vivekananda rock

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The Story of The Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Compiled by Sanjeev Nayyar November 2003

(As told by Shri Eknath Ranade)

About to years ! heard the story o" ho the Ro#k $emorial #ame up and Shri Eknath

Ranadeji%s role in makin& it happen' ! as told about a book that had the #omplete story but as not able to lay my hands on it' hen out o" the blue ! met a very senior person

"rom he ivekananda *endra that runs the $emorial' +e sent me the book and some

pi#tures too' Am sharin& e,#erpts "rom part one o" the book i'e' relatin& to the#onstru#tion o" the Ro#k $emorial' Content is verbatim "rom the book' $y #omments

are in inverted #ommas' Courtesy - Copyri&ht is ivekananda *endra .rakashan rust/

Chennai/ vkmadrasvsnl'#om or #all 1 24002/ 24243'

he $emorial is on the Ro#k here Samiji meditated - dis#overed the mission o" his

li"e' A brie" summary o" the #hapters 5

Ch No Chapter Title Contents

' .re"a#e E,#erpts by . .armesharanji/ .residentivekananda *endra'

2' eethin& rouble +o did the idea o" memorial take shape/

opposition o" lo#al Christians/ politi#alopposition/ ho Eknathji &ot involved ith

$emorial ork'

3' Stalarts !nvolved .lun&e into ork/ ho Eknathji ith ta#t -

patien#e on over the politi#ians/ &ot a petition

supportin& the $emorial si&ned by 323 $.%s'

' 6n"oreseen .roblem Created by *ankaykumari 7evasom 8oard'9' Colle#tion Campai&n Strate&y - ision o" ne +ori:on'

;' o Na&aland


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&) ook be"ore you leap' Read up matter - think be"ore #ommittin& to

#ompletin& a &iven tasks'

h) Cultivate &ood relations ith people/ you never kno hen both o" you #ouldneed ea#h other%s help'

i) @hen someone is bein& unreasonable to your su&&estion you #an &et him to

"all in line by "indin& his eak points in his hometon or area o" in"luen#e' j) here is a ri&ht time "or everythin& so learn to be patient - kno hen the

time is ri&ht'

k) @hen a person is adamant/ does not a&ree ith you/ keep the dialo&ue on'l) Alays look to #reate somethin& eternal/ deeper than merely a bri#k - mortar

stru#ture'

m) 7o not be#ome ri&id and restri#t your thinkin& to #ompartments or a se#t'

Alays have an open mind'

ublisher’s !ote 5 he "amous ivekananda Ro#k $emorial (re"erred to as R$

hen#e"orth) as inau&urated in the year 1>0' $arkin& the 29 th year o" the event/ in 119

e released the "irst edition o" the book' Considerin& the intrinsi# value o" the book/ theneed to preserve the true story "or posterity/ the revised edition has been brou&ht out ith

several multi?#olor plates'

Some revies o" the "irst edition 5 he R$/ as it stands today/ is as mu#h a memorial

to Samiji as to Shri Eknath Ranade hose devotion to the ork he had undertaken asinspired but not by mere "aith but by intelle#tual #onvi#tion' +is ork ne#essarily

involved mu#h physi#al e,ertion/ but mu#h more in demand ere his &i"t o" intelle#tual

persuasion/ perseveran#e - ta#tD'

reface e"cerpts Chapter #

.re"a#e ritten by Shri .'.armesaran/ .resident/ ivekananda *endra'

@hat e are reprodu#in& here are not the "ormal/ ritten ords o" Shri Ranade' @e

reprodu#e his spoken ords' +e &ave a series o" ten le#tures on the Ro#k $emorial/ tothe "irst band o" li"e orkers hom he anted to train as missionaries o" the *endra'

Con#eivably/ Eknathji "ormulated his le#tures into to almost eBual parts' he "irst part

deals ith ho he &rappled ith the problems that #ame in the ay - brou&ht into bein&

the $emorial' he se#ond part deals ith the mission o" the ivekananda *endra as hevisuali:ed it/ its philosophy/ ultimate obje#tive et#'

!n the "irst part he des#ribes ho he as dran into the #onstru#tion o" the R$/ hothe various obsta#les #ropped up one by one/ and ho ea#h one o" them as surmounted

- "inally ho the ork as a##omplished - the dream #ame true' As he &oes on

narratin& in#ident a"ter in#ident/ the story o" the R$ be#omes indistin&uishable "romEknathji%s autobio&raphy' hey #oales#e into ea#h other' here as no problem "or hi#h

he had no solution o anti#ipate his on ords Every strate&y has a #ounter?strate&y/

every eapon has a #ounter?eaponD' his truth as #on#lusively demonstrated by

Eknathji in over#omin& the seemin&ly insurmountable obsta#les'


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he men ith hom Eknathji had to #ross sords ere not ordinary men o" #lay' hey

ere leaders in their on ri&ht' hey o##upied positions o" hi&h poer' 8haktavatsalam

as Buote a poer"ul Chie" $inister - +umayan *abir/ a Central $inister' hey ere both opposed to the monument on the Ro#k' 8ut Eknathji shredly outmaneuvered both

o" them - ultimately brou&ht them round to his point o" vie' +e handled leaders like

Annadurai - Fyoti 8asu (not idealo&i#al admirers o" Sami ivekananda) in a su##ess"ulmanner and made them partners in the #onstru#tion o" the R$' his should make even

the most e,perien#ed e,perts take a lesson or to "rom him in the art o" human

mana&ement'

eaders o" every politi#al party/ hether in poer or in the opposition be#ame illin&

supporters' Chie" $inisters o" every state/ made handsome donation toard the R$'

he only Chie" $inister ho sent Eknathji empty handed as the *erala C$ Com'E'$'S' Namboodiripad' Comin& out o" the intervie/ Eknathji remarked !t as like

#onversin& ith a sphin,' !t as a monolo&ue all the ay/ on my part' =nly an empty

stare "rom the other sideD'

!t is instru#tive to kno ho he made judi#ious use o" various means at his #ommand "or

the a#hievement o" his end' 8oth spee#h - silen#e ere eBually e""e#tive implements inhis hands' o kno hen to speak - hen to keep silent is a rare &i"t' Eknath Ranade

possessed this abundantly' @hile he raised stormy #ontroversies hen ne#essary/ he

abstained "rom them hen they served no purpose' +e utili:ed his #onta#t ith the .ress"or raisin& the ri&ht issues at the ri&ht time and also not to raise in#onvenient issues that

ould only #ompli#ate the situation'

hus/ by brin&in& into play every God?&iven Buality that he possessed in ample measure/Eknath Ranade as able to su##ess"ully a##omplish the task that as entrusted to him'

