Vrindavan, 2016.04.23 (VT): In a function at the Vivekananda Auditorium on the Ramkrishna Mission Hospital grounds, the addition of state of the art medical equipment, a 32-slice CT scanner and a 10-bed dialysis unit, mostly donated by the Tata Trust. The sadhus and doctors of the Mission hospital were very pleased with the addition of the advanced apparatus.
Swami Suprakashananda, current director of the Mission Hospital, said without reservation that this made the hospital one of the best equipped in the district, if not the state. “In general, the RKM hospital serves the poor, including the widows and poor sadhus, at no cost. But even this CT-scanner will cost only 500 Rs. per session, whereas in most hospitals it would cost at least 3000.”
Pradeep Mathur (MLA, Mathura) and Mukesh Gautam (Municipal Chairman) both sang the praises of the Ramkrishna Mission and Math, speaking of the service attitude of all the sadhus living and serving there. Both expressed the wish that the hospital should be expanded into a medical college. There is already a nurses’ school, which has about 30 students mostly from poor backgrounds, who are given full scholarships to study there.
Swami Subirananda gave the keynote lecture, speaking especially about Swami Vivekananda’s transformation of India’s understanding of dharma. He told the story of how in the beginning the followers of Vivekananda were not accepted as sannyasis by the sadhu samaj in Uttara Khand. But that eventually changed as the concept of serving humanity as a way of serving God was made the normal way of seeing things by the selfless work of the Mission. He quoted Vivekananda, “I do not believe in a religion that does not put bread in the orphan’s mouth or wipe away the widow’s tears.”
Tothagota Roy, the governor of Tripura state, was the chief guest. spoke in much the same vein. He mentioned that this was an auspicious year, since it is the 108th year since this hospital was opened by the Mission. It was the third clinic that they opened, and now of course there are hundreds of RKM hospitals in India and around the world.
He remarked that the current BJP government is very supportive of the Ramkrishna Mission and PM Narendra Modi even went directly to visit the current president of the Mission, Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, in hospital on his latest visit to Kolkata. [It is said that as a young man, PM Modi had visited Belurmath in order to join the Order but his request was turned down and he was told that his calling lay elsewhere!]
He also commented that his visit to Banke Bihari was a real eye opener. He said that he can see how deeply ingrained the religious sentiment is in the Indian psyche.
The governor also visited the Katyayani Devi temple and Bankey Bihari mandir. The traffic police closed off entry to the town for non-resident vehicles until noon so that the Governor’s motorcade would not be disrupted as he visited the town. Outsiders were sent to parking facilities at Daruka parking and Rukmani Vihar.
The room for the ten-bed dialysis unit was built by Braj Foundation CEO Vineet Narain in the name of his parents R.N. Gupta and Maya Gupta.
Governor Visits Ashray Sadan
Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy met with destitute women in the Ashray Sadan home in Chaitanya Vihar. He asked many questions from women and the Sadan staff, his heart melted and tears welled up in his eyes to hear of their suffering.
The governor arrived on the spot just before noon. He wanted to know whether it was only Bengali women who were housed here. Why did they come here? Do they visit their own homes or not? Do their family members ever come to visit them or not? What are the benefits available to them in the Sadan. Which institution runs the shelter?
The governor spoke to Bengali widows Anupama Mukherjee, Ratna and Deepali Dasi, who told their personal stories of how they came to Vrindavan. For some they came because after the death of their husbands they were turned out of the house by their families. They said that now they want to spend the remaining part of their lives in devotion to Krishna. He also met Neelima Kaur, the only woman in the Hostel from Tripura.
The governor said he had long wished to visit the destitute women living in these government shelter. It saddened him greatly to hear of these women’s suffering. “It hurts to hear stories of the cruelty of sons and daughters and other family members who can turn these women out of house and home to come and live a life of hardship here in such institutions,” he said. “These relatives also take their property. It is our duty to serve these women.”
DPO Om Prakash Yadav, Deputy Collector Sadanand Gupta, Anil Singh, Shakti Srivastav, and Dr. Vinod Banerjee were present.
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