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/ vkmadras0vsnl'#om or #all 12 33 24330032/ 24332433'
(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
2' .re"a#e E,#erpts by . .armesharanji/ .resident
)ivekananda *endra'
2' (eethin& (rouble +o did the idea o" memorial take shape/
opposition o" lo#al Christians/ politi#al
opposition/ 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'
3' 6n"oreseen .roblem Created by *ankaykumari 7evasom 8oard'
9' Colle#tion Campai&n Strate&y - )ision o" ne +ori:on'
;' (o Na&aland <or #olle#tin& "unds/ =ne Rupee "older #ampai&n'
>' $emorial 7etails E'&' ;/000 tons o" &ranite ere used or it took
>/43/>;> man?days to #onstru#t it'
4' Steer Clear o" .oliti#s @as one o" the reasons "or Eknathji%s su##ess/
reasons behind Choi#e o" .ose'
Learnings from the book that each one of us can use in our day to days lives -
a) Every problem has a solution' *eep your mind #alm - "ind a ay out'
b) Aearn hen to speak - keep Buiet'
#) $aintain &ood relations ith all i" you do not like some one'
d) <i&ht hard ith your opponents' =n#e you in let there not be any bitterness
in your heart' Aearn to be ma&nanimous ithout lettin& your &uard don'
e) Spirituality must be vibrant' !t should be sel"less a#tion/ rather than simple
meditation'
") Sel"?#on"iden#e - teamork are important to #reate somethin& that ill last
even a"ter you leave your body'
&) Aook 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 #ould
need 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'
ublishers !ote 5 (he "amous )ivekananda Ro#k $emorial (re"erred to as )R$
hen#e"orth) as inau&urated in the year 21>0' $arkin& the 29
th
year o" the event/ in 2119
e released the "irst edition o" the book' Considerin& the intrinsi# value o" the book/ the
need to preserve the true story "or posterity/ the revised edition has been brou&ht out ith
several multi?#olor plates'
Some revies o" the "irst edition 5 C(he )R$/ 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 as
inspired 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/ to
the "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 $emorial' (he se#ond part deals ith the mission o" the )ivekananda *endra as he
visuali:ed it/ its philosophy/ ultimate obje#tive et#'
!n the "irst part he des#ribes ho he as dran into the #onstru#tion o" the )R$/ ho
the 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 "rom
Eknathji%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 ordsE CEvery 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'
(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 $inister' (hey ere
both opposed to the monument on the Ro#k' 8ut Eknathji shredly outmaneuvered both
o" them - ultimately brou&ht them round to his point o" vie' +e handled leaders like
Annadurai - Fyoti 8asu (not idealo&i#al admirers o" Sami )ivekananda) in a su##ess"ul
manner and made them partners in the #onstru#tion o" the )R$' (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'
Aeaders 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'$'S' Namboodiripad' Comin& out o" the intervie/ Eknathji remarkedE C!t as like
#onversin& ith a sphin,' !t as a monolo&ue all the ay/ on my part' =nly an empty
stare "rom the other sideD'
!t is instru#tive to kno ho he made judi#ious use o" various means at his #ommand "or
the a#hievement o" his end' 8oth spee#h - silen#e ere eBually e""e#tive implements in
his hands' (o kno hen to speak - hen to keep silent is a rare &i"t' Eknath Ranade
possessed this abundantly' @hile he raised stormy #ontroversies hen ne#essary/ he
abstained "rom them hen they served no purpose' +e utili:ed his #onta#t ith the .ress
"or raisin& the ri&ht issues at the ri&ht time and also not to raise in#onvenient issues that
ould only #ompli#ate the situation'
(hus/ by brin&in& into play every God?&iven Buality that he possessed in ample measure/
Eknath Ranade as able to su##ess"ully a##omplish the task that as entrusted to him'
@hile en&a&ed in battle/ he as unrelentin& - made no #ompromises 5 and e,pe#ted
none "rom the opposite side' 8ut hen the battle as over/ he sa to it that no bitterness
remained' +e had the ma&nanimity to &o to his ersthile opponents and pay #ompliments
to them' +e avoided a&itations as a matter o" prin#iple/ be#ause he kne that even i" you
&ain your obje#tive by means o" a&itations/ in the end/ there ould be no &ra#e in it'
As soon as it be#ame #lear to him that the )R$ has be#ome an assured "a#t/ he be&an to
think about the se#ond phase' C(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' <or a #lose student o" the mental make up o"
Eknathji/ it is obvious that the link beteen the "irst - se#ond phase/ as rooted in
or&ani:ational - psy#holo&i#al links he had ith to &reat or&ani:ations ith hi#h he
as intimately asso#iated 5 the RSS - the Ramakrishna $ission' As soon as Guruji
Golalkar e,pressed to him his desire that it ould be &ood i" he took up the #hallen&in&
task o" the #onstru#tion o" the )R$/ C"rom Na&pur ! ent strai&ht to Cal#utta - met
ith the respe#ted Sami $adhavanandaji to kno his mind - seek his blessin&sD' @hat
