Swami Vivekananda with brother monks

From left to right: Swami Trigunatita, Swami Shivananda, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Turiyananda, Swami Brahmananda, Swami Sadananda (seated below). This photo was taken at 8 Bosepara Lane in Kolkata at the rented house of Sri Boshi Sen’s family. The Holy Mother was living in this house at that time. Although this photograph is published as having been taken in 1897, from the appearance of Swamiji, Swamis Turiyananda, Shivananda, and Trigunatita, it seems to have been taken in 1899 around the same time as the previous three photos, nos. 74 to 76. It is quite possible that it was taken on June 20, the day that Swamiji and Swami Turiyananda sailed for the West with Sister Nivedita and Swami Saradananda’s brother. According to the Life, “On the day of departure the Holy Mother gave a sumptuous feast to the swami, Swami Turiyananda, and all her sannyasi children of the Math, at her Kolkata house.” 25 In The Story of an Epoch, it is mentioned: “June 20, 1899, was the date of departure. On that day, the Holy Mother, who was then living in Kolkata (in Bosepara Lane, Baghbazar), had invited Swamiji and all the sadhus of the Math for the noonday meal. In two large boats all the monks crossed the Ganga to Baghbazar. There they were royally entertained by Sarada Devi.” The Life also mentions: “Sometime in the second week of June, Nivedita left her house at 16 Bosepara Lane and moved to the Holy Mother’s residence at 8 Bosepara Lane (Baghbazar), where she lived till she left for the West.” 26 On June 18, two days before she left India, Sister Nivedita visited Belur Math accompanied by Swami Sadananda and Mr. Mohinimohan Chatterji. At the Math she was given a farewell tea party in her honor. Swami Sadananda returned with her to the Holy Mother’s residence. From this reference it is clear that Swami Sadananda was at the Holy Mother’s house at this time.