@hile en&a&ed in battle/ he as unrelentin& - made no #ompromises 5 and e,pe#ted

none "rom the opposite side' 8ut hen the battle as over/ he sa to it that no bitternessremained' +e had the ma&nanimity to &o to his ersthile opponents and pay #ompliments

to them' +e avoided a&itations as a matter o" prin#iple/ be#ause he kne that even i" you

&ain your obje#tive by means o" a&itations/ in the end/ there ould be no &ra#e in it'

As soon as it be#ame #lear to him that the R$ has be#ome an assured "a#t/ he be&an to

think about the se#ond phase' o put up a Cement - Con#rete stru#ture is not the ork

"or hi#h ! am born' ! am to ere#t a livin& - dynami# monument hi#h ill be orthy o" Sami ivekananda and hi#h ill be #apable o" brin&in& into "ruition his &rand vision

o" "uture !ndiaD 5 he be&an to think'


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assured that the entire $ission/ ill be at your ba#k all the time' Go ahead - hakur ill

bless you/ Sami ivekananda ill bless you/ and you have my blessin&s alsoD'

his link had its roots deep in the .sy#holo&y o" Eknath Ranade' his is #learly evident

in his #onversation ith Sri Govinda $enon/ the +ome $inister in the Central Cabinet'

o a pointed Buestion by the minister as ho the ork o" the RSS #ould be re#on#iledith ivekananda%s philosophy/ Eknathji reply as/ $t is Vivekananda’s philosophy

that made me an RSS %orker--& $n fact RSS is nothing but an e"tension of

S%amii'i’s %ork(& he minister as not #onvin#ed as it evident "rom his remark' !t is avery bold statement to makeD'

@hat as the inspiration behind the se#ond phaseH @hat did he a#tually seek to a#hieveH

!t as national re#onstru#tion' Eknathji thou&ht/ !" all the reli&iosity #an be #onvertedinto a#tivities o" publi# &ood/ there #an be all?round national re#onstru#tionD' =ne very

si&ni"i#ant dimension o" Eknathji%s #on#ept o" national re#onstru#tion is that it #overed

all se#tions o" +indu so#iety and all parts o" the #ountry' +e says 8hartheeyata in

everybody has to be aroused/ ork should be taken "rom them'D +e "irmly believed thati" you s#rat#h su""i#iently deep/ the +indu in everybody ill be roused/ hether one

talks o" @esternism or Russianism or modernism/ he essentially is a #hild o" this soilD'

!t is this national vision that took Eknathji to all se#tions o" people durin& the #ourse o"

the #olle#tion #ampai&n' @hen the C$ o" Na&aland Buestioned him about the isdom o" his spendin& so mu#h time "or a paltry amount/ Eknathji%s reply as typi#al - revealin&'

+e said $y motive is just not "unds' ! ant your parti#ipitation/ parti#ipation o" the

Govt and people o" Na&aland 5 be#ause Na&aland is part o" the NationD'

7urin& the #ourse o" his #ampai&n "or the R$ he had reali:ed that politi#al "a#tionalism

- reli&ious se#tarianism/ had alays prevented people "rom #omin& to&ether even on

issues o" national &ood/ about hi#h intrinsi#ally they had no #on"li#tin& opinion' .oliti#s bein& the pursuit o" poer/ #ould be an instrument o" division' 8ut Eknathji as pain"ully

aare that even spiritual movements de&enerated into rival se#ts' As a keen student o"

history/ he "ound that this had be#ome a national de"e#t ith the +indus and unless it asover#ome national re#onstru#tion ould remain a mira&e' Therefore) he suggested an

organi*ation %hich %ould be meticulously kept beyond politics - se#tarianism'

hat as his vision o" ivekananda *endra' Su#h an or&ani:ation #ould be built up onlyaround a &reat ideal' .erusin& the entire thou&ht o" Samiji/ Eknathji dis#overed that the

ma&i# ord ould be 5 orship 5 %orship of Man is truly %orship of +od& 8ut every

or&ani:ation reBuires $en ho are inspired and hose lives are molded by that parti#ular ethos' !t is here that Eknathji visuali:ed the #reation o" a non?sannyasin order o" li"e

orkers/ ho ill be dedi#ated to servi#e more than Sadhana' Spirituality must bevibrant& !t should be sel"less a#tion/ rather than simple meditation'

Creation o" su#h an order o" li"e orkers as no easy task/ #onsiderin& the prevailin&

so#ial situation in the #ountry' +istory o" the past many #enturies tau&ht Eknathji that the

+indu so#iety has lost its sense o" Sel"?Con"iden#e' hey ere in the habit o" lookin& "or


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an in#arnation to des#end save so#iety' @hat is orse/ every &reat men/ ho a#hieved

somethin& "or the so#iety/ as immediately de"ied and put on a pedestal - orshipped'

Eknathji de#lared that this sui#idal trend has to be reversed' +e anted a ne &enerationthat believed in themselves/ that they #an do anythin&' +e a##epted Samiji as an

ordinary human bein&/ ho raised himsel" to the hi&hest run& o" human evolution/ by

dint o" sel"?#on"iden#e - sel"?sa#ri"i#e'

Eknathji anted that ideal o" Samiji to be "olloed by the li"e orkers hom he

anted to man the or&ani:ation o" his dream' So he ere#ted the statue o" Samiji/standin& up - startin& on his patrioti# mission/ rather than one/ sittin& absorbed in deep

meditation'

Sel"?#on"iden#e #omes "rom the innate #onvi#tion that ea#h man is potentially divine'hat as the essen#e o" +indu herita&e "rom the edi# times' Eknathji anted to remind

this edi# mantra 5 @e are the #hildren o" God - immortalityD' his reali:ation ill

automati#ally &ive us the super human stren&th to over#ome all "ear - eaknesses'

Eknathji reali:ed the importan#e o" team%ork ' +e reeled o"" instan#es a"ter instan#es

"rom our on history/ ho a hand"ul o" "orei&n invaders/ mu#h in"erior to us in everyrespe#t/ #ould easily beat us hollo and enslave - rule over us/ only be#ause they

possessed this &reat Buality o" team spirit in abundan#e/ hereas/ e +indus totally

la#ked this #apa#ity' +e pointed out ho our edi# mantras #onstantly instilled into usthis &ospel o" #olle#tive e""ort 5 Ia&naD' hat made us &reat in the past'

he tenty?"irst #entury ill be the #entury o" !ndia 5 and also that o" +indus' hat is

hat Samiji has predi#ted' et us all ork hard to make it a reality' And that alone illmake our lives orth livin&'

