BANGALORE: On a typical day at the railway station, one would hear the slow and steady deep sound of the monstrous engine tugging its multiple bogies away on a journey. The local vendor screaming his lungs out to make a living for the day and hordes of passengers scampering around the station, heaving their way through.The Cantonment railway station has seen ‘a more than usual’ number of visitors in the last two days. “In the last two days we have had over 8,000 visitors,” informs Guha, who sits at the end of the second coach and meticulously notes down the number of visitors. The ‘Vivek Express’ was launched to commemorate the 150th birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda. Another motive behind the initiative was to disseminate his legacy to the youth of today.Pictures of the swami on a backdrop of orange adorn the exterior of the train. Two special coaches are dedicated to Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings. The serpentine queue of followers and visitors alike stretches almost till the beginning of platform No 2. The intriguing bit is that, even with such a long wait to the entrance of the first coach, those who have come to experience the swami’s life through the exhibition do not seem to mind.The exhibition on wheels has managed to lure visitors of all ages from various parts of the city. However majority of the visitors are enthusiastic parents who have brought their young ones in the hope that they might get motivated by the teachings of the swami. According to Manasa, a visitor, “The exhibition is beautifully done and very motivating, especially for children and youth,” she says.The interiors are done in saffron along with thermocol carvings that are stuck across the paneling. Pictorial and written descriptions on the saffron background can be seen on both sides of the coach. Framed writings of the swami’s early life and Baranagar Monastery are some of the first insights into the man’s life. The chronological table about his life seems to be one of the star attractions on the side of the wall. The chart provides information from the swami’s birth as Narendranath Dutta in 1863 to him meeting Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in 1881. It also dates the year when the swami took his vows of sanyasa at Antpur.As the admirers pass from one framed picture to the next, they seem to be overwhelmed by the sheer fact of having an opportunity to get an insight into Swami Vivekananada’s life. “I feel humbled to be in the presence of his teachings,” says Arvind, a visitor.Dr Subramanium, an ardent follower is extremely grateful to the railway authorities and those involved with the Ramakrishna Mission. “I truly appreciate the effort,” he mentions.A walk through the second coach takes the visitor to another segment of the swami’s life. While the first concentrates on the earlier and formative years, the latter represents his teachings and morals along with his decision on attending the Parliament of Religion in Chicago, in 1893.His address at the Parliament of Religion is also framed.The board at the far end of the second coach summons the exhibition with Swami Vivekananda’s signature and one-liners from personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sri Aurobindo.
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