizer is a resourceful and efficient personality.  He encompasses the whole field of activity and gives his colour to the atmosphere. As one lamp lights another, so also he enkindles the flame of work in the workers of the region. How many co-workers he has been able to nurture so far, who can actively participate in the activity, is the measure of his success.


The worker test will be that within the shortest possible time, he has been able to bring together the maximum number of workers to cooperate and share in the work. Our life should not depend upon external things. We have got our inspiration from the eternal source of energy. All other sources are transitory. When we live with this faith we have no death, we are immortal. Difficulties will always be there. We should not be perplexed. No depression in any case. Reach this stage; the sooner the better.

Cultural Classes

Culture is a certain refinement of taste, enlargement of mind of the whole personality. Culture is a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know, on all the matters which most concern us. The best which has been thought and said in the world, we come under the purifying and uplifting influence of highly cultured personalities and such close contact will result in our gaining something of their lofty culture.

In order to encourage the children in the age group of 6 to 16 years, to study books on our rich cultural heritage and to shape their character, cultural classes are held in village temples, where they are taught patriotic and devotional songs and stories from scriptures.The classes are handled by trained volunteers. The syllabuses have been framed for such classes, and books have been prepared. The examinations are held annually and winners receive books as prizes and certificates.

In cultural classes we conduct personality development classes. Personality development is for two purposes: one is to achieve success in material life and the other is to achieve success in spiritual life. For both purposes it requires to have balanced and developed faculties like physical body with sharp sense organs and working organs, concentration, memory, sensitivity, emotions like love and enlightened ego, will power, confidence, courage, good discrimination, intelligence, and many others.

Power, fame or money or all the three are one set of components of life. It may seem that they are opposed to spiritual growth, but they are important for getting success in material life. Man can use them for the betterment of society. Simplicity, knowledge or happiness or all are three are another set of components of life and they are important for getting success in spiritual life. These can be achieved only by the development of personality.

In 230 Samskara Vargas, 6932 students participated. The students were taught about the values of Indian culture through games and lessons. The feelings of oneness are strengthened among participants through patriotic songs and games.

Chanting of Sri Rama Jeya Rama Mantra was held during Deepa Pooja, Shivalinga Pooja and also during all monthly meetings by PrePrimary school teachers, childrens,Cultural class students and workers. Every month nearly 3,16,250 times mantras were chanted in 125 localities.


Religious conference was conducted at Andarkulam in Kanyakumari district and Sivagiri Balamurugan Temple in Tirunelveli district in which 191 students from 17 Bala Samskara Varga classes were participated and they involved in dramas, speeches, songs, elocution and divine shows competitions etc.

Cultural Competitions


Culture means an all round and harmonious development of personality. We have a harmonious and perfected personality when all the faculties of man, intellectual, aesthetic, moral and religious are adequately developed and refined none of these are made to starve. The Kendra make a concerted attempt to educate the school-going children in value based, culture-oriented way of life.

They participate in quiz, recite passages, render songs and paint pictures on  cultural themes, tell stories of great men and their sayings on patriotic topics etc. These provide the students, teachers, parents and people ample opportunities to study great literature. Books are presented as prizes. Competitions are conducted at various levels union, district and inter-district.Winners of district level competitions are invited to Kanyakumari for Camp. Every year nearly 2000 schools send 2,00,000 participants to competitions.

In this month Rural cultural competitions were held at 8 places in the southern 5 districts of Tamilnadu, 1196 students participated from 62 schools. Also 50 teachers and 85 parents attended these competitions.

Places For Conducting District Level Competitions

Thuckalay
Kovilpatti
Paramakudi
Ambai
Ramnad
Tirunelveli
Aruppukottai
Valliyoor
Srivilliputhur

Places For Conducting Urban Level Competitions

Nagercoil
Tirunelveli
Marthandam
Ambasamudram
Aruppukottai
Kovilpatti
Thoothukudi
Ramnad
Paramakudi
Rajapalayam
Sivakasi

Vivekananda Academy Of Cultural Studies (VACS) - Camp

To promote an awareness of our noble heritage, to encourage patriotic fervour and to motivate a spirit of sacrifice and service, students of higher secondary classes and colleges are invited to participate in competitive written examinations.

Books on our epics, history, great men, etc. are prescribed and distributed through educational institutions for this purpose. There is very good response from the students.

