Saswat Panigrahi
One hundred and twenty years ago, on this day, Swami Vivekananda
delivered a model speech at the Parliament of World Religions held in Chicago.
The world celebrates this day as World Brotherhood Day as a mark of respect to
that sterling speech.
Bowing to goddess
Saraswati, Vivekananda had begun his speech with “sisters and brothers of
America!” At those words, he received a standing ovation of two minutes
from an audience of 7,000. When silence restored, Vivekananda responded,
“I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I
thank you in the name of the mother of religions; I thank you in the name of
millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.”
Representing India,
Vivekananda introduced the greatness of Hindutva and the eternal values of
Indianness to the West. “I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught
the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in
universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong
to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all
religions and all nations of the earth,” he said.
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