Updates on TN government bid to take over Vivekananda Illam
Since my post yesterday on this issue there have been further developments. This morning's dailies all carried news on the DMK's bid to take over the Vivekananda Illam obviously each with its own twist to it. (image below: yesterday's Indian Express Lead)
The Dinamani which broke the story yesterday through front page lead articles, gave responses from people who oppose the issue - Jayalalitha, Cho Ramaswami, Pe Su Mani, Sarath Kumar among others. The Dinamani carried an interview with Swami Gautamananda, the President of Ramakrishna Math, Chennai along with the protest from Jayalalitha. The Hindu characteristic of itself, made the Math sound like some kind of pavement squatter to be permitted and evicted by the Government at will.
Other News items:
Source: Chennai Online
Vivekananda House Re-location Opposed
Source: IANS
Source: Calcutta Telegraph
Meanwhile here are some excerpts from an article by Muthiah of Madras Musings fame about the status of the building before it was offered to the Math and since then, published in the HINDU a few years back:
'...The question most asked, however, was what happened to Ice House from the time the ice trade came to an end till the gifting of it to the Ramakrishna Mission in 1997. Ice House had apparently belonged to the Government – what it was used for or who built it is not known – but Government leased it from 1845 to the Tudor Ice Company for its ‘San Thome depot’.
...
Sister Subbalakshmi rented it in 1912 for her Sarada Ashram. When the Ashram for child widows moved out in 1928, the building fell vacant till Government bought it in 1930 to serve as a hostel for the teacher-trainees of neighbouring Lady Willingdon College. It remained a hostel till the 1990s, growing more dilapidated by the day. Restoration of the skeleton of a building that remained began only after it was gifted to the Ramakrishna Mission.
Source: Column of S.Muthian in the HINDU, 22/10/2007
Some of the devotees of the Math from India and abroad have already set-up available at:
Online petition - Save Vivekananda Illam in Chennai
If you want to mark your protest, you too can sign the online petition, though currently it is not addressed to any particular person in the government.
The Dinamani which broke the story yesterday through front page lead articles, gave responses from people who oppose the issue - Jayalalitha, Cho Ramaswami, Pe Su Mani, Sarath Kumar among others. The Dinamani carried an interview with Swami Gautamananda, the President of Ramakrishna Math, Chennai along with the protest from Jayalalitha. The Hindu characteristic of itself, made the Math sound like some kind of pavement squatter to be permitted and evicted by the Government at will.Other News items:
AIADMK, BJP against TN Govt's 'move' to vacate Vivekanandar Illam
Chennai, April 22: The Opposition All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today opposed the Tamil Nadu Government's alleged directive to the Ramakrishna Mutt to return the Vivekanandar Illam off Marina.In a statement here, AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, reacting to a report in this regard in an English daily, said the DMK Government was in no way justified to ask the Mutt to move out of the premises, named after Swamy Vivekananda, by April 24 to enable the Government to set up a Classical Tamil Centre there.
Source: Chennai Online
Vivekananda House Re-location Opposed
Source: IANS
TN govt wants Mission house back
- Call to return building where Swami Vivekananda stayed ‘shocks’ Ramakrishna MathSource: Calcutta Telegraph
Meanwhile here are some excerpts from an article by Muthiah of Madras Musings fame about the status of the building before it was offered to the Math and since then, published in the HINDU a few years back:
'...The question most asked, however, was what happened to Ice House from the time the ice trade came to an end till the gifting of it to the Ramakrishna Mission in 1997. Ice House had apparently belonged to the Government – what it was used for or who built it is not known – but Government leased it from 1845 to the Tudor Ice Company for its ‘San Thome depot’.
...
Sister Subbalakshmi rented it in 1912 for her Sarada Ashram. When the Ashram for child widows moved out in 1928, the building fell vacant till Government bought it in 1930 to serve as a hostel for the teacher-trainees of neighbouring Lady Willingdon College. It remained a hostel till the 1990s, growing more dilapidated by the day. Restoration of the skeleton of a building that remained began only after it was gifted to the Ramakrishna Mission.
Source: Column of S.Muthian in the HINDU, 22/10/2007
Some of the devotees of the Math from India and abroad have already set-up available at:
Online petition - Save Vivekananda Illam in Chennai
If you want to mark your protest, you too can sign the online petition, though currently it is not addressed to any particular person in the government.
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