CHICAGO: Fifty Swamis including a dozen nuns of the Vivekananda Vedanta Society (VVS) and Ramakrishna Mission, coming from all over the world, were honored by the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (HTGC) on the evening of Friday, November 8 on behalf of the Diaspora of householders.
Bused in after a day of deliberations at the Vivekananda Monastery at Ganges, Mich., they came to the giant statue of their Founder – Swami Vivekanand – that they venerated and circumambulated before granting a brief audience to the awaiting devotees at the adjacent meditation center named after him.
The packed Sama Rathi auditorium within the main temple complex was then treated to the unprecedented sight, as the curtain was raised, of the seated monks arrayed across three tiers of the grand stage as cameras kept flashing furiously. Six representative speeches, by way of greetings, were followed by a cultural program and dinner.
The main program at the auditorium began with an invocation of Ganesh and Tulsidas bhajan on Lord Rama. Prayers offered by the temple priests were followed by welcome speeches from HTGC past President Bhima Reddy and current President Tilak Marwaha. Sanskrit prayers to Shri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Ganesha followed the lighting of the auspicious lamp.
Minister-in-Charge of VVS Chicago Swami Ishatmananda enumerated their far-away places of origin. Swami Tyagananda from Boston, who is chaplain at Harvard and MIT, emphasized the need for external festivities to be also celebrated internally if they were to be long-lived.
American convert Swami Atmajnananda from Washington DC recounted how, as a student of Western and Indian philosophy, he found what he was looking for when he picked up the Gita and then a small book for five rupees on The Teachings of Vivekananda. Staying with a family in Kolkata, he had walked barefoot in the scorching heat to Belur Math and was overwhelmed by the Dakshineshwar Kali temple and Shree Ramakrishna’s room.
Indian Swami Nirmalatmananda from Sao Paulo spoke of Argentina and especially Brazil. “People are looking for something more despite 500 years of Christianity and language barriers.” Vivekananda left a mold to develop one’s spiritual potential and translate it into service to humanity. He urged people to be strong; be rational and scientific and yet have sympathy for all forms of worship; learn to be calm and quiet inwardly even while engaged in intense external activity; and make spirituality a cheerful pursuit.
Indian Swami Baneshananda from Germany emphasized the principle of harmony through mutual acceptance, illustrated by the ancient Hindu custom of family altars exhibiting multiple deities and each member practicing the religion in his or her own way. General Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Swami Suhitanandaji was touched by the selflessness of all present: “the great man is he who sacrifices the most, and India’s death will be the death of world spirituality.” He cited Sister Nivedita’s statement that Hinduism was born with its defense by Vivekananda defense at the World Parliament of Religions.
Devotees who had accompanied the monks from faraway lands were invited to file before them across the stage and were appreciatively captured on photo to mark this historic occasion. They were followed by dedicated temple volunteers who had made this event possible.
Lakshmana Agadi made an unscheduled appearance to felicitate Bhima Reddy, the “Hanuman of the Temple,” who was conferred plaque on behalf of the monks and gave an emotional expression of gratitude for this unexpected honor. Amrish Mahajan, Chair the HTGC celebration committee, and other members posed for photos with the monks. The Mayor of Oakbrook Gopal Lalmalani and his wife also paid obeisance to the monks.
Chair of the HTGC Cultural Committee Usha Pariti then emceed classical dances presented by Natya Dance Theater (NDT) and Ananda Dance Theater (ADT). Asha Rowland (NDT) performed “Praise of the Goddess” (Devi Stuti) depicting her manifold expressions from the Lalita Sahasranamam.
Janaki Anandavalli Nair (ADT director), Elizabeth Nellamattathil, Leah Kunneth, and Divya Pariti, presented Baro Krishnayya in Kuchipudi style. Revati and Rohini Kalluri presented “Manifestations of Shiva” (NDT) in Bharata Natyam, followed by Dandayudhapaani Pillai’s Thillana in ragam Hindolam by the same ADT team. Sacred Waters musical ensemble from South Bend, Indiana, sang interactive American-style bhajans to conclude the program.
Housed in its open dome, the imposing statue of the Swami in his self-confident pose that greets all visitors to the Lemont temple is a gift of the Ramakrishna Mission. Originally intended to adorn that short stretch of Michigan Avenue before the Art Institute called “Swami Vivekananda Way,” it seals the bond between the Hindu Diaspora community and his still ongoing mission.
Asian Media USA
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