Our Samithi which was founded in the year 1970 as a registered society with the inspiration of monks of the Ramakrishna Order continued its multifarious activities during the present financial year.

We present hereunder the various activities undertaken on several fronts: 1.Spiritual activities; 2. Regular Lectures 3. Narayana Seva 4. Youth Activities; 5. Children’s activities; 6. Publication of Books; 7. Rural Development and 8. Others.

Kalpataru Day was celebrated on 1^st January with Puja in the morning and lighting of incence sticks and meditation in the evening. All the important celebrations like Tithi Pujas of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda were held with Special Puja in the morning and with arati and a discourse in the evening.

Sri Ramakrishna Jayanti was celebrated on 12 March 2005. Three lecture meetings were arranged on 12^th, 13^th and 14^th of March which were delivered by Sri A.Natarajan, Dr. G. Ravindra Babu and Sri N. Ramagopal respectively.

The 151^th Birthday of Sri Sarada Devi was celebrated on 3-1-2005 with puja in the morning and by lighting 151 candles in the evening.

On 17 September 2004, Vinayaka Chaviti was celebrated. Balavihar children made idols of Vinayaka with black soil and the idols were worshipped. In the evening ‘Nimajjanam’ was performed with sankirtan. On Deepavali day Lakshmi puja was conducted in the evening. An effigy of ‘Narakasura’ was prepared by the children and the same was burnt. Later sweets and crackers were distributed among children. All the other important celebrations like Sri Ramanavami, Krishna Ashtami, Siva Ratri, Christmas Eve were celebrated in the Samithi with special Puja in the morning and special Bhajan in the evening.

On 12-9-2004 a Spiritual Retreat was conducted under the guidance of Srimat Swami Sukritanandaji Maharaj (Editor, Sri Ramakrishna Prabha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai). Revered Swamiji addressed the devotees and conducted a question-answer session.

On 28-11-2004 a Spiritual Retreat was conducted under the guidance of Srimat Swami Sashikanthanandaji Maharaj (Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, Vijayawada). Revered Swamiji addressed the devotees, conducted Sankirtan and a question-answer session.

A Sarada Devi ratha yatra was conducted by Ramakrishna Math, Rajahmundry on the eve of the 150^th birth day celebrations of Sri Sarada Devi. The ratham arrived at Bapatla on 27-9-2004. Revered Swami Aksharatmanandaji Maharaj (President, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Rajahmundry), Revered Swami Swasamvedyanandaji Maharaj (Ramakrishna Mission, Trivandrum), Revered Swami Yogapriyanandaji Maharaj (Sri Ramakrishna Math, Rajahmundry) and Brahmachari Sivesha Chaitanya (Ramakrishna Mission, Vijayawada) arrived along with the Ratham. The revered swamijis addressed the devotees of the samithi on the occasion.

Throughout the year on all Mondays Dr. B.Nagalingam, President of our Samithi conducted discourses on various topics connected with the lives and teachings of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. On Thursdays Lectures on Geeta were conducted by Sri N. Ramagopal, Treasurer of our samithi and on Sundays Lectures on Kathamrita were conducted by Sri A. Natarajan, Secretary of our samithi. The Birthdays of the 16 direct disciples were celebrated with a discourse in the evening by Sri N.Ramagopal on the life and teachings of the disciple.

On 20^th March, 2005 Narayana Seva was conducted on the occasion of the birth anniversary Sri Sri Guru Maharaj. Approximately 500 people were sumptuously fed.

Study Circle was held regularly from 7.45 P.M. to 8.30 P.M. every day. It is receiving good response from the high school and college students. Teachings of Swami Vivekananda are the main thrust along with learning English and General knowledge, through reading and discussing, newspaper etc.

Annual Competitions were conducted for students of School and college under the name Vivekananda Cultural Awards Programme. During this year competitions were conducted for school and college students separately. Sri KVRG Sarma, vice-president acted as the convenor in organizing the competitions.

