![]() |
রামকৃষ্ণ মঠ, কাশীপুর |
![]() |
মা সারদা |
![]() |
ভগিনী নিবেদিতা |
![]() |
ঠাকুর রামকৃষ্ণ |
![]() |
স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ |
এই বাড়িতেই ১৮৯৮ সালের ২৫ মার্চ ভগিনী নিবেদিতাকে স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ব্রহ্মচর্যব্রতে দীক্ষিত করেন এবং তাঁর নাম রাখেন ‘নিবেদিতা’। এই দিন তিনি নিবেদিতাকে বলেন, “যাও, যিনি পাঁচশত বার জন্মগ্রহণ করে অপরের জন্য আত্মত্যাগ করেছিলেন, সেই বুদ্ধকে অনুসরণ করো।”
TRANSLATION
Reflections of Swamiji at Nilambar’s Garden
Nilambar Mukhopadhyay’s Garden House: A Silent Witness to the Era of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda.
The Ramakrishna Order has two historical sites on either bank of the Ganges that stand as unique symbols of reverence and remembrance. On the eastern bank is the Kashipur Udyanbati, where Sri Ramakrishna spent the last 248 days of his life. On the western bank lies Nilambar Mukhopadhyay’s Garden House, a silent witness to many historic events of the post-Ramakrishna era. Now known as the ‘Old Monastery’, this house preserves the cherished memories of Holy Mother Sarada Devi, Sister Nivedita, and Swami Vivekananda. It was here that Sri Sarada Devi experienced deep spiritual bliss, which later inspired Swamiji to establish a permanent residence for her in Belur. The initial owner of this historic garden house was an Englishman. However, in the 1870s, it was acquired by Nilambar Mukhopadhyay, a distinguished lawyer. A resident of Beadon Street in Kolkata, Nilambar was the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir, later serving as Revenue Secretary and even Prime Minister of the state. After spending nearly two decades in Kashmir, he returned to Kolkata and, in 1896, became the Vice Chairman of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, a position he held for eighteen years. In addition to the main property, he purchased extra land from Rajendra Chandra Mukhopadhyay near Lalababu Sayer Road, expanding the estate further.
Following Sri Ramakrishna’s passing, Sri Sarada Devi endured immense hardship in Kamarpukur. She followed her master’s instruction to reside there, subsisting on simple food and engaging in spiritual practices. However, due to the compassion of devotees, her circumstances changed. In 1888, a part of Nilambar Mukhopadhyay’s Garden House was rented for her residence. In mid-May, she arrived and stayed for nearly six months, occupying a small northeastern room on the upper floor, accompanied by Yogin-Ma and Golap-Ma. During her stay, she experienced intense spiritual states, at times reaching deep nirvikalpa samadhi (formless absorption). One evening, while meditating on the terrace, she became so absorbed that she lost awareness of her body. Yogin-Ma and Golap-Ma had to shake her gently, after which she asked, “Where are my hands and feet?”—a sign of her deep spiritual detachment. In 1893, Sri Sarada Devi undertook the rigorous Panchatapa austerity at the garden house, symbolizing her intense renunciation. She often saw a mysterious young girl clad in ochre robes and rudraksha beads, appearing as an embodiment of her own inner renunciation. A Kashmiri nun and an elderly ascetic advised her to perform the Panchatapa penance, which she completed in this very house.
During this ritual, sacred fires were lit in four directions around her, with the sun as the fifth fire. Initially afraid, she invoked Sri Ramakrishna’s name, after which she felt no heat or discomfort. For seven days, she and Yogin-Ma observed this severe practice. Afterward, her body bore burn marks, yet her mind found profound peace. At this very spot, Sri Sarada Devi also had a prophetic vision of the future Ramakrishna Mission. Seated at the Ganges ghat, she saw Sri Ramakrishna descending the steps into the river, his body dissolving into the water. Then, Swami Vivekananda appeared, chanting “Jai Ramakrishna”, and sprinkled the sacred water on the people, liberating them. Today, this site is known as ‘Sri Mayer Ghat’ and is recognized as a national monument. In 1897, a devastating earthquake rendered the Alambazar Math (monastery) uninhabitable. Swami Vivekananda decided to relocate it to Nilambar Mukhopadhyay’s Garden House in February 1898, where it remained for ten months. During this period, Swamiji laid the foundational principles of the future Belur Math. Here, he formulated rules for monastic life, emphasizing daily meditation, prayer, scriptural study, and physical exercise. It was also in this house that, on March 25, 1898, Swami Vivekananda initiated Sister Nivedita into Brahmacharya, giving her the name ‘Nivedita’. That day, he told her:
“Go forth, follow the path of the Buddha, who took five hundred births to sacrifice himself for others.”
A Center of Spiritual and Cultural Renaissance
It was at Nilambar Mukhopadhyay’s Garden House that Swami Vivekananda composed the famous hymn ‘Khandana Bhava Bandhana’, dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, which was first sung here. He also wrote two other hymns: ‘Om Hrim Ritang’ and ‘Achandalapratihatarayah’. During the Sri Ramakrishna Birth Festival, Swami Vivekananda dressed as Lord Shiva, wearing rudraksha beads, a trident, and matted hair, leaving devotees in awe. At this festival, Girish Chandra Ghosh was honored as an incarnation of Bhairava (a fierce form of Shiva). In October 1898, after returning from Kashmir, Swami Vivekananda entered deep meditation in the garden house. His disciples noticed an unusual change—his face lacked its usual smile, his eyes radiated an intense light, and he seemed to be perceiving something beyond the material world.
Today, Nilambar Mukhopadhyay’s Garden House remains an integral part of the Ramakrishna Order, preserving the memories of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Sarada Devi, and their sacred legacy. It stands as a hallowed witness to some of the most profound moments in India’s spiritual history.
কলমে:- KALCHAKRA
আরো পড়ুন
১. এক তান্ত্রিক বৌদ্ধ সন্ন্যাসীর গল্প
৩.মধ্যযুগে বাণিজ্যে ডুকাটের কাহিনী
মন্তব্যসমূহ
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন