Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hollywood, USA

Started in 1930, this affiliate of the Ramakrishna Math has Swami Sarvadevananda as the Minister-in-charge, assisted by a few monks and nuns.

Activities:

• Daily meditation, worship and vesper service.
• Retreats, monthly Ramnam Sankirtan and round-the-clock vigils.
• Celebration of religious festivals such as Kali Puja, Shivaratri and Christmas, and the birthdays of the Holy Trio, Swami Brahmananda, Sri Krishna and Bhagavan Buddha.
• Weekly classes and Sunday lectures.
• Vedanta press (publication unit) and a bookstore.
• Active participation in several interfaith meets.
• The Minister-in-charge and other monks and nuns lectured in schools, colleges & universities, and held retreats at numerous places in Los Angeles and across the country.
• Support to a dozen Vedanta centres run by devotees, across the USA.
• Assistance to the poor and homeless.

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The Vedanta Society has seven sub-centres.

A. Piñon Hills Retreat: This retreat situated on a hillside in Piñon Hills, a town 85 miles northeast of Hollywood, was started in 2006.

Activities:

• Classes, seminars and discussions.
• Monthly meditation retreats.

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B. Vedanta Monastery, San Diego: This was founded in 1983.

Activities:

1. Daily meditation, worship and vesper service.
2. Classes, lectures and retreats.
3. A library.
4. Celebration of religious festivals.
5. Active participation in and hosting of interreligious councils.
6. Talks at local colleges and universities, and retreats at local yoga studios and other places in the USA.

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C. Vedanta Temple, Santa Barbara: This sub-centre was started in 1947 and is nestled against a scenic mountain range overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Activities:

1. A convent and a bookstore.
2. Daily meditation and worship.
3. Retreats, classes and lectures, both at the centre and elsewhere.
4. Celebration of religious festivals.
5. Monthly feeding of homeless people.
6. Talks   at   local  schools   and colleges,  and participation in local interfaith activities.
7. A weekly Sunday school.

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D. Vivekananda House, South Pasadena: Swami Vivekananda stayed in this house for 27 days in 1900 as a guest of the “Mead Sisters”. The house came in the hands of the Vedanta Society in 1956 and is maintained as a shrine and a memorial since then.

Activities:

1. Monthly retreats.
2. Annual open house and reception.
3. Showing around the place to visitors and pilgrims.

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E. Ramakrishna Monastery, Trabuco Canyon: The monastery was founded in 1949 and sits atop 40 acres of largely undeveloped rolling hills.

Activities:

• A library and a bookstore.
• A Sunday school.
• Daily meditation, worship and vesper service.
• Celebration of religious festivals.
• Classes and lectures in English, and local and online classes in Spanish.
• Karma Yoga Day on alternate months.
• Participation in interreligious dialogues.
• Weekly feeding of homeless people, and rehabilitation programmes for alcohol addicts.

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F. Vivekananda Retreat, Ridgely: Swami Vivekananda stayed at this place on three occasions – twice for ten days in 1895 and once for ten weeks in 1899. This retreat spanning eighty-two acres with a few structures was acquired in 1997 and is maintained as a memorial.

Activities:

1. Guided tours of the place to pilgrims.
2. Regular classes, lectures and retreats.
3. Special programmes with distinguished guests.

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G. Vedanta Centre of Greater Washington D.C.: The centre was established in 1997 on a two-and-half acre plot of land surrounded by woods.

Activities:

• Daily worship, meditation and vesper service; weekly Karma Yoga Day.
• Regular classes and lectures.
• A bookstore.
• A summer camp for children.
• A medical clinic.
• Celebration of festivals such as Kalpataru Day, Shiva Ratri and Kali Puja and the birthdays of religious personalities.