Walking with Vivekananda
A Curious Boy, a Timeless Master, and an Extraordinary Journey
What happens when the wisdom of Swami Vivekananda meets the restless curiosity of a ten-year-old boy? A journey of discovery begins—one that explores the power of questions, the importance of kindness, and the extraordinary possibilities that lie within every child.
Reado Junior presents Walking with Vivekananda, a book by Debapriya Ghosh that brings the life and ideas of one of India’s most influential spiritual thinkers to young readers through an engaging blend of fiction, biography, history, and adventure.
At the heart of the story is Arya, a ten-year-old boy whose imagination is boundless, whose curiosity rarely stays within the lines, and whose school life is often marked by trouble. Impulsive and full of energy, Arya is the sort of child adults may find difficult to manage. But beneath his restless exterior lies a mind eager to explore the world, ask questions, and discover things for himself.
Enter Rajhans, the school counsellor, who sees in Arya something that others may overlook: potential. Rather than simply correcting his behaviour, Rajhans introduces him to the life and experiences of Swami Vivekananda. Through stories about the young Naren—who would grow up to become one of India’s most celebrated spiritual leaders—Arya begins to encounter a different way of looking at himself and the world around him.
As the two journeys unfold, readers discover that Vivekananda was not always the iconic monk remembered in portraits and history books. He was once a curious, questioning young boy, eager to understand the world and unwilling to accept ideas without examining them. His search for truth, his courage to challenge accepted beliefs, and his determination to find answers make his childhood particularly compelling for young readers.
The parallels between Naren and Arya give the narrative its distinctive appeal. Both are inquisitive, spirited, and unwilling to remain passive observers. Their stories remind us that the qualities adults sometimes struggle to contain in children can also become the very qualities that help them grow into thoughtful, independent individuals.
But Walking with Vivekananda is much more than a story about a boy learning from a great spiritual leader. It opens a window into India’s history, culture, and social realities through Vivekananda’s life and travels. From his experiences across the country to his celebrated appearance at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893, readers follow a journey that extends beyond geographical boundaries and familiar ideas.
Along the way, the book introduces young minds to questions of poverty, caste discrimination, education, equality, and the need to uplift disadvantaged communities. These are presented not merely as historical concerns but as questions that continue to matter. What does it mean to serve others? How should we treat people whose lives are different from ours? Can faith and spirituality find their truest expression in our actions?
Vivekananda’s emphasis on compassion, service, self-discipline, and respect for humanity offers a way into these larger questions without turning the narrative into a lesson in philosophy or religion. Instead, the ideas emerge through stories, experiences, conversations, and the choices characters make.
For Arya, the lessons are not simply meant to be admired from a distance. They invite reflection on everyday behaviour, relationships, and the way he responds to the world around him. His journey encourages young readers to recognise that personal growth does not require them to stop being curious or spirited. It asks them to channel those qualities with greater understanding and purpose.
One of the book’s most appealing aspects is its approach to childhood itself. It recognises that children do not always learn best through instructions and admonitions. Sometimes, they need an adult who will listen, a story that captures their imagination, or a question that makes them pause and think. Rajhans’s role in Arya’s life highlights the value of patient mentorship and the difference it can make when someone chooses to look beyond a child’s immediate behaviour.
Written for young readers but equally relevant to parents and educators, Walking with Vivekananda offers an opportunity for conversations across generations. It may resonate especially with children who have been labelled naughty, distracted, or difficult, as well as with the adults who want to understand them better.
For Debapriya Ghosh, the book is an invitation to encounter Vivekananda not as a distant historical figure whose words must simply be memorised, but as a person whose questions, experiences, and ideas can still speak to the young. By bringing together an energetic fictional protagonist and the remarkable life of Swami Vivekananda, the narrative makes big ideas approachable without diminishing their significance.
With its mix of lively storytelling, historical discovery, and timeless values, Walking with Vivekananda encourages children to remain curious, think independently, act with compassion, and recognise the possibilities within themselves.
Because sometimes, the most meaningful journey begins with a story—and the most important discovery is learning what one is capable of becoming.
Walking with Vivekananda by Debapriya Ghosh is published by Readomania under its Reado Junior imprint, bringing an inspiring encounter with India’s intellectual and spiritual heritage to a new generation of readers.
Coming soon!
About the Author
Debapriya began her career as a Western music presenter for All India Radio, FM, Kolkata. She taught Communicative English at Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College, Kolkata. She has been a teacher of English at Modern High School for Girls and La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata. She is a successful entrepreneur, who runs her own heritage wedding venue.
She organises exhibitions under the brand ‘BIJOYINI’. The participants are small-scale women entrepreneurs who get a platform to showcase their skills and artistry. She also teaches students at home. She loves to travel, especially, to the mountains. She loves music and dance.
Her first book, a woman-centric, fictional novel And You Think I Don’t Know, was published by Readomania in 2023. Her next work, The World of Tagore, a translation of ten of Rabindranath Tagore’s best known short stories was published by Reado Junior in 2024.
Debapriya is endlessly amused by her husband Romit’s heroic, but hilariously flawed attempts at Hindi and hopes to, one day, immortalise the everyday antics of her family and their eclectic band of helpers who keep her household in perpetual chaos, into a book.
Know more about Debapriya here:
Facebook: @Debapriya Roy Choudhury (Author)
@BIJOYINI FASHIONS
Instagram: @Debapriya2890; @bijoyini4.0
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