During 2002, 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. After Sunday services, Swami Tathagatananda met in the study for about an hour with those who were interested to have further discussion.

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. Christmas Eve was celebrated as usual by the swami's talk on the Sermon on the Mount and carol singing by the congregation.

Swami Tathagatananda continued to conduct a class one Saturday a month at Ved Mandir in Milltown, New Jersey.

Before the Center closed for summer vacation, the Swami invited the members to supper on Friday, June 21. A mostly Indian meal, prepared by devotees, was served in the chapel, preceded by singing of two of the vesper chants. After supper, Robert and Patrick Gupta, talented sons of two of our members, gave us a violin and piano recital.

On July 4th, the Center celebrated its forty-first Annual Swami Vivekananda Festival. At the invitation of Swami Atmarupananda, resident minister at the Vivekananda Retreat, Ridgely, the celebration was held at the Ridgely retreat, in Stone Ridge, New York. Swami Tanmayananda, head of the Persatuan Sri Ramakrishna Sarada in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was our special guest. After a sumptuous buffet lunch, the choir offered a program of songs and readings entitled "Vivekananda: Apostle of Fearlessness." Swami Atmarupananda opened the program with a warm welcome; this was the first time that the celebration had been held at Ridgely. Swami Tathagatananda then gave an opening prayer. Swami Tanmayananda gave concluding prayers; the congregation joined the choir in singing the vesper hymns.

The Center was host to three other visiting swamis and one pravrajika during 2002. Swami Ishtananda, resident minister of the Vedanta Monastery in San Diego, was guest lecturer on Easter   Sunday, March 31. His subject was "The Message of Christ." Swami Sridharananda, Leader of the Vedanta Society of Sydney, Australia, was guest speaker on Sunday, May 19. He spoke on "Significance of the Advent of Holy Mother." On June 2, Pravrajika Brahmaprana of the Sarada Convent in Santa Barbara, was our guest and gave a talk on "Sarada Devi in Hindu Tradition and Contemporary America." Swami Sarvadevananda, Assistant Minister of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, was our guest for three days in the late fall, and gave a talk on "The Power of Relaxation" on Sunday, December 1.

Swami Tathagatananda had several outside speaking engagements during 2002. During a visit to the Vedanta Center of Greater Washington, in Silver Spring, Maryland, July 26 to July 29, he gave the Sunday morning lecture and also informal talks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. On the weekend of September 7 and 8, the swami visited the Vedanta Society of Providence, where he spoke in the chapel on Saturday evening and participated in the Society's General Meeting the following day.

On September 14 and 21, Swami Tathagatananda participated in programs organized by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, a well-known Indian publishing company, at the Haft Auditorium at 7th Avenue and 27th Street in Manhattan, under the heading, "Homage to the Legacy of Swami Vivekananda." Nearly coinciding with the anniversary of the destruction of the World Trade Center, the function aimed to create awareness of spiritual power in the minds of the people in the midst of the many acts of terrorism taking place in the name of religion. Both programs were attended by nearly 1,000 people. The Honorable Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, inaugurated the first of the two programs and spoke on Vivekananda's contribution to human welfare and universal peace. The Prime Minister released a special commemorative volume published by the Bhavan, entitled "Swami Vivekananda: Prophet of India," and presented copies to Swami Tathagatananda and Swami Adiswarananda, Leader of the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center of New York. On September 21, Swami Tathagatananda participated, along with 14 other swamis, in the second of the two programs, with each swami speaking on a different aspect of Swami Vivekananda's life and thought. Swami Tathagatananda spoke for 30 minutes on "Swami Vivekananda as a Great Humanist." The following day, nearly all the swamis came to our center for tea in the afternoon. It was a great joy to see all of them.

On October 19, Swami Tathagatananda gave a lecture at the Bangladeshi Hindu Temple in Queens. On October 26, he spoke on "Religious Harmony" at the Vivekananda Study and Philanthropic Center, also in Queens. On November 11, the swami gave a class and answered students' questions at Trinity School, 139 West 79th Street, Manhattan. This was his 15th annual visit to the school.

We record with sorrow the passing away of three long--time members of our center. Rosalind Fredericks, a member for more than 30 years, passed away on February 8 in Vermont, near the home of her daughter. Though living in Birmingham, Michigan, she used to visit our center annually, when her husband came to New York on business. Of a deeply spiritual nature, Rosalind had special love for the Upanishads. Elizabeth Mowers, a member for nearly 50 years, passed away at a retirement facility in New Jersey. A student of Swami Yatiswarananda, she had come in contact with Vedanta in Philadelphia in 1946, at the time the swami headed a center there, and remained in contact with her teacher after he returned to India, where she met him again in 1958. A school teacher in Camden, New Jersey, Elizabeth used to come to New York nearly every weekend to be at our center, staying overnight at a nearby hotel. We remember her smiling, childlike face and cheerful nature. Mrs. Raghubar Badola was a member of our center from the time of Swami Pavitrananda. She came from the town in northern India nearest to Mayavati Ashrama, where Swami Pavitrananda had lived and been in charge for many years. Living in northern Westchester County, she and her husband, Dr. Badola, used to attend our Sunday services regularly. She passed away last year in a nursing home in New Delhi, in the presence of many members of her family.

The membership count for 2001 was 95 voting members and 84 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.