About 300 girls and 100 boys who have obtained very high marks are selected and invited to attend four days residential camps. This programme is very popular and students even from professional colleges and post graduate students appear for the examination.

One day camp was held at Pandalkudi in Virudhunagar district and 76 students were participated. Personalty Development Camp was held at Valliyoor in two places and 144 students were participated.


Exam Books for High School Students
XI th (Tamil) - Narguna Nayagar Swami Vivekanandar
XI th (English) - Swami Vivekananda His Life and Legacy
XII th (Tamil) - Sri Saradha Deivamum Thozhutha Devi
XII th (English) - Sri RamaKrishna His Life and Teaching

Exam Books for Graduates
I Year(Tamil) - Desiya Kaviyam Ramayanam
I Year(English) - The Ramayana Our National Epic
II Year(Tamil) - Bharatha Panbadu
II Year(English) - Indian Culture
III Year(Tamil) - Ilanjargalin Idaya Veerar Swami Vivekanandar
III Year(English) - Swami Vivekananda Hero for Indian Youth

Exam Books for Post Graduates
I Year(Tamil) - Kumari Munaiyil Vivekanandar
I Year(English) - Swami Vivekanandar At Kanyakumari
II Year(Tamil) - Sri RamaKrishnar Iraiarulin Nirainilai
II Year(English)- My India the India Eternal

Exam Book for Above Post Graduates
Yezhumin Vizhimin

In camp we conduct  Yoga classes eightfold disciplines of Sage Patanjali
•    Yama- Way of life or general discipline.
•    Niyama- A Special or particular self-discipline.
•    Aasana- Posture.
•    Praanayaama- Control of breadth and vital functions.
•    Pratyahaara- Self-withdrawal or detachment.
•    Dhaarana- Concentration
•    Dhyaana- Meditation
•    Samaadhi- Super consciousness and complete enlightenment and merging with the Creator.

Youth Programmes

India is almost a continent with manifold social problems hence, a habit of social welfare work is to be created in the people. To acheive such an end in view training in this sort of work will have to be imparted right from the school stage. Even the school students should know the importance of social welfare work and also their role on it.

Students are ever a great force in any country and history tells us about their achievements. Their role in social welfare work is a very important one and the leaders of our country have only to mobilize this dynamic power for the public good.

The Kendra has trained social workers both men and women to work among the youth. These social workers conduct regular youth camps, mountaineering expeditions, padayatras, cycle trips and sports etc. in a bid to wean young men and women from idle pursuits, separate residential youth camps are conducted regularly in the villages.25 to 30 youth assemble in temples for camps of 4 days duration. Here the youth are acquainted with different aspects of our national culture and in addition, they contribute 3 hours of solid shramdan every day.

The service activities rendered in the camps include, cleaning of temples, drinking water tanks, laying roads and playgrounds., etc. Encouraged by the success of these youth camps the Kendra has started 3 days residential camps for personality development for children.

Human life is a combination of time and energy. You must refuse to be a slave of circumstances. You must create circumstances. Time at your disposal is very short. There are hundreds of Arts and Sciences; we cannot even think of them, leave alone the idea of even knowing them and much less the idea of mastering them. Life is short and knowledge is vast. So we must choose the proper mission and utilize the whole life for it. “One life, one mission” should be the ideal. There are a number of attractive things in life, but if they do not fit in with the master-plan that we prepare for the accomplishment of the mission , we must refuse them, however good they may be. Thus, we must possess the discrimination of selection and election in life.

Yoga Varga is being conducted in four places at Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, & Aruppukattai and 164 persons attended. Swadhyaya Varga was organized in Paramakudi  & Aruppukattai and 55 persons participated in it.

Women's Actitivies

"Women is the builder and moulder of a nation's destiny",(Rabindranath Tagore).According to Gandhiji, "Women is the incarnation of Ahimsa". In Rig Veda, a married woman was treated as an equal partner in the family's life and was considered more as a companion of her husband than as his servant or subordinate. In other words, Indian tradition has been characterized by a deep respect and regard for womanhood.

A woman should be in the nature of a university that trains younger generations. It is this ideal that must be at the bottom of every action tending to improve the lot of women. Though their condition at the present time is thousands of times better than it was earlier much more has to be done. A larger percentage of women must be educated and made to realize that they too should and can work for the development of the nation, standing shoulder to shoulder with men on a footing of equality without however forgetting that on such an effort they still retain the traditional ideals of Indian womanhood of modesty, virtue, peace, fortitude and sacrifice.
Under Rural Development Programme Kendra runs 4 Tailoring Units, in the districts of Kanyakumari(2), Tirunelveli (Valliyoor-2) to train girls in Tailoring. So far above 1000 girls have been trained and they are self-employed.

Programmes for women and children include Deepa Poojas and bhajan Mandalies. 25 to 30 women gather every month in a local temple and worship lighted lamps as a symbol of Devi and pray for community welfare. The role of women in the society explained to them during these functions. Stories on great women of India are also told.Every month these programmes take place in 300 places involving 7500 rural women.
Village level Deepa Poojas were organized in 245 temples with 9715 women participants, who offered their prayers to God for the welfare of all people. 80 women are serving in 4 Self Help Groups in Kanyakumari district. Four Tailoring units are functioning in Kanyakumari, tirunelveli districts and total attendance is 28.

Shivalinga Poojas were conducted at two places in Kanyakumari didtricts and 112 members participated. Durga Pooja was conducted in Peyankuzhi at Kanyakumari district, and 37 women worshiped in Devi Pooja. On 25.12.2009, 1008 Deepa Pooja was held at Thoothukudi 739 women participated from 30  villages.

The places for celebrating Deepa Poojas
DatePlace
April 04Ottapidaram
April 18Nayinarkovil
April 25Kovilpatti
May 02Shenkottai
May 09Kanyakumari
May 16/23Tiruchendur
May 30Sankarankovil
June 06Aruppukottai
June 13Ambasamuthram
June 20Thirupullani
June 29Uthirakosamangai

Anna Pooja

Hunger is the most important instinct in man. As a matter of fact, it is the propelling energy of his life. There must be some hunger in every individual, for, even a gross hunger will gradually lead him to higher kind of hunger. A person without any hunger whatsoever is a dangerous creature in the society. A man must always be striving for something. An individual’s highest desire may for the time being, appear most insignificant to others, but he moves heaven and earth to achieve the same. People may strive for affluence, power, position and what not. Let them strive for the fulfillment of these desires for they are sure to go higher. It is a natural process and must happen. Thus hunger is a crucial factor in man’s progress.

To encourage the common man to make a small sacrifice for others, the Kendra has initiated the Amrit Surabhi scheme. Cloth bags bearing the message of prayer for the welfare of humanity have been given to many families. The family members place a handful of rice in the back every day. The rice is collected every month for our service activities.

Two major Anna Pujas are conducted on Tamil New Year Day and Swamiji's Samathi Day. On these occasions, large quantity of rice collected by two special drives, are heaped together and worship is offered to Annapurna Devi by a very large gathering of rural development workers and the general public. The rice is distributed to various activity centres like pre-primary schools for use.


On 19.12.2009 Sri Saradha Jeyanthi Day Anna Pooja was celebrated at Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district in which 7,570 Kg. rice were collected. And also Anna Pooja was celebrated Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district on 11.12.2009 in Periyanayakipuram and 18.12.2009 in Palavanatham in which 1,050 Kg rice were collected.

Pre Primary Schools

A child in growing up, may meet and learn from different kinds of disciplines. The most important is what we might call the discipline of Nature or of Reality. When he is trying to do something real, if he does the wrong thing or doesn't do the right one, he doesn't get the result, he wants. A child meets this kind of discipline every time he tries to do something, which is why it is so important in school to give children more chances to do things, instead of just reading or listening to someone talk.

Under the Rural Development Programme Kendra runs 75 balwadis or pre-primary schools, in the districts of KanyaKumari(23), Tirunelveli(19). Thoothukudi(17) and Ramanathapuram(16). Each school has two Kendra-trained teachers and one Aaya for cooking meals for the children. Above 2500 children in our schools learn with prayers, stories and games.

Based on our culture they receive expert approved nutritious lunch. The schools have a number of teaching aids and scientifically designed toys. Periodical medical check-up and monitoring of the children are the specialties of the schools.

The community participation in these school programmes is heart warmed indeed. All the schools function in building donated by the community. A number of new buildings come-up symbolizing the collective will of the villagers. Parent-Teachers meetings are conducted very often.

