In November 2000, Swami Purushottamanandji took over as the president
of newly-affiliated
Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Belgaum.
The Govt. of Karnataka gifted the historic building in Belgaum sanctified by the stay of Swami
Vivekananda in 1892 for 12 days, to the Ramakrishna Mission. Swami
Purushottamanandaji was instrumental in renovating this monument, and
constructing a magnificent temple
of Sri Ramakrishna in the
adjacent land in January 2004. The Sarada Mantap (kitchen and dining hall block
of the monastery) and the Sadhu Nivas (monks' quarters) also form part of the
new centre.
Like the
Ramakrishna Ashramas across the country, this Ashrama focuses on various
spiritual, charitable and welfare activities. There are daily morning and
evening bhajans and an annual celebration of the birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna,
Holy Mother and Swami Vivekanda. Occasionally, there are spiritual retreats,
lectures and meditation classes organized by the Ashrama. Not limiting
themselves to the confines of the walls of their Ashrama, there are often
religious meetings with bhajans and discourses in nearby areas. The volunteers
at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama also deal with the youth and students and
organize personality development programmes for students, as well as, doing
some welfare work by way of providing scholarships and monetary help to poor
and meritorious students.
A place worth a
visit- the experience one gets from the Ashrama is best understood by going
there and seeing for yourself than through mere words.
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