Revisiting Swami Vivekananda’s Kolkata Each of us has read something about this city, right? While contemporary polymaths of the region like Swami Vivekananda, Subhash Chandra Bose or Rabindranath Tagore give us the picture prefect portrayal of the Bengal province, our school history books talk amply about this city as it was headquarters of the East India Company. A few pages of Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna often depict Sri Ramakrishna’s room at Dakshineshwar adjoining the Ganges, horse carriages and great scholars visiting the master. Rather entire history Ramakrishna Vivekananda movement and mission, that started at a small Dakshineshwar room, travelled to many city locales like Baranagar, Alambazar, Bagbazar or Cossipore garden house and finally reached its landmark Belur Math. My visit to the city took me 130 years back as I was trying to correlate everything to those calendar years. Kaleidoscopic and scholarly are the two adjectives that defined the city in the British era as many social, revolutionary and literary Indian movements originated from Bengal. The very first day, we reached at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, in Golpark. It is dedicated to research on Ramakrishna Vivekananda studies and also many Indological subjects. As expected, a visit to the institute would take you to the scholars working on respective research areas. At present, the institute has also taken the mega project of digitising newspaper archives on Swamiji. Of course, you would see many civilians coming here to access erudite library or attend lectures or programmes in Vivekananda hall. Like many Mission branches, the institute has a well-maintained garden that gives you a warm welcome. After the Institute, we proceeded to the Belur Math that stands tall at the bank of the Ganges, towards the other end of Dakshineshwar Kali temple. Crossing the Howrah bridge, small lanes and by lanes of the town take you to the Belur math, headquarters of the math and mission. Sprawling over many acres, the main campus of math houses the Ramakrishna temple which is constructed according to the specifications given by Swamiji. At the bank of the river, there are small yet beautiful temples of Swami Vivekananda, Swami Bramhananda, the first president of the order and the Mother S(h)aradadevi. Swami Vivekananda’s room would have his vibes, if you feel them. Ramakrishna museum in the same campus is not to be missed as it is a pictorial presentation of the life of the guru and all his chief disciples. It also offers a glimpse of Swami Vivekananda in the west. A ferry boat visit to Dakshineshwar Kali temple from Belur math takes you through the holy waters of Ganges. It is the place where Ramakrishna practiced many Sadhanas, austerities and devotees flocked to see him. Among prominent names were Keshabchandra Sen, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, Mahendranath Gupta, Nag Mahasaya, and Swami Vivekananda, needless to mention. A visit to the temple is a must to understand Ramakrishna and his selfless love for mother Kali and Panchavati, where Swamiji and brother disciples practiced meditation. Next day, I started the local Kolkata tour visiting places related to Swamiji. It commenced with Baranagar monastery, the first monastery where Swamiji and his brother disciples started monastic life at a dilapidated house after the passing away of the master. We proceeded to Alambazar monastery, the second monastery where Swamiji returned from his visit to the USA. It was followed by Bagbazar and the Mother’s House, Mayer Bari where Sarada devi lived. Udbodhan, mouthpiece of Ramakrishna math and mission, started by swami Vivekananda in 1899 is printed here. Mind you, today, all these centres are located in small bylanes, busiest cenres in the city. Cossipore Garden house is spacious and Sri Ramakrishna spent a few months before he breathed his last here. Till his last breath, this man spoke only one thing which he had known, that’s God. Yes, to him, divinity was the experience and not just a philosophy. A visit to Swami Vivekananda’s ancestral house is worthwhile. Efforts of the mission from gathering the pieces of the relics of the house to rebuilding it according to its original structure are evident. My tour was extended to Darjeeling where sister Nivedita breathed her last at the Roy Villa. The mission has also taken this villa under its official wings after a lot of struggle. Here you can see the footprints of the Vivekananda movement spreading to the farthest corner of India. All in all, the mission has well preserved the old structures, renovated some retaining their originality. Of course, one would wonder what would be the purpose of providing the history till date which can be googled. And do I need such a long write up to show my admiration to Swamiji when his work is self-explanatory? What strikes me the most about Vivekananda is the indomitable spirit with which he influences people. He is the man who has shaped personalities like Nivedita or Subhash Chandra Bose, who were stalwarts in their own right. Perhaps, the best about him is that following Swamiji wouldn’t allow you to make him your role model. Rather his spirit helps bloom one’s own innate personality. A word for Bengalis and their culture! They are everywhere, self-assertive, intellectual and making their presence felt everywhere. Never dare give a Bengali a Darjeeling chai or a piece of sweet from their own land! Because they know better than the best in their own terrain!!
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