Mandate
Vedanta Society of Edmonton is a Canadian charity that aims to provide a philosophical path to support spiritual seekers in their inward process of self-inquiry and outward service to humanity. The philosophy stems from the rich heritage of the Vedas, a canon of texts. The Society is guided by the Ramakrishna Mission Order of Monks founded by Swami Vivekananda.
The aims and objectives are to help members in their day to day application of Vedanta philosophy and undertaking services through its programs and activities, including international development and relief work, uplifting the status of the poorest of the poor, empowering women, engaging the public locally and nationally, and carrying out the duties required to maintain the Society.
Vedanta in day to day practice sounds simple. For the philosophy to get ingrained takes a lifetime. Advaita Vedanta is a path of knowledge that holds absolute reality, Brahman, as Truth, as Existence, Consciousness, Awareness, Bliss, etc. To get to this place of knowledge starts with a yearning in the heart and dedication to staying focused. The practice involves disciplinary steps. In time, we develop the ability to perceive the universe beyond all limits in place, time and matter to understand its nature. The philosophy holds all belief systems to be true relative to the Absolute and acknowledges there are as many paths to the Source.
Board of Directors
VSE welcomes diverse and experienced members to contact us with a letter of interest to serve on the Board of Directors or those looking for experience to serve on a Committee or in a volunteer capacity.
- Hansa Thaleshvar
Kumud N. Acharya
Preetam Sharma
Bipin Chauhan
Ranjan Ghosh
Rajiv Ranjan
Rajeshwar Singh
Candice McMillan
Aruna Chakrabartty (Past)
Thanigachalam Gowender (Past)
Founders
- Rajiv Ranjan
Rajeshwar Singh
Aruna Chakrabartty
Vindu Prithipaul
Aparna Sengupta
Esha Ray Chaudhuri
Rajashree Banerjee (late)
Mihirendra Ray (late)
Sushil Kalia (late)
Sujit K. Chakrabartty (late)
Maya Murdeshwar (late)
History
Vedanta Society of Edmonton began informally in the 1970s as a study group subset of Hindu Society of Alberta. Immigrants, particularly in the area around the University of Alberta, gathered on Sunday afternoons to read from the Bhagavad Gita led by the late Dr. Ambika Sharma typically followed by potluck lunches prepared by members like Mrs. Maya Murdeshwar. Swami Bhashyananda, who came as a visiting lecturer to the University of Alberta in 1965, sparked the vision to build a society and a temple to serve future generations. Into the 1980s, members continued to meet in private homes to study the Upanishad texts as the Hindu Society of Alberta got established as the Hindu Cultural Centre complex with more and more South Asian ethnocultural communities organizing into societies like The Society for the Friends of Nepal led by the late Dr. Garg. He started a campaign to create a long term project in Nepal to help the poorest of the poor for which they received support from Alberta’s Wildrose Foundation and the Canadian International Development Agency. Sushil Kalia, who was a member of the Vedanta Society in the UK joined the Hindu Society of Alberta. In 1985 Dr. Sujit K. Chakrabartty started fundraising for the Vedanta Society of Edmonton to serve the development of the poorest of the poor villages in West Bengal. Programming of the Vedanta Society consisted of regular local meetups, retreats and charitable projects. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna remains relevant and compelling for the Society because the mystic guru of Swami Vivekananda speaks to our modern times. With very simple illustrations, he revealed the divine wisdom of his God-realized soul. His advice remains practical for any kind of person, house-holder, engaged in a working life. He had the capacity to transmit spirituality to anyone and transformed them from their lower consciousness to their highest state of pure consciousness. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa exemplified in his life that all religions reach the same end. His experience of all religions led him to realize non-duality and inspired his principal disciple Swami Vivekananda to share it with the world. Vedanta Society of Edmonton membership is open to adults who consent to the Society’s mandate and objectives and the annual nominal fee.
Funders
Vedanta Society of Edmonton is run by volunteers and publicly funded through AGLC and private donors whose contributions are highly appreciated.