RAMAKRISHNA MATH AND RAMAKRISHNA MISSION

RELIEF BULLETIN

(Issued by the General Secretary from the Headquarters, Belur Math)

A BRIEF REPORT AS ON 1 MARCH 2003

1. Tamilnadu Drought Relief: Chennai Math distributed 18kg of rice per family to 1360 drought-affected families of Tanjore, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts last month.

2. Karnataka Drought Relief: Ulsoor Math is providing fodder for 140 head of cattle at Gulati Kaval and Muninagar villages in Bangalore Rural district affected by drought. A water tank for the cattle has also been built at Gulati Kaval village. The relief work will be gradually extended to cover the other drought-affected areas also.

3. Winter Relief: The following branch centers distributed blankets and warm garments among the poor people affected by winter.

Indore: 271 warm garments; Karimganj: 309 blankets; Krishnapur: 367 warm garments.

Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation: Swami Atmasthanandaji, a Vice-President of the Order, inaugurated a colony of 50 new earthquake-resistant houses at Tumbda (Bokhira-Porbandar) and handed over the houses to the beneficiaries on 23 February. Government officials, prominent citizens and a large number of people of the locality attended the public meeting organized on this occasion. The houses had been built through Porbandar centre.

The progress report of the construction of houses and schools by the rehabilitation camps directly under the Headquarters and through our centres in Gujarat is as follows:

Houses

Schools

The total cost of the Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation Project is nearly Rs. 16.85 crore.

1. Agartala and Kanpur centres celebrated the National Youth Day (12 January) with processions, speeches, Cultural competitions and prize-distribution.

2. Orissa School & Mass Education Minister Sri Surendra Nath Nayak visited Bhubhaneswar Ashrama on 29 January and participated in its school annual function.

3. Swami Gahananandaji, a vice-president of the order dedicated a new marble image of Sri Ramakrishna at Thrissur Math temple on 3 February, the sacred birthday of Srimad Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj. He also gave a short benedictory address in the public meeting organized on this occasion.

4. Varanasi Advaita Ashrama, celebrated its centenary from 3 to 6 February. On the inaugural day, Swami Atmasthanandaji, a vice-president of the order, gave a beneditory address and released the book Shatavarsher Duti Phul brought out on the occasion. The General Secretary presided over the meeting and released the book Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, Varanasi-One Hundred Years (1902-2002).

Karnataka Governor Sri T.N. Chaturvedi visited New Delhi centre on 6 February.

6. Swami Atmasthanandaji, a vice-president of the order, unveiled a newly installed marble statue of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and a new bronze statue of Swamiji at Varanasi Home of Service on 7 February.

7. Arunachal Pradesh Governor Sri Arvind Dave visited Narottam Nagar centre on 10 February and participated in a Value Education camp organized by the Ashrama.

8. Allahabad centre organized a medical camp and an exhibition on Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji at Triveni Sangam on the occasion of Magh Mela from 16 January to 16 February. About 16,000 patients were treated at the medical camp and nearly one lakh people saw the exhibition.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Sri Vishnukant Shastri visited Lucknow Ashrama on 18 February and participated in the 33rd dedication day ceremony of Vivekananda Polyclinic.

On 20 February the General Secretary distributed spectacles to 131 poor patients who had undergone operation for cataract at the 21st free eye-operation camp held at Kamarpukur from 16 to 18 November.