“It was Swami Vivekananda, who introduced India to the outside world and to Indians themselves at a time when we did not know our strengths,” said N. Gopalaswami, former Chief Election Commissioner, who inaugurated the Divine book festival as part of the Vivekananda Navarathri celebrations at Vivekananda House on Kamaraj Salai on Monday.
He appreciated the efforts of the Sri Ramakrishna Math in propagating books on various topics for persons of all ages at a time when the reading habit was coming down.
Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days in Chennai — from February 6 to 14, 1897 — after his triumphant tour of the west. The Vivekananda Navarathri is celebrated every year to commemorate his visit to the city.
President of the Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai Swami Gautamananda, recalled the efforts made to retrieve Vivekananda House. “The building was sold off and devotees here could not muster ₹17,000 to buy it in the 1920s. They were short of just ₹5,000. But finally in 1997, the State government leased out the property to the Math,” he said.
Kasturi and Sons Director N. Ravi said that it was during Swami Vivekananda’s earlier visit to the then Madras Province that he was inspired to spread the message of Hinduism to the west. He had gone down to Kanyakumari and it was while he was meditating there that he was inspired to travel westward.
Industrialist Nalli Kuppusamy Chetty said that when Swamy Vivekananda was taken in a chariot to Victoria Public Hall on day one and seeing the crowds outside, he chose to address them instead of inside the hall. K. Anand, senior advocate, Kerala High Court and M. Murali, Sri Krishna Sweets, also spoke.
