Sometime in 1998, Revered Swami Smaranananda Maharaj, the then General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission initiated a research into Swami Vivekananda’s stay in Belgaum. It was well known that Swamiji had stayed in Haripada Mitra’s house in Belgaum and that Haripada Mitra was a sub-divisional forest officer in 1892 and also that Swamiji had written letters to Haripada Mitra to his Belgaum address from America. But it was not know which particular house in Belgaum it was or even where in Belgaum that house was located!

After long of study it was ascertained categorically that Survey No.357, Mansingh Thapa Road, Fort, Belgaum - 590 016, was the blessed house of Sri Haripada Mitra where Swamiji had stayed for 9 days in Oct 1892.

Once this was confirmed, the State Govt handed this over to Ramakrishna Math and Mission.

After it was handed over, Revered Swami Purushottamanandaji Maharaj was asked to take charge of this centre. The Rev. Swamiji initiated a structural study of the building to ascertain which parts of the building were original construction and which were later additions. It was then decided to remove all the additions and restore the building to how it was during Swami Vivekananda’s stay in 1892. In Dec 2000, Rev. Swamiji shifted to a rented house in Belgaum and then renovation of the building was started. The work took six months since it had to be reinforced by tie-rods to keep the walls from falling apart.

The renovation was completed in six months time. Chief Minister Sri S.M. Krishna inaugurated it on 23rd May 2001. Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj laid the foundation stone for the inauguration of the Ashrama. Also in the same programme. Sri Dharam Singh, the then PWD minister, granted 0.9 acres of adjacent land for this construction.

(left) The Building as it was at the time of taking over from the Govt of Karnataka in June 2000 &
the building after renovation (right)

…To be updated