At Kanyakumari - a unique symbol of unity and purity - is the Memorial of Swami Vivekananda, another symbol of the united aspiration of Nation. In the Memorial, there is a happy and harmonious blend of all the architectural beauty of the country. It is a symbol of unity because the whole nation wished, worked and contributed for it. Person from all states participated in its inauguration.
"An aggregate or a congregation of men does not make a nation, nor do the geographical area and duration of time qualify a society to be known as a nation. A government formed on such a basis can be called a state, but not a nation. It is common goal or mission that makes a nation. All the constituents strive collectively for something noble. Service with spiritual orientation results in man-making which invariably and inseparably connected with nation building." It is the core of all the thoughts behind Vivekananda Kendra.
Second Phase of Vivekananda Rock Memorial was parallel when Rock Memorial was taking shape. As Eknathji used to say "To put up a Cement and Concrete structure is not the work for which I am born, I am to erect a living and dynamic monument which will be worthy of Swami Vivekananda and which will be capable of bringing into fruition his grand vision of future India."
A panoramic view of the concourse of people participating in the Inaugural Function of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
Next came a report by the Organising Secretary, Shri Eknath Ranade. He stated :
"The Shikharams or the domes of the Vivekananda Mandapam that you see today, we used to see when the Rock was bare and was devoid of any structure on it. Those very fancies have today taken a concrete shape-rather a granite shape."
"This Memorial to Swami Vivekananda is not just one mere addition to the exising memorials raised in his memory in the country. The Rock is associated with the Swamiji's life almost in the same manner as the bodhi tree in Gaya is associated with the life of Gautam Buddha."
"It was here that he, in his deep meditation, got a vision, urging him to go abroad to give India's message of Universal Religion to the world as also to work for the regeneration and rebuilding of India so that she might become a fit and effective instrument to play the role ordained for her by the Divine. It is commenorate this event in the Swamiji's life that this edifice has been built".
"The Committee did not mind the high cost because the Committee knew that this monument would be a tremendous source of inspiratio for generation to come. And again the lakhs of rupee spent in this project have gone into whose pockets? They have gone to the poor stone-dressers, fishermen who transported stones through the sea, the wonderful artists and artisans of Tamil Nadu whose deft hands carve living gods and goddesses out of dead stones, but who feel completely neglated in the present economic set-up."
"And from whom has the money come? Believe me when I say that the bulk of the money has come from the common mass of people-from peasents, labourers, students, mineworkers, office-goers, constables, jawans and factory workers".
"The money was collected not by big men of authority but by thousands of Alasinga Perumals (The allusion is to a school teacher by name Alasinga Perumal who was a devout disciple of Swami Vivekananda and who was the formost in making house to house collections in Madras to send Swamiji to the West to participate in the Parliament of Religions) all over the courntry. They went from house to house, school to school, office to office, factory to factory, and more than 25 lakhs of people, i.e. more than one per cent of the adult population of this country willingly donated at least a rupee each towards this cause. The people forgot their party labels, rose above group or regional loyalties, cast off communal affinities or other narrow considerations and jointed in thsi national endeavour".
"When the construction work of the Memorial was actually undertaken towards the end of 1964, the budget estimated was Rs. 25 lakhs. But, subsequently, with the progressive expresion of the memorial-scheme, the buget went on increasing till the Memorial finally became a 1 crore 20 lakh project."
"We started the work with only a few thousand rupees in the Committee's coffers. But, we has full faith that the money would come as we preoceeded ahead. Themoney did come as we progressed and in the proportion we needed it. It never happened that the project suffered from lack of funds."
"A part of the dream is realised. What is the further aspiration of the Committee? It is to found a Service Organisation or a Mission on the lines of the great Ramkrishna Mission but to be manned and run by non-sanyasi missionaries pledged to life-long service and, as a corollary to it, to establish a Centre at Kanyakumari to train an all India cadre of dedicated workers, both men and women, for being deployed especilally in backward areas of the country for the social and spiritual well-being of the people."