After knowing about the activities of Ramakrishna Mission from Swami Nikhilananda in 1924, Maharaja Shri Natwarsinghji of Porbandar was very much impressed and wrote an appreciation letter on 20th August 1924. He also donated an amount of Rs. 20,000/- for charitable dispensary of Advaita Ashrama, Mayawati and expressed his desire that a branch centre of Ramakrishna Mission should be started in Porbandar and had assured all possible help in this regard. After visiting many prominent towns of Kathiawad like Morbi, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Limbdi, etc., Rajkot was finally selected as place that would be the most central and suitable.
The Maharaja Saheb of Morbi, Shri Lukhdhirji Jadeja spent a thousand rupees over repairs of old Rest House in Civil Station, Rajkot and offered the same for the temporary use of the Ashrama. Thakore Saheb Shri Lakhajiraj of Rajkot later donated five hundred rupees for the maintenance of the Ashrama and promised for more help if necessary.
Mr. Harishankar N. Pandya, Pleader along with Sri C. N. Shroff, Diwan and other leading public men of Rajkot collected funds for maintenance of the Ashrama and requested the authorities of the Order at Belur Math to start the centre without delay. Accordingly, Swami Madhavanandaji accompanied by Swami Vividishanandaji and Swami Bhaveshanandaji came to Rajkot in February, 1927. Swami Vividishanandaji was put in charge, and Swami Bhaveshanandaji was to assist him in conducting the work. In this way, opening ceremony of the new Ashrama took place on 5 March, 1927, the auspicious birthday of Sri Ramakrishna. It was really a day of consecration and joy. Later, in 1927, the Ashrama started a small library with about 2000 books. In 1928, the Ashrama began its publication activity and ‘Ramnam Sankirtan’ was the first book to be published.
In February 1931, Swami Shuddhanandaji Maharaj, General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Mission visited the Ashrama. In September 1931, the Ashrama purchased 4000 sq. yards of land at its present site. In the same year, the digging work of a well was begun. In March 1932, Swami Sarvanandaji Maharaj laid the foundation stone for construction of the Ashrama buildings.
In September 1932, a hostel for students named ‘Vivekananda Vidyarthi Bhavan’ was started. Regular Values-education sessions were conducted since its inception till the middle of 1932.
In January 1933, the Ashrama was sanctified by the visit of Srimat Swami Vijnananandaji Maharaj, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and fourth president of Ramakrishna Order. The construction of the Ashrama began in March 1934. Two more pieces of lands were purchased.
On 5th October, 1935, (Durga-Ashtami Day) the Ashrama was shifted to its new premises at its present site.
In 1935-36, a small monks’ quarters with three rooms, a kitchen and store building, tube-well cum bathing place, and a cow-shed were built after which three rooms which served as an office building were built. The new dispensary building known as ‘The Ramakrishna Centenary Memorial Dispensary’ was inaugurated by Swami Sarvanandaji Maharaj on 15 February, 1937. Later on Vaidya Shri Gijubhai Shastri of Gondal and Dr. D.N. Dholakia (allopathy) started giving their regular services.
With a view to provide man-making education as envisaged by Swami Vivekananda, an English medium residential school ‘Vivekananda Gurukul’ was started in June 1939. The construction of a dormitory hall was then done for students. Later, with an increase in students, a bigger hall was constructed and inaugurated in 1940.
On 11 December, 1943, new temple with big portrait of Sri Ramakrishna painted by Sri Karunashankar Joshi in 1935 and a newly sculptured marble statue of Sri Ramakrishna were consecrated in the new shrine. On 8 June, 1944, the Ashrama purchased 15,000 sq. yards, of land for future expansion of its activities at a token rate of eight annas per sq. yard.
During the period 1945 to 1966, under the charge of Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj, several books in Gujarati were published which included ‘Sri Ma Sarada (short life)’, ‘Sri Ramakrishna Lilaprasanga – III, IV and V’, ‘Stotra Sangraha’, ‘Swami Shivananda-Jivan ane Karya’, books on Swami Vivekananda like ‘Kelavani’, ‘Veervani’, ‘Bahenone’, ‘Bharatne’, etc. The translation of ‘Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita’ and ‘The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanada’ was taken up during this period.
By financial assistance received from Govt. of India, a two storied new library building was inaugurated on 14 October, 1955 by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the then Vice-President of India.
The new spacious building of dispensary was inaugurated on 28th September, 1960 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The new hostel building named ‘Shri Ramakrishna Vidyarthi Mandir’ was inaugurated in 1962 where it stands today.
On 7 November, 1965, Swami Bhuteshanandaji placed the holy relics of Sri Ramakrishna in the shrine. In March 1966, Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj found the small existing temple to be insufficient for a large number of devotees. Due to benevolence of the generous public, nearly Rupees seven lacs were collected for the construction of the new temple when Swami Vireswaranandaji Maharaj finally laid the foundation stone on 16 August, 1971. On 6 April, 1979, the new temple was inaugurated by Swami Vireswaranandaji Maharaj. Along with that, a Souvenir of 425 pages, a postal stamp and postal cover were also released.
In 1985, Govt. of India declared 12th January (Swami Vivekananda’s Birthday according to English Calendar) as the National Youth Day. Since then, the Ashrama has been observing this day in a befitting manner by organizing Youth Conventions, Seminars, and processions all over Gujarat with active participation of large number of youths. The 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna (1986) and the Centenary of the Ramakrishna Order of monks (1986) were celebrated by the Ashrama in 1986-87.
Another important milestone in the history of the Ashrama was the starting of a Gujarati monthly periodical ‘Shri Ramakrishna Jyot’ from 13th April 1989.