Teething Troubles chapter ,

! shall e,plain to you the motive behind the hole proje#t ivekananda *endra (re"erred

to * hen#e"orth)' o be&in the story/ e ill have to &o ba#k to 1;2' Samiivekananda as born in Fanuary 4;3' he entire period "rom the 00 th to the 0st

birthday o" Samiji as proposed to be #elebrated as the Centenary Iear' he

Ramakrishna $ission planned it on an all !ndia s#ale' 7urin& the hole year there ere

dis#ourses - spee#hes about the li"e J tea#hin&s o" Sami ivekananda' ill thenSamiji%s orks ere published in En&lish - +indi' No the publi#ations ere taken up

in all lan&ua&es be#ause the &overnment &ave a very &ood subsidy'

eginnings ? !n Fanuary 1;2/ the people o" *anyakumar thou&ht that as

Samiji%s 8irth Centenary as bein& #elebrated/ it ould be in the "itness o" thin&s i"

they put up some memorial on the Ro#k here he meditated - dis#overed the mission o" his li"e' !t o##urred naturally to everybody there must be a##ess to the pla#e esp' As it as

knon as Saripada .araiD here Goddess *anyakumari meditated/ did her Sadhana to

obtain the hand o" ord Shiva so that they also #ould &o - sit as the sa#red spot'


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Some people in *anyakumari #ame to&ether' Shri elayudhan .illai/ .resident o"

+aindeva Seva San&h/ took the lead and ith others thou&ht o" "ormin& a #ommittee "or

the purpose' hey thou&ht et us have a $emorial - also put a pedestrian brid&e sothat people #an #ommute a#rossD' At that time they #ould not de"ine hat type o"

memorial should be made' Almost simultaneously there as a publi# meetin& at $adras

ith a lead by the Ramakrishna $ission' hey thou&ht on the same lines'

Some .ivergent /orces ? hen these to &roups &ot to&ether/ nes spread

that some memorial on the ivekananda Ro#k as bein& #ontemplated' A se#tion o" theCatholi#s at *anyakumari did not take kindly to the #ontemplated s#heme - thou&ht

somethin& should be done to thart it' Iou may be knoin& that *anyakumari has a

si:eable population o" Christian "ishermen' hey ere +indus earlier/ 00 years a&o' 8ut

they #laim that St Kavier #onverted their an#estors hen he ent there' !n this situation/ ase#tion o" the Catholi#s put up on the Ro#k a bi& Cross hi#h as visible "rom the shore'

!t has its natural reper#ussions' he people immediately #onvened protest meetin&s and

sent tele&rams to the Colle#tor/ Chie" $inister/ .resident - .$ that this Ro#k/ here theSripadam is imprinted/ is a pla#e o" orship "or +indus and puttin& up a Cross as a

trespass'

At that time/ the *anyakumari temple 7evasom #laimed that the Ro#k as its property

be#ause o" the Sripandam impressed on it' .erhaps/ lon& a&o/ the Ro#k as a part o" themainland' !" Goddess *anyakumari did +er Sadhana on the Ro#k/ there must have been a

#onne#tion beteen the temple - the Ro#k' =n the basis o" this le&end/ the 7evasom

staked its #laim'

he "irst thin& that *anyakumari 7istri#t Committee re"erred to above did as to apply

on 1J4J1;2 to the 7evasom 8oard "or permission to put a $emorial on the Ro#k - to

have a pedestrian brid&e joinin& the mainland to the Ro#k' !t also sou&ht permission to put up a $emorial on the Ro#k and to have a pedestrian brid&e joinin& the mainland to

the Ro#k' !t also sou&ht permission to start a "ree boat servi#e till a brid&e as

#onstru#ted' hat time there as no "erry servi#e as #ompared to day'

he 8oard "elt that people mi&ht like to &o to the Ro#k to see the pla#e here Samiji

meditated/ here *anyakumari did her $editation - Sadhana' So the 8oard immediately

permitted the Committee to run a "ree servi#e/ put up a $emorial - also to have a brid&e- everythin& else provided/ on #ompletion/ these ere handed over to them' he

Committee also a&reed to do so'

akin& advanta&e o" the permission/ the Committee anted "irst to start a "erry servi#e'

8ut "rom here as it to &et the boatmenH he people in the surroundin& areas ere all

Christian and they ould never #ooperate' So the Committee members ent to *erala/ toCali#ut and persuaded 0 to 20 people on the premise that they ould not only have to

run the boats but "i&ht ith the lo#als too' he people ere no able to &o daily to the

ro#k e,#ept hen the sea as rou&h'


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.eople%s emotions ere stirred hen they sa the Cross?o" re#ent ori&in' $eanhile the

$adras &ovt ordered a judi#ial probe and de#lared that the Cross be removed' !t also

de#lared in uneBuivo#al terms that this as ivekananda Ro#k' he Revenue departmentas ordered to remove the Cross' A se#tion o" the Christians in *erala raised a #horus

that a Cross as there "or the last "our hundred years and it as removed by some

+indus' +ere/ ! must tell you one si&ni"i#ant "a#t' *anyakumari distri#t as a part o" ravan#ore state' 8e#ause it has a predominan#e o" amil speakin& people/ "olloin& the

States Reor&ani:ation on lin&uisti# basis/ it be#ame part o" amil Nadu'

=ne "ine mornin&/ people noti#ed there as no #ross on the Ro#k' No +indus -

Christians assembled there ere virtually arrayed a&ainst ea#h other as i" in a battle

"ormation' he poli#e rea#hed there/ promul&ated se#tion / de#lared that the Ro#k as

a prohibited area - posted an armed &uard on the Ro#k'

Ea&er to avoid a #on"rontation the State &ovt asked the 7evasom 8oard to rite to the

Committee that thou&h it had taken permission "rom the 8oard/ it must &et #on#urren#e

o" the State &ovt also' he Committee sou&ht the State Govt%s approval but it asre"used' !" the Committee anted to have a $emorial it #ould be on the shore/ but not on

the Ro#k' 3 or months elapsed in this pro#ess and Fanuary 1;3/ the 00 th birthday o" Samiji as approa#hin&' .eople ere ea&er that somethin& must be done by Fanuary

1;3'

