Sannyasi O Raja

🔹 Author: Mukul Bandopadhyay
🔹 Genre: Autobiography - Biography - Memoir
🔹 Format: Hardcover
🔹 ISBN: 9789350408322
🔹 Pages: 416
🔹 Weight: 623 grams

📝 Book Summary:
Among the many places Swami Vivekananda traveled as a wandering monk, Rajasthan—particularly Khetri—played a crucial role in shaping his journey. It was in Khetri that the seeds of the Belur Ramakrishna Mission were first sown. From here, he embarked on his grand mission to conquer the world with his teachings.

Khetri became his administrative base, and for the world, his address was simply: "Maharaja, Khetri, Rajasthan, India." The ruler of Khetri, Maharaja Ajit Singh Bahadur, was not just a devoted disciple of Swami Vivekananda but also his closest confidant, friend, and benefactor. Their bond went beyond a mere guru-disciple relationship—Ajit Singh provided unwavering financial and emotional support to Swamiji, becoming a pillar of strength during his most difficult times.

Swami Vivekananda himself acknowledged this, once writing to the Maharaja:
"Whatever I have been able to achieve in life is because of your help. You freed me from the deepest anxieties and gave me the opportunity to face the world."

This book presents a deeply researched and multilayered account of this unique relationship, unveiling numerous untold stories from history. Drawing from previously unpublished letters, official records, and translations from the royal archives of Khetri, Sannyasi O Raja brings forth rare insights into Swami Vivekananda’s time in Rajasthan and the profound impact Maharaja Ajit Singh had on his life.

📚 About the Author

Mukul Bandopadhyay is a distinguished scholar and former Head of the Bengali Language and Literature Department at B. R. A. Bihar University, Muzaffarpur. Having spent over four decades outside Bengal, he has mastered Hindi as fluently as his mother tongue. He has also been a long-time member of India’s Sangeet Natak Akademi and currently serves as the editor of Sammelani, the central publication of the All India Bengali Literary Conference.

His recent research focuses on Rabindranath Tagore’s deep connections with various regions of India.

📖 Notable Works:

• Aniyachi Prabaser Sukh (Rabindranath’s Life in Bihar)
• Behata Samayer Galpocharcha
• Bonoful Barne O Baibhobe
• Satinath, Renu Ebong...

📖 Translated Works:

• Mrityunjay Rabindra
• Hriday Aranya
• Na Radha Na Rukmini
• Andh Yug
• Se Amar Sahodar
• Ashwiner Phool

This book is a must-read for history enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone interested in the life and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda.