page_title: Pavhari Baba
section_title: Meeting with Swami Vivekananda
hierarchical_section_title: Pavhari Baba / Meeting with Swami Vivekananda
caption_attribution_description: English: Swami Vivekananda in Jaipur, India, probably 1891–1892
context_page_description: Pavhari Baba was a Hindu ascetic and saint. He was born near Varanasi in a Brahmin family. In his childhood he went to Ghazipur to study under the tutelage of his uncle who was a follower of Ramanuja or Shri sect. After finishing his studies he travelled to many places. At Girnar in Kathiawar he was initiated into Yoga.
  He then came back to Ghazipur and built an underground hermitage in his house where he used to practise meditation and Yoga for days. He was noted for his humility, politeness and spirit of welfare. One night a thief entered his hermitage. When the thief ran away leaving the stolen things behind, as Pavhari Baba had woken up from sleep, he chased the thief and offered him the things he stole from his house. The incident had deep impact on the thief who later became a monk and a follower of Pavhari Baba.
  In 1890 Swami Vivekananda went to Ghazipur and met him. According to Sister Nivedita, Baba died by burning in 1898, which is considered as self-immolation.
context_section_description: In January 1890, Swami Vivekananda went to Ghazipur to meet Pavhari Baba. In a letter dated 21 January 1890, Vivekananda wrote—
  I reached Ghazipur three days ago... I again had a great mind to go over to Kashi, but the object of my coming here, namely, an interview with the Babâji (Pavhari Baba, the great saint), has not yet been realised, and. hence the delay of a few days becomes necessary.
  In the next letter dated 31 January 1890, Vivekananda wrote about Baba's unwillingness to meet people. In the very next letter written just four days later, on 4 February 1890, Vivekananda informed that he had met Baba. In that letter Vivekananda wrote:
  ...through supreme good fortune, I have obtained an interview with Babaji. A great sage indeed! — It is all very wonderful, and in this atheistic age, a towering representation of marvellous power born of Bhakti and Yoga!
caption: Swami Vivekananda met Pabhari Baba in Ghazipur in January–February, 1890.
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