Shri 8haktavatsalam/ C$ said ! ill not allo the $emorial' !t is also true that this is

ivekanand Ro#k and a seal must be put there that it is ivekanand Ro#k/ so that there

must be no #on"usion in the minds o" the people/ and no #ontroversy #omes up later that

it is St Kavier%s this or that' ! su&&est that there should be only a tablet on hi#h ill beritten that Sami ivekananda visited this Ro#k on su#h - su#h a date/ meditated here

and all thatD' Sin#e matters had taken a di""erent turn #ommittee members "elt the need to

have an All !ndia Committee' Several prominent people ere approa#hed/ they a&reedand thus the Committee as re&istered in $ar#h 1;3'

So/ hen Shri 8hatavatsalam insisted that there should be only a tablet put on the Ro#k/the distri#t #ommittee people thou&ht/ et us a##ept this "or the time bein&' et us

establish a #laim on the Ro#k' et the tablet be established there' @e shall #ontinue to

ne&otiate ith the Government "or the $emorial' 8ut let us a##ept thisD'

A##ordin&ly a tablet as installed on the Ro#k on >JJ1;3 but people "elt that there

should be a statue/ they had their on plans "or the memorial' !n


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!n the meantime/ to reak ven&ean#e on us "or the removal o" the Cross "rom the Ro#k/

some o" the Catholi#s on ;J9J1;3 demolished the tablet and thre it into the sea'

0o% 1knath'i came into the icture2 - !t as in Au&ust 1;3 that ! #ame

into the pi#ture' ! as &eneral se#retary o" the RSS - in that #apa#ity as &oin& round

the #ountry - that time ! had &one to *anyakumari too' !n 1;2 ! laid don my o""i#e asGeneral Se#retary o" the RSS sin#e my appointment as a stop&ap arran&ement' here

ere #elebrations all over the #ountry on a##ount o" Samiji%s 8irth Centenary' Some

people thou&ht that there should be a small book on Samiji' Sin#e ! as "ree at that time people also thou&ht that ! should take up the ork' ! also liked the idea/ ent to Cal#utta

and #ompiled a book to be released on Samiji%s 00 th birthday in Fanuary 1;3' !

presented the book to Shri $adhavananda $aharaj/ the .resident o" the Ramakrishna

$ission' he book as titled as Rousin& Call to +indu Nation' he book as Buite popular and as translated in almost all the lan&ua&es'

So hen this hole thin& be#ame hot and the Committee people kne that the $adras

&ovt ould not bud&e an in#h and ould not allo a memorial on the Ro#k/ they ere ina "i, as to hat to do' hey thou&ht o" an a&itation but the atmosphere as not #on&enial

"or a $emorial at *anyakumari "or a Sami ivekananda "rom 8en&al' So theCommittee ere in a "i,' At that time ! as in Na&pur' A"ter our meetin& in Fuly/ ! as

&oin& to leave Na&pur "or a tour' At that time some important people o" the Committee

approa#hed Guruji Golalkar and said No that Shri Ranade is "ree/ hy not ask himto helpH +e has some e""e#tive #onta#ts in 7elhi - Cal#utta' +e has #onta#ts/ let him

meet the persons ho matter in 7elhi/ and let them in"luen#e Shri 8haktavatsalam/ let

them in"luen#e Shri *amaraj to &ive us permission "or puttin& up the $emorial on the

Ro#kD'

Sin#e ! had already #ompiled a book on the tea#hin&s o" Sami ivekananda they

thou&ht ! as in tune ith the ork' hey talked to Guruji ho asked me #asually/hese people are sayin& that your servi#es #ould be use"ul/ so hat do you think about

itH ! also #asually said ! ill have to study the hole problem' ! must kno - study the

hole thin&/ and i" you think that ! #an be o" any use/ ! ill &o there/ study the situation- then ! ill be able to tell you hether ! ill be o" any useD'

So ! a&reed to &o to *anyakumari - $adras at the earliest/ study the papers - then &ive

my "inal ord' 8ut ! thou&ht "irst let me sound the Ramakrishna $ission and kno hatit has to say about it' So ! ent to Cal#utta met the Respe#ted $adhavananda $aharaj on

22J>J1;3' @hen ! as in Cal#utta "rom 190 to 193/ ! as a re&ular visitor to 8elur

and used to meet Samiji there every "ortni&ht' ! told him that some people proposed todo somethin& about the ivekanand Ro#k $emorial' 8ut "irst o" all the .resident

$aharaj should tell me hether he as interested in this'

Sami said somethin& very si&ni"i#ant As a matter o" "a#t/ the $ission should have

taken up this ork' 8ut e kno the mind o" the Central Govt' @e kno the mind o" the

amil Nadu &ovt and e kno ho they rea#t in su#h a situation' No that some

Christians have put up an opposition/ the amil Nadu &ovt ill never a&ree and so ill


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the Central Govt' So hat is the useH !" e sannyasins put a ord/ e kno hat is

&oin& to be the "ate' @e/ an or&ani:ation o" sannyasins/ #an%t a&itate and #annot mobili:e

publi# opinion' hus e #annot #ome into the pi#ture' 8ut i" a person like you is preparedto take up the ork and i" the hole Committee is behind you/ ! assure you that thou&h

the Ramakrishna $ission ill not be in any ay o""i#ially #onne#ted ith you/ you #an

be rest assured/ the entire mission ill be at your ba#k all the timeD'

Stal%arts $nvolved chapter 3

So ith this reassuran#e/ ! le"t "or $adras - then *anyakumari/ ent throu&h all the

#orresponden#e' !n Au&ust reali:ed that the ork #ould not be mana&ed "rom outside'

Remainin& as a RSS orker helpin& "rom outside ould not do' ! had to be a spokesman

o" this R$ Committee' ! had to have some lo#us standi in the Committee' So ! rote toGuruji Golalkar that the hole matter as su#h that ! should have to #ompletely

identi"y mysel" ith the Committee - ! ould not be able to do any San&h ork' !" he

as prepared "or it he should tell me' ! &ot his permission' +ad he knon that it as

&oin& to take years/ ! don%t think he ould have &iven me #learan#e' hen on J4J1;3 ! be#ame the =r&ani:in& Se#retary o" the R$ Committee'

The lunge into the Task - !mmediately ! moved to Cal#utta ' At that time to

key persons ere opposin& the idea' =ne o" them as +umayun *abir/ Cultural $inister

at the Centre' +e had said number o" times that Samiji%s statue on the Ro#k ould spoilthe natural beauty o" the pla#e' Shri 8haktavatsalam/ C$ o" amil Nadu as sayin& that

the Central $inister as a&ainst it' Shri *abir as to be on over "irst' +is #onstituen#y

as Cal#utta'

here as an !nternational Centenary Committee "ormed by the Ramakrishna $ission o"

hi#h Sami Sambhuddhanandaji as the Gen Se#retary' ! approa#hed him "or help' +e

deputed one o" the sannyasins to &o ith me to all the press people' his ay ! met - be"riended all the #orrespondents/ journalists/ editors o" the Ananda 8a:ar .atrika et#'

