Book on Vivekananda released
S Chandrasekhar
March 13th, the birthday of Sree Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was witness to a rare get-together of personalities of three divergent ideologies. The dignitaries were Shri KC Joseph the respected culture Minister of Kerala from Congress Party, former Chief Minister and present leader of Opposition VS Achuthanandan of CPM and Padmasri P Parameswaran, RSS ideologue.
The event was the release of the book “SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND PRABUDHA (ENLIGHTENED) KERALAM” edited by Shri P Parameswaran and containing 101 poems, articles etc. by 101 writers / poets of various languages. The function was jointly organised by Bharateeya Vichara Kendram and Vivekananda Kendra at the Vivekanda Institute Hall, Thiruvananthapuram.
The book was released by Shri KC Joseph handing over a copy to Shri VS Achuthanandan.
Delivering his speech, Shri KC Joseph said the book is a treasure house and an asset. “Swamiji was radiant as the sun and prominent among the spiritual leaders who inspired Gandhi, Nehru, Bose and even revolutionaries. He was a champion of the poor and down-trodden and service was his motto. His Chicago speech and four year long lecture tour in U.S and Europe elevated India and gave self-confidence to Indians. He is an icon of modern youth. Kerala is getting more and more communalised and Swamiji’s message is more relevant today” he concluded. He declared that 200 copies of the book will be purchased by the Govt. of Kerala and distributed to the MLAs of the state.
CPM stalwart Shri VS Achuthanandan commended Shri P Parameswaran for editing and bringing out this beautiful tribute to Swamiji on his 150th birth anniversary. “Swami Vivekananda moved by the vulgar and disgraceful caste system being followed in Kerala, discussed the same with Dr Palpu and poet Kumaran Asan (who was educated in Bengal) and this led to the formation of SNDP in 1903, the now powerful organisation of Hindu Ezhavas/ Thiyyas. Aptly the mouthpiece of SNDP is called ‘Vivekodayam’. There is no doubt that Swamiji was instrumental in unifying and modernising Hindu Religion. He was opposed to exploitation under Varnashrama.” V.S. ended his speech by calling Vivekananda, the first socialist of India.
Padmasri Shri P Parameswaran said Swamiji came to Kerala 120 years before and he had deep love for the down-trodden of Kerala. He wrote to Margret Noble to take up with the British Kingdom the hardships of the Ezhavas/Thiyyas of Kerala. “He also deeply influenced intellectuals throughout the world including rationalists like Ingersoll of U.S. The way India was looked at pre and post Chicago address was spontaneously different. Chicago address dumped the western concept that England united India and put them to foolishness and shame for sending missionaries to a spiritually supreme Bharat. The world is realising now, that, much more than science and technology, for the development and progress of a nation, spirituality and enlightenment are important. Shri Parameswaran concluded by saying that Thiruvananthapuram was blessed by the presence of Swamiji for nine days enroute to his three day meditation at rock in mid-sea in Kanyakumari.
The dignitaries who graced the grand function on and off the dias were Swami Tatwaroopananda of Rama-krishna Mutt, leading poets Sugathakumari, Prof Vishnu Narayanan Nampoothiri, George Onakkur, P Narayana Kurup, Literary giant Dr VR Prabodhachandran Nair, former Ambassador TP Sreenivasan, former Chief Secretary C.P. Nair, PSC Chairman and Ex-V.C., Sri Sankara University, Dr. K.S. Radhakrishan and former Union Minister O Rajagopal among others. An elite and strong audience made the event memorable.
