Appeal from Sri Sarada Asramam, Ulundurpet

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavatas:

May I remind you of my report on my visit to Sri Sarada Asramam on 5th August 2006 during my stay in India in connection with the Tiru Anbil Koil Dwajasthambam Kaimkaryam? I am reproducing the relevant portions to refresh your memory.

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"At first, I was wondering how anyone can do anything in such a remote and little known locality except for its name! Indeed, one has to see to believe the wonderful work that is going on there. I was amazed to see the variety of social service activities they were doing. I am sure that you will be enchanted as much as I am at the breathtaking panorama of their activities and the incredible silent revolution taking place there in the lives of the village folk and the inmates."

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You all know that normally, we do not encourage appeals for funds unless -

(1) They are sponsored officially by Acharyas of our Satsampradayam or

(2) The appeals contain the commitments incorporated in our "Guidelines", namely

(i) Officially acknowledging the receipt of contributions submitted.(ii) Utilization of the funds fully and precisely for the purposes for which they are proposed to be mobilized through their appeal. (iii) Adequate audit and accounting are in place to the entire satisfaction of the donors.(iv) Responsibility to personally indemnify the donors against any inconvenience or loss due to any irregularity that might come to light at any time, with regard to their solicitation.

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The Asramam authorities have whole heartedly and unconditionally committed themselves to these conditions as can be seen from the text of the appeal (reproduced below for your kind consideration). The appeal is a bit long because they had to enumerate their services both qualitatively and quantitatively.

 

I would request you kindly to peruse the same with patience and contribute your mite to sustain the mammoth work that is being accomplished there.

 

You may kindly cite this posting while remitting your contributions direct to the address given in their appeal. I would also advise you to inform us the details of your response by email to Srirangasri

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy

Moderator

¡§Sri Ranga Sri¡¨

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Message from Sarada Asramam

(archived at Message #8393 dated 23rd January 2007)

=========================================================Dear Bhaktas,

Namaskars & Greetings from Sisters of Sri Sarada Ashram, Ullundurpettai.

We understand & appreciate the pressures on your time. Yet, we request you to spare your valuable time to go through this mail, for the love of your religion & your country.

About three years ago, Sri Sarada Ashram, Ullundurpettai did a survey of Teachers Training Colleges for B.Ed course in Tamil Nadu, as we were finding it extremely difficult to get good B.Ed qualified Hindu teachers for teaching in our schools. Most of those applied were Christians or Muslims. Our findings were revealing: Out of about 50 odd B.Ed Colleges in Tamil Nadu, only 2 were with Hindu Institutions. Rest were with Dravida Kazhagam (Atheist Group-2 Nos), Christians (43 Nos) & Muslims (3 nos). Needless to say that Non-Hindu institutions admit mostly Non-Hindu candidates and this has led to poor availability of B.Ed qualified Hindu teachers.

Naturally we were concerned that if this trend is left unchecked, even Hindu institutions would be forced to employ Non-Hindu teachers who not deeply rooted in our ancient culture & traditions in their educational institutions. Educational institutions run by Hindu religious organizations much rely on the teachers they employ to impart moral & cultural values. In this context, it will be apt to point out the findings of Turner Broadcasting System, which conducted a survey in Taiwan, China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and India, which says that still about 60% of the youth in the above countries set their life having their parents and teachers as their role models. Educational institutions run by Hindu religious institutions, be it Ramakrishna Mission or Chinmaya Mission or Mata Amritananda Mayi¡¦s Mission, aim to produce educated youths imbibed with moral & cultural values, which is impossible unless they get good teachers imbibed with the very same values they are expected to impart to their students.

Impelled by our concern that if the teachers are not molded as role models, the future of our future generations will end up in a great mess, we, though had not planned earlier to start a B.Ed college, decided to respond to the need of the present situation by starting a B.Ed College at the Ashram campus, located on the Chennai - Trichy National Highway, 2.5kms away from the town of Ulundurpet, at 200 kms from Chennai, 130 kms from Salem, 120 kms from Trichy, 100 kms from Tiruvannamalai and 35 kms from Neyveli.