A"ter havin& prepared the "ield ! addressed a #roded press #on"eren#e on 2J1J1;3here ! stated that Shri 0umayun 4abir had e,pressed (Samiji had a&reed to this)'

he e""e#t as e,pe#ted' All the papers - some editorials #riti#i:ed Shri *abir' Cal#utta

as his #onstituen#y' Iou kno here the eakness o" the politi#al persona&es lies'

!mmediately Shri *abir #alled "or me and ! met him at 7elhi' +e told me !t is true that !voi#ed this opinion that R$ should not be there' 8ut then/ ! had voi#ed similar opinion

a&ainst the Gandhi $emorial too' At that time they did not pay heed to my advi#e' ! am

dead a&ainst renovation o" temples but they are doin& on it' So also ! e,pressed only atone or to pla#es that it may not be &ood' hey are usin& my statement' hey a#tually do

not ant it themselves' So you can say that $ am not against it(&

No e #ame into confrontation %ith Shri haktavatsalam ho as to #ome to 7elhi'

!n the meantime/ ! had met Shri al 8ahadur Shashtri ho had no port"olio' +e said $r

Ranade/ ! also very mu#h desire that $emorial should be there on the Ro#k alone and not

on the shore' 8ut then you ant help "rom me' ! am a very patient man/ very slo' !" you


10/21

are in a hurry and i" you ant to do this - do that/ then ! shall not be o" any use' ! do

thin&s at proper time' !" you have enou&h patien#e/ then you #an bank on meD' So !

asked @hat shall ! doHD'

+e said Iou mobili:e publi# opinion - hen the time #omes/ ! ill tell you/ Lno it is

my ork%' hen ! said Shri 8haktavatsalam is #omin& to 7elhi' ! ant to meet himM !am told he is a very blunt man' ! shall have to talk to him' So i" matters &et pre#ipitated

and he says no/ hen hat to doH +e said his is e,a#tly hat ! am pointin& at' Iou

should allo the matter to #ontinue/ dis#ussions should #ontinue/ dialo&ues should#ontinue' Iou should not break' Iou should not allo matters to pre#ipitate' Even i" he

says NoD you should mana&e to #ontinue the dialo&ue' Shri 8haktavatsalam is an

adamant man' he only person ho #an deliver is .andit Nehru' 8ut the time is not

#on&enial' ! ill have to ait "or the ri&ht opportunity to put it into his hears' ill thattime you #ontinue the dialo&ueD'

So hen ! talked to Shri 8haktavatsalam he "ound that he as almost #ornered/ and said

! do not remember the #onversation' A"ter all/ hy are you insistin& on the $emorial onthe Ro#kH Even i" you put the $emorial - the statue on the Ro#k/ hat is the use o" that

statueH !t on%t be visible "rom the shore' ! ill never allo a brid&e be#ause it ill spoilthe beauty o" the pla#eD' ! said All ri&ht/ e ill do aay ith the brid&e/ and 'r't to

the statue/ e #an have a statue o" 90 or 00 "eetD' @hat 90 "eetHD ! said Ies 90 or

00 "eet/ than #an be done' hat ill be visible "rom the shore/ "rom 2 miles/ 0 milesD'+e as "labber&asted and just to brush aside he said All ri&ht/ then you &ive me another

s#heme/ e shall think over itD' 8ut ! &ot an e,#use to #ontinue the dialo&ue'

! #onsulted Shri Sathe/ an ar#hite#t "rom 8ombay ho told me that a ;0 "eet hi&h statueould be enou&h to make it visible "rom the shore' $eantime/ ! as also a little

impatient/ be#ause Fanuary 1; as approa#hin&/ and ! kne very ell that on#e the

Centenary Iear passes aay/ the hole thin& ould be#ome stale'

Sin#e the arliament as in session ! #amped in 7elhi/ spoke ith members J "riends

ho ere sympatheti#' ! as spe#ially thinkin& o" &ivin& a petition to the Govt ithsi&natures o" as many persons as possible' ! "ound that almost all o" them ere "avorably

disposed' So ! met Shri al 8ahadur Shastri and spoke about the idea o" a petition

addressed to .andit Nehru si&ned by some important persons in .arliament belon&in& to

di""erent parties' Shashtriji said 5 E,#ellent do it' hat is e,a#tly hat ! ant' Everyother day somethin& must appear in the +industan imes/ here there' !t must be in the air'

And this petition ill doD'

! de#ided to #olle#t as many si&natures as possible' @ithin three days ! #olle#ted 323

si&natures'


11/21

petition e are &oin& to present to the .$' So your "irst si&nature' ! have to start ork

todayD' And he si&ned'

@hen ! shoed his si&nature immediately all Con&ress people si&ned sayin&/ =h Shri

Ra&hunath Sin&h has si&nedD' !n that Central +all ! #olle#ted 10 si&natures ithin an

hour/ the si&natures o" all top Con&ressmen' A"ter some dis#ussions on the nature o" theCon&ress &overnment Shri Ram $anohar ohia si&ned' Naturally hen he si&ned all in

the So#ialist &roup put their si&natures' hen Shri Ran&a - Shri ajpayee and all other

politi#al leaders also si&ned the petition' hen ! ent to Smt Renu Chakravarti/ theCommunist leader' Althou&h she as a&ainst some ords ! told her that they #annot be

removed' She said/ Iou leave this paper ith me' ! ill &et you si&natures o" some

peopleD' And she &ot the si&natures o" the hole &roup o" Communists "rom 8en&al'

Shri C ! 5nnadurai %as a great admirer of S%ami Vivekananda ' hrou&h the e""orts

o" Shri Nedun#he:hian/ the Edu#ation $inister ! met Shri Annadurai' @hen e met he

praised Samiji and then asked/ @hat do you ant "rom meD' ! said/ @e have a State

6nit o" amil Nadu "or the R$' @e already have a .resident' @e ant a i#e?.resident' @e ould like you to be one o" our i#e?.residentsD' +e said Sin#e ! am a

$ember o" .arliament/ ! stay in 7elhi most o" the time' $ake Shri Nedun#he:hian your i#e?.residentD' ! a&reed and su&&ested that Shri Annadurai be#omes a member o" our

