About Us
Ramakrishna Mission, Kalyani, is a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897. The Ramakrishna Mission along with its twin organization Ramakrishna Math has its Headquarters at Post Office Belur Math, District Howrah, West Bengal. The branch centre in Kalyani began its journey as Sri Sri Ramakrishna Seva Sangha in the year 1968. Since its inception, the Ashrama has rendered spiritual and charitable services to the people of Kalyani following the ideals of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda. The Seva Sangha was affiliated to the Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, and a branch of the Ramakrishna Mission was started on the auspicious Ratha Yatra day in 2023 (Tuesday, 20 June).
Motto
Ātmāno mokṣārthaṃ jagata hitāya ca “For one’s own salvation and for the welfare of the world”. Formulated by Swami Vivekananda, the motto of the Ramakrishna Mission unifies the spiritual aspiration to realize the true Self and the loving concern for the welfare of humanity expressed through selfless service.
Ideology
The Ramakrishna Mission is supported by a comprehensive ideology that is based on the eternal truths of Vedanta, which are non-sectarian, and universal, foster harmony and peace, and enable people to transcend their human limitations and sufferings and attain peace and blessedness.
Some of the basic tenets of our ideology are as follows:
- Realization of the Ultimate Reality is the true goal of life, for that alone can give us everlasting fulfilment and peace.
- The Ultimate Reality or Brahman is immanent in all beings as the Atman, which is one’s true self.
- All different religions lead to the Ultimate Reality provided they are practised with earnestness.
- The practice of religion is known as Yoga, and it is mainly of four types: Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Karma Yoga.
The above tenets of Vedanta have been preserved and strengthened by countless illumined sages and saints in India for millennia. In modern times, Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda through their sublime lives once again proved the validity and showed how they can be practiced by people of all countries and climes.
Emblem
The Emblem of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission shown here was designed by Swami Vivekananda himself.
In the Emblem, the wavy waters represent Karma Yoga; the lotus flower represents Bhakti Yoga; the rising sun represents Jnana Yoga; the coiled serpent represents Raja Yoga; the Swan represents the Supreme Self. The meaning of the ensemble is: by the combined practice of all the four Yogas the Supreme Self is realized.
Origin & Development
The devotees of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda in Kalyani wished to start an association following the ideals of the Holy Trio. Their eagerness, sincerity, and united efforts led to the formation of Sri Sri Ramakrishna Seva Sangha in a rented house of Sri Nishapati Nag at B-12, Kalyani.
After a few months, the activities of the Seva Sangha were shifted to Sri Nripendra Kumar Datta’s house at B-10/282, Kalyani. This arrangement continued until 1975. Swami Sambuddhananda Maharaj, a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, blessed the first-anniversary celebration of the Seva Sangha with his presence.
With the blessings from Swami Vireshwarananda Maharaj, the tenth President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, the Seva Sangha was registered on 22 August 1970 under the West Bengal Society Registration Act. Sri Naresh Chandra Gupta became the first President and Sri Nishapati Nag, the first Secretary of the Seva Sangha. The membership subscription was only fifty paise per month.
During the period—1975–77, the activities of the Seva Sangha were held at the houses of the devotees. Most of the time the weekly Pathachakra sessions were conducted in the house named Jahajbari at Kalyani.
With the permission of the State Government, 20 kathas of land from a plot stretching 60 kathas adjacent to the number 2 market at B Block was purchased. Construction work of a small Prayer Hall began on 22 February 1977. The Prayer Hall was completed on 15 January 1978 and it was inaugurated by Swami Lokeshwarananda Maharaj, Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Gol Park, Kolkata.
The growth of the Seva Sangha in the following years was made possible by the selfless contribution of several devotees and well-wishers. Sri Tapan Kumar Mukherjee bore the cost of the construction of a building and boundary wall. Sri Atul Chandra Maity contributed towards the construction of two rooms in memory of his beloved son. Both the constructions were done on the eastern side of the premises.
On 1 May 1989, Swami Gahanananda Maharaj, the then General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, constituted an association named ‘Nadia Zilla Ramakrishna–Vivekananda Bhava Pracher Parishad’, which was subsequently declared as ‘Madhya Banga Bhava Prachar Parishad’.
Sri Prasanta Sur, Hon’ble Minister of Urban Development, Government of West Bengal, sanctioned another thirty-six kathas of land on the plot in favour of the Seva Sangha.
On 16 June 1993, Swami Gahanananda Maharaj, the then Vice-President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, laid the foundation stone for the proposed Sri Ramakrishna Temple. The plan was prepared by M/s Bhattacherjee Associates, Kolkata, and the estimated cost was Rs 60 -70 lakh. The construction work could not be started immediately due to paucity of funds. On 16 December 2003, the sacred birthday of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, the construction work began and it took almost 15 years to complete.
Sri Kanti Bhusan Bhaumik, a renowned Structural Engineer (formerly Kalyani University Engineer); Sri Swapan Kumar Acharya, the Convener of the Technical Committee of the Temple; and Sri Kanti Bhaumik supervised the construction work and offered their valuable suggestions. About one crore rupees was spent to complete the Temple. The entire amount was collected from the devotees and the well-wishers. The marble image of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna was made under the supervision of Swami Vishwamayananda, Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Sargachhi.
On 27 March 2016, the auspicious birthday of Srimat Swami Yogananda Maharaj, the newly constructed Sri Ramakrishna Temple was consecrated by Swami Vagishananda Maharaj, the then Vice-President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. On the same day, an auditorium named, ‘Vivekananda Sabha Griha’ was also inaugurated for conducting religious and cultural programmes, and youth-related activities.
Swami Suvirananda Maharaj, General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, inaugurated the Sadhu Nivas on 17 February 2019.
On 31 May 2019, the foundation stone for a three-storied building for a dispensary, guest house, and students’ hostel was laid by Swami Divyananda Maharaj, Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, Belur. The ground floor was completed and put into use as a charitable dispensary. Two more floors remain to be constructed.
Sri Sri Ramakrishna Seva Sangha, Kalyani, became a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission on Tuesday, 20 June 2023, the auspicious Ratha Yatra day. Swami Durganathananda took charge as the first Secretary of this new branch of the Ramakrishna Mission.
