Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Swami Vivekananda's Birthday: Sovabazar Rajbari: At 2pm Swamiji's birthday and in memory of Chicago speech a programme presented by Shankha Ghosh, Srijata, Joy Goswami, Shankar etc. Organiser - Ritabak. Ramkrishna Mission (Golpark): Swami Vivekananda Music Festival (9am-8:15pm). Misc. - Baguiati Sports Council: Exotic bird exhibition (2pm-7pm) upto 14th January'18. Pithe-Puli Utsav (পিঠে-পুলি উৎসব): At Rajdanga Maath, organised by Rajdanga Club Samannay (রাজডাঙ্গা ক্লাব সমন্বয়) upto 16th January'18.

Belur Math: Mangal Arati (মঙ্গল আরতি), Ved Paath (বেদ পাঠ), Hom (হোম) and special puja (4:45am-7am). Songs of Vivekananda, Kathoponishad paath (কঠোপনিষদ পাঠ) and classical songs (7:50am-2:45pm). Participants - Hari Prasad Chourasia, Venkatesh Kumar etc. Seminar on Swami Vivekananda's life and messages at 3pm. Swami Vivekananda's House:  Puja, puspanjali and distribution of prasad (9am-12:30pm). Seminar on Swamiji at 6:30pm. Ramkrishna Math (Jogodyan): Drama- "বিশ্ব পরিব্রাজক স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ" (globe trotter Swami Vivekananda) (6pm). Direction- Soumitra Mitra. Ramkrishna Mission Ashram (Barahnagar): Songs of Vivekananda by Goutam Adhikary (6:30pm).  Ramkrishna Math (Shyam pukur bati): Lila geeti - "ঠাকুরের নরেন" (Naren of Thakur), presented by Binapani Samity (6:15pm). Ramkrishna Math (Bagbazar): Swami Chidrupananda will read Swamiji's life & messages (6:15pm). Vivekananda Society: Achintya Mukhopadhyay will del...

             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...

To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, 12 January declared as the 'Yuba Diwas' or Youth Day. On this day, at 6:31am, with the call of siren, the auspicious moment of Swamiji's birth will be marked. Later, at 8am, two rallies will start, one from Goal Park, and another rally from College Square. And overall programmes of various youth activities, public services, cultural functions will be organised across Bengal. -- A. B.

The Chief Minister of West Bengal just unveiled a bronze statue of 'Bharat Pathik' Swami Vivekananda at Dakshineswar Temple to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swamiji, who was very much concerned with Dakshineswar Temple. -- A. B.

1. This is the house in Kolkata where Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January in the year 1863 and spent his early 23 years. This house was recovered recently from the state of ruins and constructed by keeping the original state and hence it is now an important heritage monument of Kolkata. 2. The house after renovation. 3. Inside the house. 4. Swamiji's bedroom at Belur Math. 5. Swamiji's mother Bhubaneswari Debi and the young Vivekananda. If you want to know more about Vivekananda, click on the title to go to Wikipedia.-- A. B.

In the year 1898 on this day, Swami Vivekananda welcomed Miss Margaret Noble (Sister Nivedita) with warm reception in Kolkata.

12 January. A child born in Kolkata. Later, he accepted by the world with the name Swami Vivekananda. He became the disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Sister Nivedita came to Kolkata to work with Swami Vivekananda. Belur Math near Kolkata established by Swamiji. He trotted India to know his country well.