Date: 07.12.2024 (6th Batch)
The 6th batch of the weekend Kolam Workshop was conducted on 7th Dec 2024, in the holy ambience of Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
Inaugural Session: On Saturday, 7th June, with Arati and Flower offering auspicious session was opened. In his welcome address, VCC Director Maharaj thanked all the participants for choosing this centre, and emphasized the importance of preserving our culture through these ancient Art forms.
Valedictory Session: On closing ceremony of the workshop, participants expressed their heartfelt learnings and thanked Kolam Instructor for sharing her learnings. Almost everyone expressed that, they would like to take many other courses after experiencing the workshop and the ambience of the place. Course Instructor Smt. Kamalavathy expressed her gratitude to the institution for the opportunity and the participants for cooperating as family members to impart the knowledge became easy in her experience sharing speech. VCC Director Maharaj spoke in his Valedictory talk about the cultural importance of art forms like Kolam, especially for women, who are the pillars of Indian homes and preservers of our traditions. Learning is continuous process to keep ourselves active irrespective of our outside circumstances and this should be carried over to the next generation. Also expressed briefly the importance and benefits Physically, Mentally and Spiritually.
Director Maharaj presented participation certificates to all. And expressed his happiness on seeing the display of colour Kolam and Margazhi special flower Kolam by the whole batch. Lunch Prasad was served to everyone, along with tea and snacks, during the workshop's twin breaks on the workshop day.
Date: 08.06.2024 (4th Batch)
The 4th batch of the two-day (Weekend) Kolam Workshop was conducted on 8th & 9th June 2024, in the holy ambience of Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
Inaugural Session: On Saturday, 8th June, Swami Raghunayakananda ji, Manager of Mylapore Math, Chennai, in his welcome address, thanked all the participants for choosing this centre, and emphasized the importance of preserving our culture through these ancient Art forms.
Valedictory Session: On Sunday, 9th June, participants expressed their heartfelt learnings and thanked Kolam Instructor for sharing her learnings. Swami Ishapremananda ji (Swamiji-in-charge of Vivekanandar Illam) spoke in his benediction about the cultural importance of art forms like Kolam, especially for women, who are the pillars of Indian homes and preservers of our traditions. He wished that all participants take-home from this wonderful ambience, an attitude of ‘Nithyamahotsav’ -continuous celebration–in their hearts irrespective of our outside circumstances and this should be carried over to the next generation.
Swami Ishapremananda ji presented participation certificates to all. Our new Director Maharaj expressed his happiness on seeing the display of colour Kolam by the whole batch. Lunch Prasad was served to everyone, along with tea and snacks, during the workshop's twin breaks on both days.
Date: 20.04.2024 (3rd Batch)
The Third batch of the Two-day (Weekend) Kolam Workshop was conducted on 20th & 21st April 2024, in the calm ambience of Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
Inaugural Session: On Saturday, 20th April, Swami Raghunayakananda ji (who has recently taken over as Manager of Mylapore Math, Chennai), in his welcome address, emphasised the responsibility of parents to pass on our ancient heritage and tradition to the next generation, whether through Kolam Art, Yoga, Traditional Thanjavur painting, or Samskar (Summer) camps for children.
Valedictory Session: On Sunday, April 21st, participants expressed their heartfelt learnings and thanked Kolam Instructor and Resource Person for sharing all of her expertise without holding anything back. Swami Ishapremananda ji (Swamiji-in-charge of Vivekanandar Illam) spoke in his benediction about prior great civilizations such as Greek, Roman, and Mesopotamian, and how each of them faded away once inhabitants abandoned their culture, language, and traditions. He advised everyone to practice any of these stress-relieving art forms, such as Kolam, Mala Grathana (Garland Making), Thanjavur Painting, and Yoga and make a sincere attempt to preserve our rich culture and heritage and pass it on to the next generation.
Swami Ishapremananda ji presented participation certificates to all. Lunch Prasad was served to everyone, along with tea and snacks, during the workshop's twin breaks on both days.
Date: 03.02.2024 (2nd Batch)
The second batch of the Two-day (Weekend) Kolam Workshop was conducted on 3th & 4th Feb 2024, in the calm ambience of Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
Inaugural Session: On Sat-3rd Feb, Swami Ishapremananda ji, delved deep into the scientific, cultural and spiritual aspects of this ancient Kolam art as a sustenance for many small insects and creatures–who also have a right to exist in this Universe—and as an act of welcoming the Divine presence into our homes.
Valedictory Session: On Sun-4th Feb, Participants shared their heartfelt learnings and Swami Raghunayakananda ji, in his benediction, stressed the need to go back to our roots & uphold our rich tradition and perpetuate it by sharing with friends and family the benefits received from this culturally uplifting workshop.
Swami Dharmishtananda ji, Manager of Mylapore Math and Swami Suprajnanada ji, senior monk, gave certificates along with Swami Vivekananda's motivational book. Lunch Prasad was served to all along with tea during the twin breaks on all two days.
Date: 03.02.2023 (1st Batch)
Two-day (Weekend) Kolam workshop was conducted on Nov 25th–26th, calm ambiance of Vivekananda Cultural Centre—a first in Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
Inaugural Session: On Sat-25th Nov, Kolam workshop was launched for the first time in VCC in the traditional manner with lighting of lamp amidst Vedic chanting and prayers to Holy Trio. In spite of the inclement weather due to heavy rains and slight delay in start by an hour, enthusiastic participants turned up to relearn this ancient and slowly vanishing art-form (specially in cities).
Smt. Prema Krishnamurthy Sastrigal, delved deep into the cultural intricacies of Kolam art with scientifically authenticated benefits and beautifully summed up the simple yet elegant art of Kolam as paropakara—benefit for many beings especially ants, birds and domestic animals—and not just a form of decoration or beautification of our homes. Swami Raghunayakananda ji, in his benediction, stressed the need to go back to our roots & uphold our rich tradition and perpetuate it.
On Sun-26th Nov, 2023 Sunday, Smt. Lakshmi Devnath presided as the Chief Guest during the Valedictory session and distributed certificates to all. Lunch Prasad was served to all along with tea during the twin breaks on all two days. Certificates were distributed to all participants at the end of the Valedictory session by Chief Guest.