NEWS:

NOW RAIPUR AIRPORT IS NAMED AFTER THE GREAT PATRIOT SAINT SWAMI VIVEKANANDA:

Mana airport will be now known as Swami Vivekananda airport. Union cabinet on Tuesday (24.1.12) gave nod to the State government's proposal for re-naming Raipur airport (see picture) after the great saint, who had spent two year here, when he came to Raipur along with his father in 1877.Vivekananda stayed in the Raipur's Dey Bhawan.

Now Mana airport has joined the list of airports in the country like Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji to be named after historical personalities.

Presently it is served by Air India, Jet Airways, Jetlite and IndiGo.There are also plans to start international flights after the modernization.

Swami Vivekananda's[b1863] 150th Birth Anniversary is celebrated from 2010 to 2014 at National and International levels . Here current News will be published.
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To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (1863-2013), a postal stamp was released on August 2, 2011 by Government of Malaysia with Swami Vivekananda’s: famous quote: “Arise, Awake! Stop not till the goal is reached”.
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ON LINE COMPETITION:

For Details visit:“http://awakeningindia.org” [CLICK HERE].

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To mark the above occasion a new Train Service called ‘Vivek Express’ would be launched by Indian Railways. Initially four such services, covering various regions of the country would be operated. This was announced by the Railway Minister while presenting Railway budget for 2011-12 in Lok Sabha on 25^th February.

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To celebrate Swami Vivekananda’s 150^th Birth Anniversary in 2012-13 a National Committee under Chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister was formed on 20.5.10 and Rs. 100 crores is allotted for its purpose. Also the National Implementation Committee under Chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister was constituted on 03.09.10.         

                

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To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Mission is organizing various projects – for integrated child development, for the improvement of children’s health by eliminating malnutrition, for empowerment of women, and for alleviating poverty. Besides, the Mission will distribute books on the message of Swami Vivekananda to various libraries and will hold national and international seminars in various places on Swamiji’s contribution to Indian and international cultures. The Mission is also planning to produce films on Swami Vivekananda.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh formally inaugurated the projects on 12 January at 4 pm. at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

COURTESY: awakeningindia.org

        

VIVEKANANDA'S QUOTES [VIDEO]

COURTESY: youtube

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S LIFE AND MESSAGES [VIDEO]

NATIONAL YOUTH DAY: 12TH JANUARY:

COURTESY: nyd12jan, youtube

ANECDOTE: A TRUTHFUL STUDENT

While in school one day Swami Vivekananda [then Narendra] was talking animatedly to his friends during a class recess. Meanwhile, the teacher had begun to teach his subject. But the students were too absorbed in Narendra’s story to pay any attention to the lesson. After some time had passed, the teacher heard the whispering and understood what was going on! Visibly annoyed, he now asked each student what he had been teaching on. None could answer. But Narendra was remarkably talented; his mind could work simultaneously on two planes. While he had engaged one part of his mind in talking, he had kept the other half on the lesson. So when the teacher asked him that question, he answered correctly. Quite nonplussed, the teacher inquired who had been talking so long. Everybody pointed at Narendra, but the teacher refused to believe them. He then asked all students except Narendra to stand upon the bench. Narendra also joined his friends and stood up. The teacher asked him to sit down. But Narendra replied: ‘No sir, I must also stand up because it was I who was talking to them.’

SOURCE: Swami Vivekananda, The Friend of All  by RKM Institue of Culture, Kolkata

            

ANECDOTE: A LESSON ON SAME SIGHTEDNESS:

KING AJIT SINGH

Once Swami Vivekananda [Swamiji] was staying as King Ajit Singhji’s guest at the Khetri Palace. One evening the king invited Swamiji to join him to hear songs sung by a professional dancing girl. But Swamiji refused and sent a message that as a sannyasin it was against his principles to attend such party.    

When the singer heard this she was deeply grieved. She started to sing, as it were reply, a song of a Saint. The girls’ sweet, plaintive voice reached the sensitive ears of Swamiji. The meaning of the song: ‘O Lord, look not upon my evil qualities. Thy name, O Lord, is same sightedness. One piece of iron is in the image in the temple, and another in the butcher’s hand. But when they touch the philosopher’s stone, both alike turn into gold. So Lord, look not upon my evil qualities.’

The song touched Swamiji’s heart deeply. He soon reproached himself, muttering ‘What sort of a sannyasin am I that I still distinguish women from myself?’ The song taught him a great lesion. He realized he could not reject anyone, for in all lies the same Self.

Swamiji then rushed to the music room and listened to the song. He addressed the woman as ‘Mother’ and begged her pardon for his discourteous behavior.  


SOURCE: Swami Vivekananda, The Friend of All, by RKM, Institute of Culture, Kolkata 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA WRITES US

LETTER NO. 2

My dear ...........,*

Bear in mind, my children, that only cowards and those who are weak commit sin and tell lies. The brave are always moral. Try to be moral, try to be brave, try to be sympathising.

Yours affectionately,

Vivekananda.

SOURCE: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume-5; Letter No.I