The Ancestral House Of Swami Vivekananda
History
Ancestral House is the place where the great sage and reformer Swami Vivekananda was born in the year 1863. Besides, he had spent his whole childhood and his early adulthood over there. There, he lived with his father Biswanath Dutta who was a barrister and mother Bhubneshawari Devi. His name was Narendranath Dutta in his earlier life.
The takeover by Ramakrishna Mission
The house of 18th century slowly became shabby and was worsening day by day. To prevent it from turning into a debris, Ramakrishna Mission came forward and took the first step to preserve it. Also, a committee was set up to decide the future of the house. They decided that the place would serve as a cultural center and a museum–cum–memorial. Besides, the work of restoration of the house took 5 years. Also, in the year 1999, Ramakrishna Mission decided to buy the adjacent property to expand it. The state government came forward with a helping hand and helped to purchase it. Currently, the place occupies 30 acres of land.
Archaeological Survey of India took part in the process of the renovation of the house also. Besides, the funds for the renovation purpose came from the central government, the state government and other public donations. The total amount collected was of Rs 200 million. The central government alone contributed Rs 99 million.
Changes in the structure of the Ancestral House
While renovating the house, the original structure of the house and the essence of originality is maintained. Swamiji’s house originally had a garden and open space. However, they narrow it down to a lane. The lane is Gour Mohan Mukherjee Street.
One house Many Purposes:
Museum
The large entrance welcomes the public inside the building and opens ways to different parts of the building. It is now a beautiful museum where all the rooms are beautifully decorated and honored with Swamiji’s things. Such as his musical instruments, his father’s hookahs, a beautiful shrine with a simhasan of rosewood. The room has Swamiji’s photograph also. Not only Swamiji’s but also the rooms of his two brothers – Mahendranath and Bhupendranath are preserved. Their chambers also looked after with same honor.
Library
Also, a part of the building is devoted to the library where books of different courses for different universities and classes are available. Besides, the library has more than 5000 titles of books from science, commerce and arts streams.
Besides, a museum and a library, the place is also a research center, an English center, a computer training center and a charitable dispensary. Moreover, then President APJ Abdul Kalam on 1st of October 2004 inaugurated the place. Also, seminars and conventions take place over here regularly.
Overwhelming Emotions of maintaining heritage
Moreover, it fills one with joy when one stands on the grounds where Swamiji once stood and spent his time. This fills one with complete amusement when he or she recollects the childhood stories of Swamiji standing on this place. Besides, it is a glory to Kolkata that it could maintain its heritage by being able to protect, renovate and preserve the ancestral house of Swamiji.
Trivia
• It is the ancestral house of Swamiji.
• Besides, Ramakrishna Mission could collect the huge sum Rs 200 million as funds for renovation.
• It took 5 years to complete the work of renovation.
• However, the original architecture of the place is maintained.
• Also, the walls of the museum have pictures of Swamiji.
• The place also serves as a research center, an English center, a computer training center and also as a charitable dispensary.