Coimbatore, January 22
Sister Nivedita was among the selfless few among the citizens of the world who had a concern for a country and its people who were thousands of kilometres away from her own. She was born as Margaret Noble to Mary and Samuel Richmond in Dungannon, County Tyrone on the 28 th of October 1867. She was dedicated to the service of God from the moment of her birth. She spent her early years of her life as a teacher, thinker, author and educator who followed methods which included play, observation,imitation and activity. She wrote articles in Daily News, Review of Reviews, Research etc.,and also founded the Ruskin School. She happened to meet Prince Kropotkin, the famous author of 'Mutual Aid' who impressed upon her that each country must work out its own path determined by its own conditions. She learnt about art from Ebenezer Cook and this helped while she promoted art and art criticism in India. She helped develop salon of Lady Ripon into the Sesame Club which became a rendezvous of leading art and literary figures of the day. The family of Margaret Noble was of Scottish origin but they had spent about five centuries in Ireland by the time of her birth. Her elders were involved with the freedom struggle in Ireland.Her grandfather Hamilton was an important leader amongst the seekers of freedom in Ireland.
It was in November 1895 that Margaret Noble met Swami Vivekananda at the place belonging to Lady Isabel Margesson and this meeting changed the course of her life. She was much impressed by his character and his apparent readiness to seek truth even elsewhere than what he preached and believed. She found his philosophy to be based on renounciation, strict adherance to austerity and avoidance of ease which led one away from Maya into self. Such renounciations were understood as 'conquest' by Margaret Noble. The personality of the Swamiji who sat cross legged with his saffron robes and a red waist band impressed her. Swami Vivekananda said that he had plans for womens education and that Margaret could help him. Margaret took up the responsibity of the Vedanta Centre in London for sometime. Subsequently she was impelled to reach India, the land of her destiny and she landed at Chennai in the year 1895, went to Kolkatta thereafter to meet her master.Finally she was initiated into Brahmacharya in the year 1898 as Bhagini ( Sister ) Nivedita. She threw herself into service by helping the poor patients at the time when plague visited Kolkatta in the year 1899.
The name 'Nivedita' meant 'dedicated to service or God'. Meanwhile a school was founded by her at Baghbazaar and it catered to women. Thanks to Mother Saradha and Swami Vivekananda, it was possible for Sister Nivedita to break the barriers and be accepted among the Indians of the day. Swami Vivekananda spent sometime in trying to explain things about India, about its people,culture,customs etc., Subsequently the American disciples Sara Bull and Josephine Mcleoad reached India. The three of them became friends for eternity. Mother Saradha used to affectionately call Sister Nivedita 'khooki' meaning ' my daughter'.
Sister Nivedita chronicled her experiences connected with Swami Vivekananda in the book 'The Master as I saw Him'. In fact Mother Saradha opened the school founded by Sister Nivedita. The great soul travelled to a number of places in India including Kashmir, Nainital and Almora where she learned how to meditate. She also learned Bengali from Swami Swarupananda. Sister Nivedita did much by travelling to the USA and England in order to raise money for the girls school. Nivedita went house to house with the sole purpose of educating girls and had a number of widows and adults among her students. She made money through her lectures and writings for her school. Her worked ensured that a caste less Hindu society would be created one day. Sister Nivedita supported the wonderful scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose by supporting him financially. She promoted pan Indian nationalism.
Sister Nivedita lectured all over India on subjects like culture and religion. She understood eventually that India had to become free of foreign yoke and she whole heartedly devoted herself to the cause of freedom. In order to make it convenient for everyone concerned she disassociated herself from the Ramakrishna Mission but she maintained a good relationship with everyone in the mission. She associated herself with Okakura from Japan and Sarala Ghoshal. Thereafter she started to maintain a close relationship with the Indian revoltionaries which included the secret society, the Anushilan Samiti. She made everyone aware of his poor opinion about Indians. When the partition of Bengal took place in 1905, Sister Nivedita played a pivotal role in organising resistance.
Sister Nivedita inspired Abanindranath Tagore to visualise ' Mother India ' in his picture of Mother India. She met up with Ananda.K.Coomaraswamy and Havell. She exerted a great influence and thanks to the same we have artists like Nandalal Bose who designed the 'Padma Awards' and also drew pictures for the Indian constitution. She influenced the freedom fighter Subramanya Bharathi in the year 1906 and thereafter the poet took a path breaking approach with regard to the women of the country. Annie Besant was supported by her and she was extremely close to Aurobindo Ghosh, the nationalist. In fact she edited his 'Karma Yogin'. She ensured that 'Vande Mataram' was sung in the school founded by her.
