Sri Premananda Centres

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Sri Premananda Centres - Programs

Click on the following links for all program information.

Argentina
Belgium
France
India
Italy
Poland
The Netherlands

For the other countries:
contact the Sri Premananda Centre Coordinators.

Overview of the Functions and Festivals in 2011:

JANUARY 2011
1 Premananda Day
2 Monthly Shivaratri
15 Pongal
16 Cow Pongal
19 Full Moon

FEBRUARY 2011
1 Monthly Shivaratri
18 Full Moon

MARCH 2011
2 Mahashivaratri
10 Swamiji's Mother's Birthday
19 Full Moon

APRIL 2011
1 Monthly Shivaratri
14 Tamil New Year
17 Full Moon
23 Premananda Parents Day

MAY 2011
1 Monthly Shivaratri
1 Swamiji's Mother's Death Anniversary
17 Buddha Purnima (Wesak) (Full moon)
30 Monthly Shivaratri

JUNE 2011
15 Full Moon
29 Monthly Shivaratri

JULY 2011
15 Guru Poornima (Full Moon)
29 Monthly Shivaratri

AUGUST 2011
13 Full Moon
21 Krishna Jayanthi
27 Monthly Shivaratri
31 Ramzan

SEPTEMBER 2011
1 Ganesha Chathurti
13 Full Moon
25 Monthly Shivaratri
27 First day of Navaratri

OCTOBER 2011
5 Saraswati Puja (Ayuda Puja)
6 Vijaya Dasami (Last day of Navaratri)
11 Full Moon
25 Monthly Shivaratri
26 Deepavali
27 Skanda Shasti Fasting starts

NOVEMBER 2011
1 Skanda Shasti Fasting ends
10 Full Moon
17 Swamiji's Birthday
18 Ashram's 22nd Opening Anniversary
23 Monthly Shivaratri

DECEMBER 2011
8 Kartikkey Deepam
10 Full Moon
23 Monthly Shivaratri
25 Christmas

PREMANANDA DAY
A few years ago Swamiji named the 1st January "Premananda Day". He suggested that his devotees start the New Year with a service activity. We should start the year thinking of others and giving service. Start the year with Premananda, think of Premananda and give Prema and Ananda. Many devotees all over the world are following this call and are spending Premananda Day by doing something for their neighbours, those in need, etc.

PONGAL
On that day the Sun God, Surya, is worshipped at sunrise with the outdoor cooking of a large pot of rice from the recent harvest. When the dish overflows everyone around shouts "pongal-oh-pongal". The cooking place is traditionally decorated with sugar cane, turmeric roots and colourful drawings with rice flower on the ground ("kolams").

FULL MOON DAYS
On full moon days the planetary influence of the moon is very strong and people are more receptive for spiritual energies. Therefore, these days are very conducive for meditation and other spiritual practices. On full moon days, in the main Ashram, we are chanting a special mantra for the Divine Mother in Her fierce form of Sri Maha Pratyangira Kali Devi for several hours continuously. Pratyangira Kali unites the ascpects of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati and appears in a fearsome form of Shakti. This particular mantra invokes Her blessings and asks for protection of all the people around. Many Sri Premananda Centres around the world are joining in this activity by chanting this powerful mantra in their countries on full moon days.

SWAMIJI'S MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY
Traditionally the mother of a saint is revered as a saintly person as she was chosen by divinity to be the mother of a great saint and to give birth to him or her.
We fondly remember Swamiji's mother on her birthday. While still alive, in spite of her ill health, she would never fail to come to the pooja hall on her birthday to attend the cultural programme with dance and songs, which the Ashram children and youth used to present in her honour. After the function she used to distribute sweets and bless each and every one with vibhuti.
After her death, we are commemorating Amma's birthday as well as her death anniversary with a pooja in her room and a special meal for the Ashram children.

