Know about Vivekananda at RK Ashram museum

Long before 9/11 became associated with the terror attack on the World Trade Centre at New York, the date marked an epoch making speech by Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Nivedita Khandekar reports.

Long before 9/11 became associated with the terror attack on the World Trade Centre at New York, the date marked an epoch making speech by Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

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It was Professor William Hastie, principal of General Assembly's Institute (now called Scottish Church College in Kolkata), who directed his bright student Narendra Dutta -- Swami Vivekananda's original name -- to his guru Ramakrishna Paramhansa?

If you want to know more about Swami Vivekananda (January 1863 - July 1902), a free world-class exhibition on his life and teachings awaits you at the museum inside Ramakrishna Ashram, near RK Ashram metro station.

Titled 'Swami Vivekananda: A Prophet of Harmony', the Dalai Lama had inaugurated the exhibition on September 11, 2012, to mark Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary.

Nipa Sengupta had brought in her son Abhilash, who liked the electronic flip-story book. "I found the stories narrated by Swami Vivekananda very interesting. I will tell my friends about it," said the class six student of Mother's International School.

The electronic flipbook is just one example. The exhibition using graphic panels, multi-touch digital displays, dioramas, paintings, interactive computer programmes was put up by the National Council of Science Museum, based on inputs provided by the RK Ashram.

The highlight is a 15.02 minute 3D film, '9/11: The Awakening' showing Swami Vivekananda's historic speech at the Parliament of Religions. "The 3D film is a result of 1 lakh machine hours and 75,000 man hours," said Swami Shantatmananda.