YOUTH CONGRESS, book and photo exhibition and speeches by former president Dr APJ Kalam and state Chief Minister Narendra Modi would mark the celebrations as Gujarat commemorates the 150^th birth anniversary of famed leader, Swami Vivekananda.

As Gujarat celebrates 2012 as the Year of Youth Power, rangoli competition, inauguration of gardens and the unveiling of statues will take place. Youth who will be the centre of attraction will dress like Vivekananda. Massive celebrations will be held at Mahatma Mandir in capital Gandhi Nagar where thousands of people will take part. The function that would be telecasted live on the TV networks will feature speeches on the life of Vivekananda by former President Kalam and Gujarat chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Joint Director, Information, Arvid Patel, told Merinews that the mood is festive in the state. “Yuva Parishad is the main attraction of the function as the state has dedicated the whole year to the youth power. More than 5000 youth from colleges, schools and universities will take part in the festivities,” said Arvind. According to Arvind, the celebrations will start at 2:30 in the afternoon and all the arrangements are being put in place for the grand convention.

Celebrating the birth anniversary with grandeur gives us an opportunity to connect with the youth of the state and it will encourage them to imbibe Swamiji’s ideals in their practical lives, added Arvind. Vivekananda is believed to have spent his maximum time in the state when he toured the whole country. As Modi recently pointed out at a function in the state, “Swamiji has inspired the youth with his slogan of ‘India First’.

Besides this function, the state unit of BJP is organising colourful programmes across the state, as asked by its leadership. Kite distribution in slums and unveiling of the statues of Vivekananda would take place in Ahmedabad while yuvas will take out marches that will finally culminate in public meetings. The youth will address the functions and try to highlight the teachings and the ideas of Vivekananda through their speeches. Besides this, nutritious food will be distributed among the slum children across the state.

Considered to be a main force behind the revival of Hinduism in the modern India, Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Dutta, and was one of the followers of 19^th century saint Ramakrishna Paramahansa. He toured the world and India starting from the holy city of Varanasi, and is believed to have introduced Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world, mainly in the US and Europe.