SISTER NIVEDITA
HER LIFE AND TIMES
The Beginning of Belur Math And Her School
Vivekananda returned to Belur on 18 October 1898, A fortnight later Nivedita also returned to Baghbazar on 1 November. She lived with Sri Sarada Devi a little over a week at a rented house at 10/2 Bosepara Lane before moving to another house rented for her at 16 Bose Para Lane. In the middle of November both Mrs Bull and Miss Macleod returned to Calcutta with Swami Saradananda and began to live with Nivedita for a few days. They later moved to a riverside house at Bally, as they could no longer live on the previous house in Belur where arrangements for a permanent centre of the Order was under way. Incidentally, while the three had been living at the Baghbazar house, it was through their initiative that for the first time Sarada Devi was photographed by an outsider, Today the image of Her as is worshiped by millions worldwide had its origin in these precious photographs taken at the behest of these three Western ladies. on the morning of 12 December 1898 Sarada Devi visited the land selected
for the Math and consecrated it on her own by worshiping Sri Ramakrishna's image there. Subsequently on 9 December 1898 Vivekananda brought the Holy remnants of Sri Ramakrishna to the same land and after a solemn ritual by himself in the presence of all concerned declared the birth of the permanent Math of the Order. Gradually buildings and Temples were added and the Math has become as we say it today.
The Courtyard and the Mango Tree at Early Belur Math
The Story of Nivedita's School
The Calcutta House of Sister Nivedita at 16 Bose Para Lane Where She Lived from Early November 1898 till Before Accompanying Swam Vivekananda
to the West on 20 June 1899
On 12 November 1898, the day Sarada Devi had been to Belur to consecrate the new land of the Math, a meeting was held at the premises of Balaram Basu, one of the leading household-disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, to discuss about the
imminent inception of Nivedita's school. It was attended by Swamis Vivekananda, Brahmananda and Sivananda among others, and chaired by Nivedita herself.
Here in this House at 16 Bose Para Where Nivedita's Calcutta Schhol was inaugurated by Sarada Devi on 13 November 1898 in the presence of Swamis Vivekananda, Brahmananda and Saradananda.
It was the day of Kalipuja, Sunday. Following the inaugural consecration in her own hands, Sarda Devi blessed the occasion with her immortal blessing: 'May this School remain ever blessed by the Great Mother, and may the girls educated from here be always the examples of ideal.' On the following day, 14 November, the process of educating a few girls of varied ages began by Nivedita. It was not easy in those days to carry on such noble effort, there were innumerable hurdles, and the journey was hardly smooth for Nivedita or those who came to help her in this noble mission. But today if one delves a little into the glorious achievements of the Ramakrishna-Sarada Mission Sister Nivedita Girls' School at Baghbazar, or visits the institution, the glorious legacy of its beginning could never be escaped.
The Main Door of The School Today
And inside the legacy of tradition, discipline and lofty ideals lives on
Her working desk at the school today
But the Genius of Sister Nivedita was much too great to remain confined within the boundary of her School. This by no means depended on her own wish or ambition. The world never permits such brilliant souls to rest for a while - larger selfless activities always await them wherever they live. And Nivedita had to play her role accordingly. Above all, she was the spiritual daughter of Swami Vivekananda, and this was no easy legacy.