Sri Ramakrishna Sharada Ashrama invites all spiritual seekers and lovers of music to Viveka Vandana – A Spiritual and Cultural Tribute to Swami Vivekananda.
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Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk from India is credited with introducing Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world in the late 19th century. He delivered his first talk at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland on the evening of February 25, 1900 from the pulpit of Hamilton Hall. Two thousand people listened in rapt attention as the swami spoke on, “The Claims of Vedanta On the Modern World.” Some days later he gave another public lecture on “Vedanta and Christianity,” from the same pulpit. In March he gave two series of three lectures in each series at the adjoining Wendte Hall.
Visitors to the First Unitarian Church can see the chair used by Swami Vivekananda and also the pulpit from which he addressed the congregation in 1900.
Swami Vinayakananda is a renowned spiritual leader who is part of Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Bailur. He emphasizes genuine spirituality, which involves leading a pure life of devotion and service. He has undertaken spiritual austerities and is known for his motivating teachings and love for humanity. Some of his talks
Read more about his Inspiration
Pt. T. Radhakrishna is a renowned Indian sitar player, disciple of Bharat Ratna awardee Pt. Ravishankar. He is himself an exceptionally skilled and celebrated sitar player. Born into a musical family, Radhakrishna began his training at a young age under the guidance of his father. Radhakrishna’s musical journey has been marked by collaborations with esteemed musicians and performances around the world. He has also played a significant role in teaching and nurturing the next generation of sitar players. His contributions to Indian classical music have earned him numerous awards and accolades.
He will be accompanied by Tanmay Bichu on tabla. Tanmay Bichu began learning tabla since the age of 6, under Pt. Manohar Pimpalaskar. He is currently learning under Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music. He is an active performer in various Indian Classical and World Music concerts in India and the US.
For those of you who were unable to attend and for others who would like to revisit things, we’re sharing
- One World of Love, Peace and Harmony (pdf)
- Talk Recording (YouTube)
- The Dias – Swami Vivekananda at The First Unitarian Church of Oakland (pdf)