View more photos
In 1897, Swami Vivekananda after his triumphant return from West stayed 9 days at the Vivekanandar Illam from Feb 6 – 14. These 9 days are celebrated as ‘Vivekananda Navaratri’ by Sri Ramakrishna Math and devotees.
Day -1
Vivekananda Navaratri 2019 was inaugurated by His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. Banwarilal Purohit. As part of the inauguration function, The Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu unveiled a 29ft ceramic tile mural statue of Swami Vivekananda.
Swami Vimurtananda ji Maharaj, manager, Sri Ramakrishna Math Chennai in his welcome address explained the importance of the Vivekananda Navaratri celebration.
Padma Sri Nalli Kuppuswamy Chettiar, Sri K. N. Ramaswamy, Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai, Sri. Balasubramaniyam, Brooke Fields Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore, Swami Sukhadevananda ji Maharaj, Secretary, Vivekananda College, and Swami Padmasthananda ji Maharaj, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama T. Nagar participated as the guest of honor.
Srimat Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj, Vice president, Ramakrishna Math and Mission delivered the benedictory address.
Sri Thiru. Banwarilal Purohit, Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu, in his chief guest recalled the Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago Address at the world parliament of religion held at 1893, and its impact to the whole world.
At 6.30 pm, Kalaimamani Smt. Nithyasri Mahadevan gave a Carnatic musical performance.
Day - 2
The second day (7th Feb) of the Vivekananda Navaratri celebrations 2019 began with the Bhajans by the students of Padma Sheshadri Bala Bhavan Students, Chennai.
Swami Paramasukhananda, monks of Ramakrishna Math Chennai delivered a short speech of “faith on oneself”.
Dr.Vasumathi Rajan, Head of Programmes, Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai participated as the chief guest of the function. She recalled some inspirational Swamiji’s quote during her speech. She said, Ramakrishna Math is doing wonderful service to the society.
The program ended with a social Tamil Drama – “ATHITI’ (The guest) performed by the Dummies.
Day - 3
The Third day (8th Feb) of the Vivekananda Navaratri celebrations 2019 began with the motivational lecture by Swami Nilamadhavananda ji Maharaj, monk, Ramakrishna Math Chennai.
Sri. Bhagawan Singh, Executive Editor, Deccan Chronicle delivered a lecture as a chief guest of the event.
Musical Drama on patriotism & Cultural Events were performed by DAV School, Chennai.
At evening 7.00 pm there was Harikatha on Swami Vivekananda in Chicago by Smt. P. Suchitra Balasubramanian
Day - 4
The fourth day (9th Feb) of the Vivekananda Navaratri celebrations 2019 began with cultural program by the Students of ‘Sarada Grama Mangalam’, Meyyur. Students delivered speech on different subjects and rendered bhajans.
Most revered Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj blessed the students and gave an inspirational talk.
The climax item of today’s program was the Tamil Drama – “Sri Bhakta Andal” performed by Nadaka Kala Bhushanam Sri K.R.S. Kumar. Andal or Godadevi is the only female Alvar among the 12 Alvar saints of South India. The life of Andal and Periya Alvar was well enacted by the drama troop and the audience witnessed it spellbound.
Day - 5
The fifth day (10th Feb) of Vivekananda Navaratri Celebration 2019 started at 5 pm with prayer.
Visually Challenged Students from ‘Gnanadharshan Seva Foundation for the disabled’, Chennai rendered a devotional music performance. They sang song beautifully on Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swamiji.
They were honored with mementos. Students received blessings from Most revered Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj.
Swami Mahamedhananda, editor, The Vedanta Kesari delivered a short speech on “Man making”. He recalled Swamiji’s famous saying; “They alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive.” Maharaj stressed on the point”Live for others” that means contribution. We must grow inward i.e go beyond our body, mind, and ego which limits ourself become selfless; and expand outward i.e feel for others.
Pratus Balan gave a devotional music performance.
There was a dance program – “Nattiya Mela” performed by Students of Dr.Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti Vivekananda Vidyalaya, Korattur. They were duly honored with the presentation and mementos.
The last and the special item of the day was a special musical concert: ‘Sthree Vaadhya’ performed by five popular women artists with five different musical instruments (keyboard, violin, ghatam, mridangam, and drum). Each of them played very well and the audience was enthralled by the performance. Troop was duly honored with mementos.
With the vote of thanks, prayers and distribution of Prasad the function concluded by 8.40 pm.
Day - 6
The sixth day (11th Feb) of Vivekananda Navaratri Celebration 2019 started at 5 pm with prayer.
