Swami Vivekanand's speech, 131 years ago, inspired PM Modi to embark on journey of self-discovery

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) As the nation celebrates the Digvijay Diwas, honouring the legacy of Swami Vivekanand and commemorating his historic speech in Chicago, here is a throwback on how his historic address, 131 years ago, inspired Narendra Modi to embark on a journey of self-discovery to the Himalayas.

It was on September 11, 1893, that Swami Vivekanand delivered his timeless speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago.

His words not only introduced the world to India’s rich spiritual heritage but also inspired countless individuals in future generations, one of whom was a 17-year-old young boy – Narendra Modi.

Modi Archive, a popular X handle narrating the life journey of the Prime Minister via its archives shared an old photo of Narendra Modi on Wednesday and informed about what impact Swami Vivekanand’s speech had on his young, impressionable mind.

Narendra Modi was so inspired by Swami Vivekanand’s teachings at such a young age that he left his abode in Vadnagar for the Himalayas, on a journey of self-discovery.

The popular X handle also shared a photo of Narendra Modi, from a wedding ceremony in his village, just a day before leaving for the Himalayas.

It also informs that the young Narendra Modi got to know and understand Swami Vivekanand’s works from Dr Vasantbhai Parikh, a local native of his village.

It was 131 years ago that Swami Vivekanand delivered his memorable speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago and left the world stunned with knowledge of ancient Hindu scriptures and a visionary outlook.

To date, the speech is remembered by every Indian as path-breaking and also a landmark moment in the history of inter-faith dialogue as it introduced Indian spirituality and the Vedas to the Western world.

PM Modi has time and again spoken about the impact of Swami Vivekanand’s teachings on his life and has often reflected in his years of public service.

This year, after concluding the whirlwind tour of the country for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi spent two days meditating on the rocks at Swami Vivekanand memorial in Kanyakumari.

The memorial was named after Swami Vivekananda as he sat there to meditate after his India tour. It was here in Kanyakumari that Swami Vivekanand is understood to have got the vision of modern India.