RAS question
Swami Vivekananda attended the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in:
Correct answer: (D) 1893.
Swami Vivekananda attended the Parliament of Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893.
Explanation
The correct year is 1893. Swami Vivekananda delivered his famous address at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893. He opened with "Sisters and Brothers of America," drawing global attention to Hinduism and Indian philosophy. The year 1897 can be confusing because that was when Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission, but it was not the year of his participation in the Chicago parliament. The key association is therefore Vivekananda, the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, and 1893.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 1900 is too late because Vivekananda delivered his address at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893.
- (B) 1897 is the year linked here to Vivekananda founding the Ramakrishna Mission, not to his participation in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
- (C) 1885 is associated with the founding of the Indian National Congress, while Vivekananda delivered his Chicago address in 1893.
Concept
In Modern Indian History, Vivekananda's Chicago address belongs to the theme of socio-religious reform and India's cultural self-presentation in the late nineteenth century. It recurs in RAS because Vivekananda's Chicago address is a high-yield date tied to Hinduism, Indian philosophy, and reform-era public life.