Ramakrishna Order

(Headquarters at Belurmath)

Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Order. Shortly after passing away of Shri Ramakrishna in 1886, a monastic order bearing his name was set up by his sannyasin disciples headed by Swami Vivekananda with a monastery (Math) at Baranagar near Kolakata in a small rented house. With austere mood of inmates and tussle of initial stage this monastery kept on oscillating till it gets its present home at Belur, on the western bank of the Ganga about six kms north of Kolkata in 1899 and registration as a trust in 1901. Ramakrishna Mission started in May 1897 in a meeting held at Sri Balaram Bose’s hose in Kolakata was registered in 1909 under Act XXI of 1860. The objective of this twin organization can be summarized as follows: Ideal: Freedom of the self through service of mankind. Aim: Practice and preaching of the Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion of man as embodied in the lives and teaching of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Holly Mother Sarada Devi. Motto: 1) Renunciation and service through looking upon all, irrespective of caste, creed or colosures as variable manifestation of the Divine. & (2) Harmony of religions. Method: Work – Service as worship. Activities: Worship, training of monastic aspirants, general and technical education with an ethical and spiritual background, medical service, famine and distress relief work, rural uplift and work among the toiling people of all classes. Though Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, with their respective branches, are distinct legal entities, they are closely related, inasmuch as the Governing body of the Mission is made up of Trustees of the Math. The administrative work of the mission is mostly in the hands of the monks of Ramakrishna Math. The Math organization is constituted under a trust with well defined rules of procedure. The mission is a registered society. Though both the organizations take charitable and philanthropic activities, the former lays emphasis on religion and preaching, while the latter is devoted mainly to welfare services of various kinds actuated by spiritual outlook that man is to be served not only as a fellow being, but as the greatest manifestation of the Divine. It is necessary, moreover to point out that appropriation of the name of Shri Ramakrishna or Swami Vivekananda by an institution dose not necessarily imply that it is affiliated to Ramakrishna Math or Ramakrishna Mission. The Math and the Mission owes separate funds and keep separate account of them. Both the Math & Mission receive grants from the central and state governments and public bodies for their social and welfare activities. The other activities of Math are financed from the offerings received, sales of publications etc. The Mission is supported by fees from students, public donations etc. The accounts of both Math and Mission are annually audited by qualified auditors. The Math and the Mission together have 162 branch centres all over India and in different parts of the world. The headquarters of these centres are situated in Belur Math. All branch centres of Ramakrishna Math come under the administrative control of the Board of Trustees, whereas all branch centres of Ramakrishna Mission come under the administrative control of the Governing Body of Ramakrishna Mission. Beside maintaining a number of Ashrama and temples with their programmes of worship, religious services and preaching, the Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission run several schools, colleges, liabries, Students Homes, Sevashramas (Hospitals) with indoor facilities, clinics, dispensaries, rural and tribal development centers, Mobile medical units, Invalid homes etc. The Ramakrishna Movement has contributed largely to the uplift of the downtrodden. Its service especially in the field of education, running hospitals and undertaking relief work in times of distress are quite well known. The Govt. of India conferred Gandhi peace Award to Ramakrishna Mission because of its yeoman service to mankind. For futrher details visit www.belurmath.org or www.rkmasalem.org

--- Swami Nikhilananda