Worldwide, January 1st is celebrated as the first day of the year, calling it the New Year’s day. On this day, people across the globe send greetings to their near and dear, wishing them a happy and a prosperous year ahead. However, for the disciples and believers of the Ramakrishna Mission, January 1st corresponds to a different celebration, ‘The Kalpataru Day’.
Back in 1886, it was on this day that Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, revealed himself as a ‘Kalpataru’ and spiritually awakened a large number of his devotees in Cossipore, Kolkata. ‘Kalpataru’ refers to the ‘Kalpaka Vriksha’ in Hinduism, that is a divine wish-fulfilling tree that bestows what is wished upon by an individual who stands below it. Just like the Kalpaka Vriksha, Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa bestowed spiritual awakening upon all of the devotees who were present with him that day.
A disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Ramachandra Dutta termed this day as ‘Kalpataru Day’, referring to the complete revelation of Sri Ramakrishna as a Kalpakavriksha. References to this happening in History is mentioned in two books written by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s disciples. ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’ by Sri Nikhilananda and ‘Sri Ramakrishna, The Great Master’ by Sri Saradananda.
Devotees and followers of the Ramakrishna Mission believe that, whatever is prayed for on this day will be bestowed upon. Therefore, a lot of prayer meets and mass prayers are conducted worldwide on this day.
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