No action was taken on their application since 2003, despite kind hearted efforts of some IAS officers, sympathetic to the cause. However, just a day before resigning as CM, the Ex-Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, signed the file giving Tamil Nadu Government¡¦s approval for us to run a B.Ed College. Ex-CM had also given permission to many private institutions-Nearly 200 institutions will come up. Though some among them may be owned by Hindus, their aim will be mainly commercial with no commitment to run their institutions on dharmic principles to create teachers imbued with an adequate awareness & vision of the great role they will play as teachers in molding the future of India.

Our focus is on creating ¡¥Dharmic Acharyas¡¦ i.e. value oriented teachers who will prove to be a good role model for the society. We have adopted in our B.Ed curriculum many techniques and propose to adopt different methodologies which will inspire the teacher trainers to work in rural areas. We have about 42 well educated Sannyaasin sisters who have dedicated their lives for the revival our culture and welfare of our rural people.

The permission has come unexpectedly and we are required to set up the required infrastructural facilities (total estimated cost Rs.1.25 Crores) with in a short span of time. We have the required man-power, but Sannyasins, as we are; we need your support in the form of funds.

If their appeal strikes a chord in you, kindly send the amount you wish to donate by Crossed Demand Draft or A/c Payee Cheque drawn in favor of ¡¥Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Trust¡¦, payable at Ullundurpettai or Villupuram or Chennai and send the same to: Sri Sarada Ashram, Vivekananda Nagar, New Edaikkal, Ulundurpet - 606 107,Tamil Nadu, INDIA. Pl email your remittance details to: ashram under copy to vsp

Ashram extends a cordial invitation to all NRIs who may be visiting India during holidays to spare some time to visit the ashram & see for oneself their varied activities. We will be delighted to receive you & share with you our activities. More information on Sri Sarada Ashrama & their varied spiritual and humanitarian activities can be had from their website: www.srisaradaashram.org

If any of the donors want to get US tax exemption, they can also send the donations through Ramakrishna Foundation, 1918 Granville Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA with a request to forward to Sri Sarada Ashram, Ullundurpettai in India.

It is our national heritage from the time immemorial that sanyasins usually live on biksha offered by house holders. Now we are asking Biksha not for our stomachs, but for our social welfare activities. Your good deeds will be converted as puNyam by the prayers of all the 45 Sannyaasin sisters and will protect you as a divine shield in all difficult times.

Your timely participation in this nation building activity will be highly valuable for us. We pray to God, Almighty to shower His infinite grace on you and your family forever.

Yours in Lord,

Yatiswari Anantapremapriya Amba

Manager, Sri Sarada Ashram, Ulundurpettai

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Our Assurance

For the benefit of those who may not know our Ashram well, we would like to assure all Bhaktas as under:

 

(i) Ashram will officially acknowledge the receipt of contributions submitted.

(ii) Ashram will ensure proper utilization of the funds fully and precisely for the purposes for which they are proposed to be mobilized through their appeal.

(iii) Ashram has instituted adequate audit and accounting are in place to the entire satisfaction of the donors both at the point of collection and at the utilization end.

(iv) Ashram will indemnify the donors against any inconvenience or loss due to any irregularity that might come to light at any time, with regard to their solicitation.

(v) The Ashram will indemnify Governing Board and/or Moderators of any e-groups/e-journals against any liability arising out of communication of Ashram¡¦s appeal through its publications.

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Estimated Requirements for Creating Infrastructure for B.Ed College

We are in need of a permanent building for the college with necessary infrastructure. The total area would be 22,250 sq.ft. at an estimated cost of Rs.1,11,25000/-

 

 

 

 

S.No

 

Area of building

 

Estimation

 

 

1.

 

Ground Floor: 12100 sq.ft.

 

Rs.60,50,000.00

 

 

2.

