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Vivekananda House.vivekanandahouse.org/ |
Vivekananda House on the Kamarajar Salai is an important land mark on the Marina beach area of Chennai. In the days before 1963, it was referred to as the Ice House. This three story building has an impressive architecture and is steeped in history. This place has a small exhibition on Vivekananda’s life and Hindu Tradition.
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| Vivekananda statue, Marina Beach, Chennai. in.geoview.info/ |
Swami Vivekananda, upon his successful return from the Western tour, stayed in this building in the third week of March 1897 as Mr. Iyengar happened to be his disciple. He was taken in a grand procession, befitting his stature from the station to the Ice House. During his sojourn in Madras, Vivekananda mesmerized the Madras audience through his thought-provoking and spell-binding animated speeches. Upon Swamiji's request, Iyengar made up his mind to set up a permanent center at the Ice House. A small shrine dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna was established in the basement with help from Mr. Iyengar. Thus, very first branch of Ramakrishna Mutt had a humble beginning right here. Notable visitors to the Mutt were sister Nivedita (Irish disciple of Vivekananda) in 1902 and British disciples Charlottee Elizabeth Sevier and Captain John Henry Sevier during Swamiji's stay here (1897).The mission activities continued unabated till 1906.
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| Vivekananda House. www.flickr.com |
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| Vivekananda, et al , Vivekananda house. en.wikipedia.org |
Later Ramakrishna Math (Monastery) moved over to the current location in Mylapore, Chennai. Subsequently, this building was bought by a zamindar from Waltair (Visakapatnam), Andhra. After it became the property of the Government of Madras in 1914, the building was used to function as the hostel and training school for the child widow's home headed by Sister R. S. Subbalakshmi, a social reformer and educationist. Later between 1941 and 1993 it became a school teachers' hostel and teacher trainee hostel.
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| Vivekananda House, Chennai. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai |
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivekanandar_Illam
http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/01/02/stories/2003010200820300.html