What comes to mind when we hear Kanyakumari?

The Amma Mandir, Suryodaya, Suryasta and Swami Vivekananda Memorial.

Do you know, that the idea for a Memorial for Swami Vivekananda came during discussion between Guruji Golwalkar and Karmayogi Eknath Ranade?

And how many of us knows about the struggle faced by Karyakartas and Swayamsevaks during the construction of the Sacred Mandir?

On one side, we had Christian Missionaries who put up a Cross in the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated and after much struggle, Nationalists were successful in vacating them..

But it was temporary, they came again, this time damaged the relic and days later Stole it too.

As if this was not enough, our Secular Government of Indira Gandhi had an Education Muslim Minister who was a stumbling block for 2^nd phase of Construction.

But one-man Eknath Ramakrishna Ranade stood firm against these anti national Forces and made the dream into reality.

August, 22^nd was the Smaran Divas of Eknathji Ranade and on this occasion, let’s deliberate in brief about the Memorial and life of Baudhik Pramukh Ranade.

Swami Vivekananda has said that even after he laid down his body, he would continue to work and inspire generations to come and carry on his unfinished work. We see it still happening. Swamiji does it in innumerable ways. The magnificent Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari is one such undying source of inspiration.

The memorial at Kanyakumari is a unique symbol of unity and purity and symbol of the united aspiration of Nation. It is a happy and harmonious blend of all the architectural beauty of the country. It is a symbol of unity because the whole nation wished, worked and contributed for it. Person from all states participated in its inauguration. It is also a memorial, conceived and laboured for mainly by RSS Swayamsevaks, blessed by, designed by Paramacharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, and for which Swami Chinmayananda of Chinmaya Mission gave the first donation, the memorial became a focal point just as Kanyakumari is a meeting point for three seas.

A brief timeline about events happened and how Vivekananda Kendra became a reality

• 1962: The idea of erecting a memorial for Swami Vivekananda as his birth centenary is to follow in 1963.
• 01 Aug 1962: Unregistered committee starts functioning.
• 19 Sep 1962: Devaswom Board, Suchindram, grants permission to start ferry service to and from Vivekananda Rock. Boat service starts in the evening.
• 02 Oct 1962: Armed police guards planted at the Rock in view of the friction arising from erecting and removing a CROSS on the Rock.
• 10 Oct 1962: Devaswom Board, Suchindram, grants permission to construct a statue of Swami Vivekananda on the Vivekananda Rock.
• 17 Jan 1963: Birth centenary of Swamiji is celebrated at Kanyakumari. A memorial tablet in marble is erected on the Rock.
• 20 Apr 1963: The memorial tablet on the Rock is disfigured.
• 18 May 1963: The memorial tablet is stolen.
• 11 Aug 1963: Eknathji Ranade becomes the organizing Secretary.
• 23 Dec 1963: Eknathji takes the first signature in the petition of parliamentarians.
•  26 Dec 1963: The petition with signatures of 323 MPs is given to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
• 29 Aug 1964: Committee approves Chief Engineer and Architect S. K. Achari’s Memorial plan.
• 24 Sep 1964: Madras Government grants permission for the erection of the statue of Swami Vivekananda on the Vivekananda Rock.
• 06 Nov 1964: Chiseling the first stone starts.
• 03 Sep 1966: Drilling core sample on the Rock starts.
• 12 Dec 1967: Stone masonry work starts on the Rock. Meditation Hall work taken up first.
• 03 Dec 1967: The name Vivekananda Kendra is suggested for conducting activities preached and envisaged by Swami Vivekananda.
• 19 Jun 1968: Submerged power cable to the Rock is energized.
• 18 Sep 1968: Permission to construct Shripada Mandapam is received. (Education Minister in Indira Gandhi Cabinet Humayun Kabir opposes it)
• 27 Dec 1968: Tentative date of 9 Mar 1970 fixed for inauguration of the Rock Memorial.
• 06 Mar 1970: Dhyana Mandapam and Shripada Mandapam completed.
• 16 Jul 1970: Main dome, circular path way, power house completed.
• 21 Jul 1970: Campus is named Vivekanandapuram.
• 21 Aug 1970: Shripada Mandapam consecrated.
• 02 Sep 1970: Consecration of the Rock Memorial. Inauguration of the Rock Memorial by President V. V. Giri.
• 26 Dec 1971: Dwajasthambam is ready for flag hoisting.
• 07 Jan 1972: Flag hoisting on the Rock at sunrise and lowering at sunset starts. Vivekananda Kendra comes into being.