A number of essays and books were penned by her and they included - Kali the Mother, The Web of Indian Life, The Master as I Saw Him, Religion and Dharma, Civic and National Ideals, Studies from an Eastern Home, Footfalls of Indian History, Cradle Tales of Hinduism etc., Her Lambs Among Wolves is a pungent criticism of the views of European missionaries on the Indian society. The book ' The Master As I Saw Him' in which she talks about the influence of Swami Vivekananda on her own life and has been compared to Confessions of St.Augustine. The subletly of the monks' teachings are brought out very well here. In the work, ' A Pilgrims Dairy', she delighfully narrates the details pertaining to the history and surroundings of the places on the way to Badrinath and Kedarnath. The book ' Web of Indian Life' offers a nice insight into the Hindu family and social organisation. 'Cradles of Hinduism' contains stories which exemplify the background of Indian life. 'Agressive Hinduism' talks about the need to activise religion in order to remake individual and national character.
The work, ' Hints on National Education', discusses the requirements of a truly national form wherein she calls for a compulsory period of service for the young, educated people working towards the cause. ' Civic Ideal and Indian Nationality begins with the - Daily Aspiration of the Nationalist...
" I believe that India is one, indissoluble,indivisible,National unity is built on a common home, the common interest and common love. I believe that that the strength which spoke in the Vedas, Upanishads, in the making of religions and empires, in the learning of scholars, and the meditation of the saints, is born once more amongst us, and its name today is Nationality. I believe that the present India is deep rooted in her past, and that before her shines a glorious future. O Nationality, come thou to me as joy or sorrow, as honour or as shame ! Make me thine own !
Sister Nivedita stated that nationality cannot survive without a strong sense of civiv duty among the people.
There are many instutions, awards, roads, buildings and bridges named after Sister Nivedita in our country and she was a great gift to humanity, thanks to the travelling monk Swami Vivekananda. The life of Sister Nivedita was marked by exemplary courage and devotion.
Sister Nivedita was among the selfless few among the citizens of the world who had a concern for a country and its people who were thousands of kilometres away from her own. She was born as Margaret Noble to Mary and Samuel Richmond in Dungannon, County Tyrone on the 28 th of October 1867. She was dedicated to the service of God from the moment of her birth. She spent her early years of her life as a teacher, thinker, author and educator who followed methods which included play, observation,imitation and activity. She wrote articles in Daily News, Review of Reviews, Research etc.,and also founded the Ruskin School. She happened to meet Prince Kropotkin, the famous author of 'Mutual Aid' who impressed upon her that each country must work out its own path determined by its own conditions. She learnt about art from Ebenezer Cook and this helped while she promoted art and art criticism in India. She helped develop salon of Lady Ripon into the Sesame Club which became a rendezvous of leading art and literary figures of the day. The family of Margaret Noble was of Scottish origin but they had spent about five centuries in Ireland by the time of her birth. Her elders were involved with the freedom struggle in Ireland.Her grandfather Hamilton was an important leader amongst the seekers of freedom in Ireland.
It was in November 1895 that Margaret Noble met Swami Vivekananda at the place belonging to Lady Isabel Margesson and this meeting changed the course of her life. She was much impressed by his character and his apparent readiness to seek truth even elsewhere than what he preached and believed. She found his philosophy to be based on renounciation, strict adherance to austerity and avoidance of ease which led one away from Maya into self. Such renounciations were understood as 'conquest' by Margaret Noble. The personality of the Swamiji who sat cross legged with his saffron robes and a red waist band impressed her. Swami Vivekananda said that he had plans for womens education and that Margaret could help him. Margaret took up the responsibity of the Vedanta Centre in London for sometime. Subsequently she was impelled to reach India, the land of her destiny and she landed at Chennai in the year 1895, went to Kolkatta thereafter to meet her master.Finally she was initiated into Brahmacharya in the year 1898 as Bhagini ( Sister ) Nivedita. She threw herself into service by helping the poor patients at the time when plague visited Kolkatta in the year 1899.