Vivekananda Jeyanthi Day, Universal Brotherhood Day, Independence Day, Republic Day, Geetha Jeyanthi Day and other important days are celebrated in the villages. No function or temple festival in these villages is complete without the local pre-primary school children presenting songs, stories or skits.

Through 75 PrePrimary Schools, 1998 rural children were nurtured. In the schools, Malt, Hygienically prepared highly nutritive lunch were served with vegetables and evening vitamin rich cereals were provided to the children.


Chanting of Sri Rama Jeya Rama Mantra will be held during Deepa Pooja, Shivalinga Pooja and also during all monthly meetings by PrePrimary school teachers, childrens, Cultural class students and workers. Every month nearly 3,16,250 times mantras were chanted in 125 localities.

Educational Support For Poor Students

A truly educated person should be able to discriminate between the right and the wrong and should be able to work for the good. Education should train us to do  thing, it should inculcate in us the right values of life.

From their earlier stage children must be taught the difference between right and wrong, and trained to love & follow what is right  and hate & avoid what is wrong. Such training means the
formation of the character on right lines. It's object is to bring children up in such a way that they will grow up to be truth loving, honest, brave, pure minded and unselfish men and women.



Vivekananda Kendra runs 28 vidyalayas- 18 in Arunachal, 5 in Assam, 2 in TamilNadu, and Andaman. There are nearly 10000 students in these vidhyalayas.There are 433 students (53 in KanyaKumari, 78 in Valliyur, 221 in Thoothukudi, 39 in Ramanad, 42 in Aruppukottai ) studied with the help of VivekanandaKendra RuralDevelopmentProgramme.

Publications

Reading a book is perhaps the greatest source of pleasure to a cultured person. Reading broadens his outlook, drives away his narrow prejudices and lightens up his mind with truth and knowledge.Books are our best friends. They never deceive or desert us in our hour of need like so many of our human friends. And the advantages once received from the reading of books remain with us throughout our lives.

It is a great pleasure for us to read the books of the master minds of the past who have brightened up the ages with the strength and beauty of their vision.The Kendra publishes a monthly magazine in Tamil called "Viveka Vani" and in English called "Yuva Bharathi". Mananeeya Eknathji's "Sadhana of Service" and other books have been published in Tamil.

Books on Gita, Karma Yoga, Hinduism, Puranas and Yoga have been published in Tamil and distributed at subsidized rates. Lakhs of copies of Quotations of Swami Vivekananda, Om Slips, Pictures of Swami Vivekananda have been printed and distributed freely.


Through various branch centres and Book stalls, Rs.63501/- worth of literature books were sold. Subscriptions for 122 Vivekavani,  Yuva Bharathi and three patrons were collected.

Some Books of Vivekananda Kendra Publications

Book Nameprice
Desiya Kaviyam RamayanamRs.40
Bharatha PanbaduRs.30
Narguna Nayagar VivekanandarRs.30
SriRamakrishnar - Iraiarulin NirainilaiRs.25
SriSaradha - Deivamum Dhozhutha DeviRs.30
Nalvali MahabharathamRs.15
Nalvali RamayanamRs.15
Srimath BhagavathGeethaiRs.30
Srimath BhaagavathamRs.20
Inainthu Paduvom Iraivanai PaduvomRs.12
Hindu Madham Oru Ezhiya ArimugamRs.7
Swami Vivekanandar - Valkkai VaralaruRs.5

Medical Centre

Good health is one of our most precious possessions. A breach of nature's laws will automatically bring nature's punishment, sooner or later. "Nature's discipline is not even a word and a blow and the blow first; but the blow without the word. It is left to you to find out why your ears are boxed.

14 Rural Medical Centres (including a Siddha Medical Centre) served by 3 doctors and assisted by 3 compounders and social workers serve nearly 250 villages. The qualified doctors visit the centres twice or thrice a week and dispense medicines to patients for common ailments. Standard medicines are given to the patients whose number goes up to 50000 per year. All the Medical Centres function in rent free buildings.

Sri.A.N.SattaNathan, a retired Civil Servant created a corpus for the Kendra to run 4 Medical Centres in ShenCottah in the name of his wife Late Smt.Meenakshi.

