KMC to bring out special Purashree issue on Sister Nivedita at Kolkata Book Fair

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will bring out a special issue of Purashree on Sister Nivedita on February 6 at the Kolkata International Book Fair.

Swami Suviranandaji, general secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Mission and Swami Balabhadranandaji, assistant general secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, along with other senior monks of the order, will be present at the launching ceremony. Firhad Hakim, state Urban Development minister and mayor Sovan Chatterjee will also be present.

The 387 page book contains writings from the past. Senior monks of RKM, including Swamis Suvirananda, Balabhadrananda, Suparnananda, Purnatmananda and Shivapradananda, have contributed articles. Nuns of Sarada Mission have also contributed, along with some scholars, on Sister Nivedita.

The issue, which is a collectors' item, contains a letter written by Sister Nivedita, which was published in The Statesman, congratulating the KMC for its role in cleaning the slums in North Kolkata during the plague.

Initially, the civic authorities did not carry out regular cleaning operations and to draw their attention, Sister Nivedita wrote many letters to The Statesman, which ultimately drew the attention of the city fathers. There is an important article on Sister Nivedita and Tamil poet Subramanya Bharti.

The cover of the book has been designed by Suvaprasanna and on the back cover, the first page of Chapter XIII of Sister Nivedita's 'My Master as I Saw Him' has been reprinted. There are many letters, photographs and research based articles. There is an unpublished writing by Vivekananda scholar Sankari Prasad Basu.

It may be recalled that following the initiative of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the old building at 16A, Bosepara Lane where Sister Nivedita had opened her school, was acquired and handed over to Ramakrishna Sarada Mission.

Mamata Banerjee was present in London when a Blue Plaque was installed by the British Heritage at Sister Nivedita's Wimbledon house in 2017.