General 8ody' +e a&reed' 8e#ause o" the asso#iation o" Shri Annadurai all 7$* people

also subs#ribed their si&nature'

@e had prepared to #opies o" the petition' =ne "or the .$ and another "or Shri

8haktavatsalam/ C$ o" amil Nadu' Shri $ S Aney/ the oldest $'.' "rom ilak%s time

as approa#hed to present the petition' 6n ,78#,8 #973 the petition %as given& A"ter itas &iven ! ent to Shri al 8ahadur Shastri and told him about the petition' 0e %asstunned to hear that 3,3 members had signed the petition& +e said/ Iou have done a

&ood job' So/ no it is my turn' he Ro#k $emorial is assured noD'

Ne,t day andit'i said/ As "ar as the Govt o" !ndia is #on#erned/ e shall very mu#h

like to have Samiji%s statue on the Ro#k' 8ut a"ter all/ it is a matter "or the $adras &ovtto de#ide' +oever/ ! am &oin& to $adras soon "or unveilin& o" Samiji%s statue' At that

time/ ! shall speak to the C$ - see hat ! #an do in the matterD'

2 days later some #orrespondents o" the +indu met Shri 8haktavatsalam and obtained astatement "rom him/ @e never obje#ted to the statue on the Ro#k' he only apprehension

or obje#tion as that the statue bein& in the midst o" the sea ill be #onstantly ashed by

the aves - it #ould not stand there "or lon&D' ! met the C$ later' +e said/ Iou do notkno the "anati#s' hey ill not allo the statue to remain there' Some stru#ture 5 a

"ormidable stru#ture should be there so that you #an put the statue under lo#k' So i" the

Committee is prepared to put up su#h a statue ! have no obje#tion'D


12/21

$emorial be on the Ro#k - not on the shore' @hatever may be the other thin&s in him

Shri 8haktavatsalam as very parti#ular that the Ro#k must be established as

ivekananda Ro#kD' he C$ told Samiji ! #an allot a pla#e on the shore to put up amemorial there' Iou put up a memorial on the shore/ so that ! #an sho to the orld that

this Committee is obstinateD'

he C$ asked Samiji to make a statue o" Sami ivekananda ith dimension 9 "eet

by 9 "eet' 8e"ore Fanuary 1; the memorial must be #ompleted' ! shall ask 7r

Radhakrishnan to #ome there - open itD' C$ met 7r Radhakrishnan (.resident) and persuaded him to #ome to *anyakumari "or the inau&uration o" that 9 by 9 $emorial' !

as also keepin& #onta#t ith the .resident' So ! met him and said/ ! have #ome to

kno that you are #omin& to *anyakumari "or unveilin& Samiji%s statue' $y only

reBuest is that hen you #ome you should visit ivekananda Ro#kD' A##ordin&ly herote to Shri 8haktavatsalam ho "lared up +e is #omin& "or inau&uratin& the

$emorial - he &oes to the Ro#k - a&ain the issue ill remain the same' So that ould

not serve the purposeD'

So he in"ormed the .resident that it ould not be proper to visit the Ro#k and that he

should inau&urate the $emorial only' he .resident did not ant to &et into any#ontroversy - de#ided not #ome' he $emorial as opened "or the publi# durin& the

Centenary Iear' So he anted that the $emorial that as to #ome up on the Ro#k should

not be bi&&er than the $emorial on the shore' ! said


13/21

#onsultation ith the Shankara#haryaD' =n#e approved by the Shankara#harya Shri

8haktavatsalam had nothin& more to say'

! said =ne di""i#ulty is there' Iou ere talkin& o" 9 by 9 "eet' !t is no 1 by 32 "eet'

+e said All ri&ht/ let it beD' No the a#tual desi&n o" the $emorial are 40 by 9;'9 "eet

e,#ludin& the Sripada $andapam - the $editation +all' @e thou&ht that e should present our proposals in installments'

/riends Turn 0ostile chapter :

=n ;J2J1; the "irst stone as #ut' At "irst the $emorial as only an idea 5 o" just a

statue' =ut o" all naturally evolved ideas/ the ultimate plan that emer&ed as a very bi&

plan' he ori&inal estimate as Rs ; lakhs/ then it as Rs ;0 J40 lakhs and "inally it #ameto #rore 39 lakhs'

he Ro#k as "irst to be tested to as#ertain hether it as solid or not' E,perts made >0

"eet bore on the Ro#k/ took tones "rom the bore and sent them to a laboratory' estindi#ated that the hole Ro#k as solid "rom inside - outside' hen there as an

ele#tri#ity resistan#e test hi#h "ound the Ro#k solid'


14/21

See ho they behaved' ! ent to rivandrum be#ause this *anyakumari 7evasom

8oard as part o" the ravan#ore 8oard/ *anyakumari bein& a part o" ravan#ore State

then' @hen *anyakumari ent to amil Nadu/ the then ravan#ore 8oard as bi"ur#ated- *anyakumari 7evasom 8oard as "ormed ith a provision that the $aharaja%s

nominee ould be there as trustee' (i'e' one out o" three)' ! as keen to establish that this

Ro#k as part o" the temple property so that ! #ould plead that the Govt had no lo#usstandi as the 8oard had &iven us permission/ as it as their property'

! ent to the $aharaja - ravan#ore 7evasom 8oard and reBuested them to "ind &iveme a #opy o" some re#ords to sho that this ro#k in the sea as a part o" the

*anyakumari property' 8ut inspite o" valiant e""orts they #ould not "ind any' 7ue to the

adamant attitude o" the 8oard ! rote to the amil Nadu &ovt and #hallen&ed his

*anyakumari 7evasom 8oard has no lo#us standi hatsoever on the Ro#k' ! am prepared to prove it' ! kne that it #ouldn%t &et eviden#e' he matter as re"erred to the

Commissioner/ Reli&ious Endoments to make a probe and submit his "indin&s' he

Commissioner &ave his verdi#t that the 8oard%s #laim as ithout any "oundation' hen

e &ot permission in 7e#ember 1;4'

5nother Tussle 5


15/21

meetin& and ! a&ain pressed the 8irlas "or Rs lakh' hey said his one lakh is not

&oin& to brin& 30 lakhs' 8e#ause nobody is &oin& to donate "or temples/ that too "or

ivekananda templeD' ! said !" you &ive me one lakh/ ! assure you that ! ill brin& one#roreD' hey lau&hed' ! asked +o mu#h money is reBuired to inspire your #on"iden#eH

Iou #olle#t 0 lakhs and then e shall #on"iden#e that you #anD' ! said Iou &ive me

