Chicago Tribune

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Swami Vivekananda last visited the United States more than a hundred years ago, but he made a lasting impression.

A crowd of about 2,000 turned out at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago in Lemont Sunday to watch as an orange cloth was lifted, revealing a 10-foot-high bronze statue sculpted in the Hindu monk's likeness.

The one-ton statue, the only such statue in the United States, commemorates Vivekananda's spiritual significance.

Vivekananda is credited with introducing Hinduism and Yoga to the United States in 1893 when he traveled from Calcutta to Chicago, where he spoke at the World's Parliament of Religions.

Vivekananda "was an ambassador for Hinduism. He exposed Hinduism to the West and preached harmony among religions," said Venugopalacharlu Tharimala of Chicago.

"He electrified the crowd and became a sudden celebrity," Frank Parlato added to describe Vivekananda's impact during his Chicago visit. Parlato of Chicago is writing a book about Vivekananda, who wore a long coat and golden turban.

Sunday's ceremony near downtown Lemont, which included devotional songs, was attended by representatives of various religions, including the Roman Catholic, Jewish and Protestant faiths.

Meandering through the crowd, Rajinder Bedi, a correspondent for Indian Reporter and World News, an Indian newspaper, said he would file a report about the unveiling. Although he is a Sikh, not a Hindu, Bedi said Vivekananda preached a message of peace for all people, particularly those divided by clashing religions.

"I think anyone who has promoted religious harmony in this world is
significant," he said. "I want my own religion to be protected from
people's attacks."

Vivekananda also preached that all people have a divine spark that can be nurtured through meditation and study.

Carrying his 2-year-old daughter, Radhika, Yogesh Sharma of Buffalo Grove said he wants his child to learn Vivekananda's positive teachings.

"I want her to get interested in his philosophy, which is so important for today's humanity," he said.

"He embraced all religions, he allowed for the equality of all. There are so many paths to God," added Carol Ballard of Oak Park.

Ballard and others perched on a grassy hillside or sat under a tent to watch the unveiling.

"He was a bridge between East and West," she said.

GRAPHIC: PHOTOS 2PHOTO: The statue of Swami Vivekananda is unveiled Sunday at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago in Lemont. Hundreds representing many religions turned out to the spiritual ceremony. Tribune photo by Phil Velasquez.; PHOTO: Kum Kum Roychowdhury of Calcutta shields her face from
the sun as she waits to see the Vivekananda statue. Tribune photo by Phil Velasquez. (Southwest Sports Final edition, Metro Southwest section, Page 1.)