MAHASHIVARATRI
Mahashivaratri is Lord Shiva's great night. It is perhaps the most important festival in Sri Premananda Ashram. During that night Swami Premananda will bring out several lingams through is mouth. This phenomenon called Linghodbhava has been taking place every Mahashivaratri night since Swamiji was very young. In the Ashram we all keep vigil during that night. Very keen spiritual aspirants will observe a strict fast the whole day without taking even a drop of water. The big Shiva Lingam in the pooja hall is worshipped throughout the night by performing Mahabishekam every three hours. The Panchakshara mantra OM NAMAH SHIVAYA is chanted for 24 hours without interruption. It is said that those who utter the name of Shiva during Shivaratri, with perfect devotion and concentration, are freed from all sins and are liberated from the wheel of birth and death.

PREMANANDA PARENTS DAY
Swamiji has introduced Premananda Parents Day suggesting to his young and elder devotees to dedicate one day in the year to their parents. On this day the Premananda youth members and other devotees all over the world visit their elders and parents or invite them for a special surprise activity.

TAMIL NEW YEAR
The Tamil calendar starts on 14th April and the Tamil people celebrate the Tamil New Year as a festive day. They go to temples to receive God's blessings, children seek the blessings of their parents and devotees get the blessings of their guru. They visit their families and friends and spend New Year's Day happily. Of course a special meal will not be missing on this occasion!

WESAK (BUDDHA POORNIMA - FULL MOON)
Wesak is celebrated on full moon day in May. On this day the Buddhist people remember Lord Buddha's birth, His enlightenment and His samadhi. In the Ashram we celebrate Wesak around the Bodhi tree, which has been grown from a cutting of the original Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya under which Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment more than 2,000 years ago. The area around the bo-tree is decorated with coloured flags and lanterns in a traditional Buddhist way. We place oil lamps around the bodhi tree and place Lord Buddha's picture between Swamiji's and Mother's chairs. After dusk we sing bhajans and then chant a Buddhist mantra while walking around the tree and giving water to the tree. Afterwards many like to meditate around the tree until late in the night.

GURU POORNIMA (FULL MOON)
The full moon day in the month of Ashad (July-August) is the auspicious and holy day of Guru Poornima. It is the day on which devotees all over the world worship and offer homage to their beloved Guru. Lucky are those whose Guru is living amongst them while they are alive. It is a rare gift to have a Sathguru who guides one on the correct path through the turmoils of life to the feet of God. It is through the medium of the spiritual master that the individual can raise him- or herself to Cosmic Consciousness, that the imperfect can become perfect, the finite can become infinite and the mortal can pass into the eternal life of blessedness.
Guru Poornima day in the Ashram is dedicated entirely to our beloved Swamiji. In the early morning after the Ganesha abishekam children and residents join the Nagarsankirtan, that means walking to Swamiji's house while singing Guru bhajans.
There is a pada pooja, there are speeches and a cultural programme. Of course a special lunch will be offered to all. Throughout the day the devotees experience Swamiji's blessings.

KRISHNA JAYANTHI
This is the birthday of Lord Krishna. He was born at midnight, therefore, strong devotees of Lord Krishna observe a fast of 24 hours until midnight. Sri Krishna is the ocean of bliss. His soul-stirring leelas (divine plays) are its waves. The sweet music of his flute attracts the minds of His devotees and His beauty amazes the animate and inanimate beings. Devotion (or "bhakti") is the only means of attaining Lord Krishna. Bhakti kindles love for the Lord. When love is directed towards Krishna, man is freed from the bondage of the world.
In the Ashram we celebrate Krishna Jayanthi with a Mahabishekam to our statue of Lord Krishna, special poojas, Krishna Bhajans and prasadam.

VINAYAKAR CHATHURTI
On Vinayakar Chathurti we celebrate Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed god and he is worshipped first in any Hindu prayers. His names are repeated first before any work is begun. He is the Lord who removes all obstacles on the path of the spiritual aspirant and bestows on him worldly as well as spiritual success. Lord Ganesha is the embodiment of wisdom and knowledge and he is therefore most popular amongst children who pray to him for successful studies and exams.
On this day we perform a Mahabishekam to Lord Ganesha and we offer Him a vast choice of delicious prasadams which He is so fond of.