There was a cultural program by J.G. & G.K.Shetty Hindu Vidyalaya Hr.Sec. School, West Mambalam, Chennai. Students sang devotional songs and gave a dance performance.
They were honored with mementos. Students received blessings from Most revered Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj.
Sri T. T. Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance delivered a short speech on the message of Swami Vivekananda. He pointed out that Swamiji’s message is relevant even to the modern world and mostly in India. He said that India is a Punya Bhumi, and we are proud to be a citizen of this holy country.
Dr. Lalitha Balakrishnan, Principal, M.O.P. Vaishnav College for women participated as guest of honor. In her address, she stressed upon the value education that needs to be conducted for the youth and it should be taught in the mother tongue.
Today’s special talk was delivered by Dr. Sudha Seshayyan, Vice Chancellor, Dr.MGR Medical University. She spoke on the topic “Women Empowerment.”
All the guests were honored with mementos and presentation.
With the vote of thanks, prayers and distribution of Prasad the function concluded at 7.50 pm.
Day - 7
The seventh day (12th Feb) of Vivekananda Navaratri Celebration 2019 started at 5 pm with prayer.
There was a cultural program by Meenakshi Sundararajan Engineering College, Chennai. Students gave dance, music performance and played guitar. All of them performed weel.
They were honored with mementos. Students received blessings from Most revered Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj.
Young achievers from Mugavari Foundation, Chennai delivered a short speech on their success.
Dr. M. S. Nagarajan, Head, Asia Pacific special Olympic participated as a guest of honor. He delivered a short speech on ” How to achieve excellence through sports “. He recalled Swamiji’s quote, “You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.”
The last and the special item of the day was “Nama Sankirtanam” performed by Govindapuram Sri. Vittaldas Maharaj. The audience experienced a wave of Bhakti. Some of them started dancing gracefully to the rhythm of divine singing. In between his Bhajans, he delivered a lecture on Swami Vivekananda.
Govindapuram Sri. Vittaldas Maharaj and his troop were felicitated with a shawl, dhooti, fruits, and mementos by Most revered Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj.
With a vote of thanks, prayers and distribution of Prasad the function concluded by 8.50 pm.
Day - 8
The eighth day (13th Feb) of Vivekananda Navaratri Celebration 2019 started at 5 pm with prayer.
Kannaki Nagar students performed a cultural program that included short speech, dance, stick fighting, and musical drama on the topic “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached”, and “universal religion”. All of them performed well. They were honored with mementos.
Swami Satyaprabhananda ji Maharaj, monk, Ramakrishna mission T. Nagar has narrated few interesting incidents happened recently and correlated them with the teachings of Swamiji. His lecture was informative, interesting and inspiring.
Sri C.A.Sathya, Founder, CEO & Chief Strategist of Tycoon Plus Advisors Pvt. Ltd. has narrated as to how the teachings of Swamiji were relevant to uplift the economically and socially backward people and he produced many beneficiaries. He arranged awards to those who have participated in their upliftment from all walks of life.
Today special lecture was delivered by Srimath Swami Omkarananda ji Maharaj. He spoke on the topic “Swami Vivekananda & Hinduism”. Maharaj openly declared that though he came from a Veda parampara, he took Sannyasa and serving the society as a Monk only because of the inspiration of teachings of Swamiji. He addressed Swami Vivekananda as the Yugachariya Swami Vivekananda and recalled some of Swamiji’s famous quote and explained them in detail in quoting from scripture. He said, ‘we must build a habit of reading “The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda” daily.’
Swami Omkarananda ji Maharaj was felicitated with a dhoti, fruits, books, and mementos by revered Swami Vimurtananda ji Maharaj.
With a vote of thanks, prayers and distribution of Prasad the function concluded at 8.20 pm.
Day - 9
On the Valedictory function of Vivekananda Navaratri Festival 2019, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru O. Paneerselvam has participated as the Chief Guest of Honour and delivered a lecture. Hon’ble Health & Family Welfare Minister Thiru C.Vijaya Bhaskaran also graced the function as Guest of Honour and gave a lecture.
Swami Vimurtananda ji Maharaj, Manager, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai delivered the welcome address; Srimat Gautamananda ji Maharaj, Vice President of Sri Ramakrishna Math & Mission rendered Benediction; and Sri Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetti gave the vote of thanks.
Sri. S. N. Pandey Managing Director, CPCL gave a short speech on the Swami Vivekananda
Finally, Thiru Su.Ki.Sivam rendered a discourse on the topic “Swamiji Nesitha Chennai” describing the relevance of Swami Vivekananda with Chennai.
Many Guests of honor, monks, devotees, students and the public in large number attended the function.