On the first of January , 1886, Sri Ramakrishna feeling much better ,came out from the house through the western gate of the ground-floor hall at about three In the afternoon with a view to have a walk In the garden and slowly proceeded towards the gate along the garden-path. Reaching midway between the garden house and the gate, He found Girish, Ram, Atul and others sitting under a mango tree on the western side of the path. At the sight of Sri Ramakrishna, all the devotees present drew near the Master and saluted him.

Sri Ramakrishna suddenly said to Girish, “Girish, you, I find, say to one and all everywhere so many things about me(that I am an incarnation of God) what have you seen and understood (about me) that you do so?” Girish knelt before him with folded hands and said in a voice choked with emotion. “What more can I say of Him, whose greatness Vyasa and Valmiki could not find words to express?” At this profound faith of Girish, Sri Ramakrishna became deeply moved and said. "What more shall I say to you? May you all be blessed with the spiritual awaking?" Saying this, He fell into a state of trance. Girish,at the sight of the Master’s face beaming with a divine radiance, shouted in joy at the top of his voice- "Jai Ramakrishna", "Jai Ramakrishna" (Victory to Bhagavan Ramakrishna ! Victory to Bhagavan Ramakrishna!)and took the dust of his feet.

Thus blessed by Sri Ramakrishna, the devotees became mad with joy. Some showered flowers on him, and some saluted him and some touched his feet. Thereafter Sri Ramakrishna touched them all one by one with appropriate blessings. This wonderful touch brought about a revolution in their minds and, as a result, some laughed, others wept in joy, some sat down to meditate, while a few began to call others loudly to come and be blessed.

Being questioned about their experiences on this occasion, some said that they felt a sort of pleasing intoxication; other said that they had within them a clearer vision of their chosen deities, which they could not formerly have during the time of meditation; Still others said that they had felt a rush of a strange current and ineffable bliss not hitherto experienced; while some others said that, with the closing of their eyes, they had a vision of an effulgence not seen before and also felt an unspeakable joy.

Following the partition in 1947,a good number of destitute people from East Bengal came to Raiganj in erstwhile West Dinajpur and settled there. The devotees and followers of Sri Ramakrishna amongst them felt in their hearts an urge to set up a shrine in the name of Sri Ramakrishna in Raiganj.

The dream cherished by the devotees was actualized by the earnest and most fervent efforts of Revered Swami Gadadharanandaji Maharaj of Dinajpur Ramakrishna Mission centre of East Bengal,and in 1948 the present Ashrama was established in Ukilpara, Raiganj on a piece of land donated by the then Jamindar of Dinajpur, most honourable Maharaj JagadishChandra Nath.

In 2020 the ashrama came under the aegis of Belur Math and now it is popularly known as 'Ramakrishna Mission, Raiganj'.

From its very inception, the ashrama has been running uninterruptedly the regular worship of Sri Sri Thakur, aratrik in the evening, spiritual discourses, chanting of spiritual songs and bhajans, annual Tithi Puja of Sri Sri Thakur-Maa-Swamiji and Kalpataru Utsav.Besides these, Sri Sri Shyama Puja,Falaharini Kalika Puja, janmatithi observance of the direct disciples Sri SriThakur,Sri Sri Ramnam chanting in every EkadashiTithi are performed with utmost devotion and sincerity.

A charitable dispensary is housed in a two-storied building purchased by the ashrama where there are provisions for allopathic and homoeopathic treatments both.

Dispensary Dispensary Dispensary
Dispensary is housed in a two-storied building purchased by the ashrama

Apart from this, charitable mobile homoeopathic treatment is offered in two villages.

Dispensary Dispensary Dispensary Dispensary Dispensary Dispensary
Charitable dispensary

Almost adjacent to the ashrama in a house a free coaching centre has been arranged for imparting lessons to about fifty underprivileged students from class I to class IV. At the same time, khata, pencil and other materials related to learning are regularly distributed among the poor students in some schools situated nearby.

Free Coaching Center Free Coaching Center Free Coaching Center
Free Coaching Centre
Study materia distribution at school Study materia distribution at school Study materia distribution at school
Study materials Distribution at School

In time of urgency relief works are also done by the ashrama. Recently from the ashrama campus clothes, blankets and winter garments were distributed among the needy people of the town and the same were distributed among the people residing in the countryside, far away from the town.

Winter garment distribution Winter garment distribution Winter garment distribution Winter garment distributionWinter garment distribution
Winter Garments distribution

Purified drinking water derived from the Water Treatment Plant of the ashrama is being supplied from the ashrama campus to the local people that are of real help to them.

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Raiganj has been trying its best to give a concrete shape to Swamiji's very lofty doctrine 'Siva Jnane Jiva Seba' even with its limited resource and capacity.

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