did he sayH CAs a matter o" "a#t/ Ramakrishna $ission should have taken up his ork/
but e #an%t deliver the &oods' Iou should #ertainly take up the ork???? you #an be rest
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 $inister in the Central Cabinet'
(o a pointed Buestion by the minister as ho the ork o" the RSS #ould be re#on#iled
ith )ivekananda%s philosophy/ Eknathji reply as/ C$t is Vivekanandas philosophy
that made me an RSS %orker--& $n fact RSS is nothing but an e"tension of
S%amii'is %ork(& (he minister as not #onvin#ed as it evident "rom his remark' C!t is a
very bold statement to makeD'
@hat as the inspiration behind the se#ond phaseH @hat did he a#tually seek to a#hieveH
!t as national re#onstru#tion' Eknathji thou&ht/ C!" all the reli&iosity #an be #onverted
into a#tivities o" publi# &ood/ there #an be all?round national re#onstru#tionD' =ne very
si&ni"i#ant dimension o" Eknathji%s #on#ept o" national re#onstru#tion is that it #overed
all se#tions o" +indu so#iety and all parts o" the #ountry' +e saysE C8hartheeyata in
everybody has to be aroused/ ork should be taken "rom them'D +e "irmly believed that
Ci" you s#rat#h su""i#iently deep/ the +indu in everybody ill be roused/ hether one
talks o" @esternism or Russianism or modernism/ he essentially is a #hild o" this soilD'
!t is this national vision that took Eknathji to all se#tions o" people durin& the #ourse o"
the #olle#tion #ampai&n' @hen the C$ 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 saidE C$y motive is just not "unds' ! ant your parti#ipitation/ parti#ipation o" the
Govt and people o" Na&aland 5 be#ause Na&aland is part o" the NationD'
7urin& the #ourse o" his #ampai&n "or the )R$ 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 as
over#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 only
around 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 be
vibrant& !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
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 &eneration
that 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 C@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 every
respe#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 us
this &ospel o" #olle#tive e""ort 5 CIa&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' Aet us all ork hard to make it a reality' And that alone ill
make our lives orth livin&'
Teething Troubles chapter ,
! shall e,plain to you the motive behind the hole proje#tE )ivekananda *endra (re"erred
to )* hen#e"orth)' (o be&in the story/ e ill have to &o ba#k to 21;2' Sami
)ivekananda as born in Fanuary 24;3' (he entire period "rom the 200
th
to the 202
st
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 then
Samiji%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 21;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 CSaripada .araiD here Goddess *anyakumari meditated/ did her Sadhana
to obtain the hand o" Aord Shiva so that they also #ould &o - sit as the sa#red spot'
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&htE CAet us have a $emorial - also put a pedestrian brid&e so
that 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" the
Catholi#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/ 300 years a&o' 8ut
they #laim that St Kavier #onverted their an#estors hen he ent there' !n this situation/ a
se#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 the
Sripadam 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" the
mainland' !" 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 21J4J21;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/ to
Cali#ut and persuaded 20 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'
.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 department
as 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 233/ 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 as
re"used' !" the Committee anted to have a $emorial it #ould be on the shore/ but not on
the Ro#k' 3 or 3 months elapsed in this pro#ess and Fanuary 21;3/ the 200
th
birthday o"
Samiji as approa#hin&' .eople ere ea&er that somethin& must be done by Fanuary
21;3'
Shri 8haktavatsalam/ C$ saidE C! 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 be
ritten 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&reed
and thus the Committee as re&istered in $ar#h 21;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/ CAet us a##ept this "or the time bein&' Aet us
establish a #laim on the Ro#k' Aet 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 2>J2J21;3 but people "elt that there
should be a statue/ they had their on plans "or the memorial' !n <ebruary 21;3/ the
General 8ody o" the All !ndia Committee met at $adras' !n that body ere Sami
Chinamayananda/ Guruji Golalker/ Shri $annath .admanabhan amon&st others' A"ter
the Committee $eetin&/ there as a publi# meetin& and all in one voi#e demanded that
there should be a "ull?"led&ed memorial on the Ro#k' !n that meetin&/ Sami
Chinamayananda made the "irst donation o" Rs 20/000J "rom Chinmaya $ission' 8y -
by a number o" important persons #ame to be #losely #onne#ted ith our ork'
!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 2;J9J21;3 demolished the tablet and thre it into the sea'
0o% 1knath'i came into the icture2 - !t as in Au&ust 21;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 21;2 ! laid don my o""i#e as
General 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 200
th
birthday in Fanuary 21;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 in
a "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 the
Committee 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 saidE CNo that Shri Ranade is "ree/ hy not ask him
to 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/
C(hese people are sayin& that your servi#es #ould be use"ul/ so hat do you think about
itH ! also #asually saidE C! 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 hat
it has to say about it' So ! ent to Cal#utta met the Respe#ted $adhavananda $aharaj on
22J>J21;3' @hen ! as in Cal#utta "rom 2190 to 2193/ ! as a re&ular visitor to 8elur
and used to meet Samiji there every "ortni&ht' ! told him that some people proposed to
do 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#antE CAs 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
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 prepared
to 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 to
Guruji 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 22J4J21;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 $inister
at the Centre' +e had said number o" times that Samiji%s statue on the Ro#k ould spoil
the natural beauty o" the pla#e' Shri 8haktavatsalam/ C$ 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 $ission o"
hi#h Sami Sambhuddhanandaji as the Gen Se#retary' ! approa#hed him "or help' +e
deputed one o" the sannyasins to &o ith me to all the press people' (his ay ! met -
be"riended all the #orrespondents/ journalists/ editors o" the Ananda 8a:ar .atrika et#'
A"ter havin& prepared the "ield ! addressed a #roded press #on"eren#e on 2J1J21;3
here ! stated that Shri 0umayun 4abir had e,pressed (Samiji had a&reed to this)'
(he e""e#t as e,pe#ted' All the papers - some editorials #riti#i:ed Shri *abir' Cal#utta
as his #onstituen#y' Iou kno here the eakness o" the politi#al persona&es lies'
!mmediately Shri *abir #alled "or me and ! met him at 7elhi' +e told meE C!t is true that !
voi#ed this opinion that )R$ 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 at
one 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 Aal 8ahadur Shashtri ho had no port"olio' +e saidE C$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
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 !
askedE C@hat shall ! doHD'
+e saidE CIou mobili:e publi# opinion - hen the time #omes/ ! ill tell you/ Lno it is
my ork%' (hen ! saidE CShri 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 saidE C(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 CNoD 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 that
time you #ontinue the dialo&ueD'
So hen ! talked to Shri 8haktavatsalam he "ound that he as almost #ornered/ and saidE
C! do not remember the #onversation' A"ter all/ hy are you insistin& on the $emorial on
the 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 spoil
the beauty o" the pla#eD' ! saidE CAll ri&ht/ e ill do aay ith the brid&e/ and 'r't to
the statue/ e #an have a statue o" 90 or 200 "eetD' C@hatN 90 "eetHD ! saidE CIes 90 or
200 "eet/ than #an be done' (hat ill be visible "rom the shore/ "rom 2 miles/ 20 milesD'
+e as "labber&asted and just to brush aside he saidE CAll 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 statue
ould be enou&h to make it visible "rom the shore' $eantime/ ! as also a little
impatient/ be#ause Fanuary 21;3 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 ith
si&natures o" as many persons as possible' ! "ound that almost all o" them ere "avorably
disposed' So ! met Shri Aal 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 CE,#ellent do it' (hat is e,a#tly hat ! ant' Every
other 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' <irst ! approa#hed all the leaders' Shri Ra&hunath Sin&h $'.' "rom 8anaras
as a top man' +e as the Se#retary o" the Con&ress .arliamentary .arty' ! used to meet
him everyday - talk to him everyday' (hen one day ! broa#hed the subje#t o" the petition
ith him' +e a&reed and saidE C$ine ill be the "irst si&natureD' So on 23
rd
at si, ! ent
to his house ith all the "orms' +e asked/ C@hat made you #ome so earlyD' ! said' C(hat
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&/ C=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" the
Con&ress &overnment Shri Ram $anohar Aohia 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/ the
Communist leader' Althou&h she as a&ainst some ords ! told her that they #annot be
removed' She said/ CIou 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 $inister ! met Shri Annadurai' @hen e met he
praised Samiji and then asked/ C@hat do you ant "rom meD' ! said/ C@e have a State
6nit o" (amil Nadu "or the )R$' @e already have a .resident' @e ant a )i#e?
