By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A “Prabhat Pheri” (morning procession) was taken out on the occasion of Platinum Jubilee Celebration of Rama Krishna Mission in the city on Saturday. Dubbed as the biggest ever cultural procession taken out in the city, the procession – organized by RKM started from the historic Jagannath Temple at 8am and converged at RKM covering major routes of the city.
The RKM, Shillong is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee with a 3-day long programme, which earlier got underway at the Ashram premises on Friday with the lighting of 75 lamps, Sadhu Varan (formal reception of monks), Public Meeting, Leela Giti – Vishwajanani Sarada Devi.
The morning procession was attended by a large number of school students, RKM monks who congregated here from all over India besides RKM students, volunteers and devotees. The members of Sarada Sangha, Sarada Samity, Subhadra Mahila Samity besides the children of Gora Line, Sweeper Colony, Laitumkhrah who were adopted by RKM recently besides youths and civilians from all walks of life participated in huge numbers.
The major attraction of the procession was that students, also adopted by RKM, from Pynursla Wakhan participated in the procession in traditional attires besides a volunteer was dressed as Swami Vivekananda.
A musical troupe from Kolkata, Shankar Shome played devotional songs throughout the procession. The Sarada Sangha car carried the tableau of Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi as they marched amidst music played by the BSF Band Party.
After the procession concluded at RKM, the gathering was addressed by Laitumkhrah Legislator and Urban Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh besides Author LH Pde, Swami Brahmadevananda, Ex-secretary, RKM, Shillong with Laitumkhrah Rangbah Shnong SB Nongdhar and Belur Math Managing Trustee Swami Girishananda presided over.
Ampareen said that RKM works with secular ideas and their way of working is praiseworthy. Informing that RKM, Shillong is working more in the health and education sector, she said, “The way they work, with utmost sincerity looks like they are working as a Khasi community, our very own.”
LH Pde presented his book titled “Jingrwai u blei” (Song of God) to Swami Brahmadevananda – who gave a speech in Khasi.