Virabhadranandaji’s Visit

Swami Virabhadranandaji

Swami Virabhadranandaji is the Head of Ramakrishna Mission’s Malaysia branch. His visit to South Africa was memorable in many ways.

He arrived in Durban, on 10 June from Kuala Lumpur. On his arrival he was given a welcome reception held at HQ on Saturday weekly satsang. During his 15-day stay, he met the officials of our Centre, had meetings with many devotees, addressed different public programs, conducted inspiring Meditation Classes, performed holy home-satsangs and gave interviews to spiritual seekers. He also visited Ramakrishna Sub-Centres in Ladysmith, Newcastle and Dundee in Northern Natal.

At Ladysmith Sub-centre, Swami Virabhadranandaji gave his Keynote address on 16 June which is a National Youth Day in South Africa. More than 250 youth members participated. A special satsang in honour of Swami Virabhadranandaji was held at our Pietermaritzburg sub-centre, where he conducted Guided Meditation and also addressed the congregation. At Chatsworth sub-centre he participated in the half-day Vedanta Retreat wherein he gave his keynote Address.

Earlier the Swami addressed a Satsang meeting held in Sri Sarada Devi Ashram at Asherville. In HQ, he spoke to the members of the Sarada Devi Women’s Circle. At Phoenix sub-centre he gave Talks to the Senior Citizen Forum members. The Meditation classes conducted by him including the Vedantic meditation and Class on Bhagavad Gita in HQ, drew lot of appreciation.

The visiting Swami Virabhadranandaji with Swami Saradaprabhanandaji at Abalindi Home talking to a terminally ill patient

He was taken to Abalindi Home, one of the NGOs with which the Centre is associated for nearly a decade. The Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa has used a multi-dimensional approach in all its welfare activities over the last 65 years. This vision and strategy ensures that our support and services reach those in need in all areas of society irrespective of race, gender or creed. The Centre works with many NGOs with similar aims and objectives to provide much needed community services.  The Swami was moved to tears when he saw the plight of Terminally Ill Patients. But he was happy that with our Centre’s help, the Home is giving a decent and dignified living just before death.

Dolphins' dance at UShaka Sea World

The divergent flora and fauna of South Africa delighted him.  A special visit was arranged at one of the Drakensberg Resorts for a night’s halt on 19 June. That was a good relaxing experience for the Swami after a hectic tour of 7 days. The rural beauty of this country, with rolling hills and rising valleys, fascinating freeways, expansive open spaces of the country side with enticing autumn gold trees in the horizon and a vast vista of waves of mountains vying with each other in meeting the skyline, made a deep impression on him. Visiting Ushaka Marine World to see the Dolphins’ dance and aqua creatures in the undersea ship wreck, the crocodile creek, the South Coast and also the Botanical gardens made him feel thoroughly rejuvenated.

He evinced keen interest in the local Zulu culture and enjoyed the Zulu people’s hospitality with their feet tapping music and dance. He visited Valley of Thousand Hills where he interacted with many Zulu people.

The visiting Swami with the resident Swami

On 25 June, the Exco officials bid him farewell and thanked the Swami heartily for his brilliant and inspiring lectures.  The Swami, in his reply pointed out, his delight with devotees who are serving the Holy Trio with unconditional love and how he was brimming with joy in witnessing the Master’s work being carried out in South Africa so meticulously. He was full of praise of sincere devotees who served the Centre from decorating the altar to dishing out the prasad.

On the morning of June 26, Saradaprabhanandaji, officials and self saw him off at Durban Airport. On his way back to Kuala Lampur he would stop for a short while in Mauritius branch of the Ramakrishna Mission too.

Adults’ Religious Education

I wrote in my earlier posts about the Religious Education for children. Our Centre has not stopped there. We have Adults’ Courses too. These Courses are called Hindu Studies course and Bhagavad Gita Studies Course.

Deputy Dean Vijaynand Mohanlal with Dean Swami Saradaprabhananda

Exams are conducted by the Faculty of Peace studies, Spirituality and Culture, run by Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa every year and successful students are given Certificates during a Graduation Ceremony.

This year the Graduation Ceremony was held at Nischalananda Hall in HQ on 28 March, 2009 and for the Northern Natal Graduates, it was held at Ladysmith Town Hall on 4 April, 2009. When I heard in person and re-read later the Welcome Address given by Vijaynand Mohanlal who is the Deputy Dean of this Faculty, I thought I should place here some excerpts that will give you an idea in all its glory about this wonderful work.
———————————————————————-
Welcome Address by Vijaynand Mohanlal, Deputy Dean:

Revered Swami Vimokshananda, Revered Swami Saradaprabhananda, Pravrajika Ishtaprana Mataji, our Guest of Honour, Dr P L Patel and Mrs Patel, members of the Academic Staff, our successful candidates, Distinguished Guests, members of Sister Organisations, Ladies and Gentlemen
Om Namo Narayanaya!

Ever since his return from India in 1953 till his passing away in 1965, the founder of our Centre, Sri Swami Nischalananda pioneered the course of Vedanta in Southern Africa and initiated a vigorous educational programme by way of lectures and literature to overcome the ignorance among the masses regarding Hinduism. Many Hindu organisations at the time were given an impetus and drew inspiration from the many ideas which Swami Nischalananda had introduced to educate the general Hindu population and others who came into contact with him.

The Ramakrishna Centre of  South Africa continues in this tradition till this day. The offering of the Certificate in Hindu Studies course by the Centre followed by the Certificate in Bhagavad Gita Studies, through distance and supported learning mode has put the study of our great Religious and Cultural heritage within easy reach of many who wanted to study this but who could find no structured programme to follow.

