The nation is celebrating Swami Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary, the day which is also observed as National Youth Day.
Remembering Swami Vivekananda on Saturday, various functions are being held at Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission and at Swamiji’s ancestral home in Kolkata.
People in large numbers gathered at his birth place to pay tributes to Swamiji.
Meanwhile, the President also inaugurated the commemorative function in Delhi.
Swami Vivekananda symbolizes the very best in Indian Culture.
His personality reflects the vibrant energy of Youth, blended with the radiance of spirituality.
Swami Vivekananda or Narendra Nath Dutta as he was earlier called, was born on 12th January, 1863 in Kolkata.
A brilliant student, Narendra Nath went from pillar to post to find some one who had seen god.
This quest brought him to the great saint of India, Ramakrishna Paramhamsa.
This great devotee of Divine mother, not only convinced Vivekananda of the reality of God, but also brought him permanently to the path of God.
Narendra became the principal disciple of Ramakrishna, who initiated him to the path of renunciation.
After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna in 1886, under the leadership of Narendranath a small group of Master’s disciples continued spiritual practices.
In 1887, Narendranath alongwith eight other disciples took formal monastic vows and took the name of Bibidishananda.
He was later given the name of Vivekananda by Maharaja of Khetri Ajit Singh.
Vivekananda addressed the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago on September 11, 1893. It was a historic moment for India.
Vivekananda left the entire audience spell bound with his powerful speech on Indian philosophy.
Vivekananda toured relentlessly all across the globe and within India to propagate the principles of Vedanta.
Wherever he went, Vivekananda emphasised the importance of service to mankind and consciousness centred on God.
Swami Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 to propagate the ideals of his Guru.
This bright star of Indian history passed away at a young age on 4th July, 1902.
On the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda functions are being held at Belur Math.
Propagate Swami Vivekananda’s teachings across globe: Pranab
Swami Vivekananda’s teachings, including people’s social responsibility towards all to educate the poor, need to be spread across the globe, President Pranab Mukherjee said in New Delhi today.
Inaugurating a function in connection with the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda in Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, the President recalled for Vivekananda’s teachings and said they need to be spread across India and the world with a full realisation of the powerful impact they have on the people of India.
The President quoted A L Basham, the renowned British historian, and said about Swami Vivekananda “in centuries to come, he will be remembered as one of the main moulders of the modern world”.
He also pointed out that Swami Vivekananda had a deep commitment to the poor.
Swamiji said about the social responsibility of educated people that ‘so long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them’, an official release quoted Mukherjee as saying.
The President said the teachings of Swamiji stand true not only to the time he lived in but also to the present-day India.