SSC
In 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his famous address ('Sisters and Brothers of America') at the World's Parliament of Religions held in:
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Answer: Option B — Chicago (USA)
Detailed Solution
In September 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his famous address at the World's Parliament of Religions held in Chicago, in the United States.
About the World's Parliament of Religions:
- It was held from 11 to 27 September 1893, as part of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
- It was the first formal gathering of representatives of the major religions of the East and the West.
Vivekananda's speech:
- On 11 September 1893, Vivekananda began his speech with the words "Sisters and Brothers of America", which received a standing ovation from the audience of about 7,000 people.
- He spoke about the universal message of Hinduism and Vedanta, and about religious tolerance and acceptance.
- He said that he was proud to belong to a religion that had taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance.
- He quoted the Gita and other scriptures to show that all religions lead to the same truth.
- He condemned sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism.
- He gave several more speeches during the Parliament.
Impact:
- Vivekananda became famous in America and Europe overnight; newspapers called him "the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions".
- He toured the United States and England for several years, lecturing on Vedanta and Indian philosophy.
- He founded the Vedanta Society of New York (1894).
- His success gave Indians a new sense of pride and confidence in their culture and religion.
Commemoration:
- 11 September is sometimes called "World Brotherhood Day" in his memory.
- A street in Chicago has been named "Swami Vivekananda Way".
How he reached Chicago:
His journey was supported by the Raja of Khetri and his disciples in Madras.
Why not the other options?
- ✗New York, London and Paris were places he visited later, but the Parliament was held in Chicago.
Quick tip
Remember: World's Parliament of Religions = Chicago, 11 September 1893 (Vivekananda: "Sisters and Brothers of America"); Vedanta Society of New York (1894).
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Socio-Religious Reform Movements — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Socio-Religious Reform Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
In the 19th century, reformers worked to remove social evils and revive Indian society. This topic covers organisations such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society, Satyashodhak Samaj and the Aligarh Movement, along with their founders and the social reforms they achieved. Questions usually ask who founded an organisation and when, or which reformer is linked to a reform. For example, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj and campaigned against sati, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed widow remarriage, and Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. A table of organisation, founder, year and place covers most questions. Practise the socio-religious reform movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.