HOME ABOUT VARANASI RAMAKRISHNA MOVEMENT
ABOUT US
Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service is a charitable and religious organisation started in 1900 by a group of young men inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. The Swami, when visited Varanasi in February 1902, was immensely pleased to see the dedicated service of those poor but determined youths and wrote an appeal for funds.
Eventually the present land was purchased in 1908. The Home has the unique privilege to be blessed by the visit of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Sister Nivedita and most of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. As the years rolled by the home grew in all proportion. New service wings were added. and today this multidimensional institution of service and spirituality sprawls into an area of 13 acres.
THE HOSPITAL
The 230 bedded hospital, with modern infrastructure has the following sections:
1. Medical; 2. Surgical including neuro, thoracic & plastic surgery; 3. Gynecology; 4. Orthopedics;
5. E.N.T.; 6. Othalmology; 7. Pediatrics; 8. Urology; 9. Dental; 10. Dermatology.As a rule the poor and needy are treated free. Patients from lower income groups who can afford to pay, are charged at a minimal. Diet and other emergency medicines are available free to all, irrespective of their status.
THE OUT PATIENTS DEPARTMENT
IT has two sections; ALLOPATHY & HOMEOPATHY. No consultation fees are charged; most of the common medicines are provided free.
DIAGNOSTIC FACILITY
1. X-Ray; 2. E.C.G.; 3. U.S.G.; 4. Endoscopy; 5. Pathology & Bio-chemistry.
MOBILE DISPENSARY
A rural health care program under which our mobile dispensary goes to a village 50 k.m. away from Varanasi every Sunday. The mobile dispensary looks after the medical needs of the villagers at present. It will take the program of educational, social and economic development of villagers in the future with the help of local residents.
OLD AGE HOMES
Varanasi, the holy city of Lord Shiva has an especial place in Indian Culture. Swami Vivekananda wrote in his appeal for this Home of Service:
" In other sacred places people go to purify themselves from sin, and their connection with these places is casual.... In this(i.e. Varanasi)....there come men and women, and as a rule old and decrepit, waiting to pass into eternal freedom through....death under the shadow of the temple of the Lord of the Universe." Right from its inception the Home of Service is maintaining two separate old age homes for men and women. Each home now accommodates 40 persons.
There is a separate old age home for retired and ailing monks of our order.
DAIRY
Home has a dairy with a total of 65 cattle heads including 25 milching cows. The milk produced here is solely for the consumption of patients, old age home inmates, monastic inmates and other resident of the home.
ANTI-TUBERCULAR TREATMENT
Like most countries in Asia and Africa, India too is ridden with an increasing number of T.B. cases. Prolonged treatment is needed for such patients for at least 9, 12 or 18 months depending upon the seriousness of the case. We try to cater to the needs of large number of patients. Annual expenditure on this service alone comes to about Rs.0.5 million.
DESTITUTE WIDOWS RELIEF WORK
Monthly pecuniary help is provided to old and destitute widows of Varanasi.
At present 200 such widows are given @ Rupees 150/- each per month( U.S. $ 3.50). Our target is to reach large
number of such widows subject to the availability of funds.We also distribute garments and blankets to them in
alternate years and occasionally feeding of the poor also become part of our service activities.