Lucknow: The birth anniversary of Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and a pioneer in relief and rural development work in India, was observed with devotion and fervor at Ramakrishna Math, Nirala Nagar, Lucknow.
The celebrations began early in the morning at 4:30 am with Shankhnaad (conch blowing) and Mangala Aarti. This was followed by Vedic chanting of the Narayana Suktam and the devotional chorus “Jai Jai Ramakrishna Bhuvan Mangal” at 6:50 am, led by Swami Muktinathananda Ji Maharaj, President of Ramakrishna Math, Lucknow. At 7:15 am, Swami Muktinathananda delivered an online Satsangh session, setting a spiritual tone for the day.
In the evening, after the Sandhya Aarti at 7:05 pm in the main temple, the devotees collectively recited “Saparsad-Shri Ramakrishna Stotram”, composed by Swami Saradananda, under the guidance of Swami Ishtakripananda. This was followed at 7:15 pm by a discourse from Swami Muktinathananda Ji, who spoke on the life and message of Swami Akhandananda.
In his address, Swami Muktinathananda highlighted that Swami Akhandananda was born as Gangadhar Gangopadhyay on 30 September 1864 in Calcutta. At the age of 19, he came into contact with Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineshwar and received spiritual training from him. In 1887, after taking monastic vows, he became known as Swami Akhandananda.
A tireless traveler and social worker, he journeyed across India, Tibet, and the Himalayas. On 15 May 1897, he initiated the first relief work of the Ramakrishna Mission by distributing rice to famine-affected people in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Later, he established an orphanage at Sargachi, dedicating his life to serving the poor and downtrodden, embodying the ideal “Service to man is service to God.”
Swami Akhandananda was the first monk of the Ramakrishna Order to begin rural development work even before the Mission’s formal establishment, fulfilling Swami Vivekananda’s vision to uplift the poor, unlettered, and oppressed by considering them as manifestations of the Divine. As Vivekananda had instructed: “Consider the poor, the ignorant, the downtrodden as your God. Know that their service is the highest religion.”
He was elected Vice President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in 1922 and became its third President in 1934. Through his writings, speeches, and spiritual teachings, he inspired countless men and women, leaving behind an immortal legacy of “Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva” — serving humanity in the spirit of God.
The program concluded with devotional Devi Naam Sankirtan, followed by Prasad distribution among the assembled devotees.
