Swami Vivekananda, on his return from America in 1897, reached Khetri for the third time on 12th December, 1897. He was accorded a gala welcome by the then ruler of Khetri, Ajit Singh Bahadur and the people at large at Panna Sah Talab. The public reception was accompanied by a feast amidst a dazzlingly illumined town in honour of Swamiji.Â
At the call of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Smriti Mandir, Khetri, a committee of prominent persons of the town decided to celebrate every year, starting from 2011, the historical day of 12th December as ‘Khetri Virasat Divas’. Municipality of Khetri jointly organises the function along with Ramakrishna Mission from last year.Â
On 12 December 2023, a morning procession (Prabhat Pheri) of one thousand and five hundred school children marched through the town to remind people about the significance of the day.Â
In the afternoon a live tableau of Raja Ajit Singh bringing Swamiji in a horse carriage was positioned in a procession leading from the Vivekananda Smriti Mandir to Panna Sah Talab. The Talab was illuminated and a display of fireworks was organised. An eminent mono-act player Shri Damodar Ramdasi performed the play ‘Joddha Sannyasi’ in front of about five hundred people of Khetri. The district collector and other eminent persons attended the evening programme.
Google Photo Album : Khetri Virasat Divas 2023
