The monks at Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore have been quite busy this past week. They have been serving the community in every little way they can.
Swami Naravarananda, the head PRO of the Math says, “At the Ramakrishna Mission Students Home at P. S. Sivaswami Salai, Mylapore out of the 700 boys there, more than 650 have been sent back to their native place. A few boys, whose parents or relatives have not been able to make it here due to the lockdown, are being taken care of here. Our cooks are now providing cooked food everyday to the homeless and needy at noon everyday”.
He continues, “A few days ago we received a help request from the women at Kannagi Nagar. These women, many of whom are widows, are daily wage workers. In the absence of work, they have been struggling to make ends meet. Some 200 women needed help. We have now provided provisions to them”.
“At Thanjavur, with the permission of the collector there, we have identified about 170 migrant workers and their families who need help. We are giving them a month’s supply of rice, dhal, oil, salt, sugar and other provisions”, he adds.
The Math also distributed cooked food to about 100 Corporation workers in the Mylapore area. Biscuits, masks and sanitizers were given too.
Swamiji however is of the opinion that authorities need to relax the rules for people who are out to help. He says, “Everywhere I go, I am questioned as to why I am outside and I have to convince the authorities that we are out to help and that we are taking the necessary precautions. It will be nice if the authorities can give us some passes that will enable us to go around and help the needy without restrictions”.
The temple has been closed and is being taken care of by the staff who stay on the campus, he says. To donate contact them at 24621110 or log onto www.chennaimath.org.
