CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF SWAMI VIVEKANAND'S VISIT TO GUJARAT
Before going to America in 1893, Swami Vivekananda travelled all over India. During hiswanderings Swamiji spent many months In Gujarat. In order to celebrate this historic occasion, various activities were carried out all over Gujarat. Public meetings were held in Baroda, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bhavan9gar, Junagadh, Bhuj, Adipur, Valsad, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Limbdi, Anand, Rajkot, etc.
Major celebrations took place at Rajkot from 20th to 23rd November, 1992 in which a large number of devotees and friends participated, apart from 40 monks, many of them being ex-workers of Rajkot.
On 20th Nov.1992, Swami Vivekananda Paribhraman Shatabdi Bhavan (rebuilt at the site of the old library building) was inaugurated by Shrimat Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj, Vice President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. A permanent Exhibition of paintings and pictures on Indian culture, Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Movement was also inaugurated by him.
A seminar on 'Swami Vivekananada and Education Today'. was held on 21st Nov. in which 350 teachers participated. A meeting of non-affiliated centres of Gujarat, was held on the 21st Nov. It was presided over by Shrimat Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj. A public meeting was held and a Youth Meet was organised. On the same evening a Seminar on 'Swami Vivekananda and Social Service' was held, presided over by Shrimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj.
A public meeting was held on 22nd evening presided over by Shrimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj.
A grand colourful procession with 11 attractive floats was taken out on the 23rd Nov. In the important parts of Raikot city in which about 3000 youths, 500 devotees and 40  monks participated.
On the 21st evening a public meet was held presided over by Shrimat Swami Lokeswaranandaji Maharaj.
On the 23rd Nov. a public meeting was held presided over by Shrimat Swami Atmasthanandail Maharaj in which Dr. Sarup Singh, Governer of Gujarat released the Commemorative Souvenir. On the same evening eminent citizens of Rajkot paid their tributes to Swami Vivekananda. A prize distribution ceremony to felicitate brilliant students was also held on the same evening, presided by Shri Kantisen Shroff, Managing Director of Excel Industries Ltd.
Shrimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, Shrimat Swami Lokeswaranandaji Maharaj Swami Sridharanandaji Maharaj, Swami Someshwaranandaji, Swami Nikhilatmanandaji, Swami  Pitambaranandaii, Swami Medhasanandaji, Swami Prapannanandaji (USA),Swami Shuddharupanandaji, Swami Atmadevanandaji. Swami Adibhavanandaji (Fiji) and many other eminent scholars spoke on the above occasions. Cultural programmes dramas and Bhagavata katha by Shri Rameshbhai Oza were also organised during those days.
A Seminar on 'Indian Ethos in Management' was organised from 27th to 29th Sept. 1991 at Raikot. Prof. S. K. Chakravarty of IIM Calcutta, Amol Karnad, Chairman of Alcrit Foundation, Dr. N. H. Athreya, Director, MMC School of Management Bombay and many other eminent experts participated.
A Seminar on 'Indianisation of Education' was held at Raikot on 7th and 8th Sept. 91 in which 278 teachers from all over Gujarat participated. Shri yashwantbhai Shukla, Dr. Bholabhai Patel, Dr. Dhirubhai Parikh, Shri Krantibhai Joshi, Shri Keshavalal Shastri and many other eminent scholars spoke.
A Seminar on 'Value Oriented Education was held on the 9th* August 1992 at Raikot in which 350 teachers participated. It was inaugurated by Shri yashwantbhai Shukla. Shri Sitanshu Mehta, the then Vice Chancellor of Saurashtra university and many other scholars and monks also spoke.
A 'Nari Samelan' was held on the 10th May, 1993, at Raikot. It was inaugurated by Shri Jayesh Desai, Vice Chancellor of Saurashtra University. Dr. Lataben Desai of SEWA RURAL, Jhagadia, Jyotiben Thanki Lecturer, Gurukul college1 Porbandar and many other scholars and monks addressed a large number of women participants.
A Seminar on Education was held on the 11th May, 1993, at Rajkot. It was Inaugurated by Dr. Dilavarsingh Jadeja, Vice Chancellor of Vallabh Vidyanagar University. Swami Pitambaranandaji, Swami Someshwaranandaji, Shri Krantibhai Joshi, Shri Keshavalal Shastri and others spoke.
Apart from the above, many seminars, youth conventions, public meetings were held to celebrate this Centenary by various non-affiliated centres all over Gujarat in which monks of the Ashrama spoke.
 
CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF SWAMI VIVEKANAND'S PARTICIPATIONIN THE CHICAGO PARLIAMENT OF RELIGIONS
In order to celebrate this historic event, a public meeting was held on 11th Sept. 1993, at Rajkot, in collaboration with Saurashtra University & Rajkot Municipal corporation.On the same morning, a colourful procession led by Vice Chancellor of Saurashtra university, Mayor of Rajkot Municipal Corporation was taken out round the city through a 7km road in which 5000 youths participated.
114 delegates from Rajkot participated in the Parliament Religions held at Calcutta on 11, 12, 18 and 19th Sept. 1993 to celebrate this event.
During the second phase of the celebration from 10th to 17th Feb.1994, three 8 feet bronze statues of Swami Vivekanandaji were unveiled by Shrimat Swami Attriasthananandaji Maharaj at Rajkot, Baroda and Limbdi on 11th, 12th & 13th Feb. respectively. Public meetings were held at Baroda (10th). Rajkot (13th and 14th), Dhaneti (15th), Adipur (15th), Bhuj (16th) and Ahmedabad. (17th), Shrimat Swami Atmasthananadaji Maharaj, Swami Satyarupanandaji, Swami Srikarananandaji, Shri Yashvantbhai Shukla and others spoke.
A youth meet was held on the 13th Feb. (900 Youths) and a Seminar on Education was held on the 14th Feb. (300 teachers). Our Ashrama conducted a teachers' conference on 10th Jan.95 on Value Education which was attended by about 400 teachers. An inter-religious meeting was also held on 11th Jan.95.
Youth Conventions, lectures in educational institutions, speech and recitation competitions for students, public meetings, etc. were organized by various non-affiliated centres in different parts of Gujarat in which the monks of this Ashrama took active part.
One lakh sixty thousand books (40,000 copies each of the following titles) were published in Gujarati for free distribution among youth all over Gujarat.
Through meetings, retreats, seminar & youth conferences these books have been distributed all over Gujarat.
IN AUGURATION OF THE NEW RAMAKRISHNA MISSION CENTRE
AT LIMBDI IN FEBRUARY, 1994
The most important event of the Ramakrishna Ashrama's activities during this period is the inauguration of a new centre of Shri Ramakrishna Mission at Limbdi in Feb.1994.  This is the second centre Ramakrishna order in Gujarat, established 67 years after the first centre was established in Rajkot in 1927.
During his wandering years in 1891-92 Swami Vivekananda became the guest of Limbdi Maharaj Shri Yashwantsinhji who had saved Swamiji from a serious threat to hrs spiritual life, received him respectfully in the Royal Darbar Hall, and subsequently accepted his discipleship. This historical royal hall with the magnificent clock tower where Swamiji had stayed for 10 days and initiated his royal disciple was finally donated by the present Maharaj Her Highness Pravinkunverba and the present Maharaj His Highness Chhatrashali to the authorities of Shri Ramakrishna Mission through the office bearers of Shri Ramkrishna Prarthana Mandir, Limbdi.
We remember with deep gratitude late Shri Chhabildasbhai and his son late Shri Niranjanbhai Shah, the inspired and munificient devotees of Shri Ramakrishna, who had started Shri Ramakrishna Prarthana Mandir in the same Royal Darbar Hall in 1971 with the blessing of the senior Swamijis of the Ramakrishna Order. The Prarthana Mandir since then looked after the Royal Darbar Hall and conducted various humanitarian and medical services in the same royal building.
On 12th of Feb.1994. the members of the Limbdi Royal family end the office bearers of Shri Ramakrishna Prarthana Mandir officially handed over the entire property of the Royal Darbar Hall along with 6 acres of land donated by Shri Chhabildasbhai Shah and other assets to Revered Swami Atmasthananandaji Maharaj, the General Secretary of Shri Ramakrishna Mission. Nearly 6000 people of Limbdi and the adjoining villages joined in a 3km long procession from the Royal Darbar Hall to the opening of the Ashrama building in thc new site of the Ramakrishna Mission, at the 6-acre complex. On this, occasion, one 8ft. bronze statue of Swamiji on a 9' high pedestal covered with granite stone was installed in a small circle in front 0 the Royal Darbar Hall. The circle has been named as 'VIVEKANANDA CHOWK'. Since its inception1 regular medical, educational, cultural spiritual and regular relief operation activities are being conducted be the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Limbdi.
Our Limbdi Mission is running a full fledged Charitable dispensary, having X-ray, ECG. unit, Pathology laboratory & 2 physiotherapy dept. An average of 3500 patients are treated every month by one full time doctor and eight specialist doctors, visiting once every week. Free medicines are given to poor & needy patients.
Every week biscuits are distributed amongst patients in the T.B.Hospital. Food grains are also distributed amongst 150 families every month.
Our Limbed Mission  conducted seven youth camps in different villages of Limbdi Taluka in March '94. A total of 143C students participated and they were given a set of books on Swam Vivekananda free of cost.
Two general medical camps and two eye camps were held during the period under review. A total of 1610 patients were treated and medicines were distributed to them. Spectacles were also distributed to 600 patients free of cost.

 

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