With the coronavirus outbreak
causing major disruption in normal activities, the Asiatic Society, Kolkata has themed the last edition of its monthly bulletin on the COVID-19 pandemic, carrying the plague manifesto of Swami Vivekananda over 200 years back.
The April bulletin has a cover picture with the message "We shall overcome" with photos of mask wearing people in the background.
The bulletin, among others, reprints the plague manifesto written by Swami Vivekananda in 1898 which starts with the line: "We feel happy when you are happy and we suffer when you suffer. Therefore, during these days of extreme adversity, we are striving and ceaselessly praying for your welfare and an easy way to save you from disease and the fear of an epidemic."
Swamiji said in another part of the manifesto "Do not pay any heed to rumours. The British government will not vaccinate anyone by force. Only those who are willing will be vaccinated."
He also said if there is none to help the affected person, he/she can send information immediately to "the servants of Shri Bhagavan Ramakrishna at Belur Math. There will be no dearth of help that is physically possible."
"We thought about bringing to public view Swamiji's thinking during the plague epidemic in undivided Bengal in the 19th century. Some of his views seem so much topical even in the present times," a spokesman of the Asiatic Society, which was set up in 1784, said.
The bulletin also contains articles like Coronavirus Disease 2019: An overview and update by two eminent doctors, under the shadow of a globalised disease by an academician, future of the past: a short history of COVID-19 and the world beyond 2020, articles of contagious diseases like tuberculosis and Spanish flu - among others.
"Our next bulletin will be a tribute to maestro Satyajit Ray on his 100th birth anniversary but considering the present situation there will also be write-ups on the virus," the spokesman said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
