145th birth anniversary of Vivekananda celebrated
Lectures, elocution, rangoli contests held
Tirupati,jan12,the Hindu

There was an unusual welling up of patriotic spirit, as the temple city celebrated the 145th Jayanthi-- birth anniversary of Swamy Vivekananda.In fact similar spirit pervaded the entire districts if reports trickling in from different towns are any indication.

A number of organisations, including a few government establishments, observed the day with the dedication and devotion the event deserved. The installation of a statue for Vivekananda a few years ago, close to the Tirumala foot-hills, has come in handy for the organisers to use the location as their venue for their various programmes in this connection.

The District Youth Services Department has celebrated the day with enthusiasm at its SETVEN unit here by organising special lectures and elocution competition for all and a rangoli contests for the women participants.P.V. Reddy, secretary of the Ramakrishna Samajam and several others in their speeches exhorted the youth to follow the preachings of Vivekananda in their letter and spirit to lead a complete life.

Yuvga Saththa, the youth arm of Lok Satta, administered pledge to the youth at the Vivekananda statue besides offering floral tributes to the statue. Its functionaries later distributed fruits to the inmates of the TTD’s Leprosy Hospital and also its Home for the Aged.Members of the Junior Chamber International, Tirupati also arranged a meeting for the youth.

At the Gandhi Municipal Corporation School, the JCI arranged lectures by elders on the life of Vivekananda and distributed prizes to the winners of essay writing and elocution contests.The BJP’s youth arm, BJYM and the Bharatiya Jana Shakthi Party also have obviously held similar celebrations and administered oath to the youth on patriotism and nationalism.

The town reverberated with the message of Swami Vivekananda pervading all over and a strong spirit of nationalism gripping the town.Similar reports have come in from other parts of the district like Srikalahasti, Kalakada.