 

First Floor : 10150 sq.ft

 

Rs.50,75,000.00

You may please extend your help by donating for the construction of B.Ed. College. The cost of construction per sq. ft is Rs.500/- We thankfully accept donations in the following manner.

„} 50 sq.ft X Rs.500/- = Rs. 25,000.00

„} 100 sq. ft X Rs. 500/- = Rs. 50,000.00

„} 250 sq. ft X Rs. 500/- = Rs .1,25,000.00

„} 500 sq. ft X Rs. 500/- = Rs .2,50,000.00

„} 1000 sq. ft X Rs. 500/- = Rs. 5,00,000.00

The names of the donors who donate 1 lakh and above will be engraved in the tablet stone in the college building.

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Contributions through Ramakrishna Foundation, CA, USA

Website: http://www.geocities.com/rkfoundation

Ramakrishna Foundation is a non-profit charitable corporation. It was established for charitable purposes in January 1996 under the Cailfornia Corporation law to enable people living in the United States to give direct help and support to any religious organization that promotes religious harmony, to foster cultural and educational activities that fosters harmony of religions and to all schools, colleges, orphanages and hospitals affiliated to such institutions and to offer charitable assistance to organizations and individuals who can help to achieve foundation's objectives. It has established its tax Address:

Ramakrishna Foundation, 1918 Granville Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025.

President: Debiprosad Nayak, Phone: (310) 473-4479 Email: dnayak

Treasurer: Tapan Chaudhury, Phone: (714) 838-4066 Email: tapanch

Secretary: Gary Kemper Email: gk2wolves

Ramakrishna Foundation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501© (3) of the IRS Code. All checks must be made payable to:

RAMAKRISHNA FOUNDATION

and mailed to any of the officers, preferably to the Treasurer, Tapan Chaudhury, with specific instructions as to whether this is an undesignated gift or designated gift. If undesignated, the Foundation will decide where to send the money as we have standing request from many organizations for funds. If designated gift we need to have the address as to where the funds need to be forwarded to.

The mailing address for sending the check should be:

Attn: Mr. Tapan Chaudhari, Treasurer, Ramakrishna Foundation, 14551, Westfall Road, Tustin, CA 92780.

We ask the donors to include an additional amount of $10.00 for each transaction towards the cost of registered mail etc. to the intended recipient in India. Alternatively, we deduct $10.00 from the original amount forwarded.

A glimpse of multifarious activities undertaken by Sri. Sarada Ashram, Ullundurpettai

Introductory Remarks:

Sri Sarada Ashram, Ulundurpet in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu, India is an Order of Sannyasin Sisters inspired by the lives and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, SriMa Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. In line with the motto set up Swami Vivekananda for Sri. Ramakrishna Math & Mission, this Ashram too works for ¡§Atmano Mokshartham-Jaget Hitaya ca¡¨ ¡§For one¡¦s own spiritual liberation and for the welfare of the society¡¨.

Below is an attempt to give a glimpse of multifarious activities undertaken by Sri. SaradaAshram,Ullundurpettai:

In the worship of Goddess Saraswathi-Educational activities:

Sri Ramakrishna Gurukulam is a residential educational institution, following Matriculation syllabus, dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, SriMa Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda and managed by Sannyasin Sisters of the Ashram. The institution. The curriculum, co-curriculum and extra-curriculum activities of this institution are based on the unique educational process developed at the Gurukulam aimed for harmonious development of head, heart & hands.

 

This outstanding organization is devoted to Man Making Education and Service. The Ashram believes that education is the only process by which a nation is made and the society is formed, framed and shaped. Education is the medium through which a child inherits its national heritage and culture. The Physical, Mental, Moral, Intellectual, Social and Spiritual growth of a child is given a healthy shape by the Gurukulam¡¦s educational process.

 

The Gurukulam has produced 100% results in the school final (10th standard) for the past 10 years. In the past 3 years the school also has had students achieving district level ranks with 1st and 2nd places in the district for the last 2 years.

Besides this residential school, the Ashram also runs a matriculation school in Ulundurpet town. This non-residential school too has consistently produced 100% results for the school final year for the past 10 years.

