Ramakrishna Mission
RAMAKRISHNA MATH & RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, DHAKA
Started in 1899 by the devotees and affiliated as a combined centre to Belur Math, West Bengal, India in 1916, Ramakrishna Mission, Dhaka as a pioneer centre with its Principal Office at 27, Ramakrishna Mission Road, Dhaka-1203, Bangladesh, has been engaged in different fields of work ─ humanitarian, spiritual, educational, socio-cultural, relief and rehabilitation and medical services since its inception to serve the cause of the humanity.
Ramakrishna Mission High School was started in 1914 and the Medical centre was started in 1916 and inaugurated by Lord Carmichael. Swami Vivekananda visited Dhaka in 1901 and his brother disciples visited later years.
All its activities are open to all irrespective of caste, creed and nationality. Besides, throughout the last years it has been conducting discourses, seminars, various cultural programmes to nourish the human faculties and facility to strengthen intellectual level of man and so forth.
On the other hand its another wing, Ramakrishna Math has been engaged in performing religious programmes and various spiritual disciplines so as to help grow the spirituality of its monks, devotees, and other aspirants. Here the emphasis has been given more to lead a life of sacrifice and spirituality through worship, prayer, meditations, selfless work.
The Ramakrishna Mission, Branch centre, Dacca (Dhaka). History
1899 : a) Swami Vivekananda sent Swamis Virajananda and Prakashananda to Dhaka area. Lectures and religious discourses were held. A Society was started in old Dhaka.
b) Swami Vivekananda’s American disciple Swami Abhayananda came to Dhaka and lectured in Vedanta in the West.
c) Later Swami Saradananda visited Dacca and staying for about a month and delivered lectures.
1901 : Swami Vivekananda in the year 1901 visited Dhaka. He delivered lectures at Jagannath University and Pogose school.
1904 : In the year 1904 from this branch a short life of the Swami Vivekananda was published. From 1905 to 1907 regular Saturday religious sittings, preaching and propagating the gospel of Sri Ramakrishna at the house of Babu Mbhini Mohan Das at Subjimahal, Dhaka.
1908 : In 1908, a Seva Department was organised in connection with the Mission which treated and nursed sick and diseased persons according to its capacity.
1911 : The visit of the Swami Paramananda in charge of the Boston, America, was beginning of of a library of religious and other, useful books. The chief work of this branch now consisted in holding regular religious sittings with readings and Bhajans and the birthday anniversaries of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda and as told above, in rendering medical help and relief by its workers.
1913 : By the end of 1913 the activities of the Mission took a new development when Hon’ble Nawab Khwajeh Salimulla Bahadur helped the institution with a house free of rent and also with monthly donations. This was utilised for the housing of an indoor hospital started at Sachipandaripa. The visit of Swami Premananda created new enthusiasm in the workers.
1914 : Accordingly at the end of 1914, monastic members we’re sent from the Headquarters to reorganize the work on a systematic basis. From October 1914 this branch was located in three rented houses in Wari and South Maishandi. This school was started in connection with the R. K. Mission work at Dhaka on the 8th November, 1914, for imparting primary education to the boys of poor and neglected classes. Later in 1917 A School House was constructed with the chief financial help of Babu Mohini Mohan Das.
1915 : In 1915 a gift of 5 bighas of Land was made by Sj. Ramesh Chandra Das and Jogesh Chandra Das. Another plot of land was acquired later.
1916 : The foundation stones of the Math building and of the Sourindra Prasad Ward were laid in 1916 by Swami Brahmananda and Swami Premananda. A temple was erected on the land purchased for the Math.
The Sourindra Prasad Bldg which was to be a hospital for indoor patients consisting of 20 beds was completed and it was formally opened on the 24 August 1916 by the Governor of Bengal Lord Carmichael.
http://www.dhakarkmm.org/
