Visit of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi to Varanasi
On November 9th, following the day of Shyamapuja Holy Mother visited the Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service, in presence of Swamis Brahmananda, Shivananda, and Turiyananda, Charu Babu (later Swami Shubhananda), Dr Kanjilal, and other devotees. Kedarbaba (Swami Achalananda) accompanied her palanquin and showed her round the entire campus. She expressed great delight at the place and all the arrangements and remarked, "The Master himself is present here and Mother Lakshmi is here in all her majesty." While talking to Kedarbaba she wanted to know about the initiation and the taking shape of the institution. Soon after going back to Lakshmi Nivas, she sent a ten-rupee note as donation to the Sevashrama. The note is still kept there as an invaluable asset. Later that day at her residence she said to a devotee, "I saw the Master himself present there, and that is why this work goes on here. These are all his work."
She visited Kedareswar temple and saw the vesper services. She remarked that the Kedar of Kedarnath in the Himalayas and that in Kashi were the same and sight of the later would kindle the same spiritual fervour as would be with that of the former. She visited other temples including Tilbhandeshwar where she said that it was a 'Swayambhulinga'. She used to have a fond feeling for the Shivalinga of Shooltankeswar near Dasaswamedh Ghat.
Holy Mother visited Sarnath during her stay. Devotee Miss Josephine Mcleod had arranged a large carriage for her but on the day of the visit she organized another carriage since the one arranged by Miss Mcleod did not arrive on time. The same was used by Swami Brahmananda and a few other devotees after its late arrival to proceed to Sarnath after Holy Mother had left. At Sarnath Holy Mother went around seeing the relics. On seeing a couple of European tourists she said "Those who had built this place have come again and are astonishingly saying that what remarkable things have been done!"
While coming back though she insisted that Rakhal (Swami Brahmananda) and others who had come by the bigger carriage take the same one back, she had to change plans and take the bigger carriage at the behest of Swami Brahmananda who took the one Holy Mother had come by. It so happened that on the way back that carriage upturned while negotiating a bend. Though there was no grave injury to the passengers, Swami Brahmananda was relieved that Mother had not taken the ill-fated carriage. Holy Mother coming to know of the incident said that what was in store for her was deliberately taken by Rakhal on his shoulders.
While in Varanasi Holy Mother had met a ascetic of the Nanakpanthi sect and the well known ascetic Chameli Puri. While meeting Chameli Puri Golap Ma asked him from where he manages his food to which the elderly monk quipped back with firm resolve "Ek Durga Maai deti hai, aur kaun deta?" (Only Mother Durga provides, who else does?) Holy Mother arranged for some oranges, sweets and a blanket for him. Later one day when she was asked whether she liked to meet other monastics she said "What other monastics will I see? I have already seen so (referring to Chameli Puri). Who else is there?"
During her stay she listened to discourses on "Kashikhanda" and on a day, the Srimad Bhagavat at the Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama. She witnessed Raaslila at the Advaita Ashrama and prostrated before the young boys playing the roles of Radha and Krishna and offered them money. On 30th December 1912, her birthday was celebrated at the Advaita Ashrama.