In the worship of Virat- Vivekananda Seva Pratishtan -Social Service Activities:

Vivekananda Seva Pratishtan is the service wing of the ashram, which serves the poor and down trodden in rural areas around Ullurdurpettai in a spirit of worship of the Divine through service of man.

In the Service of Youth: Vidyarthi Rakshak Yojna:

School going children in villages, particularly of very poor laborer families often are victims of parental indifference and neglect. They suffer not just in academic, but, also in their character and intellectual development. Children from families where the father is addicted to alcohol are worst affected. They are provided very little care in their developing years and later become easy prey for anti-social and exploitative elements of society.

Vidyarthi Rakshak Yojna (scheme for the protection of the student) is an innovative scheme through which such children are supported by the Ashram. They are provided with intensive coaching in their studies after school hours, a nutritious and wholesome supper and inputs for their physical, mental and intellectual growth including training in yoga.

Sri Ramakrishna Mobile Library:

With the rapid infiltration of television in the villages, and its dominance of all spare time, the chances of any traditional values reaching the youth is getting remote. A survey indicates that most youth spend about 6 - 8 hours during the week days and 10 - 12 hours during the weekend just watching television. The reading habit and the associated self-exploratory learning process get stunted early in life. All the benefits that could be derived from reading good books are deprived to rural children. Sri Ramakrishna Mobile Library is an effort of Seva Pratishtan to cultivate the habit of reading and learning amongst the rural youth. Quiz Programmes from these books encourage the young minds to cultivate the habit of reading.

 

Sevalayam:

This is a free hostel exclusively for poor rural girls managed by the Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Trust. Sevalayam provides girls from poor families with food, clothing, shelter, and all other needs free of cost. The vigorous training and effective coaching in their studies as well in as moral values enables the girls to excel extremely well in curricular and co-curricular activities.

Currently, the Sevalayam houses about 100 girls.

Sevalayam is fully dependent on external support for philanthropists and well wishers. Special donations in cash or in kind for food sponsorship on the occasion of birthday, wedding anniversary or any other days of importance are accepted.

Sri Sarada Balar Sngha and Swami Vivekananda Grama Seva Sangam:

Coming together for a social cause and contributing to the same has been one of the core strengths of rural societies in India. However, the weakening of the social structure and the cultural changes has resulted in such gathering and social action becoming exceptional rather a rule.

To re-establish this strength in the village society, the Seva Pratishtan mobilizes children through a program called the Sri Sarada Balar sangha and youth through a program called Swami Vivekananda Grama Seva Sangam.

Holiday Camps:

As part of its educational service efforts, the Seva Pratishtan also conducts holiday camps for students and camps for teachers. These camps provide inputs to the participants on culture and traditional practices, besides specific audience targeted inputs.

 

In the service of Women:

Sarada Dhanavarshini Scheme-Self Help Groups:

When poverty reduces the rural woman to a daily wage earner, spending everything she earns becomes a habit. Even with a meager surplus earning, unnecessary spending is the norm. Lack of knowledge about saving methods and its accrued benefits coupled with the prevailing consumerist appeal encourages such unnecessary spending. At times of emergencies, it leaves her helpless and weak.

Seva Pratishtan is making rural women vigilant of indiscriminate spending and make her realize the importance of savings. The meager amount of Rs. 25/- saved out of their little income helps a lot in case of any emergency.

'Sarada Dhanavarshini Scheme' instils administrative capacity among the rural women. It introduces them to the linkages between banks and the public. Vocational Training and Entrepreneur Development Programmes are also conducted for the benefit of rural women.

The SHG scheme is operational in over 100 centers.

Many women received loans to raise their standard of living through income generating activities.

Vocational Training for women

Vocational training gives rural women the chance to improve their family economic condition. Women rendered helpless due to husbands neglect due to addiction to alcohol or other reasons, are empowered through such training to sustain their families.

