Work of Sarada Society - USA

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Sri Sarada Society Notes

Dedicated to Holy Mother

Winter 2002, Volume 8, Issue 2

 

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REFLECTIONS, VISIONS, AND APPRECIATION

 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of

Sri Sarada Society as an independent, nonprofit devotee

organization dedicated to promoting the manifestation of

Holy Mother's inspiration in the West. When the idea came to

offer devotees in the United States a convenient way to

receive <I>Samvit, </I>the semiannual journal published in India by Sri

Sarada Math, one could scarcely imagine the challenges and

adventures ahead. This was a simple, modest project.

<P>Soon, & quot;simple & quot; became exciting. As preparation for

the Centennial Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's arrival

in America was taking form, a new project emerged.

With the help and enthusiasm of devotees across the

country, Sri Sarada Society had the privilege of

sponsoring Pravrajikas from Sri Sarada Math as participants in the

1993 Parliament of the World's Religions. The visit of

Pravrajika Amalaprana, who is now General Secretary of the

Order, Pravrajika Vivekaprana, and Pravrajika Prabuddhaprana

to America forged a lasting bond between Western

devotees and Holy Mother's monastic daughters in India.

 

Sri Sarada Society continues to sponsor periodic

visits by pravrajikas, together with other devotee

organizations and groups which are forming.

 

In 1993, the Society received a substantial donation

which was to be used to assist Sri Sarada Math in establishing

its work in the United States. At nearly the same time, the

Ridgely estate was being put on the market for sale. After being

assured that the various Ramakrishna Vedanta groups were

not interested in acquiring the estate, Sri Sarada Society

became involved in a project which seemed the next step to take:

the purchase of this property, which was intimately associated

with Swami Vivekananda and made sacred by his presence.

 

Although Mother and Swamiji had different plans

for Ridgely, Sri Sarada Society feels blessed to have

launched this effort. Entering into an option contract to

purchase took the 83-acre estate off the open market and was

the beginning of three years of ground-breaking work to

get the word out and raise funds. We did this through

special events, pamphlet distribution and other means,

including a television appearance on a regional station.

Newspaper ads were placed, sponsored by friends and admirers

of Swamiji. During presentations to Vedanta groups

around the country, a video, <I>Swami Vivekananda at

Ridgely,</I> told the history of the estate.

 

Because of insufficient funding, Sri Sarada Society was

unable to renew its purchase option in January 1997.

Nevertheless, we continued our fundraising efforts until

March, when we were notified of Belur Math's interest in the

estate. Later that year, Vivekananda Retreat, Ridgely,

was founded and Ridgely's future within the Vedanta

tradition was secured.

 

Prior to the Ridgely project, fundraising was not a

part of the Western Vedanta movement. Setting aside our

own reluctance in this regard has, perhaps, opened the way

for additional projects, large and small, which flower from

the service and generosity of others.

 

In 1996, " Holy Mother's Cyber-Tantu, " our

website dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi, was among the first

Internet offerings from the Ramakrishna-Vedanta tradition.

Since then, Mother's presence on the Internet has fostered

companionship and sangha among devotees, many of

whom do not have a Vedanta center nearby.

 

We have expanded this issue of Sri Sarada Society

notes to six pages, in honor of our anniversary. In this issue,

we are pleased to announce the release of A Challenge

for Modern Minds,</I> a book containing selected lectures

given by Pravrajika Vivekaprana. The publication represents

a three-year collaboration with Edith Tipple, who

approached Pravrajika Vivekaprana and Sri Sarada Society about

publishing a book of edited talks.

 

We are also excited about the feature article on Holy

Mother. It comes from Sreemati Mukherjee, a devotee who has

undertaken the service of translating reminiscences of the

Mother written in Bengali.

 

And, appropriately, for our anniversary issue, we

include an article on Frances Leggett, the daughter of Frank

and Betty Leggett. It is through France that the Ridgely

estate remained within the Leggett family for three

generations, thus keeping alive the direct and sacred connection

with Swami Vivekananda.

 

While each project undertaken during this past

decade has brought with it a measure of satisfaction, we have

discovered that the path from start to finish is seldom

straight. Often a project has required more time and energy

than we imagined. However, looking backwards in time, we

are reminded that it is in the struggle that we find the

greatest opportunity for self-discovery and spiritual growth.

 

We look back with gratitude to the Holy Mother for

the opportunity to serve and to meet, to work with and

be inspired by, sincere devotees across the country

and throughout the world.

 

Joan, Albany