Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Jan.12 (ANI):

Children here paid homage to Swami Vivekananda on Saturday on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary.

The Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, is planning a series of programmes to commemorate the occasion, including a number of cultural programmes and essay writing competitions for college students. They will make presentations on Swami Vivekananda’s message to the youth.

About 150 children donned saffron robes and turbans, imitating Swami Vivekananda’s attire and posed like him, below his statue in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam.

“I am very happy to speak to them about the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. In essence he taught us to become whole personalities, complete men and women and we should see that we are not afraid of anything in this world. He was a man of leonine courage, he faced all problems in life without grievance, without complaining,” said Swami Amritananda, a follower of the Ramakrishna Mission.

Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendra Nath Datta and was a key figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world.

He was also credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion in the late 19th century.

Vivekananda was born on January 12th, 1863, and this day is celebrated across India as National Youth Day, with an aim to show the right direction to the youth of the country. (ANI)

source: http://www.truthdive.com / Home> News / January 12th, 2013