Colombo

Spiritual and Religious activities

In keeping with the ideal of Religious Harmony, every year the Mission celebrates the Maha Shivaratri, Vesak, Vinayaka Chaturti, Sri Krishna Jayanti, Navaratri and Christmas in a fitting manner. Eminent persons from various religions are invited to deliver special lectures on the lives and teachings of the prophets of their respective religions.

Another very significant annual event is the Birthday Celebration of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, where students from four major religions (Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus) get together at the Mission and stage cultural programmes that reflect the rich teachings of their respective religions.

Scriptural classes on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata & the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna are conducted regularly. Spiritual retreat is conducted on Full-Moon (Poya) days. Resident Swamis visit various institutions, temples and remote hamlets to deliver talks on Hindu Dharma and on the lives and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda.

The Mission conducts regular Puja in the Ashrama shrine, Bhajans programmes on Fridays and on special occasions, and spiritual retreat on Poya-days. Annual Maha Shivaratri observance with Pujas in the four Yamas and Homa draws very large numbers of devotees who keep the traditional vigil throughout the night. On every ekadashi day (11th moon day) Ramanam sankirtan is held in the evening. The birthday anniversaries of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and other prophets of major world religions are celebrated and special lectures on their lives and teachings by eminent persons are held.

Educational activities

The Religious School, which was inaugurated on the 17th August 1952 with just 15 students, now has more than 500 students on roll. This weekly school provides the Hindu children of the Metropolis with the general background of their religion. The curriculum comprises of the study of the tenets of Hindu Dharma, rendition of Thevarams and Thiruvasagams, Gita Chanting, the study of the lives of saints, singing of devotional songs, and directing the children towards character building. Yogasanam has been taught on a regular basis to the students from 1997. The classes are conducted by a band of fifty honorary teachers.

The Mission provides guidance and conducts occasional training programme for the teachers of other religious schools throughout the Island.

Annually the Mission conducts several religious lectures and seminars at many schools. The Mission also organises occasional residential camps for school children and youth to inculcate ethical values, moral values and leadership qualities.

Medical and Welfare activities

A Monthly free medical clinic was formally inaugurated at the Colombo Mission in October 1995. Since then it provides monthly medical care for the needy people living the suburbs of Colombo City. In addition, the Mission conducts occasional free medical camps in remote areas of the island. Since 1995, the Mission has conducted more than one hundred and forty free medical camps which provided basic medical tests, diagnosis & essential medicines for more than twenty thousand patients.

Cultural and Recreational activities

The Library and the Reading Room was opened to the public in the year 1948. The library now has a collection of more than 7500 books. It also serves the public with 16 periodicals and 7 newspapers.

A Children Park was constructed in front of the Library and was formally opened to the public in the year 1964.

The Swami Vivekananda Memorial Hall was built in March 1969. This Hall, fully furnished and equipped, is one of the biggest and magnificent halls in the Island. It is widely used by the public for holding religious events like discourses, lectures, seminars, etc. and for staging cultural events like musical concerts, dances, dramas, etc.

The International Cultural Centre was started in 15th October 1962 by Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India. This centre provides accommodation to guests and devotees from remote parts of the island to come and stay at the heart of Colombo.

Relief and Rehabilitation Activities

The Mission is always in the forefront in rendering help during natural calamities like flood, cyclone, earthquake, drought, fire etc. Since its inception, the Colombo Mission has carried out several relief and rehabilitation work, including housing projects, for several thousands of people affected by natural and other calamities in the Island.