Welfare Schemes Equality Sri Ramakrishna Temple Anti-Conversion Velimalai Swami Chaitanya Nanda Ji Swami Ambananda Maharaj Sri Madurananda Swami Hindu Religion Vivekananda Ashrama Adhalin Religious Classes Taoism Restoration Hindu Religious Teachings.
When Hindus think of Vellimalai, it is Tirukailayam. Similarly, in Kanyakumari district, a Vellimalai shines as a beacon of Hinduism. The good news is that there is a Vivekananda Ashram where religious education is taught.
Swami Chaitanya Nandaji Maharaj: An Introduction
RSS since childhood. Related to the system. He worked against crisis situations during his student days. After graduation, Swami Saidananda, inspired by the love of Swami Madhurananda, attached himself to the Sri Vivekananda Ashram.
In 1989, he was appointed by Swami Madhurananda and has been serving as the head of the ashram since May 1998. Generally, monks preach only love. But Swami teaches not only love but also valour.
Swamiji, tell us a little about Vellimalai Ashram…
Sri Vivekananda Ashram was founded in 1940 by Srimad Swami Ambananda Maharaj.
Born in Kerala in 1874, Swami Ambananda was named Maduranayagam Pillai by his parents. After completing his college studies, he stayed in Chennai and continued his studies.
At that time (in 1897) Swami Vivekananda returned from America and visited Swamiji by attending the reception given at Ambananda Chennai. Fascinated by this, Ambananda, when he tried to meet Swamiji on the beach one day, he blessed him saying, “Let’s talk and go and study.”
Although he completed his studies and worked as a teacher, Ambananda, who lived in Swamiji’s memory, was taken to Calcutta in 1914 by Srimad Nirmalananda Swami. There he received mantra initiation from Mother Sarada Devi.
In 1932 he gave up teaching and joined Sri Ramakrishna Ashram near Thiruvananthapuram. In 1935 Srimad Nirmalananda Swami gave the monastic initiation and named it Sri Ambananda Swami. In 1940, they built an ashram at Vellimalai in honor of Thaipusam. Ambanandaji Maharaj attained Mahasamadhi on 6th May 1951. After that Swami Madhurananda took charge of the Ashram.
Madhurananda Swami was born in 1922 in Kanyakumari district. Devoted to spirituality at an early age, Madhurananda abstained from non-vegetarian food at the age of 12. During his college days (1940) 18 year old Madhurananda met Swami Ambananda and received his blessings. Later, following studies, B.A. After graduating in philosophy, he took charge of the school started in 1945 at the Sri Vivekananda Ashram.
In 1951, on Pelarnami day in the month of Aadi, he was formally initiated by the brother monks of Srimad Ambananda Swami and received the name ‘Srimad Swami Madhurananda’. After Ambananda’s Mahasamadhi in 1951, Madhurananda took charge of the ashram.
Participating in the freedom struggle during his college days, joining the first team to set up a memorial at Vivekananda Rock in Kanyakumari, building houses for flood victims in 1993, performing kumbabhishekam in various temples, Swami’s social work is innumerable. . In short, there are hardly any people in Kanyakumari district who do not know Madhurananda.
In 1981, the Hindu Religious Youth Movement was started. In 1984, ‘Hindu Dharma Vidyapeedam’ was established to impart religious education. In 1994, she established the Sri Saradeswari Ashram for nuns at Netangot. Madhurananda Swami has given initiation to 19 people and initiation to hundreds of mantras. Swami Madhuranandhar joined Sri Ramakrishna on 2nd June 1999.
I joined the Ashram in 1981, took monastic initiation from Madhurananda in 1989, took the name ‘Swami Chaitanyanandar’ and have been looking after the Ashram work since May 1998.
Swami, what is religious class?
Converting non-converts is a major challenge for Hinduism. If you think about problems like poverty, disease, employment, dowry etc. these are present in all religions. But they don’t convert for that. Only Hindus convert.
Besides, if a Hindu woman falls in love with a non-religionist, or a woman belonging to a non-religion falls in love with a Hindu man, only the Hindu must convert.
So, it is clear that the above issues are not the cause of conversion.
On behalf of Vivekananda Kendra, we went to villages and conducted a four-day youth camp. It made Hindus understand the need and necessity of teaching religion.
Christians are taught in church and Muslims in madrasas. But Hindus have no formal religious system. Hindus also do not convert if they have a clear understanding of their religion. That’s why we’ve compiled a five-level syllabus that at least one Hindu should know.
When did you start these classes?
Earlier religious discourses were held in various temples in the name of ‘Geetha Class’. In the year 1981, we compiled it and published it as a book and conducted exams through it.
By a committee elected in 1984, syllabi were developed for each age group i.e. elementary, junior, high, high, senior, based on which subjects and examinations are now being conducted. In the same year, ‘Hindu Religious Education Trust’ was registered.
The ‘Vidya Jyoti’ degree is awarded to those who have passed five stages of this education: religious class, student class for two hours a week, training for teachers once a month, and an examination conducted once a year and certificate-prizes.
No fee is paid to religious class teachers for this. Everyone does this willingly.
Kanyakumari district holds graduation ceremony every year. 15,000 students and parents will attend. The graduating students performed pada pooja to their parents and had darshan of Agni and said, “I will strive for Hindu society. He took the title saying “I will campaign”.