.resident' @e ould like you to be one o" our )i#e?.residentsD' +e saidE CSin#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 it
as &iven ! ent to Shri Aal 8ahadur Shastri and told him about the petition' 0e %as
stunned to hear that 3,3 members had signed the petition& +e said/ CIou have done a
&ood job' So/ no it is my turn' (he Ro#k $emorial is assured noD'
Ne,t day andit'i said/ CAs "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 &ovt
to 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 a
statement "rom him/ C@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/ CIou do not kno 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
<riends am i&norin& detailed #onversation' C$ said/ Cthe shrine like stru#ture should be
o" the si:e 29O29/ that is the ma,imumD' @hen the hole #ontroversy as &oin& on
Sami Chidbhavananda thou&ht the #ommittee as bein& stubborn by insistin& that the
$emorial be on the Ro#k - not on the shore' @hatever may be the other thin&s in him
Shri 8haktavatsalam as very parti#ular that the Ro#k must be established as
C)ivekananda Ro#kD' (he C$ told SamijiE C! #an allot a pla#e on the shore to put up a
memorial 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 29 "eet
by 29 "eet' C8e"ore Fanuary 21;3 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 29 by 29 $emorial' !
as also keepin& #onta#t ith the .resident' So ! met him and said/ C! 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 he
rote to Shri 8haktavatsalam ho "lared upE C+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' ! saidE C<ine' No e need not "i&ht ith
ea#h other as e have a #ommon &oal' @e shall put up the $emorial there and you have
also a&reedD'
!n the meantime/ Shri +umayan *abir as allotted some other port"olio and Shri Cha&la
be#ame the Cultural A""airs $inister' +e as very ell disposed toards us - ! had a
number o" meetin&s ith him' So ! told Shri 8haktavatsalamE C(hese people should atleat
be #onsulted and their advi#e taken about hat sort o" memorial should be thereD' C$
saidD Chom are you &oin& to #onsultD' ! said/ C! am &oin& to #onsult only si, persons'
7r Radhakrishnan/ .t Nehru/ Shri Aal 8ahadur Shastri/ Shri $ C Cha&la/ .resident o" the
Ramakrishna $ission - Shankara#harya o" *an#hi *amakoti .eetam' !n one month%s
time ! shall #omeD'
E,#ept "or .andit Nehru here Shastriji advised me to ait "or the ri&ht time ! met the
other "ive people and everybody said that hen the $emorial as put up on the ro#k/ it
must be a ma&ni"i#ent one' ! kne that Shri 8haktavatsalam respe#ted only person in
(amil Nadu ie the Shankara#harya there"ore ! in#luded his name'
(hen e &ot a very &ood artiste Shri S * A#hari' Eventually he be#ame our Chie"
Ar#hite#t' Shankara#harya #ited verses "rom Shilpa Shastra and persuaded Shri A#hari to
prepare a parti#ular desi&n' Eventually ! met Shri 8haktavatsalam' *noin& the C$%s
respe#t "or the Shankara#harya ! saidE C+e asked me to send him the ar#hite#t hom e
thou&ht o" en&a&in& "or this ork' +e had dis#ussions ith him and he has prepared
some desi&ns' So ! shoed him modern desi&ns - also desi&n prepared by Shri A#hari in
#onsultation ith the Shankara#haryaD' =n#e approved by the Shankara#harya Shri
8haktavatsalam had nothin& more to say'
! saidE C=ne di""i#ulty is there' Iou ere talkin& o" 29 by 29 "eet' !t is no 12 by 32 "eet'
+e saidE All ri&ht/ let it beD' No the a#tual desi&n o" the $emorial are 240 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 ;J22J21;3 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 #ame
to 2 #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' (est
indi#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'
<rom here are e to brin& the reBuired stonesH <rom Ambasamudram/ e brou&ht &rey
&ranite/ and red &ranite "rom (uti#orin' And no the stone dressin&N (he hole ork as
done in traditional style' A sket#h o" the #omplete $emorial as "irst prepared in parts' !
