Ramakrishna Mission Hospital - Howrah

Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service was created in 1900 by a group of young men at Varanasi, inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, in a very modest way with 4 annas (0,25 rupees) as capital which they got by begging. The Home of Service was started by three friends - Jamini Ranjan Majumdar, Charuchandra Das (later Swami Shubhananda) and Kedarnath Moulik (later Swami Achalananda). On 13 June 1900, Jamini Ranjan nursed an old lady pilgrim who was left to die on the wayside and begged food to feed her.[3] Later he got her admitted to Bhelurpur hospital and arranged for her treatment by collecting necessary funds for her treatment.[3] The group searched for suffering and helpless people on the streets and roads of Varanasi, and their principle was to serve them as God, in line with the philosophy propounded by Swami Vivekananda.[3] Thus they formed an organisation called Orphanage or Poor Men's Relief Association. The money for medicines, beds, blankets and other necessities were obtained by individual contributions or by begging.[4] On 13 September 1900, a house was rented for Rs 5/- per month in Ramapura. As the work expanded, the hospital was shifted to a bigger place and attracted attention of the prominent citizens.[4] Swami Vivekananda, when he visited Varanasi in February 1902, was immensely impressed to see the dedicated service of those poor but determined youth and wrote an appeal for funds. He also instructed the group to name the hospital as Ramakrishna Sevashrama or Home of Service. The Sevashrama was affiliated to Ramakrishna Mission on 23 November 1902 and was renamed as Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service.[5] Sister Nivedita went from door to door to collect funds for the sevashrama after Swami Vivekananda died in 1902.[5] Swami Shivananda, who established the Adviata Ashrama in Benares, adjacent to the Home of Service was also a great source of inspiration.[6] In 1903 the President of the Ramakrishna Order, Swami Brahmananda visited the ashrama and wanted to construct a permanent building.[6]