To the 4th of July

To the Fourth of July is a poem written by Swami Vivekananda in 1898. Coincidentally, he died the day (4th of July, 1902) he eulogized in his poem; the day America gained Independence was the day he too was freed from the Earthly bonding.


The cause of Vivekananda’s death has been debated on countless occasions. While it is said what came upon him was an act of self will, it may not be, looking at the verifiable facts; ironically, he was afflicted with the same disease his master Ramakrishna Paramahamsa died of – cancer. His throat began to bleed when he was nearing 40. It was at first diagnosed as Clergyman’s sore throat (Dysphonia, loss of voice), but soon re-diagnosed as throat cancer. Paradoxically, his own prophesy that he wouldn’t live to see 40 turned out to be true.

Despite the verifiable facts, few other startling facts force us to believe Swami Vivekananda was aware of his fate. On the morning of his death, it is said, the poem To the Fourth of July was read to him. Three days before his demise, while walking across a spacious lawn with his brother monk, he is said to have pointed to a particular place near river Ganga and expressed his desire to have his body cremated there. A month before his death, in June, he spoke of tapasya and death. On the day of his death, he woke up rather early; meditated for three hours from 8 to 11am, then shut himself off bolting all doors and windows in the chapel of his monastery.

Let me summarize in a Website Author’s own words what transpired next:

“Then he called one of his disciples in and asked him to open all the windows and fan his head. Without a word, he lay down and a silence enveloped the room. The disciple continued to fan the Swami. Minutes passed and not a word was uttered. It was presumed that Vivekananda was either sleeping or gone into deep meditation and in any event it was not for the disciple to disturb him either by word or deed. “

“At the end of an hour, says Swami Nikhilananda in the Swami's official biography, Vivekananda's hands trembled a little and he seemed to take a deep breath. There followed a shattering silence. The Swami again took a similar deep breath. 'His eyes became fixed in the center of his eyebrows, his face assumed a divine expression and eternal silence fell.”

Call back

When I was filling a mandatory government document while in France, there was a query in the form asking me if I was still married (one year after). For whatever debatable reasons, it is nevertheless a valid question because you cannot for sure say domestic situations are the same this year as they were the previous. I was told there is another implicit reason. For contract marriages there, the arrangement has to be renewed each year, calling for such queries in administrative forms.
Let us try to look it in another way. In an ideal society where both man and woman are treated equal and have equal liberties in everything, having an expiry date and then having to renew it is a very good way of ensuring there is no “taking anything for granted”.

Pushing this further, I think this should apply principally to our politicians than to any other deed. Imagine how you can bring back the non-performing politicos sent by us to the Parliament and the assemblies. But then, politics would cease to be a business, which it is now!

Knutsford, Manchester

Florange, Thionville, Paris

Toulouse - 2

Toulouse Morning

Pranab da,

Quoting your own words "when authority becomes authoritarian, democracy suffers", isn't it somehow quite strange that you have, may be inadvertently conceded that the congress authority has become authoritarian? Because what you speak of works either ways. People have a right to protest is as much true as Only Parliament should pass laws. There is no second opinion about who should be vested with the authority to formulate them. And you sure have a point when you say unhindered protests cause chaos. Nobody is coming to streets simply to cause misery to other people and get chaotic. These protests are not a "post-partition animosity-ridden pogroms."

Yes, democracy calls for having a balanced view and "dignity and tolerance of contrary view". But the "contrary view" must be something that should certainly be beneficial to the society. What is stopping you from brining back the money that was looted from the country?

Why should you presume that post an election, no government should be questioned in any manner? No dharnas, no protests.

Once a congressman, always a congressman?