90/000J no' ! shall ask "or the other 90/000J only on that day hen our Committee%s*osha there ill be 0 lakhsD' ! took 90/000J' @hen ! #on"ided that ! intended to make all

State &ovts to donate one lakh ea#h/ almost all my "riends ridi#uled the idea o" donatin&

toards the #onstru#tion o" R$'

Vision of a !e% 0ori*on ? @e #an have an order o" orkers in hose #ase marria&e

need not be barred' !" e #an provide "or all their basi# needs e may &et a "ine #lass o"

orkers out o" su#h dedi#ated people e see all around' 8ut hat #ould that ork beH !started dis#ussin& it ith all?important people like Sami Ran&anathananda/ Se#retary o"

the !nstitute o" Culture/ .resident Radhakrishnan/ .resident o" Ramakrishna $ission/

Shri Faya .rakash Narayan/ Shankara#haryas top leaders et#' Sloly in my press

brie"in&s ! used to tell that the $emorial as the "irst phase o" the plan and as soon as itas over e ould take up the se#ond phase'

As ! met a #ross spe#trum o" people ! "ound that almost all people belon&in& to various

politi#al &roups had #omplete identi"i#ation ith Samiji%s idea/ ith hatever Samiji

had said' he book &ives to e,amples o" to su#h leaders hi#h ! am not reprodu#in&'=ne is Shri *alyanasundaram/ the Ri&ht in& Communist leader o" $adras and to is

Shri Fyoti 8asu/ the le"t Communist leader'

!n this ay hen e ere dis#ussin& the matters ith Sami Ran&anathananda hen our #olle#tion drive as &oin& on/ e ere also thinkin& o" plans "or the "uture' he hole

#ampai&n as so or&ani:ed - desi&ned that hatever e did/ our #olle#tions durin& the

phase should prepare "or the needs o" the se#ond phase'

@e had not "ormed a Committee "or $aharashtra "or si, months' ! anted Shri S * .atil/

the then Railay $inister to be the .resident' hrou&h a series o" #onta#ts and si,months ultimately Shri .atil be#ame the .resident a"ter hi#h Shri . Naik readily

be#ame i#e?.resident' he same pattern as "olloed in other states'

Shri C Shukhla/ $inister "or 7e"en#e .rodu#tion #ame here' +e as happy that theR$ as #omin& up and he helped us in every ay' he C$ o" $adhya .radesh had not

donated the Rs lakh' Shri Shukhla said it is be#ause ! as "rom the RSS - Shri $ishra

is aller&i# to the RSS' hen ! asked Shri Shukhla a point blank Buestion Are youa""e#ted by the revelation that ! am #onne#ted ith the RSSH ! tell you/ the health o" this

#ountry is spoilt' his politi#al atmosphere is so mu#h vitiated that even "or &ood ork/

e do not #ome to&ether/ e,#ept "or the de"en#e o" the #ountryD'

7i""erent people belon&in& to di""erent politi#al a""iliations all rea#ted in this manner -

rallied around us be#ause e #are"ully kept ourselves aloo" "rom politi#s' his has helped


16/21

us - this is the se#ret - substan#e o" the su##ess/ hether in #olle#tion o" "unds or in

mobili:in& people'

To .istant !agaland chapter 7

@e had the se#ond phase in mind hile takin& up the "irst phase 5 the ork that e hadto do "or hi#h e had to pave the ay "or' So that &eared up the hole ma#hinery "or

the #olle#tion #ampai&n under the "irst phase'

! ent to Na&aland to meet Shri + Sema/ the Chie" $inister/ "our times and #ould meet

him only the "ourth time' +e asked me a si&ni"i#ant Buestion $r Ranade/ hy have you

#hosen Na&aland "or #olle#tion o" "undsH @ho told you/ e have &ot "unds hereH @e are

not havin& business houses or industries' he State depends entirely on the Central Govt'So/ neither the Govt nor the people #an donateD'

! said ! have not #ome here "or "unds' ! only ant your parti#ipation/ o" the &overnment/

o" the people here' hat is more valuable' ! may &et one or to thousand rupees here butthat does not matter' Sami ivekananda and his ideals represent the soul o" !ndia hi#h

is needed "or the "uture o" the #ountry' !" you a&ree that by "olloin& him e may prosper then people - &ovt o" Na&aland/ must respond - take up this orkD' +e said !t is all

ri&ht' 8ut then ho #an the people here respond hen they do not kno anythin& about

ivekanandaHD

! said hat is e,a#tly the reason hy ! should ork here more' !s it not ne#essary that

they should kno about ivekanandaHD +e admitted - said Ies/ but $r Ranade/ !

mysel" do not kno anythin& about himD' +e as the not the "irst person to tell this' ! metGen $aneksha/ Chie" o" Army/ be#ause ! anted to or&ani:e #olle#tion "rom the armed

"or#es too' A"ter e,#han&e o" letters ! met and told him that the entire de"en#e "or#es must

respond - donate hatever may be the pro#edure' +e said a si&ni"i#ant thin& ! havere#ently read ivekananda/ that too at my i"e%s instan#e' =n#e she &ave me a book and

said ook you are readin& a lot o" novels and all that' 8ut look at this' !t has somethin&

substantialD' No ! kno atleast somethin& about him' ! must thank his i"e'

! said to Shri Sema ! ill &ive you some books to read and hen ! #ome you must head

the Committee "or Na&aland "or the #olle#tionD' @hen ! met him ne,t/ he said

ivekananda has a very #atholi# outlook' !" the #ountry is mobili:ed on the basis o" hisideas/ its "uture #an be surely shaped a##ordin& to hat e desireD' +e #ame .resident o"

the State Committee and his edu#ation minister i#e?.resident' Sin#e the people o"

Na&aland did not kno Sami ivekananda people%s attention had to be attra#ted "or hi#h ! su&&ested that the best thin& "or you ould be to de#lare a donation o" a lakh o"

rupees "or this $emorial by the Na&aland &ovt'

!nitially unsure o" ho the Central Govt ould respond sin#e it &ave the state all "unds he

said the state ould donate ithout #he#kin& ith the Centre' +e &ave Rs 9/000J at

present and said that i" other State &ovts &ave lakh he ould also &ive the balan#e

49/000J' A Committee as "ormed and spe#ial "olders printed "or Na&aland' he "olders


17/21

ere #ir#ulated to s#hools - #olle&es' he #olle#tion there as some >/000J apart "rom

the 9/000J &iven by the State &ovt yet hy did e print these "olders' !t as be#ause e

had our eyes on the se#ond phase o" our ork'

