Swami Vivekananda at Ridgely Manor, New York

Standing (left to right): Swami Turiyananda, Swami Abhedananda. Sitting (left to right): Swami Vivekananda, Alberta Sturges, Besse Leggett (hidden), Josephine MacLeod, friend of Alberta’s [sometimes mistaken for Sister Nivedita].1 During the “great summer” of 1899 at Ridgely Manor, when Swamiji spent ten weeks vacationing at Mr. Francis Leggett’s estate, two group photos were taken on the circular portico at the back of the main house. These photos had to be taken sometime between September 8 and 17 or 18 because it was during that time that Swami Abhedananda was staying at Ridgely Manor. Swami Abhedananda’s diary entry for September 8, 1899, reads: Arrived at Kingston at 7:30 p.m. drove to Ridgely and arrived there at 9:30 p.m. Saw Swami V. and T. and lived with them.2 Swami Abhedananda left on September 17 or 18 for New York. ❊ ❊ ❊ I do not love Religion. I have become identified with it. It is my life. So no man loves that thing in which his life has been spent, in which he really has accomplished something. That which we love is not yet ourself. (ND [1987] 5:132)