mean/ a sket#h o" the entire buildin& "rom the basement to the dome/ in #ourses or
se&ments' (here ere 2; #ourses/ i" ! remember #orre#tly' <or ea#h o" these 2; #ourses/
estimates had to be orked out as to ho many stones ere to be there/ hat as to be
the #orner stone et#' Every stone had to be individually taken into a##ount and dressed to
#orre#t dimensions' All the pillars/ pedestals/ beams ere individually dressed "irst -
then assembled'
(he #hiselin& - dressin& o" stones started on ;
th
November 21;3 on the &round here
our e,hibition no stands' @e thou&ht e ould be able to start the ork on the Ro#k
hen &et hal" the stones ready' (he a#tual #onstru#tion started on the Ro#k in 21;>'
@hen e ere doin& this/ e approa#hed the Govt "or permission "or the 7hyana
$andapam 5 $editation +all' @e put up an appli#ation "or Sri $andapam' Govt
o""i#ials ere very help"ul to us'
5n ;nforeseen roblem? #ame "rom the temple authorities' @hen e made the
appli#ation "or the Sripada $andapam/ the Govt =""i#ers &ave us permission
immediately' !n a routine ay they "orarded the sket#h o" the $andapam to the
Colle#tor ho by mistake or otherise sent the appli#ation - desi&n to the *anyakumari
7evasom 8oard "or #omments' All the trustees ere Buite ri&ht but one persuaded the
others that the Sripada $andapam on the Ro#k ould be a sour#e o" revenue and the
temple must have a share o" it' (hey rote to the Govt that had no obje#tion to the
ere#tion o" the Sripada $andapam on the Ro#k on #ondition/ that a"ter #onstru#tion/ it
ould be handed over to it "or mana&ement' (hen alone they ould allo it'
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#us
standi 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 &ive
me 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&edE (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 21;4'
5nother Tussle 5 <riends am sharin& very brie"ly' Some people approa#hed Sir . (
Rajan/ .resident o" the (amil Nadu $emorial Committee - su&&ested that a statue o" the
Raja o" Ramnad be also on the Ro#k sin#e he as one o" those ho had helped Samiji
&o to Ameri#a' @hen the matter as put to vote Sir Rajan as the only person ho voted
"or it/ as de"eated' +e resi&ned at the General 8ody'
(he inau&uration as about 29 days aay' Shri *arunanidhi had not visited the Ro#k
be"ore' @hen he ent around - sa everythin& minutely he asked some o" his
#ollea&ues/ C+o is it that nobody told me su#h a onder"ul thin& has #ome up on the
Ro#k in my on StateHD
Collection Campaign chapter <
@hile all this as happenin& ! thou&ht that ! must handle the hole thin& in a ay that
hile the #onstru#tion as in pro&ress/ ! should be able to en&a&e mysel" in some "ruit"ul
a#tivities not by simply spendin& time 5 money/ #olle#tin& stones and buildin& a stru#ture
on the Ro#k' @ill a simple stru#ture be enou&h to perpetuate Samiji%s memoryH (his
$emorial should "orm the nu#leus "or somethin& still &reater' @hat ould be that - ho
this situation #ould be made best use "or that purposeH
/und-Tip of the $ceberg 5 ! had never #olle#ted money' A"ter seein& the "i&ure o" Rs 30
lakhs everybody saidE C(his 30 lakhs/ you ill &et over a period o" 29?30 yearsD' (hey
dis#oura&ed me sayin& that e have to be ith this $emorial all our li"e'
Amon& industrialists one person hom ! kne ell as Shri Fu&al *ishore 8irla' +e
dis#oura&ed me/ o""ered me Rs 20/000J instead o" a lakh that ! asked "or' A&ain a"ter 3?3
months/ ! met him' +e saidE Cthou&h ! am not in a position to &ive you more than 20/000J
my brothers are here/ you talk to them' Iou talk to Shri 8 $ 8irlaD' (hen e had a
meetin& and ! a&ain pressed the 8irlas "or Rs 2 lakh' (hey saidE C(his one lakh is not
&oin& to brin& 30 lakhs' 8e#ause nobody is &oin& to donate "or temples/ that too "or
)ivekananda templeD' ! saidE C!" you &ive me one lakh/ ! assure you that ! ill brin& one
#roreD' (hey lau&hed' ! askedE C+o mu#h money is reBuired to inspire your #on"iden#eH
CIou #olle#t 20 lakhs and then e shall #on"iden#e that you #anD' ! said E CIou &ive me
90/000J no' ! shall ask "or the other 90/000J only on that day hen our Committee%s
