Sri Ramakrishna Math, Hooghly, West Bengal India

The day of 21st August 1994 would thenceforth be a date to commemorate for the villagers of Ichapur tucked away in the interiors of the district of Hooghly in West Bengal when a centre of the Ramakrishna Order was established at the birthplace of one of the most notable apostles of Sri Ramakrishna - Swami Ramakrishnananda (Sashi Maharaj). 

Sri Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886), the great religious prophet, was born in Kamarpukur, then an unknown village of Hooghly district in West Bengal at very critical time in the nineteenth century when the spiritual values and disciplines of our ideal life were fast deteriorating due to the impact of materialistic pursuits. As a young man he came to Dakshineswar, near Kolkata, where he practiced different religions for twelve years - at first Vedic religion with its various disciplines, then Islam and Christianity. He proclaimed that God exists and He can be realized. He affirmed that one must be sincere, earnest, regular and diligent in his spiritual practices to achieve the ultimate goal of human life i.e. realization of God. His spiritual perceptions further enabled him to declare in line with the Vedanta, that there is Divinity in every human being, which is one's real and immortal Self. By his own realization, he also brought out the ancient truth that all religions lead man to the same goal.

Swami Vivekananda spread the message of his Master, Sri Ramakrishna to the West. He taught that human beings are basically divine and not sinners. The impact of the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna can be clearly observed as the people all over the world have realized and accepted the concept of "service to humanity is service to God" and that the spread of good will to all, irrespective of caste, colour, creed and religion, will ultimately bring an end to all evils ushering in thereby a new civilization based on harmony, good will, peace and service to humanity.