Swamiji reached Bharat 15 Jan 1897

ॐ वीरेश्वराय विद्महे विवेकानन्दाय धीमहि । तन्नो वीर: प्रचोदयात् ।
Dear All
Namaskars

Katha team feels to bring importance of the day in the life of Swami Vivekananda. The date only is chosen from His life of 39+ years. When He has given a lecture, we shall bring salient points of the lecture and give its link which will instantly make it available to you. We request you to read it so that our becoming Vivekanandamayam will pick up speed. Katha Team would be happy to have your suggestions / views.

15 January 1897 :  On 16 Dec1896 Swami Vivekananda boarded the train and via France, Italy reached Naples. There on 30 Dec, he boarded Prinz-Regent Leopold and started towards India - His Motherland. He reached Colombo on 15 Jan 1897.

Swamiji was received as a 'conquering hero' meaning that His reception was an appreciation of the fact that he had stormed the citadel of Western materialism and placed on it firmly and securely the banner of Indian spiritualism. The reception showed how He had roused the national pride.

In all the welcome addresses that were presented to Swamiji, the common points are : thankfulness for His true exposition of the truths contained in India's sacred books, thus disabusing the minds of the Westerners of their prejudices, and bringing home to His countrymen the value of their glorious heritage, thankfulness in particular for having drawn the attention of the West to the characteristic Hindu doctrine of Harmony and Brotherhood of Religions and the Hindu ideal of a universal religion, and above all, best wishes for the success of the great movement initiated by Him for the propagation and revival of Indian religion and philosophy. His proving of the capability of Hinduism to provide a basis for a universal religion, in bringing the West and the East nearer to each other and thus paving the path for human brotherhood was also welcomed by India with all warmth and sincerity.

Sri Coomaraswamy read out the welcome address.

The Swami gave a brief reply, expressing his appreciation of the kind welcome he had received. He took advantage of the opportunity to point out that the demonstration had not been made in honour of a great politician, or a great soldier, or a millionaire, but of a begging Sannyâsin, showing the tendency of the Hindu mind towards religion. He urged the necessity of keeping religion as the backbone of the national life if the nation were to live, and disclaimed any personal character for the welcome he had received, but insisted upon its being the recognition of a principle.

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