Sivananda Math Report

January–September 2002

The activities of Sivananda Math in Rikhia varied during January to September 2002. On Basant Panchami 67 girls, aged 6 to 12, from Rikhia panchayat were chosen from hundreds of girls who expressed their desire to learn English. On this occasion 800 students from Rikhia middle school were served a midday meal.

On Akshaya Tritiya, the sacred day when pooja of Lord Narayana commences at Badrinath Mandir in the Himalayas, 88 aged men were selected from Rikhia panchayat to receive a monthly stipend of Rs 201/-. These men have no other means of subsistence and some do not even have any relatives to care for them.

On Guru Poornima 750 students along with their teachers from Rikhia middle school received school bags, notebooks, stationery, toys and garments during the guru pooja held at Rikhia. On this occasion the children sang kirtan and recited Sanskrit stotras as a mark of respect and love for guru.

At the aadesh (order) of Swami Satyananda, the aradhana (worship) of 64 yoginis was performed at Rikhiadham in the holy month of Shravan, when hundreds of thousands of devotees flock to Deoghar to pour Ganga water on the jyotir linga of Baba Baidyanath. For this worship 64 girls from Rikhia panchayat were offered bhoj (food) for the entire month. On Shravan Poornima, which was also Raksha Bandhana, they were given a grand farewell when they tied rakhis to Swami Niranjan and were offered gifts and presents in the form of clothing, jewellery, sweets, books and dakshina.

In this sacred month, Jhoolan was held for the local villagers who were given a glimpse of Lord Krishna and Radha seated on a swing. This festival has an enthralling effect on anyone who attends. Enchanting kirtans were sung by the sannyasins of the ashram and stotras chanted by students from Ramakrishna Vidyapeeth.

Distributions from January to September 2002

Sivananda Charitable Dispensary

From January to September 2002 the rural clinic treated patients from Rikhia and neighbouring panchayats for tuberculosis, malnourishment, digestive and respiratory disorders, ENT, urinary, reproductive ailments as well as skin and other bacterial and viral infections.

Medicines for this service were donated by: Mr and Mrs Kane, Mumbai, Mr Vivek Gupta, Mumbai, Dr Madhusudan Prasad, Dhanbad, Dr Verma, Kolkata, Satyananda Ashram, Greece, Mrs Indra Jalan, Kolkata, Dr Vaishali, New Delhi, Dr Vidyamurti, Lucknow, Satyadarshan Yoga Ashram, Raipur, and Dr B.K. Singh, Dhanbad.

Seva was offered by Dr Nayak, Deoghar, Mr P.C. Rateria, Kolkata, Drs Neeraj and Chandana Dixit, New Delhi, Drs Madhusudan and Geeta Prasad, Dhanbad, Dr Vidyamurti, Lucknow, Dr Verma, Kolkata, Dr Satyapriya, Australia, Dr Vaishali, New Delhi, Dr Narendra Sinha, Patna, as well as karma yogis who came from time to time. Dr Yogapratap, the resident physician, directed all the activities of the clinic throughout the year and the following is a brief summary of its programs.

We take this opportunity to thank everyone who has in some way or other helped Sivananda Math to serve those who have no one to care for them. If you wish to extend your support in any way contact:

Sivananda Math,
PO Rikhia,
Dist Deoghar,
Jharkhand 811412
India