In which areas does sectarianism take place?
Kanyakumari district is one of the districts most affected by conversion. So we started our work from here first. Currently 750 classes are running in Kanyakumari district. There are 60 classes in Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Tuticorin, 40 classes in Kerala and few classes in Sri Lanka.
How welcome are religious groups in society?
It was a bit difficult in the beginning. Because 80 percent of teachers are mothers. When he went to take classes in the neighboring towns, he had to face the taunts and taunts of the anti-socials. Then we supported them.
Now the situation has changed. A supportive environment in the family earns the respect of a ‘religious class teacher’ in the society.
What changes have occurred in society through sectarianism?
Through this our children develop religious knowledge, religious unity prevails, caste differences are removed and religious conversion is prevented. Apart from that questions and jokes from alternative religionists and atheists are answered.
In the past, a lot of money was wasted on temple festivals, which meant dancing and singing. Through religious class and our continuous campaigning such incidents have decreased. That huge amount is saved and spent on social welfare schemes like education for poor children, construction of houses, deposits etc.
Right from marriage to temple kumbabhishekam, our trained priest conducts it. ‘Hindu Dharma Vidya Peedam’ firmly declares that Brahmin is not determined by birth. Through this caste ups and downs are rooted out.
What other work do you do on behalf of the Ashram?
Apart from religious classes, training is also given to conduct Thiruvilakku Pooja to increase devotion among mothers. Training is given to conduct auspicious pujas in houses where auspicious programs are held and Atmasanti Puja in homes where mourning takes place.
Training courses are conducted for temple priests. (From 2000 to 2007, at the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka, we traveled from our ashram every year to train priests).
Children’s Day is celebrated on Ganesha Chaturthi. We celebrate Durgastami as Women’s Day. Vijayadashami is celebrated as Vidya Day. A ceremony called ‘Edu Prasana’ is performed for children on that day.
A student conference is held annually. In the conference, Union level elocution, group singing, costume and dance competitions are held and prizes are awarded. Scholarships are awarded annually to students.
A monthly magazine called ‘Vedhamurasu’ is being published to carry the news of religious sects among the people. We are also publishing and selling many spiritual books.
Apart from that, in the past we have been doing conversion work from Hinduism to other religions with the support of Hindu movements.
How is your relationship with Hindu movements?
Support our work in our district. Similarly, we do not distinguish that we are different and our movements are different.
For example, RSS and other organizations do not use the organization’s saffron flag. But the association’s saffron flag is hoisted at the convocation ceremony of the Hindu Dharma Vidya Peedham.
We participate in programs conducted by Hindu movements. All movements participate in our programs.
How is the Ashram managed?
Three trusts have been set up for this purpose.
1) Sri Vivekananda Ashram – Daily puja, library maintenance, religious discourses etc. are carried out through this.
2) Hindu Dharma Vidya Peedam – 5 male monks stay in the ashram. Through this, work related to religious classes, lighting pujas, prayers etc. are done. Administered by Sri Saradeshwari Ashram. 5 female monks are staying and serving here.
3) Sri Ramakrishna Seva Sangam – Welfare schemes such as educational assistance, marriage assistance, house construction etc. are carried out through this.
Donations are received from well-wishers for this purpose. Rs 1008 for Daily Pooja, Rs 1000 as Advisory Board Member, Rs 1000 as Deposit Subscriber of Vedamuras, Fixed Deposit Fund and Donation.
17 km west of Nagercoil. Distance, 10 km south of Takkala. Distance is 5 km on Iranial-Muttam road. In the distance is Vellimalai Ashram. Currently, the construction of Sri Ramakrishna temple is going on here.
What was the purpose of building Sri Ramakrishna Temple?
At first we thought of building a library to preserve the books we have. Later, it was decided to undertake the renovation work of Sri Ramakrishna Temple, Sri Swami Madhurananda Mandapam, Library, Meditation Hall, Hall for holding meetings of cultural teachers at a cost of one crore rupees.
A task force was formed in 2007 with Mr.C.Mani as the chairman. On 23-4-2007 Thiruvananthapuram Ramakrishna Mission Srimad Swami Chakranandaji Maharaj and Maharaja Marthanda Varma of Thiruvananthapuram inaugurated the mission by performing Bhoomi Puja.
At present, 70 percent of the work has been completed. We are raising funds to complete the remaining 30 percent of the work. This work started by the grace of God is progressing better and better.
On 7th February 2012 we are planning to conduct Kumbabhishekam with the help of devotees to unite the Lord and the Guru.
It has been decided to engrave the portrait of those who donate more than ten thousand rupees for the Tirupani in the opening ceremony flower and the name of those who donate more than fifty thousand rupees in the inscription. Those who want to join in this auspicious celebration can send donations, he said.
Attention Donors…
In the name of “Sri Ramakrishna Seva Sangam” should be sent to Sri Vivekananda Ashram, Vellimalai, Kalpadi Post Office, Kanyakumari District- 629204.
Senders can send Demand Draft (DD) in exchange to Nagercoil. Donations are tax deductible up to 80G.
Contact No : 04651-237411, 214632.
To know more about the Ashram’s services visit www.sriramakrishnasevasangam.com
Email : swamichaitanyananda@gmail.com
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