The Mission offers a system of practice known as “Sahaj Marg” which is a remodelled version of the ancient Raja Yoga.
Swami Vivekananda has said that even after he laid down his body, he would continue to work and inspire generations to come to carry on his unfinished work.We see it still happing. Swamiji does it in innumerable ways. The magnificent Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari is one such undying source of inspiration.
The Vivekananda Memorial, as it stands today, is a memorial to Swamiji as to Shri Ekanthji Ranade whose devotion to the work he had undertaken was inspired not by mere faith but by intellectual conviction.
At Kanyakumari – a unique symbol of unity and purity – is the Memorial of Swami Vivekananda, another symbol of the united aspiration of Nation. In the Memorial, there is a happy and harmonious blend of all the architectural beauty of the country. It is a symbol of unity because the whole nation wished, worked and contributed for it. Person from all states participated in its inauguration. It is also a Memorial, conceived and laboured for mainly by RSS swayamsevaks, blessed by Ramakrishna Mission, designed by Paramacharya of Kachi Kamakoti Peetham, and for which Swami Chinmayananda of Chinmay Mission gave the first donation.All the spiritual,culture and national organisations supported it.It is also a Memorial for which all State Governments and Central Government contributed.
Thus, the memorial became a focal point just as Kanyakumari is a meeting point for three seas.
Inaugurating the Rock Memorial on September 2, 1970, the President of India Shri V.V. Giri called upon fellow Indians to rise to the call of the nation.
Eknathji described beautifully uniqueness of Kanayakumari in his one speech in 1966.He gave the series of inspiring speeches on Vivekananda Rock Memorial to the first batch of Workers of Vivekananda Kendra which helped to clear idea behind VRM (Vivekananda Rock Memorial) and VK (Vivekananda Kendra).
Second Phase of Vivekananda Rock Memorial was parallel when Rock Memorial was taking shape. As Eknathji used to say “To put up a Cement and Concrete structure is not the work for which I am born, I am to erect a living and dynamic monument which will be worthy of Swami Vivekananda and which will be capable of bringing into fruition his grand vision of future India.”
So, Vivekananda Kendra – An Extraordinary Organisation with Ordinary Men came to existence. Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade, the Man behind the Memorial started Vivekananda Kendra a spiritually oriented service mission in 1972 as the living memorial to Swami Vivekananda comprising of a cadre of dedicated JEEVANVRATIS, Sevavratis, Vanprasthi and Thousands of Local Karyakarata as well as lakhs of patrons , well wishers and our publication subscribels. Vivekananda Kendra is centered around the noble thought service to man is worship of God – and is guided by the national ideals RENUNCIATION and SERVICE.
For actualising vision of Swami Vivekananda , the Kendra has more than 225 branch centres spread over India to work for all stratas(phases) of the society to rebuild the nation. To achieve this Vivekananda Kendra carry’s out various service activities through Yoga, Swadhyay Varga(Study Circle), Samskar Varga, Rural Development, Education, Development of Natural Resources, Organising Youth and Women and Publications based on the life and message of Swami Vivekananda, Indian Culture, Vedic studies. The Kendra urges all to join this task of national regeneration.
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