This year is special to the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna. It happens to be the 150th Birth Anniversary year of Sri Sarada Devi, the Shakti of Sri Ramakrishna. We are all blessed to have been given the opportunity to take part in the celebrations. Let us pray to the Mother for her grace and for the welfare of all.

The twin objectives of the celebrations are:-

1. Mother’s life exemplified how to live peacefully with ourselves, our neigbhours and with everyone, irrespective of caste, religion or nationality. Peace is what everyone is hankering after in this strife torn world. Hence we should spread the life and message of Mother to more and more people.

2. To put in place some permanent service activity in our locality or neighbourhood, especially for the welfare of helpless women and the poor.

Keeping these in mind, following programmes were held.

A Ratham with Mother’s image has already started for Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry from Chennai on November 12 and will return on December 9 covering a distance of nearly 3500 kms. Grand reception with public meeting are being accorded to Mother at different places. Public functions conveying Mother’s life and message through talks, dramas, competitions, video shows are being arranged.

In a van following the Ratham our publications, mainly on Mother, are available for sales.

During the period of 28 days when the Ratham visits interior Tamil Nadu, functions are being arranged at various localities in and around Chennai.

There are programmes in schools, colleges and in public places in Chennai.

Ratham will be taken to rural and back-ward areas in and around Chennai during Dec. 12-15. Functions will be arranged there.

On its return from the Tamilnadu visit, the Ratham will be brought to the Math. Celebrations are planned for four days at the Math. Ratham will be taken to rural and backward areas in and around Chennai.

During these days Sahasranama archana, Thiruvilakku puja, Parayana or Group- reading of Mother’s life and gospel will be arranged. In the evenings there will be seminars, discourses and cultural programmes.

On the Mother’s Jayanti day, Special puja and Homa will take place in the forenoon followed by Prasad Distribution. The celebrations come to a close with a well-publicized public meeting with talks by eminent persons in the evening.

Our participation should not end with mere celebrations. Rather, we should take this opportunity to commence a noble endeavour in Mother’s name.

- Organize a group in the name of Mother and meet at least once a week. Read her ennobling life and message. Do archana, meditation, Bhajan and deepa-aradhana. This will give you spiritual strength as well.

- Reach Her life and message to at least two people who do not know about Her, every week.

- Mother will be all the more happy and pleased if Her needy, poor, and destitute children are helped. Start some schemes such as helping the poor students by conducting free tuition centres in villages, providing free books, notebooks and cost of higher education. Annadana also can be arranged.

- Mother stood for the education and upliftment of women. Hence start programmes for women such as Training in Nursing, Nursing Assistance, Tailoring etc and help them get jobs and to stand on their own feet.

Rathotsava will start from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, with special puja, homa, archana and sincere prayers of all of us. It is needless to say that the Mother Herself will be present in the Ratham to bless us all, her beloved children. So, gather in large numbers to welcome Her and receive Her blessings.

Sri Sarada Devi Pidi Arisi Yojana : Remembering Mother, take a handful of rice from the daily quota for cooking and collect it in a separate bag kept for the purpose. The rice so collected can be used for feeding the poor during Rathotsava, Mother’s Jayanti or distribution in times of drought etc.

Sarada Mahalir Suya Thozhil Mandram : (Sri Sarada Devi women’s self-help groups) can be started where poor women can be taught to make and sell things like pickles, vadagam, dhoopsticks, soap etc.

Sarada Ganga : Deep bore well / tank with tap can be installed in villages where water scarcity exists. Name it “Sarada Ganga”.

Visit local hospitals and give the patients kumkum prasad, fruits, biscuits etc and inform them that Mother is with them.

Distribute Math’s special publications on Mother to everyone you know and to those in your locality; especially in schools / colleges, banks and industries.

Install Mother’s photograph in Prayer halls of local schools, colleges, hospitals etc. Photos printed for this purpose are available in the Math.

Arrange Competitions in essay-writing, elocution, debate etc in schools and colleges on the life and message of Mother.

Contact the nearest centre in the name of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda and join yourself in their activities.

Take part in the celebrations at Chennai in large numbers.

Donate liberally. Inspire others to donate. Donations are exempted from Income Tax under section 80-G. All donations may be sent to the Math in the name of “Mother's Celebration, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai”.