NAVARATRI
Navaratri is celebrated all over India as the ten-day festival dedicated to the Divine Mother. In various parts of the country it is celebrated in different ways with different rituals and traditions. However, the main aim of this celebration is to worship the many aspects of Devi, the universal Mother, and to receive Her great blessings and boundless grace. During nine days the Divine Mother is worshipped in the form of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati during three nights each. On the ninth day a special pooja called Saraswati Pooja is performed during which school and study books are being blessed and young children receive initiation in the study of the alphabet.

AYUDA POOJA
In the evening of the 9th day singing children and devotees walk in a procession through the Ashram to all the public Ashram buildings where the arathi is performed to bless all the tools, instruments, equipment, vehicles, etc.

VIJAYA DASAMI
It is the day when we celebrate the ultimate victory of light over darkness. The Divine Mother shows Herself in all her greatness and strength. A Mahabishekam is performed to our Amman statue and afterwards she is carried to all the buildings in the Ashram to bless all the houses and its residents. The person carrying Amman leads the procession of children and residents who are singing bhajans with great devotion and joy.

DEEPAVALI
Deepavali means "a row of lights". On this day people celebrate the victory of the forces of light over darkness. The early morning bath on Deepavali is considered to be a bath in the holy river Ganga itself. It is a custom in India that all wear new clothes on Deepavali. Following this tradition clothes are distributed to the children in the Ashram and also the labourers working here will receive new clothes. On Deepavali people visit their families and friends and bring many different sweets as gifts. At dusk, inside and around the houses small oil lamps are lit to symbolise the victorious light.

SKANDA SHASTI

Skandashashthi is a 6-days festival which celebrates the giant battle between the evil forces, represented by Surapadma, and the forces of light and dharma, represented by Lord Skanda and his Vel.

SWAMIJI'S BIRTHDAY
Every year we celebrate Swamiji's birthday starting with a yagam in the early morning. When Swamiji was present in the Ashram the devotees were allowed to pour water over him before the 9 kumbams of the yagam were poured on him. On this special day a pada pooja is performed to Swamiji's lotus feet or his sandals if he is not physically present. Traditionally on Swamiji's birthday all the children, devotees and poor people are fed with a delicious meal for lunch.

ASHRAM ANNIVERSARY
Sri Premananda Ashram was inaugurated in 1989 on 18th November, the day after Swamiji's birthday in the presence of many sadhus and other guests from all over Tamil Nadu. We celebrate this day as Founder's Day and the Sri Premananda High School presents an interesting programme with songs, dramas, competitions, etc. In the morning a new flag is hoisted in front of the prayer hall.

RAMZAN
Ramzan marks the end of the fasting period of the Muslims. This festival is an occasion for us to become more familiar with Prophet Mohammed's teaching of which the essence is oneness of God and the importance of charity and religious discipline.

KARTIKAI DEEPAM
As many of you know, the locally famous 'Muruga Rock' lies on our Ashram land in the direction of Viralimalai. Around 600 years ago saint Arunagiri Nathar was travelling to the Muruga temple in nearby Viralimalai, located on a small mountain in an otherwise relatively flat landscape. As the area at that time was covered with dense forest, the saint got lost and was praying to the Lord to show him the way to the temple. It was then that a villager pointed out the Muruga Rock as a good look-out point to view the temple mountain. After climbing on the Rock he prayed and pleaded to Lord Muruga to show him the correct direction and he got a divine vision of the every-youthful Lord. Because Muruga appeared to the saint on that Rock, it is said that He left His footprint there. Harohara! Kartikai Deepam is the festival that celebrates the victory of Light over darkness. It reminds us to burn our impurities in the fire of knowledge of the Self. In the Ashram we light around 300 small clay oil lamps and distribute them along the Ashram roads and buildings. Then a procession goes to the Rock singing bhajans and brings a deepam or bowl of fire to the top of the Rock. On this day we remember that we should attain illumination and behold the light of lights in the heart of every creature.

CHRISTMAS
Every year on 25th December we celebrate Christmas in a very festive and peaceful manner. There will be a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and a crib set up in a natural surrounding with leaves, twigs and plants. As a multinational community we sing Christmas carols in all the languages before Father Christmas pays his visit to the Ashram children and distributes small gift bags, sweets and fruit.