Ramakrishna Mission sets up sub-centre at historic building of Ramakrishna Kathamrita’s author

Ramakrishna Mission on Wednesday set up a sub-centre at the heritage and historic building of Mahendranath Gupta, the author of Ramakrishna Kathamrita.

Swami Suhitanandaji, general secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Mission and Swami Suviranandaji, assistant general secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Mission were present at the function held on Wednesday afternoon.

The century-old heritage building has played an important role in Ramakrishna Movement.

Gupta – whose pen name was ‘M’ – was a brilliant student of Calcutta University.

He was a headmaster of a school and later became a teacher in Ripon College now known as Surendranath College. He met Sri Ramakrishna at a time when he was suffering from acute mental depression. The meeting became refreshing and gave M a new lease of life.

Ramakriahna Kathamrita is a biography of Sri Ramakrishna where the author has kept himself very 

closely guarded concealing his identity.

The book has been written in several Indian and foreign languages.M was present when Sri Ramakrishna used to deliver his discourse in Dakshineswar.

He came back home, meditated on what he had heard and kept notes. His descendents had preserved some of these papers which show how meticulous M was in maintaining his diary.

The Punjabi worn by Sri Rakamrishna and his sleepers were also preserved in the house.

Most of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna had visited the house.

After Sri Ramakrishna’s death when young monks under Swami Vivekananda took shelter in an old 

dilapidated building, M used to visit them.

After Belur Math was founded, he came to see the monks and talked with them on various subjects.

Scholars from all over the world used to come and meet him in the building and asked volleys of questions about Sri Ramakrishna.

He often accompanied Sri Ramakrishna during the latter’s visit to the houses of different important personalities of 19th century.

A graphic description of Sri Ramakrishna’s interaction with Vidyasagar is available in Kathamrita. Aldous Huxley described M writing skills as “M’s work is of stenographic exactitude.”

Many devotees come to the house to pay homage to M. The sub centre will be maintained properly by RKM.