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Children today rocked the show at Bhagalpur while the Nation today celebrates Youth Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of legendary Indian monk-turned-social reformist, Swami Vivekananda.

A girl dancing at Waterworks to mark the occasion.

Celebrating the birth anniversary of Swami Ji that was organized by different groups and social bodies, children participated with full zeal and left a wide impact on their audiences. Students from a free week school which is ran by local chapter of Bihar Bengalee Association (BBA-Barari branch) at refugee colony, virtually rocked the programme of BBA at Vivekananda park located inside Barari waterworks, at Bhagalpur.

The students virtually depicted the thoughts of Swami Ji about “Basudevo Kutambakam” ( concept of world brotherhood) in a group dance. A sizable number of school children participated at the Prabhat Ferry (morning procession) while ignoring this chilled January morning today. The Prabhat Ferry was organized by local chapter of Sri Ramakrishna Pathachakra.

School students on road march to mark the event.

People from different walks of life today gathered at the campus of Barai water works, water treatment plant in the city to commemorate 157 birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand.  Local chapter of Bihar Bengalee Association (BBA-Barari branch) which remained instrumental for upgrading the place in Swami Ji’s memory, organized a colourful event at park inside Barari waterworks.

According to historical  references in a book on the great Indian monk by Satyendra Nath Majumdar, at the age of 27 Swami Ji reached Bhagalpur with another disciple of Sri Ramkrishna Pramhansh, Akhandanand Ji and stayed at the house of noted advocated of Bhagalpur, Mathura Nath Singh on July 15, 1890. Swami Ji set out on bare foot journey around the country and came here directly from Calcutta.

Swami Ji once came to this part at Bhagalpur.

Swami Ji who stayed here upto July 22, also stayed at the house of one Nityanand Singh at Adampur locality in the heart of the city. He then went to the house of Manmothonath Choudhary at Barari. During his stay at the house of Choudhary, he used to walk on the bank of river Ganga (Barari water-works) and used to talk with people there.

“This the place inside Barai water-works campus where Swami Ji used to walk, sit on meditation and talk with people during his weeklong stay here. In 1978, Late Swami Madhabanand Puri, the than secretary of Ramkrishna Ashram, Bhagalpur managed to put the statue of Vivekananda here inside the campus of waterworks. It’s a very sacred place for Bhagalpur so we put much concentration on how to develop this place,” said Tapash Ghosh, a member of BBA-Barari branch.

Raman Sinha, a senior professor in the faculty of history at Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University said that apart from mediation and addressing people on the river bank here, Swami Ji who was also a very good singer, used to sing songs which enchanted local people. “On seeing Swami Ji’s great interests on music, Choudhary with permission from Swami Ji, organized a Sangeet Sabha at this place and Swami Ji’ sang songs. His voiced played a magic on his audiences and the enchanted huge gathering spent silently the entire night here on river bank while enjoying Swami Ji’s songs,” he said from the version of early locals.

Great show presented by small children.

BBA-Barari branch which has been celebrating Swami Ji’s birth anniversary past several years, earlier approached BMC for tagging the place as a heritage place in this smart city plan. “We are thankful to BMC which assured us for developing this place earlier under Smart City project. But after more than 3 years, nothing has so far done here ” said Tarun Ghosh, president of the BBA-Barari branch.

BMC sources said that  the place inside Barari water-works on the banks of river Ganga here which had witnessed Swami Ji’s presence, is including in riverfront development under smart city project.

Colourful morning procession.

“We have lost all hope, the fate of this place is uncertain but since it is located inside the protected campus of Barari water works, we are less bother about the safety of the statue of Swami ji,” said Ajay, a member of BBA, Barari and a native of refugee colony.

Women participants at morning procession.

Local chapter of Sri Ramakrishna Pathachakra earlier this morning taken out a grand Prabhat Ferry (morning procession) consists of school students from different schools and people from different walks of lives was taken out from Durga Charan High school. The participants paid floral tribute to Swami Ji’s statue at the premises of Sri Ramkrishna Vidhlaya.