A Report on the Consecration Ceremony of
the Universal Temple Dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna

Monday, 7 February, 2000, was the 'red letter day' in the history of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, when the consecration of the newly constructed grand Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna was done by Srimat Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj, the President of the Ramakrishna Order.

The whole Math had a totally transformed look, not merely due to the imposing, serene and lovely newly built temple, but also because of the artistic doorway, the new office block and the huge pandal vast enough to accommodate the three thousand odd people who assembled there from all over India and abroad to participate in the consecration ceremony.

The ceremony began on the 5th evening with melodious Nadaswaram, followed by Vedic Chanting by Swami Devarupananda and other monks. Next, there was Tamil chanting by odhuvars of Sri Kapaliswara Temple, Mylapore. Swami Abhiramananda later sang Bhajans. At 5:30 PM, a public meeting was held, presided over by Swami Gahanananda, Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. He also released the souvenir published to commemorate the auspicious occasion and the subsidized red letter editions of The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and three volumes of Sri Ramakrishnarin Amuda Mozhigal (Tamil).

A booklet by the chief architect Mr. G. Venakataramana Reddy on the Universal Temple and a CD on Personality Development prepared by RIMSE, Mysore were also released. The talk in Tamil by Swami Smaranananda, the General Secretary of the Math and Mission, was followed by the benedictory speech of Swami Gahanananada. The day's celebrations ended with a music concert by Smt. Vani Jayaram, the noted singer, which created an appropriate mood for the forthcoming event.

Next day, the 6th, began with the welcome notes of Nadaswaram early in the morning, Suprabhatam and other bhajans in the old shrine. The highlight of the day's celebration was the Sadhu Sammelan in which eleven distinguished heads of Hindu monastic denominations from South India participated and expressed their views about Hinduism, its universal dimensions, and the Divinity of Sri Ramakrishna. This was followed by bhajans by Dr. Seerkazhi Siva-chidambaram and in the afternoon, a Tamil folk concert called Villupattu on Sri Ramakrishna, was presented by Sri Subbu Arumugam and party. Sri Krishnamurthy, editor Dinamalar, delivered a talk in Tamil.

The public meeting at 5:00 PM was presided over by Swami Atmasthananda, Vice-President of the Order. Swami Prabhananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta, Dr.N.Mahalingam of Shakti group of Companies and Sri S.Vedantam of Vishwa Hindu Parishad addressed the gathering. Mrs.Sudha Raghunath, the noted singer, gave a music concert in the night.

Then dawned the long awaited day: 7th February. At 6:30 AM, the pictures of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and Swami Brahmananda together with the holy relics were carried in a grand procession of approximately 500 assembled monks from the old temple to the new temple. The Vedic Chanting party led the procession. Swami Ranganathananda marched in the procession which circumambulated the new temple three times. The photos were followed by sadhus bearing flags and singing devotional songs. Devotees in large numbers witnessed the procession from the sides. Soon after Swami Ranganathananda consecrated and declared open the temple by offering arghya to Sri Ramakrishna. This was followed by elaborate worship, homa, etc. for Prana Pratistha, invoking the live presence of Sri Ramakrishna, into the image.

At the auspicious muhurtam, between 9:05 and 10:00 AM, the Maha Kumbhabhishekam--pouring the holy waters on the vimanam, the top of the main dome--was performed by the Shivacharyas of the Kapaliswara temple, Chennai.

For a few seconds during the ceremony there was a gentle shower and a kite was seen hovering over the Gopuram. Both are considered to be auspicious signs.

Prasad was distributed to the huge concourse of devotees from far and near attending the function and also to the general public approximately 20,000 people partook the prasad.

At 4:30 PM, a public meeting was held, in which a kumbhabhishekam postal special cover was released by Sri S. Jayaraman, the Chief Post Master General of Tamil Nadu. He also presented an elegant special cover album to Swami Ranganathananda.

8th February was celebrated as the Religious Harmony Day and an inter-religious convention was held in the morning. Representatives of Neo-Vedanta, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Christianity and Islam spoke thought-provokingly. In the afternoon, from 4:00 PM onwards, another meeting was held, which was presided over by Swami Swahananda, Minister, Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hollywood, USA. Among the speakers were Swami Bhaskarananda of the Vedanta Society of Western Washington, USA, Swami Gokulananda of New Delhi and Sri Nalli Kuppuswami. The expert architects--Mr.Venkataramana Reddy and others--who had achieved the remarkable feat of constructing this picturesque and beautiful temple in such a short time, were honoured by the presentation of momentos. The day's proceedings came to a close with a musical concert by the famous vocalist, Sri Unnikrishnan.

9th February, Wednesday, was appropriately named Sri Ramakrishna day, as the Great Master was born on a Wednesday. The public meeting held at 4:30 PM was presided over by Swami Atmaramananda. Swami Dayatmananda, Bharat Ratna Sri C.Subramanian and Swami Atmaghanananda addressed the gathering. At night, after the arati, Shiva Tandava and Sri Ramakrishna Leela Geeti dance was staged by a dance group from Hyderabad.

10th February was Sri Sarada Devi day. The public meeting was presided over by Swami Shakrananda of Thrissur Ramakrishna Math. Pravrajika Amalaprana, the General Secretary of Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar, Calcutta, Dr.Laxmikumari of the Vivekananda Kendra, Smt. Soundara Kailasam and Smt. Manjula Ramesh addressed the gathering. Varijashree Venugopal, child prodigy from Bangalore, gave a music concert after the arati.

On 11th February, Swami Vivekananda day, the public meeting was presided over by Swami Gautamananda, and the speakers included Swami Atmapriyananda, Sri Cho Ramaswamy, editor Tuglak, Swami Shantatmananda and Sri Suryanarayana Rao. Sri Pithukuli Murugadas sang bhajans after the arati.

On 12th February, Swami Ramakrishnananda day, the public meeting was presided over by Swami Tanmayananda. Sri Rameshram Mishra IAS, Swami Kamalatmananda and Swami Yuktatmananda addressed the gathering. The noted singer Sri Rajkumar Bharathi rendered a music concert in the end.

On 13 February the eight-day-long celebrations were crowned by narayana seva--the service of God in the best temple, the human body--by sumptuously feeding over 6000 poor--Narayanas--from the nearby slums.

More than four hundred monks and brahmacharins from the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission centres from India and abroad, as also monks and nuns belonging to other denominations, participated in the celebrations. The number of devotees attending the functions as delegates was 3000, arrangement for whose stay was made at 17 nearby kalyana mandapams and 20 hotels and lodges.

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, also arranged three trips for the monks who had come from out-stations to attend the function -- (i) to Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and Madurai, (ii) to Kanchipuram, Malliankaranai and Chengalpattu, and (iii) to Tirupati. 250 monks availed of this opportunity.

Thus was rounded off the navaratri utsav (nine-days' celebration) of the consecration of the nava (new) Universal Temple dedicated to the Avataravarishta, Sri Ramakrishna. Chennai, famous for its ancient temples, can now be proud of this latest prodigy of holiness which artistically mingles tradition with modernity. It stands for the harmony of faiths carved in granite.