Swamiji at "Camp Percy, White Mountains - New Hampshire"

White Mountains – I feel extremely happy to utter these words ‘White Mountains’! At last a vacation for Swamiji..! Vacation and that too with the people who loved, respected and revered Him beyond one could imagine. Mr. Leggett, Swamiji and the party of 4 people left from New York to Portland, Maine. They took a steamer from New York to Protland, then by a train to a small village of Percy in New Hampshire which was situated in the remote region of White Mountains. From Percy they had to go by a rowboat to Mr. Leggett’s rustic cabin called ‘White Birch Lodge’ standing at the very edge of the lake. Behind the lodge were hills covered with rich green forests and one could see the woods of birch, pine stretched till far.

This team of six arrived at 1 pm on the 6^th June 1895; the Lodge’s Log Book has the entry with the names & signatures of – “Besse MacLeod Sturges, Francis H.Leggett, Josephine MacLeod, Georgia Waitham Spence (cousin of MacLeod sisters), Swami Vivekananda, India, Heathen Hindu.”

This 12 day stay at Camp Percy with its quietness, lake, woods and away from the civilization gave Swamiji a long needed rest of body and mind. Also, He was with the most loving friends and this atmosphere provided Him the freedom of time & space into which His spirits could soar to higher realms. This Lodge was so far from the nearest village that one had to row for almost an hour to the extreme end of the lake.

As I said Swamiji is the best Son in the World. He instantly wrote to Mrs. Bull, “This is one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen.... So lovely, so quiet, so restful! And you may imagine how glad I am to be here after the bustle of cities. It gives me a new lease of life to be here. I go into the forest alone and read my Gita and am quite happy... I will meditate by the hours and days here and be all alone to myself. The very idea is ennobling.”

He loved to walk alone in the woods and sit by till late as much as He wished. His friends were merry indeed and Swamiji enjoyed their company and was as merry as they were. Mr. Leggett & Besse were to be married in September and this vacation was like a betrothal party in the wilds.

Swamiji could effortlessly move from one mood to another. Sometimes very playful and next moment He would raise to higher blissful state of Samadhi.

More thrilling part of this sojourn we shall see tomorrow...

"A World Teacher, A World Student and World's Best Son"

At the beginning of 1895 Swamiji decided to settle down in New York. He had a hectic travelling and strenuous lecture touring through the Midwest and East of America for almost more than a year. Now, He had chosen New York as His headquarter instead of Chicago or Boston. It was in New York that Swamiji started His mission full fledged by applying His Master’s message to all aspects of Eastern & Western life.

His lectures and classes were always filled with the true spirit of Sri Ramakrishna, the tremendous power of His Master of which He had a firsthand knowledge and also which was transmitted in Him with full force. He was fully aware of the infinite spiritual power flowing through Him during this period. Just two weeks before He closed the New York sessions He wrote to Mrs. Hale, His first American mother – “Financially, this winter’s work was not success at all. I could barely keep myself up, but spiritually it was very great”. 

Swamiji never ceased to learn; He knew Eastern life but He kept studying about the culture & history of Western life. He was not only a World Teacher but a World Student too. Everything concerned with humanity interested Him. He read, retained and related every facet of man’s life.

In the intense activity of lecturing He still found time to write inspiring letters to His brother disciples in India and planning & finding practical solutions to India’s problems.

He never cared for praise or blame. He knew one cannot keep the society in good humour & at the same time do great works! He wrote to Mrs. Bull, “One must work as the dictate comes from within and then if it is right and good the society is bound to veer round, perhaps centuries after one is dead and gone. We must plunge heart and soul and body into the work. Until we be ready to sacrifice everything else to one idea and to one alone, we never, never will see the light.” With so much work going on all the time His first season of New York classes came to a close on 1st June 1895. 

Swamiji always writes about His travel plans, His whereabouts, His work to either Mrs. Hale or to Mrs. Bull. 

I love this aspect of Swamiji..! He seems to be a genuine son to these mothers! Even we in our lives are not so thoughtful to simply call and convey to our parents about what we are up to!! Read the below two letters to Mrs. Sara Bull -  

The 28th May'95                                                                                                          

 Dear Mother                                                                                                           

Your last kind letter to hand. This week will be the last of my classes. I am going next Tuesday with Mr. Leggett to Maine. He has a fine lake and a forest there. I will be two or three weeks there. From thence I go to the Thousand Islands. Also I have an invitation to speak at a parliament of religions at Toronto Canada on July 18th. I will go there from Thousand Islands and return back.

             So far everything is going on well with me

             Ever your grateful son

             Vivekananda

             P.S. My regards & love to your daughter and pray for her speedy recovery'"

                                                                         V

4th June '95

Dear Mother

Today I leave New York at 5 p. m. by steamer with Mr. Leggett.

The classes were closed on Saturday last [June 1] and so far the work has been very successful, no small part of which is due to you.

             Ever praying for you & yours

             I am ever your Son

             Vivekananda

             P.S. I will acquaint you with my whereabouts as soon as I know it myself.

Not a Chance nor a Coincidence! - "15th May 1895 was also a Wednesday" -

LBT strike has delayed the printing of my Poem Book which had kept me really tied up for last few days. Suddenly everything has come to standstill and had time to reflect again over Swamiji’s life. I have been reading the ‘Life of Swamiji by His Eastern & Western Disciples.’  I have two topics in my mind right now but I forgot to bring the 2nd volume of Life from which I had to scan a picture and then write the blog. So I started thinking of the ongoing summer and then the two important summers in Swamiji’s life. Where He must have been today, on 15th May 1895?

So come let’s check. I know for sure that he was in New York but on 15 May 1895 where were you Swamiji and what were you doing?

ATTENTION!- the Swami Vivekananda of India will deliver two lectures at Mott Memorial Hall, 64 Madison av., on Monday evenings, May 13 and 20, at 8:15, subjects, "The Science of Religion" and "The Rationale of Yoga." Course ticket $I; single tickets, 75 cents; for sale at the hall.

Ohhh…! If 13th was on Monday that means 15th May 1895 too fell on Wednesday like today. I feel like clapping hands at this coincidence which I suddenly came across. Nay, I feel like taking a huge loudspeaker and announcing my research, my finding!

On 14th May, Tuesday Swamiji had written to Alasinga, "Now I have got a hold on New York, and I hope to get a permanent body of workers who will carry on the work when I leave the country...Of course financially it is a failure, but men are more valuable than all the wealth of the world." And then we find that Mrs. Ole Bull reaches New York on 15th for the 2nd lecture to be held on 20th as per above notice. That means today He must have met her & been with her.

By this time the heat was pressing upon the people in New York and they were leaving for vacation to mountains and beaches. Even Swamiji felt the need to rest and to be away from the boiling city after the hectic schedule of lecturing continuously.

There came two invitations which He accepted. One was from His student, Miss Mary Dutcher, who owned a cottage at “Thousand Islands” in the St. Lawrence River 300 miles away from New York. The other was from Mr. Francis Leggett to visit his fishing camp called Camp Percy in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

I want to tell you so much! Already my mind has gone to Camp Percy and the Pine tree…but you have to wait till tomorrow for this. The other summer which is called as ‘The Great Summer’ is when Swamiji spent the longest time at Ridgley Manor in August 1899. About this later but can’t wait to share His stay at Camp Percy..!!!