Celebration of the Birth Centenary of Sri Ramakrishna
The consecration ceremony of the newly built temple coincided with the date of birth centenary of Lord Sri Ramakrishna. To commemorate the occasion celebration of the centenary on a grand scale was decided upon. When the senior monks were seriously engaged in discussing the modalities of the celebration and how to associate all other monastic organizations at Kashi on the occasion an interesting incident took place. Venerable Swami Mangal giri, a very old and highly respected monk was then living at Tekra Math located in a lane by the Lakshmi Kunda near the Advaita Ashrama and the Sevashrama. Just on the eve of the celebrations venerable Mangal Giriji had a vision wherein he saw that Sri Ramakrishna had appeared before him and implored "Ceremonies on my account are going to be held here, won't you do something in this regard?" He was amazed at the vision. Although he was not well informed about Sri Ramakrishna, he came to realize His divine greatness through the vision. He went to the Ashrama very next day, apprised the authorities thereof of his vision. They felt surprised and realized that the Lord Himself had come forward to solve their problem. The Ashrama authorities proposed to venerable Mangal Giriji for helping them in mustering the association of all other monastic organizations at Kashi and their participation in the ceremonies and procession planned for the centenary celebrations. He gladly accepted the same, contacted the various monastic Ashramas and Akhadas (Centres) like Nirvani, Niranjani, Dakshinamurti and Bhola Giri etc. and advised them to actively participate in the celebrations and the procession. As a mark of their respect for the widely revered Mangal Giriji, monastics of all sects thus came forward and actively took part in the celebration organized centring round Sri Ramakrishna. The grand co-ordinator of all faiths. Venerable Mangal Giriji was greatly moved by the fact that Sri Ramakrishna, out of His own. favoured him with the darshan (holy vision). This made him pay great respect to Thakur (Sri Ramakrishna) till his last days. During the last phase of his life Mangal Giriji got himself admitted into the Sevashrama run by the monastics of Ramakrishna Mission at Kashi, accepted their services through medical treatment and became Brahmaleen (attained Samadhi).
On the 26th February the monastics of various sects living in Nirvani, Niranjani, Juna, Nirmala and other Akhadas assembled and took out a grand procession displaying a photograph of Sri Ramakrishna and passed through the main thorough-fare of Kashi. Mounted on horseback monastics of Naga sect with bands and banners in hand accompanied the procession. With nine elephants at the head and followed by Mohantas of different Akhadas who voluntarily and gladly participated along with old and senior monks of the Math (Ashrama) in twelve cars, the grand and unique procession travelled arount six-mile long route in three hours. Many singers and devotees and also the personal body guards in their liveries and with staffs and maces were sent for the purpose by the Kashi Naresh (Ruler of Kashi) to form the part of the procession. A Bhandara for all the monastics was held in which nearly two thousand of Sadhus belonging to all sects and Akhadas participated and had prasada (portions of edible offerings). This was the first such incident in the annals of Kashi and all the monastics accepted it to be so. On this occasion an all faiths convention was also held at the Sevashrama and addressing the same Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and many other noted scholars and the representatives of different religious faiths spoke in support of the ideals propagated by Sri Ramakrishna. On the 27th February, the last day of the celebration, a religious assembly was held which was presided over by Mahamandaleswar Mahadevananda Giriji and addressed by learned monks like Swami Sarvanandaji and others. The celebration spread the message of Ramakrishna Mission's ideals and activities extensively at Varanasi and enhanced the prestige and honour thereof amongst the monastic sects.
Passing through phases under the able direction of the monastic workers over a long period, Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama has completed one hundred years for spreading the messages of Vedanta under the beaconing light of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekanand's life. Varanasi, a place sanctified by the holy visit of Sri Ramakrishna, the Holy Mother, Swami Vivekananda and his brother disciples bears a testimony to many events in the history of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. From the beginning of the nineteenth century this Ashrama has come out as the focal point for propagating the ideas of Sri Ramakrishna. History talks-the Durga Mandap, its pillars, the four small rooms at the four corners, the old black-berry tree (now removed) etc. all are very much loaded with memory. If we delve deep into the sphere of our minds, we shall be able to visualize the events narrated above. Kashi is a land of bliss to the monastics and devotees, the place of their ultimate longing. Revered Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj said "Kashi is incomparable (in the world), a place of supreme consciousness. Living here, if one prays to Lord, whatever he does it gets tenfold and through practice attains a state of spiritual consciousness within a very short time. Kashi is the place for achieving salvation. Here the Lord Vishwanath, out of His own, is granting salvation to all creatures. All will eventually attain salvation and that becomes possible for them who stick to live here anyhow and pray........." "Such is the glory of this holy place that as soon as I crossed the bridge over the holy Ganges I had a sublime experience and this only I can say-Kashi is the place of Lord Shiva and it is Shiva who is the Guru of all. As Mother Annapurna is bestowing Her favour by providing the creatures with sustaining food to fulfill their physical needs similarly Lord Shiva is granting divine consciousness and salvation towards fulfilment of their spiritual ones. Once, the form of a bearded luminary figure appeared before Sri Ramakrishna and revealed the holy significance of Kashi before His eyes and it was He, the Mahakala Bhairava. Sri Ramakrishna immediately entered into a state of Samadhi. What Swami Vivekananda wanted was that one should strive to realize the divine greatness of Kashi through his own life and hold out the same before others to enthuse them. By turning the pages of its one hundred years of history we find today that the sevaks and the inmates of the Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama, through their life and efforts are moving forward on the path of supreme goal. Its impact, whether we can visualize or not, has become a part of the history. The history of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission says, "The present structure of the Ashrama building may not be imposing, but each brick or stone represents so much sacrifice on the part of the Pioneers, who felt, dreamt, struggled and died and from their ashes sprang fresh dreams and ideas to ignite other hearts similarly tuned'. Let the life of renunciation, religious austerities, hardship and a total resignation to Lord Sri Ramakrishna practised by the savants of yester years at Advaita Ashrama inspire the present generation, bestow upon them the strength to take up the path they followed. Let us pray, Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama may fulfil the aim of its establishment by continuing to serve the aged savants and monastics and also propagating the ideas of religious scriptures at Varanasi, for long long years to come. Along with this prayer I bow down in reverence at the feet of all the revered monks, past and present of the Advaita Ashrama.
Lastly offering my sastanga pranam million times at the holy feet of Lord Vishwanath and Mother Annapurna, I would utter-
विश्वेशं माधवं दुण्डि दण्डपाणिञ्च भैरवम्
वन्दे काशीं गुहां गङ्गां भवानीं मणिकर्णिकाम् ॥
Oh! Vishweswar the Lord of Kashi, Bindu Madhaba, Dhundiraj Ganapati, Dandapani Vhairava and Kala Vhairava, Oh the golden Kashi, Jaigishavya cave, holy Ganges the deliverer of the fallen, Mother Annapurna and holy Manikarnika the liberating field to Thee, I offer my respectfull salutation again and again. Also, I offer my humble salutation to Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna, the Holy Mother and Swamiji Maharaj, the presiding deities of the Advaita Ashrama, Varanasi.
