OPINION | On National Youth Day, a forgotten lesson on unity for opposition

Youth

As the nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda as National Youth Day on January 12, it would be appropriate for the current Opposition—especially the Congress leadership—to revisit history and realise how its so-called “ideological battle” against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) misses important historical context.

On September 2, 1970, the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial, built under the visionary leadership of RSS Pracharak (full-time worker) Eknath Ranade (1914–1982), was inaugurated by the then President of India, V V Giri. It was a Congress government at the Centre, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi also visited the memorial a fortnight after its inauguration. She was given a guided tour of the memorial by none other than Ranade, accompanied by Swami Ranganathananda of the Ramakrishna Mission. The RSS had taken the Mission on board before proceeding with the plan.

The Organising Secretary of the committee that led this movement to build this magnificent and sacred memorial was Ranade, who became an RSS Pracharak in 1938 and remained so until his last breath.

Importance of the Memorial

Swami Vivekananda’s mission for the rejuvenation of Bharat began with the vision he conceived while sitting on “the last bit of Indian rock” at Kanyakumari. Today, a beautiful memorial that reminds the nation of Swami Vivekananda’s mission stands on that sacred rock.

The rock, known as ‘Shreepada Parai,’ on which the Vivekananda Rock Memorial stands, is imbued with deep spiritual and historical significance. This is the very rock where Mother Parvati, as Kanyakumari Devi, is believed to have performed penance standing on one foot. After wandering across the length and breadth of Bharat, Swami Vivekananda reached Kanyakumari and meditated on this same rock on December 25, 26, and 27, 1892. His meditation proved to be a landmark moment, for it was here that he decided to go to the West to represent Hindu Dharma and the culture of Bharat.

Later, under the visionary leadership of Ranade, this rock was transformed into the Shila Smarak (Rock Memorial), bringing Swami Vivekananda’s inspirational thoughts to life.

Cutting Across Political Lines

It was well known that an RSS Pracharak was leading the movement to build this monument. Cutting across party lines, 323 Members of Parliament appealed for its construction. The estimated budget was around ₹1.35 crore, of which a total of ₹85 lakhs was collected through one-rupee and two-rupee donations from common citizens. The remainder came from various governments, industrialists, institutions, and philanthropists.

This involvement of the common people was the idea of Ranade and his colleagues in the Sangh. The objective was to take the teachings of Swami Vivekananda to the widest possible audience and inspire people to become part of nation-building.

The inspiring history behind the Vivekananda Rock Memorial has been narrated by Ranade in his book ‘The Story of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial’, which is available in multiple languages. The story itself is an eye-opener, demonstrating how the RSS was able to mobilise the entire nation to pay tribute to Swami Vivekananda.

It must be remembered that in the 1960s, the RSS was a much smaller organisation with a limited reach. Its ideological mentee in politics, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, was also not a political force to reckon with. The atmosphere was hostile—not only towards the RSS, but also towards the ideology of Hindutva and anything related to Hindu thought or Hindu philosophy. The Left dominated academic institutions, media, and public discourse, while the Congress was the dominant political force. There existed an understanding between the Left and the Congress to target the Sangh at every possible front. And yet, the RSS succeeded in building this monument with participation from people from all walks of life.

Second Phase: More Than a Memorial

Inspired by Swami Vivekananda, the RSS has always upheld “service to society” as its prime motto since its inception in 1925. In the same spirit, Ranade consistently emphasised that his life’s purpose was not merely to erect a structure of cement and concrete, but to create a living, vibrant institution—one that would truly honour Swami Vivekananda and help realise his vision for India’s future.

Accordingly, the second phase of this mission began in 1972 with the establishment of Vivekananda Kendra—an extraordinary organisation powered by ordinary individuals. Over the past five and a half decades, the Kendra has emerged as a spiritually inspired nationwide service movement, guided by the twin ideals of “Man-Making” and “Nation-Building”. The organisation draws inspiration from Swami Vivekananda’s message that service to humanity is, in essence, worship of the Divine.

To translate Swami Vivekananda’s vision into reality, Vivekananda Kendra today operates over 1,300 branch centres across India, engaging with every section of society. Its full-time workers and local volunteers undertake a wide range of initiatives, including yoga camps, study circles, cultural education, leadership development programmes, youth and women’s organisation, rural development, education, natural resource development, and the dissemination of literature inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings.

Earlier RSSFACTS columns can be read here.

(Arun Anand has authored two books on the RSS. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive.)

Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.