By Radhika Nagrath
Haridwar, 21 Jan: The 163rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the ideal of the world’s youth, was celebrated with religious fervour at the Ramakrishna Mission Sevashram, Kankhal. On this occasion, ‘Rogi Narayan Seva’ was observed by applying Tilak (vermillion) on the forehead of all the patients admitted in Ramakrishna Mission Hospital, floral garlands were offered to them and fruits were distributed. In the Sevashram Temple, Yajna and Mangal Aarti were organised.
The seers, doctors and other staff members of the Mission wished for the speedy recovery of the ailing patients. The atmosphere became emotional during the Rogi Narayan Seva programme, when the seers and doctors affectionately greeted one of the oldest volunteers, 92-year-old Prabhat Banerjee, admitted in the ICU by garlanding and applying tilak on him and presented him fruits as prasad.
It is noteworthy that Prabhat Banerjee was initiated by Swami Veereshwarananda, the tenth president of Ramakrishna Math Mission, who is a direct disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa’s holy consort Sarada Maa. Prabhat Banerjee’s father’s brother was also a seer, whose virtuous qualities he has inherited.
Doctor Swami Dayamurtyananda, Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashram, Kankhal, said that Swami Vivekananda is an ideal for the youth. His call of ‘Nar Seva Narayan Seva’ has propagated the tradition of serving patients by considering them as God in the whole world. Service to humankind is service to God.
He said that according to the Hindu lunar calendar, Swami Vivekananda was born in Bengal on the Saptami Tithi of Krishna Paksha of Magh month and on this day Swami Ji’s birthday is celebrated in the Mission’s ashrams and hospitals all over the world. He inspired everyone to adopt Swami Vivekananda’s ideals of sacrifice and renunciation.
Devotional chants were presented by musician Sunil Mukherjee.
On this occasion, Swami Umeshwaranand Manju Maharaj, Swami Kamalakantanand Maharaj, Swami Jagdish Maharaj, Senior Doctor Dr Samarjit Chaudhary, Dr Deepak, Mini Yohanan, Gokul Singh, Amarjeet, Sudhir, Sachin, Rahul, Shyamal, P Krishnamurthy, Dr Arunima, Dr Madhu Shah, Dr Deepak, Dr Kusum Walia and others were present at the Prayer Meeting.