*osha there ill be 20 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 it
as 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/ $inister "or 7e"en#e .rodu#tion #ame here' +e as happy that the
)R$ as #omin& up and he helped us in every ay' (he C$ o" $adhya .radesh had
not donated the Rs 2 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 BuestionE CAre you
a""e#ted by the revelation that ! am #onne#ted ith the RSSH C! 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
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 had
to 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" $inister/ "our times and #ould meet
him only the "ourth time' +e asked me a si&ni"i#ant BuestionE C$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'
! saidE C! 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 but
that 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 saidE C!t
is all ri&ht' 8ut then ho #an the people here respond hen they do not kno anythin&
about )ivekanandaHD
! saidE C(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 - saidE CIes/ but $r Ranade/ !
mysel" do not kno anythin& about himD' +e as the not the "irst person to tell this' ! met
Gen $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&E C!
have re#ently read )ivekananda/ that too at my i"e%s instan#e' =n#e she &ave me a book
and saidE CAook 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 SemaE C! 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 saidE
C)ivekananda has a very #atholi# outlook' !" the #ountry is mobili:ed on the basis o" his
ideas/ 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 29/000J at
present and said that i" other State &ovts &ave 2 lakh he ould also &ive the balan#e
49/000J' A Committee as "ormed and spe#ial "olders printed "or Na&aland' (he "olders
ere #ir#ulated to s#hools - #olle&es' (he #olle#tion there as some >/000J apart "rom
the 29/000J &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 "olders
ere printed and nearly 30 lakh people donated in 2/3/9/ rupees' <olders ere printed "or
Na&aland' (here as a #ampai&n hi#h had some impa#t' (he #ampai&n as not only "or
#olle#tion but also "or spread o" Samiji%s ideas'
=ut strate&y as to have all the &overnments to parti#ipitate' All ere approa#hed/ armed
"or#es/ &overnment - NG=%s/ trade unions/ reli&ious/ #ultural - edu#ational institutions'
(here as &ood response' Students unions also anted to help in the #olle#tion'
Colle#tion o" donations - its a##ountin& are not easy' @e had e,perien#e in this matter -
! must say that the RSS #adre helped ell in the entire #olle#tion #ampai&n' <rom 6'.' -
$aharashtra e &ot Rs 29 lakhs ea#h and the third pla#e ent to $'.' hi#h &ave 22
lakhs' (hen @'8en&al/ $ysore/ Rajasthan - .unjab' (he idea o" printin& "olders in
di""erent lan&ua&es to &et "unds #olle#ted "rom over the #ountry'
@hy did e or&ani:e a #ampai&n in this mannerH @ith our eyes on the se#ond phase/ e
tried to &et the vies o" di""erent people and assess ho they ould like the se#ond phase
to take shape' So/ all these ere done durin& the "irst phase' <or the se#ond phase e
needed more money' @e thou&ht e #ould publish a bi& book on an important subje#t
and e #ould advertisement support "rom industrialists' (hey ould &et to kno about
)R$ and e #ould #ome in #lose #onta#t/ they may be prompted to help our se#ond
phase'
5 Master lan - So a"ter #onsiderable thou&ht/ e de#ided to have the themeE
!ndia%s Contribution to @orld (hou&ht - Culture' Arti#les ere invited "rom s#holars
"rom a#ross the orld - ere #ompiled in 21;;' A Committee as "ormed ith 7r
Aokesh Chandra to preside over the .ubli#ations Committee ith the help o" some 3/9
enthusiasti# youn& s#holars'
@e printed 20/000 #opies o" hi#h ;/000 #opies ere sold initially and the balan#e later'
@e #olle#ted 20 lakhs throu&h advertisements' !t as announ#ed in 21;; itsel" that
hatever money as &ot "rom the book sale pro#eeds J advertisements ould be
earmarked "or the se#ond phase' @e did not de"ine the se#ond phase but said e ould
