Triumphant return home

Vivekananda and his group of disciples reached Colombo on 15th January, 1897. The news of his return reached India: people everywhere were eager and a fire with enthusiasm to receive him. It was united India that rose to do him honour, for here was one who had elevated the, morale of the nation at the same time raising its prestige in the Western world. In every city, big or small, committees were formed to give him a fitting reception. As Romain Rolland says, the Swami replied to the frenzied expectancy of the people by his message to India, a conch sounding the resurrection of the land of Rama, Siva and Krishna and calling the heroic spirit, the immortal Atman to rise again and forge ahead. He was a General explaining his “Plan of Campaign “and calling his people to rise spiritually en masse, “My India, arise. Where is your vital force? Seek out your immortal soul.”

At Madras, he delivered five public lectures, each of which was a clarion call to throw away weakness and superstition and rise to build a new India. He emphasized that in India the keynote of the whole music of national life was religion, a religion which preached the “Spiritual oneness of the whole universe.” When that was strengthened, everything else would take care of itself. He did not spare his criticism however; castigating his countrymen for aping the West, for their blind adherence to old superstitions and their caste prejudices and so on.

Vivekananda arrived in Calcutta on 20th February. His native city gave him a grand welcome, and here he paid a touching tribute to his Master. “If there has been anything achieved by me, by thoughts or words or deeds, if from my lips has ever fallen one word that has helped anyone in the world, I lay no claim for it. It was His. If this nation wants to rise, take my word for it, it will have to rally round His name.”