Zakir Naik

Folk Theatre on "Swami Vivekananda" | English subtitles

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• published: 31 Mar 2016
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A telling of the story of the life of Swami Vivekananda, using the popular folk theatre, Jatra. Swami Vivekananda, the nineteenth-century Indian Hindu monk is considered as one of the most influential people of modern India and Hinduism. Rabindranath Tagore suggested studying Vivekananda's works to learn about India. Indian independence activist Subhas Chandra Bose regarded Vivekananda as his spiritual teacher. Mahatma Gandhi said that after reading the works of Vivekananda his love for his nation became a thousand-fold. Barack Obama, the President of the United States quoted Vivekananda's words in his speech delivered in India in November 2010. Jayalalitha, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu said that Vivekananda inspired her to enter politics. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Vivekananda writings encouraged her in the difficult phases of her political career. Vivekananda's birthday, on 12 January is celebrated as the National Youth Day in India. In 2012, a three-day world conference was organised by the Institute of World Religions to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda to mark the days Vivekananda delivered his historic lectures in 1893. In 2013, Indian railways started Vivek Express, four pairs of express trains as a tribute to Vivekananda on his 150th birth anniversary. Influence on notable Indian people[edit] Vivekananda, after he became a "sannyasin of high intellect, action, and devotion" in 1886, had a deep desire to spread the message of “divine unity of existence and unity in diversity’ throughout the country.[1] Vivekananda then as a Parivrajaka, meaning: "a wandering monk", travelled the length and breadth of the country. For nearly two years, he travelled all over India from north to west, and befriended many notable people and influenced them with his Vedanta philosophy and many of them even encouraged and supported him to travel to the US to attend the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago; some of the prominent names are Ajit Singh of Khetri of Rajasthan, Dewan of Porbandar and Junagadh in Gujarat, Raja of Ramnad of Madras,[2] K. Seshadri Iyer, Dewan of Mysore and Chamaraja Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysore.[3] Influence on non-Indian people[edit] Vivekananda, during and after his tour of western countries in Europe and the United States had profound influence on notable personalities, who either became his ardent devotees or friends and some even his ardent disciples and many of whom even became ascetics. Right at the beginning of his visit to Chicago to address the Parliament of World Religions Professor John Henry Wright of Harvard University, invited him to speak at Harvard.[25] He pointed out to Vivekananda the necessity of going to the Parliament of Religions, which he thought would give an introduction to the nation.[26] Wright's reasoning was "To ask for your credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine in the heavens".[26] Some of such well-known luminaries are: Max Müller (Indologist), J. J. Goodwin, John Henry Barrows, Mark Twain, Sturdy, Romain Rolland,[27] Sara Chapman Bull, his American mother and benefactor, Mary Hale, Josephine MacLeod, Christine Greenstidel (who later came to be known as Sister Christine), Margaret Noble (Sister Nivedita in later years), William James, Josiah Royce, Robert G. Ingersoll, Nikola Tesla, Lord Kelvin, Harriet Monroe, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Sarah Bernhardt, Emma Calvé and Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz [28] He initiated several followers : Marie Louise (a French woman) became Swami Abhayananda, and Leon Landsberg became Swami Kripananda,[29] American industrialist John D. Rockefeller reportedly made his first large donation for public welfare and later became a notable philanthropist after a meeting with Vivekananda. Vivekananda succinctly explained to Rockefeller that his philanthropy would only be a channel to help the poor and distressed people.[30] Vivekananda influenced French Opera singer Emma Calvé, who wrote in her autobiography:[31] It has been my good fortune and my joy to know a man who truly "walked with God," a noble being, a saint, a philosopher, and a true friend. His influence upon my spiritual life was profound. He opened up new horizons before me, enlarging and vivifying my religious ideas and ideals, teaching me a broader understanding of truth. My soul will bear him an eternal gratitude.