Second Phase construction of Vivekananda Rock Memorial ran parallel when Rock Memorial was taking shape. As Eknathji used to say- "To put up a Cement and Concrete structure is not the work for which I am born, I am to erect a living and dynamic monument which will be worthy of Swami Vivekananda and which will be capable of bringing into fruition his grand vision of future India."

The idea for Shree Pada Mandapam to Swami Vivekananda was initially rejected by the Minister of Education and Culture Humayun Kabir, Ranade drummed up support from over 300 members of the Indian Parliament, which led to the project receiving approval from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Ranade also managed to win endorsement for the project from a diverse section of the political and spiritual community, including sections traditionally in opposition to RSS.

And thus, Vivekananda Kendra - An Extraordinary Organization with Ordinary Men came to existence. To ensure, all Bharatiyas have equal participation in this phenomenon, Ranade brought JANBHAGIDHARI SCHEME, which encouraged every citizen of the country to pay 1 rupee as a donation so that everyone would be a part of this mission.

Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade, the Man behind the Memorial started Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually oriented service mission in 1972 as the living memorial to Swami Vivekananda.

On his Smaran Divas which was on 22^nd August, lets try to know more about the man whose Vision and Mission was spreading Words of Swami Vivekananda.

Eknath Ranade was born on 19 November, 1914, at Timtala in Amaravati District of Maharashtra.

Eknath was sent to Nagpur in 1921 to stay with his eldest brother Baburao. He had his primary education in Government Primary School in Phadanavispura at Nagpur.

Eknath Ranade’s brother-in-law Shri Annaji Sohoni was closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, started by Dr. Hedgewar in 1925. Under Annaji Sohoni’s guidance, Nath attended a Sangh Shakha in 1926 and that became a turning point in his life.

He completed his Matriculation from New English High School, Mahal, in 1932. After his matriculation, he straightaway wanted to become a Sangh Pracharak but was advised by Dr.Hedgewar to finish his graduation first.

Eknathji began studying the Upanishads to counter the propaganda of Christian Missionaries and “The Life & Works of Swami Vivekananda” helped him a lot.

In 1938, Eknathji joined the Sangh full time as a Pracharak. He enrolled himself for L.L.B. in Sagar University which he completed in first class in 1945. As the Pranta Pracharak of Madhya Bharat, Eknath Ranade’s superior organisational abilities and phenomenal memory came to be widely known.

Later, Eknathji was posted as Pranta Pracharak of Poorvanchal in 1950. In Calcutta, he organized the Vastuhara Sahayata Samiti to find, help, and provide accommodation for the refugees of the Partition.

Gradually he rose within the Sangh, became Akhil Bharatiya Bauddhik Pramukh in 1962.

In 1963, destiny took Shri Eknath Ranade to the purpose for which he was born. He was requested by Guruji Golwalkar to take up the cause of establishing the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.

Also, in 1963, during the centennial year of of Swami Vivekananda's birth, he published a selection of Vivekananda's writings under the title “Rousing Call to Hindu Nation”, as a personal tribute.

Since he took charge as the Organising Secretary of Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee in 1963 till his death in 1982, he wrote over 25,000 letters. He chose the North-East as the thrust area of the Kendra’s initial activities. After an extensive study of the area, seven residential schools were opened in Arunachal Pradesh.

The relentless pace of work claimed Shri Eknath Ranade’s health. In 1980, he collapsed during a walk and went into coma. When he recovered consciousness, he had lost partial vision and his memory almost completely.

On 22 August 1982, Shri Eknath Ranade suffered a massive and fatal heart attack in Chennai. His body was brought to Kanyakumari and cremated on 23 August. As the sun set and the Bhagwa flag with Om was lowered on the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the pyre was lit and Eknathji joined his spiritual guru Swami Vivekananda at the very place where he had Bharata Mata Darshan.

VandeMataram

1. Source – L K Advani – My Country My Life

All the images are provided by the author.