Christmas at Sri Ramakrishna Math: A Celebration of Secular Harmony

Christmas celebrated in Ramkrishna Asram, Kerala.

Christmas celebrations took place at Sri Ramakrishna Math in Vyttila, Ernakulam (Kerala) yesterday evening. The occasion served as a poignant reminder of India’s rich secular heritage. The event showcased the inclusive spirit of the Math, where followers of all faiths gathered to honour the universal values of love and compassion symbolized by Christmas.

India, a country celebrated for its pluralistic traditions, has long embraced the coexistence of diverse religious practices. The Math’s celebration highlighted these ideals, blending spiritual teachings with festive joy. However, this harmony faces challenges in today’s socio-political climate, marked by the rise of populism, hyper-nationalistic rhetoric, and growing apathy towards minority communities.

Swami Bhuvanatmananda, a member of the Math highlighted the importance of the celebration, saying  "What is happening here (celebrations), this is happening in all our Ramakrishna Math centres...this reminds as of 24th December in 1886, that was the time  Sri Ram Krishna's direct disciples, they gathered in a small village in Anantapur. They were singing the praise of God and all the music fell into silence. They sat in meditation, deep meditation and after a long time when they regained their outer consciousness, the leader of the group Narendra who became Swami Vivekananda later, declared let's offer our everything, whatever possession we have into this fire and then Narendra spoke about the sacrifice of Christ and his resurrection and he reminded that Sri Rama Krishna gave this message so let us offer everything, let us sacrifice our whole life for this cause. Later only it was discovered that it was a Christmas Eve. On that memory, in all of our branches, we have this celebration on Christmas Eve.."