CHRONOLOGY OF THE
VIVEKANANDA ROCK MEMORIAL
(The idea of erecting a Memorial for Swamiji was mooted way back in 1962, considering the Birth Centenary of Swami
Vivekananda to follow in 1963. The further developments are chronicled hereunder).
04.04.1962 Local fishermen erected a cross on the Vivekananda Rock
01.08.1962 Unregistered Committee started functioning.
31.08.1962 The Kanyakumari District Swami Vivekananda Birth Centenary Celebration Committee, Nagercoil, sent an application
to the President, Kanyakumari Devaswom Board, Suchindram, requesting permission to start a ferry service from
Temple premises to Vivekananda Rock.
09.09.1962 Shri A.V. Balan and Shri P. Lakshmanan arrived at Kanyakumari
15.09.1962 First Ad hoc Committee meeting was held at Madras. The names of persons present in the Ad hoc committee meeting
held on 15.09.1962 at 12, Pillaiyar Koil Street, Triplicane, Madras – 600 005.
1. Sri M. Nanjappa (Convenor)
2. Sri R. Annamalai
3. Sri P. Mahadevan
4. Sri S. Sampath Kumar
5. Sri R. Sankaran
6. Sri Harbhagwan Das
7. Sri P. Ethirajulu
8. Sri R. Gopalan
9. Sri N. Viswanathan
10. Sri B. Govindarajan
11. Sri Dattaji Didolkar
12. Sri R. Navaneetha Krishnan
13. Sri R. Srinivasan
14. Sri R.N. Venkataraman
15. Sri K.V. Srinivasan
16. Sri M.M. Damodaran
17. Sri T.V. Sivakolundu
18. Sri Narayan Khatavkar
19. Sri K. Ramachandra Rao
20. Sri B. Venugopalan
21. Sri Lalaji Dawey
22. Sri P.N. Subramania Rao
19.09.1962 Permission granted by the Devaswom Board, Suchindram vide order RC. No. 1495/62/B dated 19.09.1962 to start boat
service from Cape to Vivekananda Rock and back.
19.09.1962 2 Rowing boats bought at Cochin were brought by road. Sri
A.V. Balan and Sri P. Lakshmanan came along with
the boat accompanied by 15 persons.
19.09.1962 Boat service started in the evening.
19.09.1962 The District Committee sent an application to the Chief
Minister, Government of Madras, requesting permission to
construct a statue of Swami Vivekananda and a pedestrian bridge.
29.09.1962 The Cross was removed in the night.
30.09.1962 A stone Cross was again erected at the same spot.
02.10.1962 Again the Cross was removed in the early morning.
02.10.1962 The Government promulgated 144 in Kanyakumari. Armed Police guards were planted at the Rock.
10.10.1962 Devaswom Board, Suchindram granted permission to construct a statue of Swami Vivekananda on the Vivekananda Rock
and a bridge.
11.11.1962 Members of the Executive Committee of the All India Committee elected.
President - Sri Mannath Padmanabhan
Vice-Presidents - Sri V. Ragopalachari
Dr. V. Raghavan
Sri Narendrajit Singh
Sri Lala Hansraj Gupta
Sri Lingayya Choudhury
Treasurer - Sri M. Nanjappa
Secretary - Sri P. Mahadevan
Joint Secretary - Sri R. Sankaran
The committee has been empowered to co-opt members.
27-11-1962 Sri M Najappa, Treasurer meets the Chief Minister of Madras
The chronology during 1963 will follow......
Very fruitful article about Vivekananda Rock and its history. very much informative for upcoming generations.. expecting more details... thank you so much for providing such a wonderful notes for all..
ReplyDeleteKaattaalai A Radhakrishnan