The Prime Minister’s schedule in Calcutta was modified on Saturday after he expressed his desire to spend the night at Belur Math, instead of Raj Bhavan.
Sources at Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission said Narendra Modi wanted to meditate in Swami Vivekananda’s room, which has a balcony facing the Hooghly, early on Sunday.
Swamiji had breathed his last in the room on July 4, 1902.
The Prime Minister tweeted in the morning much before he landed in Calcutta: “I am excited to be in West Bengal today and tomorrow. I am delighted to be spending time at the Ramakrishna Mission and that too when we mark Swami Vivekananda’s Jayanti. There is something special about that place.”
Vivekananda was born on January 12 but Belur Math will celebrate his janmatithi, the birthday according to almanac, on January 17, sources at the Math and Mission told Metro on Saturday afternoon. Belur Math’s website says the monk’s birth anniversary this year falls on January 17.
This Twitter image released by Narendra Modi shows the Prime Minister on his way to Belur Math on Saturday twitter.com/narendramodi
January 12 is listed as the National Youth Day.
“The Prime Minister has expressed his desire to stay at the international guest house after meeting the president of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Accordingly, arrangements are being made,” said a source at the Math and Mission.
Officers in Bengal police said information about the Prime Minister’s wish to spend the night at Belur Math reached them only on Saturday morning.
Following the protocol of the Prime Minister’s security, the room where Modi is expected to spend the night at Belur Math was scanned with security gadgets. The room was sealed three hours before his visit to the Math.
Belur Math was closed to visitors at 6pm on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Modi had tweeted: “Yet, there will be a void too! The person who taught me the noble principle of ‘Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva’, the venerable Swami Atmasthananda Ji will not be there. It is unimaginable to be at the Ramakrishna Mission and not have his august presence!”
Some of Swami Vivekananda’s belongings are preserved in the room where Modi expressed his wish to meditate.
Among the belongings are the monk’s clothes and footwear, canes, a turban, a pakhawaj and a tanpura. There is also a large cot that was gifted to him by his western disciples and a canvas cot next to it.