From 3-9-2004 to 6-9-2004 competitions for school children were conducted. Various competititons like Essay writing, Elocution in English and Telugu, Quizzes like General quiz, Science quiz, Culture quiz, Recitation of Padyams, Slokams and quotations of Swami Vivekananda, Spot painting, Singing devotional songs, patriotic songs, making models of science, and vocabulary tests etc. For several of the competitions the book Pushpanjali was used as a source book. The competitions were conducted from L.Kg to 10^th class at 6 levels.

On 12-9-2004, in the evening at 4 p.m. a prize destribution ceremony was conducted. Revered Swami Sukritanandaji Maharaj (Editor, Sri Ramakrishna Prabha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai) graced the occasion, blessed the children with his address and gave away the prizes and momentoes. A total of 1200 children from some 20 schools participated and more than 200 prizes - mementoes in the form of laminated pictures of Swami Vivekananda and book prizes and certificates were given away.

From 16-11-2004 to 27-11-2004, competitions were conducted for college-going youth. Various competitions like Essay writing, Elocution in English and Telugu, Debating, Quizzes like General quiz, Culture quiz, Spot painting, Kavitha rachana, Kathanika Rachana, Group discussion, Singing devotional songs, patriotic songs etc. were conducted. Topics like the life and message of Swami Vivekananda, and topics of cultural significance and national importance were primarily used for the competititons. A total of more than 400 students from 30 different colleges Guntur and Prakasam districts participated.

On 28-11-2004 a Seminar was conducted by Srimat Swami Sashikanthanandaji Maharaj. The seminar concluded with the prize distribution function for the college students. In the seminar Sri Lakshmikantha Reddy, Associate Dean, Agricultural College, Bapatla was the chief guest. Student speakers also participated in the programme. More than 100 prizes - mementoes in the form of laminated pictures of Swami Vivekananda and book prizes and certificates were given away.

Children activity ‘BALAVIHAR’ continued as a very important activity of the Samithi. About 30-50 children from the nearby locality attend Samithi regularly and are involved in all kinds of activities. During the year ‘Academic assistance’ was given to the children by teaching them. Every evening moral classes were conducted for the children in which they are taught moral stories from Indian culture, life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda and Bhagavad Geeta by using a computer for displaying various items. Other activities like singing, chanting are also taught. Every evening the children are provided with supple-mentary food. During the year new dresses were stitched and distributed for 20 children.

Special training in embroidery was imparted some of the girl students of the Balavihar.

All the books published by Samithi continued to receive good response from the spiritual aspirants. During the year two new books were published by the Samithi. (1) Archana (2) Organization and Organized work. The book Archana contains the Astottara Satanama stotrams of the holy trinity and some nama sankirtanams. Organization and Organized work is the English version of the book Sangham originally compiled by Sri BSR Anjaneyulu garu.

During this year all the publications were re-printed. The cover pages of 'Manassu' and 'Oka Katha Cheputa Vinu!' were changed and the prices were lowered to rupees twelve and twenty five respectively.

In addition to the Book stall that was run at samithi, occasional book-stalls were conducted outside. This year two such stalls along with Vivekananda Exhibition were conducted at Bapatla Engineering College on two occasions by Sri N. Ramagopal and Sri B. Srinivasa Raju.

The Poleramma temple at Saradapuri was repaired at a approximate cost of Rs.7133/-

The members of the Samithi actively participated in the activities of Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission cetres at Hyderabad, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada and Chennai and Sri Sarada Math, Guntur and the Andhra Pradesh Ramakrishna Vivekananda Bhava Prachara Parishat and rendered voluntary service in various areas.

We are grateful to the monks of the Ramakrishna order for their continued guidance and patronage. We thank our auditor Sri K. Krishna Murthy garu, Chartered Accountant for auditing the accounts of the Samithi. We also thank the several friends and donors who continued to patronize the Samithi. May Sri Sri Guru Maharaj bless them all is our constant prayer.

OM TAT SAT

SARVAM SRI RAMAKRISHNARPANAMASTU

Date: 20-06-2004 (Amirapu Natarajan)

Place: Bapatla. Secretary