Seva Pratishtan runs a free Tailoring Institute providing tailoring and embroidery courses, a Computer Institute imparting basic computer skills, Household Appliances Maintenance Course imparting knowledge of basic maintenance of household appliances and a Sanitary Napkins manufacturing unit.

Other such vocational and capacity building programmes are also conducted.

Sri Sarada Seva Samiti:

In villages, the women are deprived of an opportunity to participate in social issues. With the advent of mass media, many are addicted to it and waste most part of their day watching television.

Social awareness and cultural awakening are the twin ideals of Sri Sarada Seva Samithi, the women's group that meets once every week. The women folk are taught to create a congenial atmosphere for the all around development of themselves & their children. Awareness is created on issues relating to national affairs, society, ecology, health & hygiene and family economy. One of the impacts of the Seva Samiti is that it overcomes the social stratifications and binds members from different social groups.

As part of the cultural activities of the Sarada Seva Samiti, nagara samkirthanam, vilakku poojai and other activities are organized.

Currently, the Samiti functions in the villages of 3 blocks, impacting about 3600 families.

Family Counseling Centre:

Sri Sarada Ashram provides confidential guidance and counseling to strengthen the moral and cultural fiber of the families by using 'love' and 'perfect understanding' as the main tools.

Sannyasin sisters provide solace to disturbed families through their counseling and prayers.

Personality Development Camps:

The woman is the centre of a happy family. Clear vision will nourish her to become an ideal householder. Personality Development Camps are conducted for women to strengthen the family. Similar camps are also conducted for the entire family, children, youth, students and teachers.

Cultural Camps:

The Ashram conducts cultural camps for different sections of the village society through the year. These camps provide inputs to the participants on culture and traditional practices. The segments catered to through these camps include students, parents, laborers, farmers, couple, teachers, youth and housewives

In the service of Farmers:

Sri Sarada Krishi Kendra:

It is one of the most important activities of the Vivekananda Seva Pratishtan. Agriculture still is the mainstay of rural India and no rural development activity can be achieved without addressing the problems of agriculture.

It has been found that traditionally Indian farmer practiced time tested farming system and practices and could lead life in plenty and prosperity.

However, due to the combined pressure of oppression, wrong policies and social changes the agriculture scene today is not encouraging. The farmer is being exploited today by a combination of market forces, indifferent society & bureaucracy and insensitive leadership. No wonder that many a farmer feels it is better to give up the occupation all together.

The Ashram is convinced that unless the wisdom of the traditional farming system and practice is revived amidst the farmers, the same state of affairs would continue. However, the re-discovery of the value of the traditional farming system and practice in the current circumstance is neither affordable by the farmer nor convincing enough for him. The strength to try new methods - even if it is traditional - is lost in the farmers and the fear of failure is too strong for them to even attempt any change in the status quo.

Sri Sarada Krishi Kendra was started with the objective of creating a model farm guided by traditional wisdom. The Kendra practices traditional organic farming utilizing the best of traditional and modern methods and is today an organic farming learning centre for the Villupuram district.

The Kendra has developed a farm to showcase to the farmers the benefits of organic farming and also trains them in the various techniques and tools required for organic farming. The Kendra also has developed various farm inputs, viz. vermi compost, bio compost, Panchagavya and bio-pesticides which farmers in the neighborhood can buy for their fields.

Sri Barathi Agricultural Consultancy Services:

This unit has been especially set-up to train farmers in the traditional organic agricultural methods.

The trial plots have been carefully developed for different crops and each stage has been documented to prove the distinct advantage of practicing organic farming on the soil, plant, pest control, yield and profits. All attempts are made to understand the farmer's unique problems and provide him with a solution package not only to help him make profits but also to cultivate in him a strong faith in the wisdom of traditional organic farming.

Water Conservation Activities:

Water is the elixir of human life. For the farmers, it is the source of their livelihood.

Geographically, Ulundurpet is a dry area and despite drilling up to 500 ft below ground level, water is not available for farming. So the farmer has to depend on water saved from rain falls in tanks/lakes through the 'Kanmai's (or canals) for their farming. But the catchment areas of tanks/lakes in many villages get silted and filled with shrubs i.e. they are not maintained de-silted or depth maintained for effective storage of rain water for extensive cultivation. Similar is the case with the supply canals and sluices. Hence even with abundant rains, the land is cultivated only once a year.

To change this sad plight, Vivekananda Seva Pratishtan undertakes tanks renovations with the financial assistance of CAPART, (Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India) Hyderabad in rural areas around Ullundurpet.

100% water conservation, adopting various water conservation methods, have also been done at the Ashram campus to ensure every drop of rain water that falls in the campus is collected, stored and utilized.

In the Ashram campus, the Seva Pratishtan has set-up a Rain Centre illustrating 21 different rain water harvesting practices. Display of well designed posters drives home the importance of water conservation. It also functions as a resource centre for rain water harvesting for the entire Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.

In the Service of the Sick:

The lack of access to quality health services in rural India has affected much of the population. Many can neither get adequate attention in time nor afford a visit to the nearby towns with better facilities. The Ashram provides quality health care as part of its services to the surrounding villages.

Sri Ramakrishna Mobile dispensary:

As these poor villages do not have access to quality healthcare, the mobile dispensary program was started. The dispensary is manned by experienced doctors. This dispensary visits the poor patients in their own habitat and dispenses with medicine free of cost.

More than 3500 patients in remote villages draw benefit out of the Sri Ramakrishna Mobile dispensary program

Dispensary:

Ashram runs a dispensary located in its campus. Out patients are treated in this dispensary every day.

The Seva Pratishtan is planning a full fledged hospital with capacity to handle 16 in-patients and also out patients. The hospital will provide quality healthcare in general health, pediatrics and gynecology. The facilities will include a well equipped laboratory, scanning, x-ray and e.g. facilities and an operation theatre. It has been estimated that the cost for the construction of such a hospital would be around Rs. 25 lakhs for the building alone.

Sanitary Project:

Infant mortality and infection due to preventable illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis, etc. are high in rural areas due to the lack of awareness. In the villages adopted by the Vivekananda Seva Pratishtan, awareness programmes on these illnesses are also conducted apart from the medical camps. It is also proposed to construct latrines in individual houses with support from funding agencies.

Sir Sarada Creche:

Poverty in village necessitates women working long hours to earn their daily meal. Amidst their work, fostering the young ones becomes difficult. No proper health care is given resulting in many malnutrition and unhealthy children in the villages. To bridge this gap ' Sri Sarada Creche' was created in the village.

Children between the age of 3 and 5 are left in the protective care centre by the Mothers. Here, they are provided with regular medical check-ups, immunization and primary education through games. Parents' meet ensures that they are given awareness about the children's' health and hygiene needs and the value of education.

In the Service of the Needy:

In villages around the Ashram, during times of disaster - natural or man-made, Vivekananda Seva Pratishtan has been the first to reach out to the victims. Its relief work is dictated by the instinctive urge to provide the basic needs of the people in times of disaster - food, shelter, clothing, medicine, vessels for those whose houses were burnt down, ration and fuel for all the affected families.

All expenses for relief works are met from the contributions made by devotees and philanthropists. Contributions to "Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Trust" are exempt from Income Tax through 80G.

Concluding Remarks:

As said in the beginning, only a glimpse of varied activities of the Ashram is given above. Though more detailed information can be got from their website: www.srisaradaashram.org , nothing like a personal visit to see the multifarious activities for oneself.

Contact Details of the Ashram are as under:

Sri Sarada Ashram,

Trichy Trunk Road,

Vivekananda Nagar, New Edaikkal.

Ulundurpet-606 107. Villupuram District.

Tamilnadu. INDIA.

E mail :ashram

Mobile: 9443220362

Phone: 04149-220432

Please mark your communications to the attention of Yatiswari. Ananta Prema Priya Amba, Manager, Sri Sarada Ashram,Ullundurpettai.

All are cordially invited to the Ashram.

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