11-May-2012 (Friday)
Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!

THE HOLY MOTHER : OUR ETERNAL HAVEN - 08
SISTER NIVEDITA

In the event, fortunately, the Swami’s influence proved all-powerful, and I was accepted by [Hindu] society (Note 4). Within a week or ten days, a house in the close neighbourhood was found for me [opposite Mother’s house at 16 Bosepara Lane]. But even then, I spent all my afternoons in the Mother’s room. And when the hot weather came, it was by her express command that I returned to her better-arranged house for sleeping-quarters. And then I occupied no room apart, but shared the cool and simple dormitory of the others, with its row of mats, pillows and nets, against the polished red earthenware of the floor.

(Note 4 – Pravrajika Muktiprana writes: This certainly does not imply Hindu society in the comprehensive sense. It is that society of devotees with Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda at its heart which accepted Sister Nivedita. Subsequently, broadminded and educated Hindus too held her in high regard. In the matter of food, society in those times, the women in particular, was certainly conservative to an extreme and carefully avoided contact with any foreigner. But who that knew Nivedita did not love her? In the Baghbazar area, in every house, who was there among the women residents, from little ones to elderly ladies, who was not fascinated by her? It is true that did not volunteer to welcome Nivedita. Nivedita herself approached them considering them her very own. They on their part did not distance themselves from her; rather, she found a place in every heart. They regarded her as the nearest member of the family. Nowadays the Hindus of Kolkata have progressed far in matters of food and touchability. A foreigner may not be debarred from dining with the family in the educated Hindu society today, but can he gain their deep affection as Nivedita had? Though it might not have been possible for Nivedita to adapt herself to the daily life of Hindu society based on ritualistic practices, she did become one with the members of the society (Translated from Bhagini Nivedita, pp. 123-24)

Incidentally, though Nivedita was very dear to the women of the neighbourhood, some of the orthodox women among the elderly ones could not discard their longstanding narrow minded outlook. One of Nivedita’s earlier pupil, Pankojini Mukhopadhyay (Bandopadhyay after marriage), lived at 33 Bosepara Lane. She reminisced in after years that one day her mother had draped a sari around an enthusiastic Nivedita in the Bengali fashion. Another day she had helped Nivedita at her house to pick the bones of fried fish when eating. For these two acts which necessitated touching the “memsahib”, Pankojini’s paternal grandmother and widowed paternal aunt compelled her mother to bath in the Ganga (Udbodhan, Volume 95, no. 10, Kartik 1400 (BS), p. 550)

(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others -
Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 109)

Location: Bangalore, India

Every night I have been watching the 1961 Indian film, "Bhagini Nivedita". Though there are many historical errors in the film (for instance, Nivedita and her family are portrayed as Catholics, which they were not!) there is one aspect which is very well defined and which I can see as possibly being accurate: Swamiji did not quckly or easily give her permission to have access of influence over the Indian Children. He made sure that she was ready first. He made it very clear to Nivedita that white people were hated by the Indians to very core of their beings. However, he did want something of the Western influence to be transmitted to the women of India.

This is my understanding...

Location: New Bern, Nc

RE: "He made it very clear to Nivedita that white people were hated by the Indians to very core of their beings"

That appears to be somewhat of a loose generalization.

I visited India only 20 years after Independence; and, my wife being an Indian, I lived with the people...I didn't stay in hotels.

I never got the slightest inkling of any hostility towards me as a 'white man' (Gora Sahib). As a matter of fact, quite the opposite was true...the Indians that I met were gracious, welcoming and most hospitable...

Sure, there were certain radicals who hated the Raj and 'white people' intensely; but, we will find those 'types' within any society at any given time...

Quote from Swamiji:

Talk of the Westerners? They have given me food, shelter, friendship, protection even the most orthodox Christians! What do our people do when any of their priests go to India? You do not touch them even, they are MLECHCHHAS! No man, no nation, my son, can hate others and live; India's doom was sealed the very day they invented the word MLECHCHHA and stopped from communion with others. Take care how you foster that idea. It is good to talk glibly about the Vedanta, but how hard to carry out even its least precepts!

From: [Letter to Alasinga Perumal]
WASHINGTON 27th October, 1894

Dear Brother Tom,

As always very interesting comments.

I must apologize. I cannot find the exact quote as I reflected it. It seems that Swami used the words as follows to Nivedita:

"Yet the difficulties are many. You cannot form any idea of the misery, the superstition, and the slavery that are here. You will be in the midst of a mass of half naked men and women with quaint ideas of castes and isolation, shunning the white skin through fear or hatred and hated by them intensely. On the other hand, you will be looked upon by the white as a crank and every one of your movements will be watched with suspicion." July 1897

Location: New Bern, Nc

Yes, ignorance & backwardness will be found everywhere.
Happy Mother's Day to you!