These courses provide a general overview of Hinduism, with its various components such as Hindu scriptures, philosophies, ethics, festivals, deities, symbolism and so on. The minimum duration of each of these programmes is one year, which is divided into two semesters. A written exam in conducted in each semester. Students are also assessed through assignments, a percentage of which contributes towards the final the final mark s for the course.

The cost of these courses has been subsidized by the Centre and includes textbooks, postages costs and examination fees. Students must be in possession of a Matric Certificate to enroll for the Certificate in Hindu Studies course. Admission may also be granted based on recognition of prior learning. The pre-requisite to enroll for the Certificate in Bhagavad Gita Studies is the Certificate in Hindu Studies.

A synopsis of the course is also given in the programme which you have in your possession.

We are beholden to Professor Swami Atmapriyananda, Vice Chancellor of the Vivekananda University, Kolkata for his guidance and blessings for our educational offerings. We also had the support of a highly qualified and competent staff with which we have managed the course.

Once again I am happy to note that the attitude and discipline with which students generally approached their studies made one feel proud. Both the courses were pitched at first year University level and required disciplined work on their part. Their commitment and the eagerness with which they did their work was evident in the quality of their assignments and in their written examinations…

We have looked into supplementing the course material for the Bhagavad Gita Studies to further assist students in understanding the many important concepts and topics covered in the Bhagavad Gita. An added feature in the 2009 Academic year will be self-study exercises for which solution guides will be sent to students. These exercises will be very focussed and will help broaden the students’ knowledge of the syllabus…

A distinguishing feature of our student population was that they represented a cross-section of the community and work force and included bank managers, educators, attorneys, doctors, social workers, accountants, pharmacists, physiotherapists, housewives, technicians and a host of other professions. Many indicated to us the normal pressure in the work environment; however most of the students persevered with their studies. A few of the original entrants had to discontinue or defer their studies due to work pressure, relocation difficulties and other reasons.

We are also striving to take the examination venues as close as possible to our students. This year exams were written at 10 venues throughout the country with the latest venue being Cape Town.

Examinations are written under strict exam conditions and compares with guidelines laid down by higher education institutions.

We are happy to announce that in the 2008 Academic year our students achieved a very high success rate. Of the 48 students who qualified to sit for the Hindu Studies exam, 46 students successfully completed the course giving us a 96% success rate. Of the 61 who qualified to sit for the Bhagavad Gita Studies exam, all students successfully completed the course.
(Ladies and gentlemen I think they deserve a hearty round of applause.)

A new course aimed at Sunday School Teachers is in the preparatory stages and will be offered in the 2010 Academic year. Details regarding this course will be made available during the course of this year.

We have also had enquiries from those not is possession of a Matric Certificate wanting to study courses in Hinduism. We have identified course material for such a course and work has commenced in putting this course together.

Once again, on behalf of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, I would like to extend our hearty congratulations to all students who successfully completed the Certificate in Hindu Studies course and the Certificate in Bhagavad Gita course. We trust that you will continue to enrich your lives with the study of Hinduism.

To see all the photos of the Graduation Ceremony held at HQ, just click on the below link that will take you to the picasa web album. There click ’slideshow’, then press F11 in your keyboard for Full screen view, relax and watch!

HQ Graduation Ceremony

To see all the photos of the Graduation Ceremony held at Ladysmith for the Northern Natal Graduates, just click on the below link that will take you to the picasa web album. There click ’slideshow’, then press F11 in your keyboard for Full screen view, relax and watch!

Northern Natal Graduation Ceremony

Certificates Award in HQ

The Certificates Award function held at HQ in Glen Anil had an interesting component. That was Vidyarthi homa. This is hawan performed by students.

Children’s Cultural Festival

Gurudevji training the children in yogasanas

Gurudevji training the children in cultural items

The great ‘Gurudev’ Swami Nischalanandaji Maharaj was born in Newcastle. At his birthplace, the Children’s Cultural festival of the Northern Natal was celebrating its Golden Jubilee this year. It was not an accident; neither was it planned. But it had come in due course bringing forth how much ‘Gurudev’ loved the children and how much more he was interested in instilling the spiritual values among them. Some of the old devotees still remember how Gurudev used to stand on hours together in training the children in performance of cultural items. He used to personally conduct Yoga Camps especially for children training them in correct postures through practice of yogasanas.

I was pleased to attend the Northern Natal Children’s Cultural Festival held at Newcastle Richview hall. Branches from Estcourt, Ladysmith, Newcastle, Glencoe and Dundee participated. The enthusiasm of the children was infectious, each one vying with one another, making efforts in excelling in whatever he/she did. The Festival was an occasion to bring out the best in the child. There were scintillating sketches, soul-filling songs, sterling speeches and delighting dances interspersed with inspiring quotes from the Holy Trio. While I gave the Key-note Address, brother Swami Saradaprabahanandaji gave the Concluding Address. Overall the time from 9 am to 4 pm was well spent in the company of the children. In spite of the inclement weather of speedy winds, the officials did a splendid job in organising the Festival at the venue.

Abiding spiritual values are taught to the children who attend our Sunday School classes. The parents have reported to me that they are immensely benefitted as they could see emergence of the wonderfully shaping of their children’s personality. In my previous post I gave a brief intro about the Sunday School classes and three slideshows on the Certificates Award function.

To see all the photos of the Festival, just click on the below link that will take you to the picasa web album. There click ’slideshow’, then relax and watch!    

Northern Natal Children’s Cultural Festival

====================================================