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Sri Ramakrishna Math
ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಕೃಷ್ಣ ಮಠ
Sri Ramakrishna Math; ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಕೃಷ್ಣ ಮಠ
	Emblem
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Mangalore
Deity	Sri Ramakrishna
Location
Location	Mangaladevi, Mangalore
State	Karnataka
Country	India
Geographic coordinates	12°51′2.6″N 74°50′25″E / 12.850722°N 74.84028°E
Architecture
Creator	Ramakrishna Mission
Website
	mangaloremath.in

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mangaluru

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mangaluru is a monastic organisation for those men who were taught into existence by Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886), a 19th-century saint of Bengal. The motto of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission is For one's own salvation, and for the welfare of the world The math in Mangaluru is the one of the branch center of the Ramakrishna Order in Southern India^[1]. It was established in 3rd June 1947^[2]. The institution is dedicated to serving humanity and promoting the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and his spiritual master, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa.

History[edit]

The history of Ramakrishna Math in Mangalore dates back to the "Parivrajaka" days of Swami Vivekananda. In 1892, some young students from Mangalore, including Shrinivas Pai and his friends, were deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda when they met him during his visit to Madras as a wandering ascetic. After their studies, they founded an organization called "Vivekananda Society" in Mangalore to promote and spread the ideologies of Swami Vivekananda.

Under the umbrella of the Vivekananda Society, various public celebrations and awareness programs were organized to propagate the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Notable events include a three-day lecture series by Revered Swami Yatishwaranandaji Maharaj in Mangalore in February 1927 and a public meeting in 1932 where Mr. Srinivas Pai shared his memories of meeting Swami Vivekananda.

The teachings of Swami Vivekananda gained renewed interest among the people, especially the youth of Mangalore, who embraced his messages of religious harmony, the divinity of every soul, welfare of humanity, and education for all. One such person deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda was Sahukar Venkatesh Pai, who, in 1940, along with his friends, started a free hostel called "Balakashram" for boys from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with education, food, and shelter. The administration of Balakashram was later handed over to the Ramakrishna Mission.

To meet the growing demand from the people, efforts led by Rao Bahadur Dr. Keshava Pai and other devoted friends resulted in the establishment of Ramakrishna Math in Mangalore on June 3, 1947. Swami Vimalanandaji, accompanied by a few Brahmacharis (monastic disciples), initiated various spiritual activities, including daily worship, prayers, and discourses. Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj, with his profound scriptural knowledge and commitment to the betterment of the Math and devotees, played a pivotal role in propagating the ideologies of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda in Mangalore.^[3]

Location[edit]

The Ramakrishna Math is located in the auspicious neighborhood of the ancient temple of Goddess Mangaladevi in Mangaluru, a beautiful coastal city nestled between the rolling hills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Spread across seven acres of land adorned with hundreds of trees and plants, the ashram complex exudes an ambiance of peace and tranquility, providing solace to the members of the monastic order, students, visitors, and devotees.

Activities and Recognition[edit]

The Ramakrishna Math in Mangalore has undertaken numerous initiatives to integrate spiritual practices with humanitarian service, aligning with the Order's main ideal of "Service to mankind is service to God." The Math has expanded its horizon of service through initiatives like the Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan, State Level Youth Conventions, Mega Cultural events, and Value Inculcation seminars for students, youths, and lecturers. The Math has received recognition for its contributions to society, including the Rajyotsava Award in 2012, the Erya Award in 2013, the U Srinivasa Mallya Award by Mangalore City Corporation in 2019, and the "Amrita Mahotsava State Award" during Kannada Rajyotsava 2021.^[4]

Swacch Mangaluru Abhiyan[edit]

Ramakrishna Mission in Mangaluru launched the "Swacch Mangaluru for Swacch Bharath" Abhiyan on January 30, 2015, to fulfill the Prime Minister's vision. The campaign began with a rally involving 2,000 students, an oath-taking ceremony, and recognition of 100 municipal workers. Under the leadership of monks, 50 volunteer teams organized 500 shramadan projects, cleaning the city, renovating public facilities, constructing shelters and signposts. In 100 schools, "Swacch Manas" programs trained 10,000 students about cleanliness, aided by 70 resource persons. Similar efforts were made in colleges with "Swacch Soch" programs, symposiums, lectures, and workshops. The campaign extended to rural areas with 2,000 cleanliness drives organized in 100 villages per district under the "Swacch Gram Abhiyan." Residential layouts witnessed daily "Swacchata Jana Samparka Abhiyan" events, promoting awareness and distributing "Swacch Bharat" pamphlets.^[5]^[6]

Educational & Youth Activities[edit]

Ramakrishna Mission Balakashrama provides students with essential resources like uniforms, textbooks, notebooks, and school fees. The boys are encouraged to develop virtues, fulfill social responsibilities, cultivate refined tastes, and foster self-respect. They actively manage the Balakashrama, maintaining the premises and learning the values of self-reliance, dignity of labor, cooperation, and personal effort. Additionally, they participate in daily routines such as congregational prayer, and receive teachings in Vedic Hymns, Bhagavadgita, and other spiritual texts.

Balakashrama – Hostel Facilities
Swami Vivekananda Coaching Centre
Educational Conclave: Shraddha – Medha – Prajna^[7]
Shakthi – Women Empowerment Programme
Prerana – Residential Youth Camp

Cultural Activites[edit]

Ramakrishna Math Mangaluru actively promotes the local culture by organizing various cultural programs including Yakshagaana, Taalamaddale, Ashtaavadhaana, Gamakavaachana, Vaachanagaayana, and more, showcasing local arts and supporting artists. Their YouTube channel, "Mangaluru Ramakrishna Mission," has gained around 80,000 subscribers, serving as a platform to disseminate cultural and spiritual knowledge.

Spiritual Activities[edit]

Ramakrishna Math Mangaluru organizes various service activities on a regular basis, with the aim of assisting the devotees of the ashram in their pursuit of God-realization, which Ramakrishna considered the ultimate goal of life. These service activities serve as a means of providing support and guidance to the ashram's devotees on their spiritual journey.^[8]

Bhava Sangama – Bhakta Samagama
Daily Worship and Prayer
Antaryoga – Spiritual Retreats
Japa Yajna

Vivekananda Vrikshalaya – Urban Foresting Project[edit]

Ramakrishna Math Mangaluru has taken a unique initiative to establish urban forests in Mangalore, aiming to protect and preserve nature's biodiversity while promoting local flora and increasing the city's green cover. Under the project titled "Vivekananda Vrikshalaya," the Ashrama has set up Mangaluru's first Miyawaki forest, along with two others within the city, including two on the Ashrama campus itself. In a 10-cent land area, the Ashrama has planted 500 saplings of 54 different varieties, creating a green space that was inaugurated on October 2, 2020.^[9]^[10]