New Delhi: It was the first global seminar on religion. The 'Parliament of World's Religions' in 1893 was a remarkable event not just for the number and variety of faiths represented for the first time, at one place. While it was known to be the event in which Swami Vivekananda shined, it also saw theologians from Islam, Bahai, Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Brahmo Samaj and several other faiths come together and lay the foundation for an inter-faith exchange of ideas.
The conference that was happening in Chicago was also the place where Swami Vivekananda, representing the Hindu religion, made his famous speech of 1893.
Clippings from newspaper reports covering the event are a somber reminder of what the world's religious leaders discussed gathered at one place.
One of paper cutouts refers to a lawyer from Muzaffargarh in India, called Jinda Ram.
One of these clippings write about a message of hope from one 'Miss Sorajbee from Bombay'. A message from a woman praying for a better future for all women in India and America.
'Miss Sorajbee' had said, “The Christian women from my land... give the women of America our love... tell the women of America that we're fast being educated. We shall one day be able to stand by them and converse with them and be able to delight in all they delight in."
One of the clippings about Ms Sorabjee's message from India.
Another 'Mr Nagarkar from Bombay', wrote hoping for a possibility of harmony between the East and the West, "a wedding between the Orient and the Occident."
A clipping about Mr Nagarkar's message on harmony.
H Dharmapala from India, a representative of Buddhism, wished for peace among the various faiths. "Go to Japan and what do you see? The noblest lesson of tolerance and gentleness. Go to Brahma and what do you see? The lesson of tolerance and mildness... the twentieth century will see the pages open up upon a new era of gentleness and kindness."
H Dharmapala's peace message in one of the cutouts.
And there was also, of course, the famous speech made by our very own Swami Vivekananda. This is how one of the newspapers reported it:
'The bell that tolled this morning in honour of the representatives of the different religions of the earth, in this parliament assembled, is the death-knell to all fanaticism [applause], that it is the death-knell to all persecution with the sword or the pen, and to all uncharitable feelings between brethren wending their way to the same goal, but through different ways. [Applause].'
A newspaper mention of Swami Vivekananda's speech at the Chicago conference.
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