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:

1. Vedanta Press (publication unit).

2. Support to a dozen Vedanta centres run by devotees, across the USA.

3. Assistance to the poor and homeless.

4. Religious activities: Daily worship, meditation, vesper service, retreats, Ramnam Sankirtan and round-the-clock vigils, weekly classes and lectures, and 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.

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The Vedanta Society has the following six sub-centres:

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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, and meditation classes.

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B. Vedanta Monastery, San Diego:

This was founded in 1983.

Activities:

1. A library.

2. Religious activities: Daily meditation, worship and vesper service, classes, lectures, retreats, active participation in and hosting of interreligious councils, talks at local colleges and universities and retreats at local yoga studios and other places in the USA, and celebration of religious festivals.

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C. Vedanta Temple, Santa Barbara:

This sub-centre was started in 1947.

Activities:

1. A convent.

2. Monthly feeding of homeless people.

3. A weekly Sunday school.

4. Religious activities: Daily worship, meditation, retreats, classes, lectures, and celebration of religious festivals.

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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 into the hands of the Vedanta Society in 1956 and is maintained as a shrine and a memorial since then.

Activities: Monthly retreats, annual open house and reception, and 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:

1. A library.

2. A Sunday school.

3. Weekly feeding of homeless people, and rehabilitation programmes for alcohol addicts.

4. Religious activities: Daily worship, meditation, and vesper service, classes, lectures, Karma Yoga Day on alternate months, and celebration of religious festivals.

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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: Regular classes, lectures and retreats, guided tours of the place to pilgrims, special programmes with distinguished guests.