Lectures from Colombo to Almora
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Clean text · 1 illegible passages, excluded from answers
- Extent:
- ~170,000 words · 826 passages
Cite this work
- APASwami Vivekananda. (n.d.). Lectures from Colombo to Almora. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/swami-vivekananda/lectures-from-colombo-to-almora
- MLASwami Vivekananda. "Lectures from Colombo to Almora." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/swami-vivekananda/lectures-from-colombo-to-almora.
- ChicagoSwami Vivekananda. Lectures from Colombo to Almora. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/swami-vivekananda/lectures-from-colombo-to-almora.
What it is about
The lectures Vivekananda gave travelling across India in 1897, on returning from his journey to the West, and the founding text of modern Indian cultural nationalism.
Context and history
In 1893 he had spoken at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago and had come back a public figure. These lectures — from Colombo to Almora, that is from south to north — were received as a national event, and what he says in them is twofold: to Indians, that their tradition is not a superstition to be given up but a body of thought the West has not yet understood; and at the same time, that India must learn organisation and science from the West, and that a religion which does not feed the hungry is worth nothing. Hence his formula that service to men is worship. It should be remembered that these are transcripts of speech, made to convince a particular audience.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
After his memorable propaganda in the West, Swami Vivekananda landed at Colombo on the afternoon of Januaiy 15th, 1897, and \\as gi\en a light icnal leception by the Hindu community there. The following address ot welcome was then presented 10 him : — To SRIMAT VIVEKANANDA SWAINII. Revered .Sir, In pursuance of a resolution passed at a public meeting of the Hindus of the city of Coloml)0, we beg to offer you a hearty welcome to this Island. Wc deem it a piivilegc to be tlie first to welcome you on >oui iciutn home from your great mission m the West. We haye watched with joy and thankfulness the success with which the mission' has, uiiderl God’s blessing, been crowned. You have proclaimed to the nations of Euiope and Amciica, the Hindu ideal of a univeisal religion, haimomsing all cieeds, pioliding spinlual food for each soul accoiding to us needs, and lovingly drawi