take it up 5 C$an?makin& - Nation?8uildin& a#tivities envisa&ed by Sami
)ivekanandaD' =n >J2J21>2/ ! think/ e adopted a resolution on the Ro#k and "ormally
de#lared the nature o" the se#ond phase'
Memorial .etails chapter =
Some important details about the )ivekananda Ro#k $emorial'
No .ate
2' 7ate o"
#ommen#ement o"
stone dressin& ork'
;'22'21;3 $eans o" a##ess to the Ro#k'
(o helipads are provided on
the Ro#k/ one on the northest
- other on southest'
<erry
Servi#e'
2' 7ate o"
#ommen#ement o"
masonry ork on the
ro#k' Stone used red -
blue &ranite'
22'20'21;
>
7imensions o" the helipad on
the northest' 7imensions o"
the helipad on the southest'
19% by 39%'
223%by93%'
3' (otal #"t o" stones
(&ranite) used
(e,#ludin& "loorin&)'
>3299 #"t $eans o" Communi#ation @ireless'
3' (otal ei&ht o" &ranite
used (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)
23 $emorial !nau&uration
#elebrated on
2'1'21>0
;' $a,imum len&th -
si:e o" beam'
2>2J2% by
2 P% by 2
Q L'
Aabor 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 2042'
4' $a,imum number o"
orkmen on the
proje#t'
100 (av&
;90)'
(otal man days >43>;>'
Steer Clear of olitics chapter >
<riends am re"errin& to this in brie" only'
! told you that 2?3 thin&s ere uppermost in my mind hile ! dis#ussed the se#ond phase
ith eminent people' ! re"erred to one thin& that any #onstru#tive ork e ant to do in
this #ountry must be on non?politi#al lines' CIou just ima&ine/ i" this memorial had
be#ome a politi#al issue/ i" somebody had said that the Government o" !ndia - $adras
ere not a&reeable and no let us a&itate and mobili:e publi# opinion - ! ould &o to
the Ro#k and "ast unto deathD' Some politi#al leaders asked me to start a politi#al
movement' <rom the very be&innin& ! had to take meti#ulous #are that this did not
be#ome a politi#al issue' +ad it be#ome one/ people ould have taken stands not be#ause
they ere a&ainst "or )ivekananda but purely "or politi#al reasons'
!" there had been an a&itation/ there ould not have been any &ra#e' No it is a National
$emorial' 7oes it not add to the &ra#e 5 &ra#e o" Sami )ivekananda and the &ra#e o"
this #ountryH .erhaps/ by a&itation/ the Govt ould have been "or#ed to allo the
$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 as
adamant/ about not havin& the Ro#k $emorial/ as Shri 8haktavatsalam ultimately
be#ame the patron o" the (amil Nadu #ommittee' (he (amil Nadu &ovt spent Rs
3/29/000J on the #onstru#tion o" jetties as its #ontribution' (he C$ as not a&ainst
)ivekananda/ it as politi#s plain - simple'
.ivisions in the name of Spirituality 5lso ? ;nfortunate@ ? Fust as there are
divisions 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/ C@e ill a##ept the authority o"
the )edas 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 "e
letters in hi#h he des#ribes his plan o" ork' +e saidE C!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' Aet us have a temple here there is no
deity/ but just the symbol o" =m so that all people may #ome to&etherD' Aet us unite all
people/ underlinin& the basi# unity/ that the basi# thin& hi#h prompts a#tion/ hi#h
appeals to them'
Samiji saidE C@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 in
makin& 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 saidE C@e shall have a band o" sannyasins ho ill meditate/ ho ill spread
the 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' ! saidE CSamiji 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
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 on
the 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 R/ all the volumes' So/ ! onder
hether that as not desi&ned by some superior poer that ! should read bout Samiji in
21;2' 8e#ause ne,t year ! as to do somethin& about his messa&e'
<riends ! have learnt a lot by readin& the book/ hope you have enjoyed it too' +ave
i&nored subseBuent #hapters sin#e they talk more about )ivekananda *endra than the
$emorial'
(o&ether let us serve the poor - needy' !n a spiritual sense e are all one be#ause the
divinity present in ea#h one o" us is the same'
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