With West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging people to dedicate themselves to universal brotherhood, the state today celebrated the 153rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda with fervour.
Schools and colleges all over the state conducted processions, speeches, recitations, youth conventions and various music, sports and essay-writing competitions to mark the occasion.
Besides, the main functions to celebrate the great soul's birthday were held at his birthplace at Shimla Street in northern part of the city and at the headquarter of Ramakrishna Mission at Belur Math where thousands of his followers visited despite the chill and fog.
Dressed up as Vivekananda, school children participated in colourful processions in different parts of the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today urged the people to dedicate themselves to the cause of unity, integrity and universal brotherhood.
"Let us dedicate ourselves to the cause of unity, integrity and universal brotherhood," Banerjee wrote on her Facebook post today.
"To spread Swamiji's vision and ideals of character building among our youth, we are organising 'Vivek Chetana Utsav' throughout the state from January 10 to January 12," she added.
Born on January 12, 1863, as Narendranath Dutta, Swamiji's birthday is celebrated as the country's National Youth Day since 1985.
Throughout the country, this day is commemorated with youth conventions, seminars on yoga, sports and other cultural activities.
Vivekananda was the chief disciple of saint Ramakrishna and went on to set up the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.
