Sri Sri Ramkrishna Ashram is involved in various Social & Welfare activities through-out the year. The major focus is not only on the spiritual upliftment of the individuals, but also to establish positive social practices, health-care movements, environmental issues. Some of the drives adopted last few years has been mentioned below.
Sri Sri Ramakrishna Ashram,Kenduli plays a prime role on the most awaited annual festival of Joydev, the Joydev Mela being held this year from Jan 14 - 18, 2024.
An annual fair is organized on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in the memory of the poet. The start of the fair commemorates the auspicious day on which Jayadeva is claimed to have taken a bath at the Kadaambokhandi ghat of river Ajay at Kenduli village.Kenduli is at about 42 km from serene Shantiniketan, Rabindranath Tagore's abode of peace.
Several thousand Bauls the community of wandering minstrels singing spiritual songs to the music of Ektarara (a stringed instrument),also assemble for the fair hence it is also referred to as Baul Fair.Bauls stay in hundreds of temporary ashrams at Jaydev Kenduli for about a month for the fair. These Bauls seem to be the successors of Jayadeva's songs.The Baul community earns their livelihood by singing. The most interesting characteristic of their songs is that they convey profound philosophical viewpoints of life using simple expressions. They use inoffensive expressions in place of the ones considered offensive and yet succeed in evincing their viewpoint. You have the opportunity to listen to them if you visit the Kenduli Mela.
Apart from Bauls hundreds of Vaishnava Kirtaniays also join the fair as one of the main attractions to the visitors.After the twelfth century, inspired by poet Jayadeva's 'Gita-Govindam', the Vaishnava poets of Bengal started to compose Padavali Kirtans, which continues even today. At one time padavali kirtans reached the peak of popularity and became the only sign of devotional music in Bengal.The main attraction of Padavali Kirtan is to show love and devotion. Devoted listeners and kirtaniyas are simultaneously overwhelmed and moved by it.
One major attraction of the fair remains the Radhabinode temple, a beautiful example of Navaratna temple having nine turrets and exquisite terracotta carvings.
The fair, which have been there for around centuries, caters primarily to the requirements of village folk.Festivals and fairs offer a respite from the grind of daily life, much like a breath of fresh air. Joy and good cheer are especially dear to Indians. The fair gives an excellent scope to any traveler to explore the unique rural as well as spiritual culture of India.
Sri Sri Ramakrishna Ashram,Kenduli arranges daylong Sankirtan, Baul Song Performance, Discussion on Religion & Spirituality, Distribution of Food (Annadaan), Distribution of Warm Blankets etc. It also sets up a Health Camp for any emergency considering the crowd and footfalls at Jopydev. At the same time, there are different Awareness Camps arranged by the Society to make the visitors aware of Health & Social issues like Problems with the use of Plastic, Nirmal Gram, Safe Driving, Anti-Alchoholism etc.
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The mobile Medical Van is an important addition to Satyananda Datyabya Chikitshyalay in 2010. The Medical Van has proven to be the most effective approach to reach out patients in the nearby villages who cannot afford to come to the nearest Medical Centre. Every week, a group of doctors visit different far away location to provide various medical help to the fellow villagers and patients.
For the last 4 years, Blood Donation Camp is annual event conducted by Thakur Satyananda Cultural Society. Hundreds of people donate blood in this occasion.
Thakur Satyananda Cultural Society adopted the resolution to ensure clean and healthy neighbourhood. The students as well as villagers participated in the cleaning mission to uplift the quality of environment.
A very different campaign was adopted by Sri Sri Ramakrishna Ashram and Thakur Satyananda Sishu Niketan on the Independence Day (August 15th. 2016).
The drive was to clean the Burning Ghat or Maha Samshan as commonly known at Joydeb-kenduly on the northern bank of the river Ajay.
Swami Madhabananda-ji and the local villagers and Children from Bhupananda Sishu Niketan cleaned the unburned materials, removed the plastic bottles, destroyed the Hooch bottles from the area after a tiring daylong activity. The movement received applaud from everyone at Joydev-Kenduli and they appreciated the idea of cleaning the Burning Ghat as adopted by Swami Madhabananda-ji.
Homeopathy camps are regularly set up the different villages to facilitate medicines to the ill and sick villagers. The Medical Van takes not only medicines, but also, deploys Doctors & Health practitioners to the remotest villages thereby proving them door-to-door medical facility.
Thakur Satyananda Cultural Society also conducted campaigns on "Safe Drive Safe Live" in 2016 to spread the awareness among Drivers and insist everyone to follow Traffic Rules. Children from Bhupananda Sishu Niketan participated in the rally and with great enthusiasm spread the message of Safe Driving Rules among the car, bus and lorry drivers on the road.
Thakur Satyananda Cultural Society actively participated in the 30th Year of the Durga Puja in Joydev-Kenduli conducted by Bhai-Bhai Samity.
The Puja was organized in the Baul Mancha with much grandeur and there were several Programs conducted throughout the four days of Puja by the local merchants, villagers, general people under the guidance of the Committee President – Sri Shanti Narayan Chattoraj and the Secretary Sri Subrata Das.
Eye care camps are set up on regular basis under the guidance of Avayananda Sevamandal of Dubrajpur. Faco and advanced Modern surgery are conducted with the latest instruments and utmost care by the expert doctors.
As a movement to spread the spirit of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansha, Sri Sri Ramakrishna Ashram erected a beautiful statue of Swami Vivekananda at Dubrajpur College Campus on 13th March, 2016. The statue was inaugurated by Sri Gaurananda Maharaj, President of Sri Sri Ramkrishna Ashram.
On 30th of December, 2016, Sri Sri Gopal, the prime worshipped God of Swami Satyananda Dev, who is also the child incarnation of Shri Krishna visited the Ramakrishna Ashram on His Annual Trip from Barahanagar Math, encompassing all the R K Ashrams of West Bengal.
Sri Sri Gopal came down among cheers & chants of hundreds of the devotees. A gala procession walked along with Sri Sri Gopal to Radha Binod Temple, the oldest temple of Joydev built in 1693 and came to Bhupananda Sishu Niketan to allow the Children to offer their prayers. The final destination was the Ashram where there were grand arrangements of Baul songs, Kirtans and Puja. Near about 1000 devotees were offered 'prasad' which was arranged by Thakur Satyananda Cultural Society.
One of the prime focus of Thakur Satyananda Cultural Society in serving the society is it’s Health services. Under the banner of Satyananda Databya Chikishyalaya, the Society is proving free medicines and free doctors advice to ailing people of the locality. From 2010, a dedicated Medical Van has been deployed to provide Medical Assistance to the people of the nearby villages who are not physically capable enough to come down to the Chamber. Every week, accompanied by one doctor, this medical van visits any one village nearby and conducts a Health Check-Up for free. It has an association with a number of doctors who regularly visits the Chamber. Also, there is a separate Homeopathy unit for people looking for Homeopathy treatment
