சகோ தரி நிவேதிதா-Sister Nivedita and Bharathi

சகோ தரி நிவேதிதா 

     Nivedita was born Margaret Elizabeth Noble on October 28, 1867 in a Irish family that was religious. She received a good education, but quite early in life had to take up a job, as her father died when she was ten years old. She chose the profession of a schoolteacher, and was happy to be one. Even as she taught, she kept improving herself by continuing to study, and became a good orator and writer.  

    Margaret attended lectures by Swami Vivekananda and took part in group discussions. She realised that the Divine had taken her future in hand. Swami told Margaret: "I have been making plans for educating the women of my country. I think you could be of great help to me."

    She came to India in 1898 and became a probationer of the Order of Sri Ramakrishna at Belur, and was given the name, Nivedita. After a session of meditation and music in which the monks participated, the Swami pointed to the opposite bank of the Ganges and said: `Nivedita that is where I would like to have a convent for women. Like a bird that needs two wings to fly, India must have both educated men and educated women."

   Sister Nivedita plunged into work immediately. With little means at her disposal, she opened the first school for girls in November of the same year. Among the problems she had to encounter was the intransigence of Indian families, which frowned upon educating a female child. Sister Nivedita had to go abroad for collecting funds. She had to study a lot of Indian philosophical and religious literature to be worthy of becoming a nun of the Order. There were long trips she had to undertake within India.

    But the idealism burnt steadily, in spite of innumerable hurdles and disappointments. The school prospered somehow after a couple of stoppages and soon became an icon for women's emancipation.

     Her special contribution to Tamil Nadu was the manner in which she inspired Subramania Bharati become a champion of women's emancipation and for his work against casteism

    Subramania Bharathi who got attracted to the Hindu spirutualiy and nationalism during his stay at Varanasi. He attended the meeting of the All India National Congress in the year 1905 and on his return also got the opportunity to meet Sister Nivedita, the spiritual daughter of the great Indian philosopher and thinker, Swan Vivekananda. The moment he saw her, he knew he was in the presence of a tremendous power, a Shakthi. The phase proved to be a crucial turning point in the life history of Subramania Bharathi.

   Subramania Bharathi, who got attracted to the Hindu spirituality and nationalism during his stay at Varanasi. He attended the meeting of the All India National Congress in the year 1905 here and on his return also got the opportunity to meet Sister Nivedita, the spiritual daughter of the great Indian philosopher and thinker, Swami Vivekananda. Subramania Bharathi felt very impressed on meeting Sister Nivedita. The moment he saw her, he knew he was in the presence of a tremendous power, a Shakti. This phase proved to be a crucial turning point in the life history of Subramania Bharathi.

   When she learnt that he did not bring his wife with him ``as she would not understand about great Movements like the Congress," she flared up: "How can one half of a society win freedom when it enslaves the other half? Let the past be forgotten. Henceforth, do not think of her as something different. Hold her as your left hand and praise her in your heart as an angel."

   She also asked him to eschew all ideas of caste, class and birth and enthrone only love in his heart. Her flaming example led Subramania Bharathi to become an intense nationalist for she opened the upper part of her gown in frenzy and thundered: "Your people must become brave. You must have daring to stab us here!"

   Bharathi considered her to be his guru, dedicated his first two books of poems to her and preserved the leave of Himalayan tree she gave him and revered it till the end of his life. One can gauge her inspiration in his poems on Shakthi.

   Though she passed away on October 11, 1911, Bharathi’s gem-like poem is a living memorial to Sister Nivedita, the flaming pioneer of the Omnipotent Shakthi who had come to befriend and guide the modern Indian women.

“Nivedita, Mother

Temple consecrated to love,

Sim dispelling my soul’s darkness,

Rain to the parched land of our lives,

Helper of the helpless, Offering of Grace,

Destructive fire to the eive in men,

My salutation to you, Mother.”