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Ramakrishna Mission Delhi
Ramakrishna Mission Delhi
(A Branch Centre of Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal)

Worship and Celebrations 

The temple of Sri Ramakrishna is the heart of the Ramakrishna Mission

Daily worship of Sri Ramakrishna, evening prayers, Vedic chanting on special occasions, ‘Ramanama Sankirtanam’ on Ekadashi days after evening arati and prayers are held in the temple of Sri Ramakrishna.On the birthdays of each direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, excerpts from the disciple’s life and teachings are read in the temple after evening arati. Regular discourses and expositions on scriptures and deliberations on allied topics are conducted by the Secretary and occasionally by guest speakers on Sunday evenings, except in the months of May, June and part of July. Discourses on Sri Ramcharit Manas are held on Saturday evenings. Religious discourses are held on Sri Ramakrishna The Great Master (English) every Friday morning and on Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita (Bengali) every Wednesday evening except during summer. A  calendar of Annual Celebrations held in the Mission is available at the office.

Shodasi Puja

Sri Ramakrishna worshiped the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi as Shodashi on Phalaharini Kali Puja Day. Commemorating this event, a special puja of the Divine Mother is performed on the occasion of Phalaharini Kali Puja. The  puja and homa is accompanied by devotional songs.

Snan Yatra

On the auspicious day of Snan Yatra in 2007, the sacred footprints of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi were installed in the shrine by Revered Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, Vice-President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. To commemorate this event, a special puja and homa is performed on Snan Yatra day.

Guru Purnima

 Guru Purnima is celebrated every year with many devotees attending the morning celebrations. Special bhajans are sung in the evening after arati.

Sri Krishna Janmashtami

The birthday of Lord Krishna is observed with chanting of the Srimad Bhagvad Gita in the morning. Special Puja,  Krishna bhajans and Shyamnam Sankirtan constitute the evening celebrations.

Mahashtami

Sri Durga Mahashtami is celebrated with due solemnity with special Puja of Divine Mother and a homa is conducted in the morning. Durga Suktam, Sri Sri Chandi, Mahishasuramardini Stotra and  various bhajans are sung. Many devotees gather to participate in these celebrations and have cooked prasad at noon. Book stalls at many different Durga Puja pandals throughout the capital are specially arranged during the saptami, ashtami and navami days.

Lakshmi Puja

A special puja of Goddess Lakshmi is performed after the regular evening arati. The Garbha Mandir is tastefully decorated with flowers and garlands. Many devotees attend the puja and partake of the cooked prasad.

Kali Puja

Kali Puja is performed in front of a beautiful clay image in a grand manner on Dipawali night in the temple. The puja starts at about 8.30 p.m. and ends at about 4.00 a.m. next day. Devotees  participate in large numbers in this puja punctuated with Kali Kirtans and other hymns on the Divine Mother. Many devotees participate in this whole night celebration and partake khichuri, fruits and sweets prasad around 5:00 am, after the morning arati (vespers) of Sri Ramakrishna. The immersion ceremony of the idol is performed next day in river Ganga at Garhmukteswar, 100 km from New Delhi.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is celebrated in the temple on 24th December.  Usually, a distinguished Church official speaks on this occasion besides the Secretary, Swami Shantatmanandaji. A beautiful canopy of the Baby Jesus and other Christmas decorations make this a wonderful occasion.

Tithi Puja of the Holy Mother

The Tithi Puja (birthday) of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi is celebrated annually with the Garbha Mandir beautifully decorated with flowers and garlands. A large portrait of the Holy Mother is decorated and kept in the pandal in front of the temple for devotees sitting outside. Closed-circuit TV installed in the lawns help the viewers to watch the programmes in the temple. Hymns on the Holy Mother mark the evening celebrations.

Kalpataru Utsav

On 1st January 1886, Sri Ramakrishna, blessed the devotees who had gathered at Cossipore with the words, “May you all be spiritually illumined”. This day is referred to as the Kalapataru Day in Ramakrisna Order and is celebrated on 1st January every year.  The Delhi centre commemorates this day with special puja, homa, bhajan, etc. Many devotees attend the morning and evening celebrations.

Tithi Puja of Swami Vivekananda

The Tithi Puja (birthday) of Swami Vivekananda is celebrated  every year with the Garbha Mandir  decorated with flowers and garlands. A special puja, homa, bhajans and a talk on the life and teachings of Swamiji are the main features of this function.

Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri Puja was performed throughout the night. A Baneswar Shiva Linga kept in a copper vessel in front of the Garbha Mandir and Puja is performed four times during the entire night. The puja starts after the regular evening arati and homa is performed in the early morning. A good number of devotees participate in  the chorus singing throughout the night . All are served prasad on the following morning.

Chandi Homa

A Special Puja of the Divine Mother and Chandi Homa is performed in the Temple with many devotees attending the puja and homa.

Tithi Puja of Sri Ramakrishna
The Tithi Puja (birthday) of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna is celebrated every year with the Garbha Mandir beautifully decorated with flowers and garlands. A closed circuit TV is installed in the lawn in front of the Temple to enable the devotees sitting there to watch the programmes going on inside the temple. Many devotees attend the puja and have cooked prasad in the afternoon.   In addition, poor people are served kichuri prasad outside the main gate.
On the same day at noon, there is a public meeting on the “Life and Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna”.  An eminent speaker graces the occasion and devotees pack the huge auditorium to participate in this public meeting. In the evening a cultural programme of  bhajans is usually organized in  the Sarada Auditorium.
Japa Yajna
Japa Yajna is a special form of Yajna in which many devotees gather to collectively and yet individually contemplate on the Divine. Two Japa Yajnas, from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, are organized in a year. The participants sit and do japa continuously at least for an hour. Many devotees participate in these yajnas.