During 2000, the Vedanta Society of New York continued its work of spiritual ministration under the leadership of Swami Tathagatananda.

Sunday services were conducted at 11 A.M., and classes were given on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 P.M. The Sunday services addressed varied aspects of spiritual life, while the Tuesday classes were mostly on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and the Friday classes were mostly on the Bhagavad-Gita. Group devotional singing, open to the public, was held on Saturday and Sunday evenings at 6:00.

The birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda, and Durga Puja (the autumn worship of the Divine Mother) were observed by both public and private celebrations. The private celebrations consisted of morning meditation, worship and music in the chapel, beginning at 8:00, followed by a buffet breakfast upstairs. The public Sunday celebrations featured a talk by the swami in honor of the occasion, music by the choir and congregation, and lunch, prepared by devotees, served to the congregation. Special Sunday services also honored the birthdays of Buddha and Krishna, Christmas and Easter. Because December 24 fell on a Sunday, Christmas Eve was celebrated on Friday the 22nd, with the swami's talk on the Sermon on the Mount and carol singing by the congregation.

Before the Center closed for summer vacation, the Swami invited the members to the usual end-of-the-season supper on Friday, June 9. A mostly Indian meal, prepared by devotees, was served in the chapel, preceded by singing of two of the vesper chants. After supper Mallar Bhattacharya, grandson of one of our regular comers, gave a sarod recital, accompanied on the tabla by one of our members.

On July 4th the Center celebrated its thirty-ninth annual Swami Vivekananda Festival at Moss Hill Farms, the country home of one of our members. Swami Atmarupananda, resident minister at the Vivekananda Retreat, Ridgely, was our special guest. After the usual pitch-in buffet lunch the choir offered a program entitled "Glimpses of Swami Vivekananda: A Garland of Songs and Readings." Beginning and ending the program were prayers offered by Swami Atmarupananda; the congregation joined the choir in singing the vesper hymns.

The Center was host to four other visiting swamis during 2000. Swami Jitatmananda, head of the Ramakrishna Ashrama in Rajkot, India, visited our Center twice during the year. On Friday, January 7, he gave a talk and also sang many songs. The swami is well known in the Ramakrishna Order as a good singer. He paid us a second visit September 9 and 10, giving a talk on Sunday the 10th on 'Spiritual Life" and again singing a number of songs. On May 27, Swami Sarvatmananda visited our Center with two devotees. He had just concluded his work in San Diego and was on his way to the Netherlands to take charge of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society in Amsterdam. The following day, Sunday, May 28, Swami Pramathananda, leader of the Vedanta Society of Toronto, was guest speaker; his topic was "Meditation and Stressful Life."

The General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Swami Smaranananda, was our guest from June 17 to 19, as part of a tour of all the North American centers. On Sunday the 18th he gave a talk on "The Role of Vedanta in Modern Life." The service was attended by 140 people. Afterward the swami gave a packet of fruit to each member of the congregation.

On Sunday, September 24, after the usual Sunday lecture by Swami Tathagatananda, Dr. Manoj. K. Pal, formerly director of the Saha Nuclear Institute in Calcutta, gave a talk.

A special service celebrating the new millennium was held on Sunday, December 3. The theme of the program was 'The Role of Vedanta in the New Millennium.' Distinguished guest speakers were Rabbi Asher Block, Minister Emeritus of The Little Neck Jewish Center and a close friend of our Center for many years; Dr. Janet Walker, Professor of Comparative Literature at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey; and Honorable Satyavrata Pal, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations. Dr. Steven Walker, also Professor of Comparative Literature at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, was scheduled to speak but, for health reasons, was unable to be present; Dr. Janet Walker read his prepared speech. Dr. Jayanta Sircar was present and also gave a talk, requested by Swami Tathagatananda. The final event of the program was the formal release, by Honorable Mr. Pal, of Swami Tathagatananda's new book, The Vedanta Society of New York: A Brief Survey. After the service fifty copies of the book were sold.

During the summer Swami Tathagatananda went to India via England. He left New York on June 21 and reached Belur Math, the Order's headquarters near Calcutta, on June 24. He took with him the ashes of Jeanne Genet. These were immersed in the Ganges in front of Holy Mother's temple by Swami Shuddharupananda, known as Prakash Maharaj, who had known Jeanne when he was in New York before joining the Order in 1973. While in India, Swami Tathagatananda gave three talks. On July 5 he spoke to novices at the monks' Training Center at Belur; on July 21 he gave a talk at Holy Mother's temple at Jayrambati, her birthplace; and on August 8 he spoke at Balaram Mandir in Calcutta. The swami returned to New York on August 24.

Swami Tathagatananda's outside engagements in the United States included a visit to Swami Sarvagatananda, the Order's most senior monk in America, in Boston on May 22. On October 21 Swami Tathagatananda participated in a retreat program at the Vivekananda Retreat, Ridgely. On November 21 he spoke at Trinity School in New York City.

We record with sorrow the passing away of Alexander Burgess in the month of March. Since the passing away of Jeanne Genet in 1998 Mr. Burgess was the most senior member of our Center, having been associated since the time of Swami Bodhananda. He passed away at Pleasant Bay Nursing Home on Cape Cod at the age of 96. Though living on Cape Cod, Alec, as he liked to be called, used to visit our Center now and then, spending two or three days at a time here. His gentle, friendly nature and long-time devotion to Vedanta are remembered with fondness by those who knew him.

The membership count for 2000 was 95 voting members and 47 associate members.

Books by Swami Tathagatananda:

1. The Vedanta Society of New York -- A Brief History, 2000
2. Mahabharat--Katha (Bengali), 1998
3. Ramayan Anudhyan (Bengali), 1996
4. Healthy Values of Living, 1996
5. Meditation on Swami Vivekananda, 1994
6. Meditation on Shri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, 1993
7. Glimpses of Great Lives, 1989
8. Shubha Chinta (Bengali), 1988
9. Smaran--Manan (Bengali), 1987

You can order these books from The Vedanta Society of New York.

Other books on Vedanta can be purchased from any Vedanta Center.

Please check out our Lecture and Class Schedules.