FOUNDERS
Bani Debi
Avatars are alleged to be born in every age to save religion from falling into disrepair. Thakur Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa is such an avatar on the earth. An incarnation of age, he needed some pious souls of the galaxy to convey his deep thought to the common people for their welfare. Bani Debi was one of the stars of that galaxy. Her birth place also signifies the truth. In 1903 (Bengali year 1310, 3rd Shravan) Bani Debi was born at her maternal uncle’s house at 4, Star Lane, North Kolkata. Her father, Sri Rakhal Krishna Ghosh was the great grandson of the granddaughter of Raja Nabakrishna Deb Bahadur of Shobha Bazar. Her Mother Pramila Ghosh passed entrance examination at that time. Bani Debi was the fourth child of her parents. She lost her parents in her childhood and brought up in her maternal uncle’s house. Bani Devi had been brought up in the essence of Ramakrishna’s divine thought. Her elder maternal uncle, Swami Prajnanananda, was a distinguished monk of Ramakrishna Math & Mission. Her younger aunt Bhagini Sudhira Debi was a well-known attendant of Sree Sree Sarada Maa throughout her life. Sudhira Devi noticed some symptoms in the behaviour of her beloved niece and so she took special care while bringing her up. Bani Devi started to go to school probably at the age of four. That school was run by Bhagini Nibedita, Bhagini Khristiana and Bhagini Sudhira Devi at Bagbazar Bosepara Lane. She was a very sweet, little fatty, cute girl and hence she was lovingly called as ‘Gadai.’ Her nature was very calm and quiet and she used to sit alone quietly in a solitary place at the terrace or any corner of the house instead of playing like other children. She was enough lucky because she got the chance to stay all the time with Bhagini Nivedita, Bhagini Khristina and her aunt Bhagini Sudhira as well as learned her lessons from them. When Sudhira Devi became the in-charge of the school she assigned many responsibilities to Bani Devi and with utter surprise she found that Bani Debi completed it independently. Bani Debi completed her schooling from Nibedita School and passed entrance examination from Brahma Balika Vidyalaya and intermediate from Bethune College. Due to some family constrain she started to work and she was compelled to complete her graduation privately.
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In her whole life she enjoyed the divine affection of Sree Sree Maa from her childhood and also from respected Golapma, respected Joginma and the monks of Ramakrishna Order. When the Holy Mother was seriously ill in Bagbazar, Bani Debi got the chance to nurse her. She took sannyasa on 16th December, 1954, the auspicious centenary of Sree Sree Maa, on Krishna Saptami tithi. She did not wear normal ascetic dress like Joginma but by heart she was really ascetic minded. The responsibility of the position of headmistress of the Nibedita School was conferred upon her on October 1929 to 4th May and she carried out her job with much efficiency and success. She started Weaving Section, Needle & Embroidery, and Drawing Section along with the Academic section. For the first time in 1934, two girls of the school appeared in the entrance examination and performed very well. Henceforth the students keep on maintaining the tradition of good performance in the examination. She worked hard to make the school the best in all respect. But Sree Sree Maa wished to see her in different fields of welfare. Bani Debi with her other colleagues and Mira Debi took charge of the Sree Sarada Ashrama at 80/1A, Lansdowne Road in 1951, to fulfil the wish of Sree Sree Maa . Initially, she was little tensed if she would be able to adjust with the new culture of South Kolkata or not. Later on she thought that if Holy Mother wants to see her working in that position the Mother will show her the right way. She always had full confidence, respect and belief on Mother’s decision. Bani debi with others were educating few orphan girls in their custody so that they would be able to take admission in a renowned school and appear in the entrance examination. But they found it was not a right procedure. They felt the necessity of an own school. After a long struggling period they somehow became able to purchase a land at ‘O’ Block, New Alipore. Sri Chandrasekhar Neogi, a kind hearted respectable person provided the half portion of his own house without rent to start with a school. On 2nd January, 1957 the dream of Mira Devi and Bani Devi came true. They established their long awaited school there. In the same year by the help of Government aid the construction work of school building with hostel was started. On 1st April, 1958, they shifted the school in their own new building and the school got affiliated as a high school in the same month. The journey took long time and hard toil to reach at the destination. Bani Debi’s mortal body could not bear the exertion. Still she worked hard to complete all the work ignoring her physical condition. She used to maintain a very systematic routine in her daily life. Gradually she felt that her days on earth are limited. So she got more attached to her unfinished work. She received a report of Ashrama for proof checking from the press before the day of her demise. She started to check it very carefully ignoring her pain and sufferings. After finishing the work she soliloquized herself – “which work is left incomplete.....” – as if she was asking Holy Mother if any of her duties left undone. At that moment Holy Mother extended her hands to her loving daughter to give relief from all the sufferings. On 25th April, 1966 (11th Baishakh, Monday Shukla Panchami tithi) at 5-20 p.m., the divine soul of Bani debi left her mortal body and started journey to Saradalok.