6ne Rupee /olders ? the idea behind this is to #onta#t as many people as possible' hese

"olders ere printed in all lo#al lan&ua&es and distributed idely' About 90 lakh "oldersere printed and nearly 30 lakh people donated in /3/9/ rupees'


18/21

No .ate

' 7ate o"

#ommen#ement o"

stone dressin& ork'

;''1; $eans o" a##ess to the Ro#k'

o helipads are provided on

the Ro#k/ one on the northest- other on southest'

7imensions o" the helipad onthe northest' 7imensions o"

the helipad on the southest'

19% by 9%'

%by93%'

3' otal #"t o" stones

(&ranite) used(e,#ludin& "loorin&)'

>399 #"t $eans o" Communi#ation @ireless'

' otal ei&ht o" &raniteused (e,#l "loorin&)

;000 tons he Chie" En&ineer -Ar#hite#t

Shri S * A#hari o"

7evakottai

(' Nadu)9' $a,imum ei&ht o" a

pillar (sin&le pie#e)

3 $emorial !nau&uration

#elebrated on

2'1'1>0

;' $a,imum len&th -

si:e o" beam'

>J2% by

2 P% by 2

Q L'

abor parti#ulars "or the

period beteen inau&uration

o" stone dressin& ork -memorial inau&uration'

>' $a,imum ei&h o" beam

1 tons otal orkin& days 204'

4' $a,imum number o" orkmen on the

proje#t'

100 (av&;90)'

otal man days >43>;>'

Steer Clear of olitics chapter >


19/21

$emorial' 8ut it ould not have been o" value' 8ut no it has be#ome a rallyin& point o"

the entire #ountry/ a nu#leus round hi#h e #an build somethin&' No you see another

uniBue point' All those ho opposed it as "irst/ have be#ome "riendly' A person asadamant/ about not havin& the Ro#k $emorial/ as Shri 8haktavatsalam ultimately

be#ame the patron o" the amil Nadu #ommittee' he amil Nadu &ovt spent Rs

/29/000J on the #onstru#tion o" jetties as its #ontribution' he C$ as not a&ainstivekananda/ it as politi#s plain - simple'

.ivisions in the name of Spirituality 5lso ? ;nfortunate@ ? Fust as there aredivisions in politi#s there are divisions amon& people ho are tuned to spirituality' .eople

sear by the sampradayas or se#ts that #ame into e,isten#e' 8ut stran&ely enou&h/ every

institution 5 &roup that anted to unite all people/ be#ame one more addition to the list o"

se#ts "or e'&' Arya Samaj' Sami 7ayananda said/ @e ill a##ept the authority o" theedas onlyD' And he made a &reat attempt but the modus operandi he or his "olloers

used as su#h that they "olloed his tea#hin&s - ultimately Arya Samaj be#ame another

se#t' he book &ives more e,amples too'

!o faction or group in the name of Vivekananda - +e said a number o" times

that all the spiritual "or#es s#attered in the #ountry should be united' here are a "eletters in hi#h he des#ribes his plan o" ork' +e said !n a parti#ular ton/ it does not

matter i" one #alls himsel" a Sikh/ Arya Samajist/ a Fain or 8uddhist 5 but they are all

aidikas' All authority "los "rom the edas' et us have a temple here there is nodeity/ but just the symbol o" =m so that all people may #ome to&etherD' et us unite all

people/ underlinin& the basi# unity/ that the basi# thin& hi#h prompts a#tion/ hi#h

appeals to them'

Samiji said @orship o" God is servi#e to humanityD' !n order to orship God you

must have "ello "eelin& ith all the people +e has #reated' !" you look ba#k in history/

you ill "ind that/ perhaps amon& the sannyasis/ and the monks he as the "oremost inmakin& this tea#hin& the main obje#t o" his li"e' A#tually hen he "ounded the

Ramakrishna $ission/ Samiji himsel" had to "i&ht ith his #ollea&ues on this said'

@hen he said @e shall have a band o" sannyasins ho ill meditate/ ho ill spreadthe messa&e o" 6panishads to the hole people and at the same time/ they also ill ork

"or the prosperity o" the people/ "or their e#onomi# ell bein&/ "or their edu#ation/ "or

&ivin& them medi#al relie"/ undertake all a#tivities o" servi#eD' hey did not a##ept this

sayin& Ramakrishna did not tell us this' Samiji had to e,ert mu#h pressure in persuadin& his Gurubhais to a##ept his point o" vie'

The Choice of ose - Everythin& that has a pla#e on the Ro#k/ the desi&nin&/ the#onstru#tion/ has #ome si&ni"i#an#e' Nothin& is done ithout prior thou&ht' @hat sort o"

statue must e haveH @hat should it #onveyH A lot o" thinkin& has &one into it' @hen it

as announ#ed that the statue ill be in a standin& posture/ some monks did not like it'hey rote to me that Samiji should be in a meditation pose sin#e it as the pla#e

here he meditated' ! said Samiji meditated no doubt' 8ut that as the pla#e "rom

here Samiji rose up "rom meditation ith a mission 5 that as the pla#e here he

dis#overed his mission o" li"e 5 here all thin&s had be#ome #lear' +e &ot up here and set


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on his mission' ! said to the portrait makers' Iou must be able to #onvey the movement in

the standin& pose as i" he is settin& on a mission/ ith a #on"iden#e 5 that he has

somethin& on his hand and he is out to &ive a messa&e to the orldD' A"ter years e"ound the ri&ht man' At se#ond attempt he #ame out ith a marvelous portrait' he

portrait as &iven to nearly ei&ht s#ulptors in the #ountry'

o statues ere #aste in bron:e and brou&ht here' =ne o" them as #hosen' !n the entire

memorial/ the "o#al point is the Sripadam' he hole stru#ture is desi&ned a##ordin& to

the situation o" Sripadam and as soon as the main door is opened Samiji%s eyes "all onthe Sripadam' Also by #hoosin& a statue ith a standin& posture/ e ensured that Samiji

on the Ro#k ill inspire people not only to meditate but also to ork' So to inspire people

to a#t/ the se#ond phase as mooted'

!s it not ironi#al that be"ore ! joined the Ro#k $emorial Committee ! as to #ompile a

book on Samiji "or hi#h ! read Samiji "rom A to / all the volumes' So/ ! onder

hether that as not desi&ned by some superior poer that ! should read bout Samiji in

1;2' 8e#ause ne,t year ! as to do somethin& about his messa&e'


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vivekananda rock

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