Prose

'Matri Divas' is celebrated on the twenty-second of December to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sarada Devi, who was fondly known as 'Maa Sarada' or the 'Holy Mother'. According to Swami Vivekananda, she was an illustration of an ideal woman due to her selfless service and liberal outlook towards enrichment of common people and transformation of the nation.
 
On 22 December 1853, Sarada Devi was born to Ramchandra Mukhopadhyay and Shyama Sundari Devi who lived in Jayrambati, a village in West Bengal. Since childhood, she was inclined to spirituality. She tried to learn the Bengali alphabet but had no access to formal education.
 
At the age of six, she was married to Sri Ramkrishna, who followed the path of spirituality. But she continued to stay with her parents and engaged herself in performing all the household duties. When she reached eighteen years of age, she went to Dakhineshwar to meet Ramkrishna. Her husband received her with pleasure and they stayed together living pure and religious lives.
 
In the year 1872, Sarada Devi was worshipped through rituals as Divine Mother and the trait of universal motherhood concealed in her got awakened. Subsequently, she began to perceive the disciples of her husband as her own children. She spent her entire life caring and serving everyone.
 
In 1886, Ramkrishna passed away and Sarada Devi set out on a pilgrimage. Later, she was brought to Calcutta by the disciples of her husband. The turning point of her life started as she began to receive plenty of devotees. With a compassionate heart of a mother, she embraced everyone, even people who led immoral lives.
 
Inspite of being worshipped as Holy Mother; she led a very simple life, doing all the household tasks all by herself. She ever remained calm and blessed one and all who came to meet her. She possessed virtues of purity, patience, wisdom, spiritual perception, universal love and compassion.
 
During the ultimate phase of her life, her physical condition began to decline. She became weak due to frequent attacks of malaria. On 21 July 1920, she breathed her last.
 
To reminisce and pay tributes to the Holy Mother Sarada Devi, 'Matri Divas' is celebrated every year on twenty second December. The day is observed to acknowledge every mother, who plays a vital role in the development of her children since she is the essence of creation and the first tutor of her child.
 
 
[Published in ‘Ezine Articles’ on 6 June 2013]