Mira Debi
God enriches the world by sending his representatives in an incarnation to rescue the mankind from sorrows and sufferings and create a devotional atmosphere on the earth as well. Mira Devi was one such great soul sent by Bhagaban Sree Ramakrishna. For mankind’s sake, she silently gave forth every bit of her life, dedicated every minute and second of her life, the entire she had to this humanity. She granted her mercy and tolerance unconditionally and without expectation of recompense. She does this only so that mankind can continue to survive before her eyes. Mira Debi was born in 1298 (Bengali year 15thBhadra) at Brahmin Dora village in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Her father, Kamini Kumar Choudhury was a powerful, influential and respectable landlord. Her mother, Shyama Sundari Debi was also very kind hearted and courageous. After the death of her husband, she performed the jamindari work efficiently. Mira Debi was the 9th child of her parents. She was lovingly called Fulu by her parents. She was courageous, dedicated, enthusiastic by nature and very fond of music. She could not continue to higher studies but by her own perseverance she learned Bengali and Sanskrit. She wrote a book “Sanskrit Kishalaya”, which is included in the syllabus of school. Somehow she came to know about Sree Sree Thakur, Sree Maa and Swamiji from her elder sister Smt. Chapala Choudhury. She read “Kathamrita” and “Sree Sree Mayer Katha” and she considered these two books as the best holy books she had ever read in her life. In those days, women were compelled to do only house-hold work and had no liberty to choose career of their own. Mira Debi had to fight against this adversity and free herself from all sorts of family bondages and ties to live a spiritual life and serve mankind. She left home at the age of 22 in a desire to spend her life in touch of Holy Mother Sree Sree Saradamoni Devi. A school was run by Bhagini Nibedita and Bhagini Khristiana at 17, Bose Lane, Bagbazar, to establish the ideal of Swamiji in reality and to make literate every woman of our society. Bhagini Sudhira Debi, an Indian lady first joined there to work with them. Mostly the teacher and student used to come from Bagbazar area so there was no provision of hostel in the school. Mira Debi joined the institution. She had to stay in a rented house and a brahmin woman was appointed to look after her. Later, Bhagini Khristiana left for her own country after the sad demise of Bhagini Nibedita. Mira Debi permanently started to stay with Sudhira Debi in Nibedita School. At that time Bani Debi and Bibha Dasgupta (Renu) joined there in the school. Mira Debi taught Bengali and Sanskrit in the school but she herself was learning English language as a student with the other girls in the school. A healthy relationship existed always between the teachers and the student. Sree Sree Maa used to tell that Sudhira Debi is like a banyan tree. Mira Debi and all who came in touch to her realised the truth. Mira Debi was enough fortunate that she got the chance to take care of Sree Sree Maa when the Holy Mother came to stay for few days in Nibedita school along with Radhudidi. At that time, the images of Sree Sree Thakur, Maa and Swamiji were worshipped in the school. Sree Sree Maa also worshipped them by offering flower and sweets. In 1920 after the demise of Sree Sree Maa and Bhagini Sudhira Debi the images was worshiped by Mira Debi as a living Deity on the earth. She felt the presence of them in her daily life.
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Mira Debi learned all the techniques to administer the school from Sudhira Debi as she was very close to her. She governed the school very efficiently with the help of Bani Debi after the death of Sudhira Debi. She always believed that the School is like a temple and teaching is the worship of the Holy Trio. She was an extraordinary administrator and held the post for 33 years, setting a unique example of dedication and selfless service. Her compassionate heart attracted many souls from far and near. She cherished the dream of establishing a women organisation to establish the ideals of the Holy Trio. To fulfil her dream Mira Debi started to struggle and on 4th May, 1946 she went to Shilong with Banidi. When they returned back, they started to stay at 85/1, Grey Street in a dilapidated two room house. Slowly Holy Mother’s grace started to shower upon them and they find a new way to proceed on. On 11th February, 1951, Mira Debi accepted all the responsibilities of Sree Sara Ashrama at 80/1A, Lansdowne Road. By the course of time, the Ashrama started to flourish gradually. But they were not contented with the prosperity of Ashrama. The necessity of an own school was felt by them. After a long struggling period they somehow managed to purchase a land at ‘O’ Block, New Alipore. Sri Chandrasekhar Neogi, a kind hearted respectable person provided the half portion of his own house without rent to start a school. On 2nd January, 1957 the dream of the duo came true. They established their long awaited school there. In the same year by the help of Government aid the construction work of school building with hostel was started. On 1st April, 1958, they shifted the school in their own new building and the school got affiliated as a high school in the same month. Mira Debi was very strict and concerned to the activities of Ashrama and the School as well but her nature was very delightful and she loved to enjoy with her pupils. She used to tell the students to organize cultural function. Students carried out her order gladly. She used to participate in the events of the school. She herself was a very good singer. Mira Debi was suffering from some ailment continuously for a month. But she always neglected her illness. Ultimately she could not deny the request of others and got admitted to Ramakrishna Seva Pratisthan on 22.9.1969 for medical investigations. Still she engaged herself more and more in her routine work at the worst condition of her health. Everybody was in belief that she would be cured very shortly. In the afternoon of Vijaya Dashami, suddenly she said herself – “just now I have finished Matri puja.” On ekadoshi her condition became more deteriorated. On Dwadashi, Wednesday, at midnight 12.45, when the earth was flooded with full moonlight the divine soul of Mira Debi started the eternal journey to Ramkrishnoloke. Ref: Companions and followers of Ramakrishna- Advaita Ashrama.