A new dispensary building was inaugurated on 28th January, 1990 by Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj. On 20th November, 1992, Swami Vivekananda Paribhraman Shatabdi Bhavan (rebuilt at the site of old library building) whose foundation was laid by Srimat Swami Bhuteshanandaji on 7th December, 1991 was inaugurated on 20th November, 1992 by Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj, Vice President, Ramakrishna Math and Mission.
The Centenary of Swami Vivekananda’s participation in the Chicago Parliament of Religions was celebrated on a large scale during 1993-94 in two phases on 11th September, 1993 in collaboration with Saurashtra University and Rajkot Municipal Corporation. One lakh sixty thousand books were published in Gujarati for free distribution among youth all over Gujarat between 1991 and 1995.
Since 7th March, 1993, the Ashrama has taken up a Rural Development Programme named ‘Sri Ramakrishna Seva Samiti’. Every Sunday, doctors, nurses, volunteers and teachers go to nearby villages in a Medical Van kindly donated by I.O.C. The first meeting of ‘Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Bhava Prachar Parshad, Gujarat’ which included Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Bhuj and Valsad as promoter centres was held on 13th February, 1994.
On 11th December, 2001, Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj inaugurated the new ‘Value Education Centre’ in Swami Vivekananda Gujarat Paribhraman Smriti Bhavan.
The building known as VIVEC (Vivekananda Institute for Values Education & Culture) Hall was inaugurated on 9th February, 2004 by Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj after which various events are being held till today in the VIVEC Hall.
Flood Relief and Rehabilitation were carried out various times starting from March 1927 to February 1928 in Baroda and British territories, built houses in various districts of Rajkot like Majevadi, Vada Simdi, Arabtimbdi, etc. during 1960-61, Surat Flood Relief in 1968-69, Morbi Flood in 1979-81 and so on. Earthquake reliefs was carried out after the 21st July, 1956 earthquake around Anjar (Kutch), and after 26th January, 2001 earthquake in majority places of Gujarat. Other relief works were also carried out in disastrous situations at various places in Gujarat.
Present activities of Ashrama
Shri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Rajkot is a branch centre of the worldwide spiritual and philanthropic twin organization called ‘Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission’ offering its services to the people of Gujarat irrespective of caste and creed since 1927 through various spiritual, cultural, educational, medical, relief and rehabilitation, and other welfare activities with the ideal ‘Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva’ (Service to Man is Service to God). Following are the list of activities presently performed by the Ashrama.
1. The Publication Department: In order to spread the ideas and ideals of Sanatana Dharma as manifested in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ma Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, the Ashrama has published more than 244 titles in Gujarati.
2. The Ashrama also publishes the Gujarati monthly journal ‘Shri Ramakrishna Jyot’ since April, 1989.
3. Vivekananda Book World: It houses books published by the Ramakrishna Order in various languages like Gujarati, English, Hindi, Bengali, etc. DVDs, posters and other articles are also available for sale at reasonable prices.
4. Library: The library has about 30000 books on various topics and it also receives about 250 journals. The working days are Tuesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
5. Vivekananda Children’s Library and Development Centre (for children of 3 to 13 years): It has a library of toys, CDs, DVDs, books for children. It also conducts regular programmes to instil eternal values of the spiritual culture of India among the little children who are future of Nation.
6. Vivekananda Institute of Value Education & Culture (VIVEC): Various programmes are conducted for the students, teachers, devotees and the general public to preserve and propagate the spiritual and cultural heritage of India. Student oriented programmes are also conducted in various educational institutions that teach them prayer, meditation and ways to improve their concentration and self-confidence.
7. Vivekananda Study Room: Study facilities are available in VIVEC for male students pursuing higher studies in the calm and serene atmosphere of the Ashrama.
8. Shri Ramakrishna Vidyarthi Bhavan: It offers hostel facilities to meritorious male students from weak financial background and willing to pursue higher studies.
9. Swami Vivekananda Jayanti Competition for students: Thousands of students of Rajkot city participate in various competitions on recitation, elocution, drawing, patriotic group songs, etc. that are organized annually to commemorate Swami Vivekananda Jayanti.
10. Mobile Book Stall: It takes the literature of the Ashrama to remote villages and educational institutions for exhibition and sale, as a part of value education activity.
11. Relief activities: The Ashrama also conducts various relief activities in times of natural disasters like flood, drought, earthquake etc.
12. Medical activities: The Ashrama has a well-equipped medical centre that offers treatment in homeopathy, ayurveda, physiotherapy, cerebral palsy, dental and eye care at very reasonable rates. The Eye Care Centre also arranges free eye camps for the poor. The Eye hospital and the Cerebral Palsy Centre have become very popular for their extra-ordinary dedicated service.
13. Mobile Medical Dispensary: Every Sunday, under the banner of Shri Ramakrishna Seva Samiti, doctors with paramedical staff and volunteers along with teachers go to nearby villages in a Medical Van. Prescription and medicines are given free of cost. Near about 100 patients are treated on each visit. After the primary medical care, the poor and needy patients are offered further treatment, through other medical services of the Ashrama like eye-care, physiotherapy etc.
14. Rural Development Activities: The Ashrama conducts various spiritual, cultural, educational and welfare activities for the rural people in Bhuj, Adipur, Upleta, Dhaneti, etc like retreats for spiritual aspirants, value oriented activities for youth, free coaching classes for poor students, vocational training centres for poor women, free distribution of ration kits to the destitute, etc.
Contact details :
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Memorial
Opp. Duleep Cricket School, Swami Vivekananda Marg,
Porbandar – 360 575. Phone: 2242231, 2243688
Email: info@rkmvm.com
Website: www.rkmvm.com
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