Visit of Swami Vivekananda to Delhi during his Bharat Parikrama – Visit to Delhi of some of Swamiji’s brother monks and other senior monks
Swami Vivekananda had arrived in Delhi in the last part of February, 1891, and stayed here for about three weeks visiting the historical sites of importance. In all probability, he left Delhi in the third week of March, 1891.
During his stay at Delhi, Swamiji, then known as Swami Vividhishananda, lived with Dr. H.K. Sen at Chandni Chowk. It seems he lived in a room on the first floor of the house. However, he stayed for most part of this period with Shyamaldas Seth in his garden house at Roshanara Chowk wherein of late a Government-sponsored Higher Secondary School of Girls, has come up. However, the unkempt outhouse with patches on the wall caused by leaking rainwater and the dilapidated old house exhibiting its decorated front piece draw attention of visitors and the school-attendants equally.
While he himself stayed in one of the living rooms of the family of Shyamaldas, his brother disciples, Swamis Brahmananda, Turiyananda and Akhandananda put up in the outhouse of the family and they themselves cooked their food for most of the days. Swami Vivekananda felt that he must get rid of his love and attachment towards his brother disciples, which, too, was but a form of maya. He told them rather sternly, “Please do not follow me. I demand that you obey me. I am presently leaving Delhi”. And he parted their company.
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Centenary Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda’s visit to Delhi during his Bharat Parikrama
The function was held on the 20th November, 1992 at 10.00 am in the premises of the Government Model Senior Secondary School for Girls, Roshanara Road, Delhi where Swami Vivekananda stayed in a grand three storeyed building of Seth Shyamaldas in 1891.
A life size portrait of Swamiji was duly decorated with garlands, flowers and bouquets and was placed in one of the rooms in the ground floor.
Shri P.K. Dave, Lt. Governor of Delhi, presided over the function. Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, graced the occasion. The guests moved around the house appreciating the unique architecture.
The function started with Vedic invocation by the monks of the Order. Swami Gokulanandaji read out the message on the occasion sent by the President of India, the minister of Human Resource Development and the Lt. Governor of India.
Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj gave his benedictory speech in which he proposed for consideration of the Delhi Administration to convert the building in which Swamiji stayed into a national monument and to utilize it for public purposes by opening a Vivekananda Study Centre and Exhibition.
Shri Shakti Sinha, Director of Education, Delhi Administration, gave a brief history of the building which was originally meant for a garden house of Princess Roshanara. It then passed over various hands and was under the possession of Seth Shyamaldas when Swamiji happened to reside there for a few days. The Government Model Senior Secondary School for Girls was opened in the premises in 1962.
This was followed by a speech in English on Swami Vivekananda and recitations from Swamiji’s utterances in Hindi and English by the students.
The students of the Government Model Senior Secondary School for Girls gave a beautiful performance on National Integration, sang a patriotic song in chorus and demonstrated a few Yogic Asanas.
The Lt. Governor, Delhi delivered his presidential address and thanked the Ramakrishna Mission for organizing the function in the historic building. He reminded Swamiji’s inspiring call to the youth for the uplift of the nation. He urged the students to take inspiration from the life of Swamiji in order to face the challenges of the modern world.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. (Mrs.) Santosh Kapoor, Principal of the School. The National Anthem was played by the BSF band and was sung in chorus by the children.
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Special meeting as a part of Celebrations of Swami Vivekananda’s Bharat Parikrama
A public meeting was organized on the 15th Jan, 1993, at the Government Model Senior Secondary School for Girls, Roshanara Road at 11 am as a part of centenary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda’s Bharat Parikrama.
Dr. Karan Singh presided over the meeting and Shri Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development was the Chief Guest.
On their arrival at the venue, Dr.Karan Singh and Shri Arjun Singh were received by Swami Gokulanandaji and other dignitaries.
Dr.Karan Singh and Shri Arujun Singh were taken to the room where the life-size portrait of Swamiji was kept. They offered flower bouquets at the feet of Swamiji. A lamp was lift by the dignitaries. They also visit the grand building which played host of Swamiji.
Outside, the meeting commenced with an opening song rendered by the students of the school followed by a welcome speech by Shri Shakti Sinha, Director of Education, Delhi Administration and thereafter a recitation from Swamiji’s teachings by a student of the school.
Swami Gokulananda delivered a brief speech suggesting that it would be befitting on this occasion to declare the building as a National Monument and set up there soon an Institute of Studies on Vivekananda.
Shri Arjun Singh, Minister for Human Resource Development, in his address said that he was fully in accord with the proposal for renovation of the building in which Swamiji had resided in Delhi at Roshanara Road and for its conversion as a national Centre for Studies on Swami Vivekananda with a museum attached to it. He also promised that he would try his best to get the proposal fully examined by Government of India and sanction of appropriate funds required for this purpose.
While delivering the Presidential address, Dr. Karan Singh proposed that a Committee for the purpose be set up by the Delhi Administration associating the Ramakrishna Mission in the Committee for converting the building as a National Monument. This building when converted into a National Monument can be properly utilized for conducting bhajans, discourses on Vedanta and such other programmes regularly, which will be ultimately beneficial for making a better society.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. (Mrs.) S. Kapoor, Principal of the school. The meeting ended with the National Anthem sung by the children of the school.
(Extracted from our Annual Report of 1992-1993)
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Visit of Revered Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj to Seth Shyamaldas’s house on Roshanara Road
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