Governor visits famed Roy Villa in Darjeeling

Swareena Gurung, EOI, DARJEELING, 6 Jun 2016: Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi today visited the Ramakrishna Mission Nivedita Educational and Cultural Centre, better known as Roy Villa, near Lebong. Presently run by the Ramakrishna Mission, the centre is also the place where Sister Nivedita, who was an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda, passed away in 1911.

The governors said, “Some divine spirit called me here. On arriving here, I realised there is some spiritual power in the environment. The message of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda has got so much of power that we can safely say India is a spiritual land.”

In his 90-minute stay at the establishment, Tripathi witnessed a tae-kwando presentation by the children the mission sponsors and also paid homage at the Nivedita museum. The centre runs the Gadadhar Abhyudaya Prakalpa and organises periodic medical camps free of cost. According to RMNECC secretary Swami Nityasatyananda, under this scheme about 70 underprivileged children from areas like Chotta Rangit, Puttabong and Ropeway are being provided with free tuition as well as tae-kwondo lessons from 3:00pm to 7:30pm daily. Currently, there are nine members in the teaching faculty. Moreover, the cetre also distributes Rs 1,000 worth of necessary items including rations to 50 aged widows each month.

FMCG major ITC has provided the centre with 60,000 units of clothing, which are being distributed across Darjeeling to the needy.

Work to establish a branch of the Vivekananda University in order to provide vocational training is also underway. Once completed, it will provide classes in umbrella making, basket weaving, sickle making, apron making and plumbing. A sum of Rs3 crore has already been sanctioned by the state government for this project.

The Roy Villa was given to the Ramakrishna Mission on May 16, 2013 in the presence of the chief minister under a mutual agreement between the state government and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration under which the historical property was transferred to the state government. Meanwhile, the Youth Hostel at Zakir Hussain Road was handed over to the GTA.

While the building is under the Information and Culture department of the state government, its maintenance is to be undertaken by the Ramakrishna Mission in view of the deep mutual connection.

The Nivedita Educational and Cultural Centre has many plans to execute in keeping with the Mission's aim of providing service to mankind, and is the focal point of the Ramakrishna Mission in north Bengal.