In 1890, on his way to Almora as a wandering monk, Swami Vivekananda had a significant spiritual realisation when he was seated under a Peepal Tree at Kakrighat. Absorbed in deep meditation, he realised : “The microcosm and the macrocosm are built on the same plan.”
Coming to normal consciousness, he said to Swami Akhandananda, his brother disciple and companion, that one of the greatest problems of his life had been solved under the tree.
Since then, the Peepal Tree at Kakrighat, at the confluence of the rivers Koshi and Suial and sanctified by Swamiji’s spiritual experience under it, became sacred to all.
The tree, however, did not survve beyond 2013. But thanks to ICAR, VPKAS, CAFRI and GBPUAT and the spontaneous support of local people, several clones of the original tree had been prepared when it was still alive.
On 15 July 2016, one of the cloned saplings of the sacred tree (which the local people reverentially refer to as Vivekananda Jnana-vriksha) was planted at the very sport where the original tree stood.
Dr. S. Ayappan, formerly Director General, ICAR, Mr. Savin Bansal, District Magistrate, Almora, and Swami Balabhadrananda, Asst. General Secreatry, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, were present on the holy occasion among other dignitaries and guests.
The plantation site has been secured by strong outer fencing and a tree guard has been installed around the sapling. A second back up plant in the pot has been placed inside the fencing and this second one also is being protected by a tree guard.
