Chennai Temple

The centre was started in 1897 by Swami Ramakrishnananda (a monastic disciple of Sri Ramakrishna).

Activities:

  • Publication of books in English and Tamil: 28 new and 311 reprints were brought out during the year.
  • Publication of two monthly journals: The Vedanta Kesari (English, 103rd year with 12,500 subscribers) and Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam (Tamil, 96th year with 1,69,000 subscribers).
  • A girls’ higher secondary school with 869 pupils at Sarvana Street, Mint.
  • A primary school with 343 pupils at Basin Bridge Road, Mint.
  • A library with a children’s section, having 39,185 books and 185 periodicals.
  • Vivekananda Youth Forum conducted moral and cultural classes for 30 youths and Balmandir conducted weekly moral and educational classes for about 119 children on Sundays.
  • Eighteen free coaching centres with 950 students.
  • Vocational training in basic computer operations and nursing assistance. Total 347 girls trained during this year.
  • A charitable allopathic-cum-homeopathic dispensary with dental, eye, ENT, surgical, X-ray, ultrasound scanning, pediatrics, ECG, gynaecology, physiotherapy and laboratory sections, and clinics for TB and diabetes. Total 3,12,039 cases were treated.
  • A weekly mobile medical unit, which treated 26,694 cases.
  • Regular eye camps in nearby villages (1315 patients were screened; 152 of them were operated for cataract removal).
  • LAP rehabilitation programme through which 747 Leprosy Afflicted Persons (LAPs) were benefited.
  • Daily worship, fortnightly Ramnam Sankirtan, weekly discourses, and celebration of the birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and other spiritual personalities, as also other festivals.
  • An exhibition and youth programmes at Vivekanandar Illam (Kamarajar Salai, Triplicane, Chennai 600 005), where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days on his return from the West in 1897.

Illam – Image of Swami Vivekananda

Swami Ramakrishnananda Mandap