Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

             Today is the 151st birthday of Sister Nivedita who dedicated her life for India. Actually, she was an Irish lady named Margaret Noble. Swami Vivekananda asked her to go to Kolkata for the progress of Indian women. She was a teacher of a renowned school of London. And was raising funds for the education of poor people of India. At that time, Swamiji told her to leave London for India. Then she was just 31 year's old lady.                We don't exactly know how much money she had at the time of boarding on Mombasa ship in London, but can anticipate that, Miss Henrietta Muller was the contributer of money who contributed money to Swamiji to purchase land for establishment of Belur Math. But Swamiji was not agreed with the special dependence of Margaret on Muller.                Swamiji wrote to Margaret from Almora in a letter on 29th July, 1898 t...

Ramkrishna Sarada Mission has completed the renovation work of Sister Nivedita's house at 16A, Bose Para Lane. It is the heritage building which the State Government has taken four years ago and handed over to Ramkrishna Sarada Mission for renovation work. The said house is situated on about 5 kathas of land. The house is renovated in such a way that the rooms remained same as they were used by Sister Nivedita years ago. A museum is being formed there inside the house where the books, things, furniture used by Sister Nivedita will be exhibited for all. Moreover, many information, photos of Sister will be placed there. So many past events occurred in the life of Sister Nivedita will become real by audio-visual effects. On the day of inauguration, a compilation book on life & works of Sister Nivedita will be published there. Moreover, a book on preservation of the house will be published there too.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation declared the house of Sister Nivedita, 16/A Bose Para Lane as heritage building last year and was decided to prepare an archive there with the memoirs of Sister. But the present owner of this house reluctant to sell the house and said, 16/A is not the house of Sister Nivedita, but she resided at house no. 16 and hence the project facing setback. We know that Sister Nivedita established a school for girls at house no. 16 and therefore 16/A also a part of house no. 16 where Sister Nivedita was resided. At present, condition of house no. 16/A is very grave as shown in the picture. It is under dilapidation. Therefore, it is high time to undertake the house and start the works of renovation as done by the Ramakrishna Mission in the case of Swami Vivekananda's paternal house in north Kolkata.-- A. B.

The State Government of West Bengal decided to declare the house of Sister Nivedita in Kolkata heritage building where she stayed to work for the needy and women of the city. For this purpose, Kolkata Municipal Corporation will purchase the building from its present owner and make it heritage building with an archive where documents about her work and life will be produced for the visitors. It's a good effort to show honour to the noble lady - Sister Nivedita. -- A. B.