The secret of lasting beauty of health lies with Nature. Nature keeps you in a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and enable you to live and do your best for yourself and to the society, without fatigue and almost unconscious of the body or any of its organs.

The golden rules of health indicate that there are eight doctors. They are free and do not charge any fees. They are the remote controls of a person’s health. They incorporate the primordial will to cure and are designed by the Almighty for human beings. To use this gift to be healthy through this treatment system, Nature clearly indicates her purpose, her love and helps humans to stay healthy. The effect is not at all harmful and it is powerful and safe. It is a universal method and can be used safely to the entire systems. It is a simple method and can be very easily learnt even by a lay man.

The eight doctors are everywhere and no one can deny it. They are sunshine, water, rest and air, exercise and right-diet and pure loving heart and tranquil mind. The eight will gladly attend if only you are willing. Follow these natural laws and you will enjoy superb Health and Energy. Change over to  good health habits and add years to your life and life to your years.

In Medical Programme, 2530 patients were examined and treated for various common ailments, through 15 Rural Medical Centres.


The places for Medical Centre

Kanyakumari
arumpattoor
Kannanpathi
Kanagappapuram
Chinanainthanvilai
Vaikundapathy
Valliyoor
Sattankulam
Vijayaramapuram
Sankarankudiruppu
Naduvakurichi
Kombankulam
Kommadikottai
Shenkottai
Seevanallur
Vallam
K.P.Valasai
Achanputhoor
S.R.Pettai

Eye Camp

In collaboration with Aravind Eye Hospital, a community Eye Care scheme was launched in 1984. Through periodical camps in five districts, nearly so far 1,00,000 patients have been screened and 25000 of them have been operated free of charge. Four social workers are engaged exclusively in community eye care works.


With the assistance of Aravind Eye Hospital, Tirunelveli Free Eye Screening Camps were organized at four places for this year. 561 patients were screened and 99 were operated for cataract. Medicines were supplied to the needy patients.

Eye Camp Programme for the Year 2010


MonthDateDayKanyaKumariValliyoorKovilpatti
January6
24
Wed
Sun
Kanyakumari
Swamiyarmadam

Shenkottai
February3
14
25
28
Wed
Sun
Thurs
Sun
Kanyakumari
Nagarkovil

V.K.Puram
Patthamadai



Kazhumalai
March3
21
28
Wed
Sun
Sun
Kanyakumari



Nanguneri
Kovilpatti
April7
18
25
29
Wed
Sun
Sun
Thurs
Kanyakumari




Satthankulam
Patthamadai
Eppodhumvendran
May5
23
30
Wed
Sun
Sun
Kanyakumari

Thukalay

Pavoorchatram

Kayatar
June2
20
24
Wed
Sun
Thurs
Kanyakumari


RadhaPuram
Patthamadai


Thoothukudi
July7
18
Wed
Sun
Kanyakumari
Ambasamuthram

Sankarankovil
August4
22
26
Wed
Sun
Thurs
Kanyakumari


Alangulam
Patthamadai


Sivagiri
September1
19
26
Wed
Sun
Sun
Kanyakumari

Eathamozhi
KallidaikurichiTiruchendur
October6
24
28
Wed
Sun
Thurs
Kanyakumari


Kalakad
Patthamadai
Vilathikulam
November3
21
Wed
Sun
Kanyakumari
Surendai

Puthiyamputhur
December1
19
30
Wed
Sun
Thurs
Kanyakumari


Valliyoor
Patthamadai
Alwarthirunagari

Adopt A Granny

The service to the mankind is the noblest which is rendered for its own sake. Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possession pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy. - Gandhiji.
The service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth. - Eldon Tanner

Gandhiji was ready to stake his life for the cause of Harijans uplift by declaring his fast unto death, as the cause was more valuable to him than his life. In an ordinary common man’s life, we do every thing for this life only, but in the eyes of mission-bound people, the noble cause stands uppermost, and they prepare to take hundreds of lives for the accomplishment of the same. For them, their mission is most valuable and life is just a means. Lives of the great revolutionary martyrs like Bhagatsingh and Madhanlal Dhindra and scores of others indicate the same thing. Concepts, attitudes and way of looking at the things decide one’s conduct. It is the touchstone on which one can test one’s actions. The values of the life dawn upon a person immediately when his mission of life is decided.

