Chennai remembers 9/11 in a different way

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsFor most of us 9/11 reminds us of the Al-Qaeda attack on the US twin towers. But for the devotees of Swami Vivekananda it is an ‘awakening’ made by the latter, in the world, through his inspiring Chicago speech which began with ‘Brothers and Sisters of America!’. The speech which was delivered in Chicago shed a new light on Hinduism and drew several westerners to the philosophies of the east.In 1893, September 11, Swami Vivekananda delivered his speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions to 7,000 people. His speech received a standing ovation from the audience. What is the connection between the speech made in Chicago that has been celebrated in Chennai?“During his first visit to Chennai (Madras), as a monk, he stayed here for a year (1982-1983). Patrons collected funds and gave it to Swami Vivekananda so that he could attend the religious conference in Chicago” said, Swami Gautamananda, chief of Sri Ramakrishna Mutt, Chennai.The Mutt has launched a short 3D movie titled as ‘9/11 – Awakening’ which is also the first stereoscopic 3D movie in India. The movie is based on Swami Vivekananda’s historic Chicago address delivered on September 11, 1983. The movie was released in Vivekanandar Illam, as part of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda.In his presidential address Swami Gautamananda said, “After his successful visit to Chicago he came to Chennai in the year 1897 and stayed in the Ice House or Castle Kernan for nine days and delivered five lectures. In the year 1997, on the eve of centennial celebrations of Swami’s return to India, the Government of Tamil Nadu gave the building to us and renamed it as ‘Vivekanandar Illam’. Some of the buildings which were built in the memory of Vivekananda in Kolkata and Mumbai are destroyed. But we have the building in Chennai still because it has the blessings of eternity”.Dr Bhaskar Ramamurthy, Director, IIT Madras, who was the chief guest on the occasion, released the 3D movie. He said, “Our institute’s electrical engineering department scholars are now working with a problem of reconstructing the Narasimha Moorthy pillar in Hampi. They will calculate the damages and reconstruct accordingly. Similarly, the movie has been made with actual skin textures extracted from the photographs of Swami Vivekananda. The effort made by the mutt is commendable.”The 3D movie has been made using motion capture technology with an actor playing Vivekananda’s role since there are no physical references. The movie features the ship in which Vivekananda travelled to the West. The 15-minute long flick will be shown every day at its stereoscopic 3D movie theatre.first published:September 18, 2012, 07:50 ISTlast updated:September 18, 2012, 07:50 IST
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For most of us 9/11 reminds us of the Al-Qaeda attack on the US twin towers. But for the devotees of Swami Vivekananda it is an ‘awakening’ made by the latter, in the world, through his inspiring Chicago speech which began with ‘Brothers and Sisters of America!’. The speech which was delivered in Chicago shed a new light on Hinduism and drew several westerners to the philosophies of the east.

In 1893, September 11, Swami Vivekananda delivered his speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions to 7,000 people. His speech received a standing ovation from the audience. What is the connection between the speech made in Chicago that has been celebrated in Chennai?

“During his first visit to Chennai (Madras), as a monk, he stayed here for a year (1982-1983). Patrons collected funds and gave it to Swami Vivekananda so that he could attend the religious conference in Chicago” said, Swami Gautamananda, chief of Sri Ramakrishna Mutt, Chennai.

The Mutt has launched a short 3D movie titled as ‘9/11 – Awakening’ which is also the first stereoscopic 3D movie in India. The movie is based on Swami Vivekananda’s historic Chicago address delivered on September 11, 1983. The movie was released in Vivekanandar Illam, as part of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda.

In his presidential address Swami Gautamananda said, “After his successful visit to Chicago he came to Chennai in the year 1897 and stayed in the Ice House or Castle Kernan for nine days and delivered five lectures. In the year 1997, on the eve of centennial celebrations of Swami’s return to India, the Government of Tamil Nadu gave the building to us and renamed it as ‘Vivekanandar Illam’. Some of the buildings which were built in the memory of Vivekananda in Kolkata and Mumbai are destroyed. But we have the building in Chennai still because it has the blessings of eternity”.

Dr Bhaskar Ramamurthy, Director, IIT Madras, who was the chief guest on the occasion, released the 3D movie. He said, “Our institute’s electrical engineering department scholars are now working with a problem of reconstructing the Narasimha Moorthy pillar in Hampi. They will calculate the damages and reconstruct accordingly. Similarly, the movie has been made with actual skin textures extracted from the photographs of Swami Vivekananda. The effort made by the mutt is commendable.”

The 3D movie has been made using motion capture technology with an actor playing Vivekananda’s role since there are no physical references. The movie features the ship in which Vivekananda travelled to the West. The 15-minute long flick will be shown every day at its stereoscopic 3D movie theatre.