Swami Vivekananda was the chief disciple of 19th century mystic and yogi Ramakrishna Paramhansa who founded the Ramakrishna Math, a monastic order based on his guru’s teachings in Kolkata and a worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Mission based on the ancient Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. His birth anniversary is celebrated across India as National Youth Day, to honour one of the greatest philosophers and spiritual leaders and marks his ideas on how the young should participate in the modern world while upholding their values.
Vivekananda is credited with contributing to a revival of modern Hinduism and inspiring nationalist consciousness during colonial rule but he is best known for his famous 1893 speech where he introduced Hinduism to the Western world in Chicago. Swami Vivekananda died on July 4, 1902 but his writings and teachings had an impact on many of India’s nationalist leaders, who were fighting against the colonial rule and while Subhas Chandra Bose called Vivekananda “the maker of modern India”, Mahatma Gandhi said that after reading the works of Vivekananda, his love for his nation became a thousand-fold.
Date:
National Youth Day is observed in India every year on January 12 to honour the teachings and ideals of Swami Vivekananda who was born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata.
History and significance:
The decision to celebrate Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day was taken in 1984, and it was first marked on January 12, 1985. The government had then said that the philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked “could be a great source of inspiration” for the Indian youth.
Celebration:
{{/usCountry}}The decision to celebrate Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day was taken in 1984, and it was first marked on January 12, 1985. The government had then said that the philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked “could be a great source of inspiration” for the Indian youth.
Celebration:
{{/usCountry}}The day is marked all over India at schools and colleges with processions, speeches, music, youth conventions, seminars, Yogasanas, presentations, competitions in essay-writing, recitations and sports every year.
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