We have adopted 55 elderly people and provisions are given to them every month.What is the impact of our adopted grand parents ?
"Our tears glittering with joy will always be the answer". "When we struggled in the tempest of poverty, this scheme came as a life boat in the ocean of life. The days of seclusion have gone. Since you are here, we are not alone".

A senior citizen under this scheme receives an amount of Rs.100/- in cash and materials worth about Rs.400/- every month and medical relief is also provided if need arises. Thus about Rs.6000/- is spent per year on each beneficiary. We look forward for sponsorships to reach more persons than at present.

Under sponsor a Grant Parent Programme, 62 destitutes  - old people were provided with monthly solatium, in the form of rice, dhal, oil, etc., for their livelihood.

Relief Programme

The duty of the Indian to his community is that of working out social reforms with in its sphere. There is no community in India which suffers from a number of social evils, such as early marriage, the seclusion of widows, the absence of female education, etc.; and there is no greater service that any one can render to his community than that of reforming abuses in the structure of its society. In the process of making money we neglect our social responsibilities and let the system deteriorate till we become victims ourselves. The Kendra undertakes relief works in the appropriate times of natural calamities.Certain examples are given below : YEAR PLACE HELP RENDERED 1982 Kollengode Rs.8200/- worth utensils to riot victims. 1982 Puliangudi Rs.65000/- worth roofing materials to riot victims. 1992 50 Villages Rs.6 lakhs worth utensils and provisions to flood victims. 1997 Paramakudi Rs.20000/- worth provisions to fire affected people. 1997 5 Districts Rs.1 lakh worth of cloths distributed to the needy. 1998 Ramanathapuram Rs.20000/- worth of utensils to riot affected people. 1999 5 Districts 300 children were provided with education aid to the extent of Rs.400/- each. As Swami Vivekananda has once remarked in one of his speeches, unless there is such an awakening, an individual continues to be child only. At the most, he can be grown-up baby, but he is not a human being, even though he may have added years to his life. With all the crude hungers, he continues to be an animal, perhaps a rational animal but not a man. One must realize the goal of human life and must stand face to face with it. It is the destiny of man. Birth after birth he arrives and goes back and again returns but he does not become real adult unless he has the experience of that awakening, at least that awakening only. Without the knowledge of this goal, our life is only an aimless wandering. Every individual has self-interest but this self-interest must develop into an enlightened selfishness. Physiological hunger must transform itself into a higher variety of hunger and the enlightened selfishness must lead him to share all his joys with others in the society in order to reap more joy. There are ethical laws and rules of conduct prescribed by every society to satisfy this selfishness only. But the word ‘self’ changes its connotation in this context. The self does not remain limited to one’s physical and mental entities, but it goes on expanding its sphere of selfishness from individual from family, from family to society, from society to nation and ultimately from nation to the whole world. A devotee’s love of God should be expressed as the loving service to His creation. A devotee should love all human beings, animals, plants, and the entire creation as symbols of God. He should serve them, preserve them, conserve them. He should never harm and injure them. He should serve them with the same devotion he would show to God or the Guru. This type of loving service helps the devotee to express his love in a socially useful manner. Azhwars and Nayanmars undertook literacy, social, philanthropic and religious service in this sprit. Their work left a long lasting impression on the society.

Amrita Surabhi

An unambitious man is a curse to the society. Every man must become mad after something and then only he can achieve something, that may be divine or mundane. The object may be small or big, but one must strive to achieve the goal and go ahead. Choice of the object is essential for this madness and it is such mad men only that have brought about all-round progress in the world. Madness is unavoidable. And when all other things of the world are meaningless to you, the highest hunger seizes you and your real life starts.

To encourage the common man to make a small sacrifice for others, the Kendra has initiated the Amrita Surabhi scheme. Cloth bags bearing the message of prayer for the welfare of humanity have been given to many families. The family members place a handful of rice in the back every day. The rice is collected every month for our service activities.

Anna Pujas are conducted on Tamil New Year Day and Swamiji's Samadhi Day. On these occasions, large quantity of rice collected by two special drives, are heaped together and worship is offered to Annapurna Devi by a very large gathering of rural development workers and the general public. The rice is distributed to various activitiy centres like pre-primary schools for use.



Our Vivekananda Kendra workers have collected 1785 Kgs. of rice from the people of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar Districts under this scheme.