The name 'Nivedita' meant 'dedicated to service or God'. Meanwhile a school was founded by her at Baghbazaar and it catered to women. Thanks to Mother Saradha and Swami Vivekananda, it was possible for Sister Nivedita to break the barriers and be accepted among the Indians of the day. Swami Vivekananda spent sometime in trying to explain things about India, about its people,culture,customs etc., Subsequently the American disciples Sara Bull and Josephine Mcleoad reached India. The three of them became friends for eternity. Mother Saradha used to affectionately call Sister Nivedita 'khooki' meaning ' my daughter'.
Sister Nivedita chronicled her experiences connected with Swami Vivekananda in the book 'The Master as I saw Him'. In fact Mother Saradha opened the school founded by Sister Nivedita. The great soul travelled to a number of places in India including Kashmir, Nainital and Almora where she learned how to meditate. She also learned Bengali from Swami Swarupananda. Sister Nivedita did much by travelling to the USA and England in order to raise money for the girls school. Nivedita went house to house with the sole purpose of educating girls and had a number of widows and adults among her students. She made money through her lectures and writings for her school. Her worked ensured that a caste less Hindu society would be created one day. Sister Nivedita supported the wonderful scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose by supporting him financially. She promoted pan Indian nationalism.
Sister Nivedita lectured all over India on subjects like culture and religion. She understood eventually that India had to become free of foreign yoke and she whole heartedly devoted herself to the cause of freedom. In order to make it convenient for everyone concerned she disassociated herself from the Ramakrishna Mission but she maintained a good relationship with everyone in the mission. She associated herself with Okakura from Japan and Sarala Ghoshal. Thereafter she started to maintain a close relationship with the Indian revoltionaries which included the secret society, the Anushilan Samiti. She made everyone aware of his poor opinion about Indians. When the partition of Bengal took place in 1905, Sister Nivedita played a pivotal role in organising resistance.
Sister Nivedita inspired Abanindranath Tagore to visualise ' Mother India ' in his picture of Mother India. She met up with Ananda.K.Coomaraswamy and Havell. She exerted a great influence and thanks to the same we have artists like Nandalal Bose who designed the 'Padma Awards' and also drew pictures for the Indian constitution. She influenced the freedom fighter Subramanya Bharathi in the year 1906 and thereafter the poet took a path breaking approach with regard to the women of the country. Annie Besant was supported by her and she was extremely close to Aurobindo Ghosh, the nationalist. In fact she edited his 'Karma Yogin'. She ensured that 'Vande Mataram' was sung in the school founded by her.
A number of essays and books were penned by her and they included - Kali the Mother, The Web of Indian Life, The Master as I Saw Him, Religion and Dharma, Civic and National Ideals, Studies from an Eastern Home, Footfalls of Indian History, Cradle Tales of Hinduism etc., Her Lambs Among Wolves is a pungent criticism of the views of European missionaries on the Indian society. The book ' The Master As I Saw Him' in which she talks about the influence of Swami Vivekananda on her own life and has been compared to Confessions of St.Augustine. The subletly of the monks' teachings are brought out very well here. In the work, ' A Pilgrims Dairy', she delighfully narrates the details pertaining to the history and surroundings of the places on the way to Badrinath and Kedarnath. The book ' Web of Indian Life' offers a nice insight into the Hindu family and social organisation. 'Cradles of Hinduism' contains stories which exemplify the background of Indian life. 'Agressive Hinduism' talks about the need to activise religion in order to remake individual and national character.
The work, ' Hints on National Education', discusses the requirements of a truly national form wherein she calls for a compulsory period of service for the young, educated people working towards the cause. ' Civic Ideal and Indian Nationality begins with the - Daily Aspiration of the Nationalist...
" I believe that India is one, indissoluble,indivisible,National unity is built on a common home, the common interest and common love. I believe that that the strength which spoke in the Vedas, Upanishads, in the making of religions and empires, in the learning of scholars, and the meditation of the saints, is born once more amongst us, and its name today is Nationality. I believe that the present India is deep rooted in her past, and that before her shines a glorious future. O Nationality, come thou to me as joy or sorrow, as honour or as shame ! Make me thine own !
Sister Nivedita stated that nationality cannot survive without a strong sense of civiv duty among the people.
There are many instutions, awards, roads, buildings and bridges named after Sister Nivedita in our country and she was a great gift to humanity, thanks to the travelling monk Swami Vivekananda. The life of Sister Nivedita was marked by exemplary courage and devotion.