Guest guest Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Let us share briefly our experience of our recent tour to India. The tour was a bit of a pilgrimage as well as an attempt to link up with various academics and monks who can help us with our MA course in contemporary Hinduism. In and around Kolkata We spent three days at Gol park Ramakrishna Institute of Culture and were well looked after by Prassana Maharaj. We were given access to a wonderful modern library with over 200,000 books. Our MA students will be welcome to stay at Gol park and do research using these excellent facilities. Rev Prabhanandaji maharaj arranged for us to meet up with various scholars who hold senior positions in local universities. We also spent a very fruitful evening with Rev Atmapriyanandji at Belur Math who is in charge of establishing the Vivekananda University. We are hoping the link our MA course with Undergraduate courses at the Vivekananda University. We had interesting meetings with Rev Smaranandaji (General Secretary of the RK order) maharaj as well as a very lively two hour encounter with Rev Bhajananandji. On Sri Ramakrishna's birthday we went early to Belur math to see the rising sun over the Ganga and see the room where Swami Vivekananda lived and passed away. Sri Ramakrishna's shrine and Swami Vivekananda's room are two areas that we found spiritually uplifting. One can feel their presence. We visited Dakshineshwar, and the room in which Sri Ramakrishna lived, the location where the very majestic play of Sri Ramakrishna took place. We also went to Sharada math where one could feel the gentle presence of the Holy mother. We also visited the Udhbodhan House where Rev Shardananada lived and wrote the Great Master. We saw Balram Bose's house where Sri Ramakrishna often gave discourses. Also visited Mahendra Nath 'M's house where the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna was written. There we met the great grandson of 'M' who seemed as gentle and eloquent as M : ) We visited Swami Vivekananda's house and admired the window from where young Naren gave away his mothers saris. We also visited the Cassipore house where Sri Ramakrishna spent the last few months of his life. We travelled to the villages of Kamarpukur and Jayaramvati where Sri Ramakrishna and Holy mother were born and spent their youth. In and around Chennai Our meeting with Rev Gautamananadji gave us a wonderful opportunity to develop closer ties with the Chennai Centre. His eyes lit up when he saw our publications. He showed serious interest in publishing an Indian version of these books. He also showed tremendous interest in all our work in the UK and was keen to view the DVD of our presentations to Post graduate students in the UK universities. Pankaj Maharaj and Arun Maharaj have shown great deal of enthusiasm in working closely with us and to supply us with resources we may require (DVDs and images of ceremonies, festivals etc). Our link with Chennai is bound to produce long-term fruitful benefits for the Vivekananda Centre London. We took the opportunity to visit Arunachala and Ramanamaharashi's ashram. What a marvellous place to visit, a modern maharishi's abode. We took the opportunity to visit Pondicherry and saw Aurbindo Ashram and Auroville. On the final day in Chennai we visited Kanchipuram and briefly talked with the present Shankracharya. In and around Bangalore We visited the Bangalore Ramakrishna Ashram and met Rev Harshanandaji maharaj. What wonderful incisive mind! We are keen to use the focused resources on Hinduism he has produced including the Encyclopaedia of Hinduism that is about to be published by this centre. We briefly visited the Mysore Ramakrishna ashram and met up with the swamis there. The atmosphere of the Mysore ashram and the Vidyashala next-door are excellent venues where academic work in Hinduism at all levels can flourish in a natural environment. After this trip we feel very confident that the work of the Vivekananda Centre London will gain greater impetus by working closely with the Vivekananda University, Ramakrishna Gol Park Centre, Chennai Centre and the Mysore Vidyashala. jay Vivekananda Centre London http://www.vivekananda.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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