Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue, two iconic monuments off the coast of Kanyakumari, the southernmost district in mainland India, are now connected by an architectural marvel - the country's first glass bridge at sea. Built at a cost of approx USD 4.3 million (Rs 37 crore), the bridge was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
The 77-metre-long, 10-metre-wide walkway is meant to help visitors walk from one monument to another, without availing of the boat service, which was the only option thus far connecting the at-sea monuments. Henceforth, visitors have to only avail the boat ride from the mainland to one of the monuments&nbsp;and the return ride to the mainland.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5csfwqu-zf40x92y-rrigj29o">
அய்யன் வள்ளுவர் சிலையை விவேகானந்தர் பாறையுடன் இணைக்கக் கடல் நடுவே அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள கண்ணாடி இழைப் பாலம் திறப்பு, பல்வேறு வகைகளிலும் குறள்நெறி பரப்பும் தகைமையாளர்களுக்குச் சிறப்பு, அறிவார்ந்தோரின் கருத்துச் செறிவுமிக்க பேச்சில் வள்ளுவத்தின் பயன் குறித்த பட்டிமன்றம் - என &ldquo;வள்ளுவம்&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/EmATLQhPLh">pic.twitter.com/EmATLQhPLh</a>
&mdash; M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkstalin/status/1873766608264437991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
The bridge was inaugurated on Monday (Dec 30), aligning with the silver jubilee of the unveiling of the 133-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar statue by the late chief minister M Karunanidhi.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/violation-of-silent-period-tamil-nadu-congress-reaches-court-against-pm-modis-kanyakumari-visit-727484" rel="dofollow">Also read: 'Violation of silent period,' Tamil Nadu Congress moves court against PM Modi's Kanyakumari visit</a>
The newly inaugurated bridge is sure to offer a unique experience to visitors who can enjoy the feel of walking over the seawater and rocks, while also enjoying the breathtaking views of the area. Kanyakumari is also known as "The Land's End" as it is the southernmost point of the Indian mainland.&nbsp;
Tourists flock to the district to catch a glimpse of the sunsets and sunrises at the tip of the Indian peninsula, which is the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea.&nbsp;
Designed like a bowstring arch, the glass fibre bridge is said to be as durable as it is visually appealing. It is reportedly built to endure the region's harsh marine environment and is&nbsp;capable of resisting the corrosive effects of salty sea air and the potential impact of exposure to high humidity.
Poet-philosopher <a href="Thiruvalluvar" rel="dofollow">Thiruvalluvar</a>, who is believed to have lived more than two millennia ago, penned 1,330 Tamil couplets known as Thirukkural, which is a world-renowned literary work on morality. Thirukkural remains the most translated and the most cited among Tamil literary works. The couplets are considered a masterpiece and the text is one of the most important texts in Tamil literature.
Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian guru Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. He is credited with raising interfaith awareness and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion in the late nineteenth century.&nbsp;
In 1893, he travelled to the United States, where he participated in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. There he delivered a famous speech beginning with the words: "Sisters and brothers of America..." introducing the ancient Hindu religious tradition to Americans and speaking about the essential unity of all spiritual paths.

India news: The walkway is meant to help visitors walk from one monument to another without availing of the boat service, which was the only option thus far.

Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue, two iconic monuments off the coast of Kanyakumari, the southernmost district in mainland India, are now connected by an architectural marvel - the country's first glass bridge at sea. Built at a cost of approx USD 4.3 million (Rs 37 crore), the bridge was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. The 77-metre-long, 10-metre-wide walkway is meant to help visitors walk from one monument to another, without availing of the boat service, which was the only option thus far connecting the at-sea monuments. Henceforth, visitors have to only avail the boat ride from the mainland to one of the monuments and the return ride to the mainland. அய்யன் வள்ளுவர் சிலையை விவேகானந்தர் பாறையுடன் இணைக்கக் கடல் நடுவே அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள கண்ணாடி இழைப் பாலம் திறப்பு, பல்வேறு வகைகளிலும் குறள்நெறி பரப்பும் தகைமையாளர்களுக்குச் சிறப்பு, அறிவார்ந்தோரின் கருத்துச் செறிவுமிக்க பேச்சில் வள்ளுவத்தின் பயன் குறித்த பட்டிமன்றம் - என “வள்ளுவம்… pic.twitter.com/EmATLQhPLh — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 30, 2024 The bridge was inaugurated on Monday (Dec 30), aligning with the silver jubilee of the unveiling of the 133-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar statue by the late chief minister M Karunanidhi. Also read: 'Violation of silent period,' Tamil Nadu Congress moves court against PM Modi's Kanyakumari visit The newly inaugurated bridge is sure to offer a unique experience to visitors who can enjoy the feel of walking over the seawater and rocks, while also enjoying the breathtaking views of the area. Kanyakumari is also known as "The Land's End" as it is the southernmost point of the Indian mainland. Tourists flock to the district to catch a glimpse of the sunsets and sunrises at the tip of the Indian peninsula, which is the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea. Designed like a bowstring arch, the glass fibre bridge is said to be as durable as it is visually appealing. It is reportedly built to endure the region's harsh marine environment and is capable of resisting the corrosive effects of salty sea air and the potential impact of exposure to high humidity. Poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar, who is believed to have lived more than two millennia ago, penned 1,330 Tamil couplets known as Thirukkural, which is a world-renowned literary work on morality. Thirukkural remains the most translated and the most cited among Tamil literary works. The couplets are considered a masterpiece and the text is one of the most important texts in Tamil literature. Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian guru Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. He is credited with raising interfaith awareness and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion in the late nineteenth century. In 1893, he travelled to the United States, where he participated in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago. There he delivered a famous speech beginning with the words: "Sisters and brothers of America..." introducing the ancient Hindu religious tradition to Americans and speaking about the essential unity of all spiritual paths.

India's first glass bridge at sea links two iconic monuments

India is celebrating National Youth Day. The day marks the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. He was a thought leader, spiritual guru and social reformer. He took India to the world. Palki Sharma brings you the story of Swami Vivekananda.

Gravitas: The story of Swami Vivekananda

Since 1893, Vivekananda's Chicago address has inspired human beings to rise above sectarianism.

Swami Vivekananda's life is a lesson against intolerance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Thursday, via video conferencing.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote: "At 6:30 this evening, will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the JNU campus and share my thoughts on the occasion. The programme will be held via video conferencing. I look forward to the programme this evening."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
At 6:30 this evening, will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the JNU campus and share my thoughts on the occasion. The programme will be held via video conferencing. I look forward to the programme this evening.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1326735652554231808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

A statement released by the University earlier read that Prime Minister Modi will through video conferencing unveil the life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda installed on the University campus on November 12, at 6:30 pm.

The unveiling of the statue will be preceded by a programme on Swami Vivekananda from 5:30 pm onwards.

"Swami Vivekananda is one of the most beloved intellectuals and spiritual leaders India has been fortunate to produce. He enthused the youth with his message of freedom, development, harmony and peace in India. He inspired citizens to take pride in Indian civilisation, culture and its industrious spirit," the JNU Vice-Chancellor said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Thursday, via video conferencing. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote: "At 6:30 this evening, will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the JNU campus and share my thoughts on the occasion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Thursday, via video conferencing. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote: "At 6:30 this evening, will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the JNU campus and share my thoughts on the occasion. The programme will be held via video conferencing. I look forward to the programme this evening." At 6:30 this evening, will unveil a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the JNU campus and share my thoughts on the occasion. The programme will be held via video conferencing. I look forward to the programme this evening. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 12, 2020 × A statement released by the University earlier read that Prime Minister Modi will through video conferencing unveil the life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda installed on the University campus on November 12, at 6:30 pm. The unveiling of the statue will be preceded by a programme on Swami Vivekananda from 5:30 pm onwards. "Swami Vivekananda is one of the most beloved intellectuals and spiritual leaders India has been fortunate to produce. He enthused the youth with his message of freedom, development, harmony and peace in India. He inspired citizens to take pride in Indian civilisation, culture and its industrious spirit," the JNU Vice-Chancellor said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Swami Vivekananda at JNU: PM Narendra Modi to unveil life-size statue via video conferencing

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Kolkata, Modi addressed the youth on the occasion of National Youth Day. The Prime Minister in his speech said that coming to the Belur Math in the city was not less than a pilgrimage for him. He also expressed gratitude to the Math president and the West Bengal government for allowing his stay here. #WION #PMModi #CAA

PM Modi: CAA is not to revoke anyone's citizenship, but to give

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-embark-on-two-day-kolkata-visit-today-273520">Narendra Modi</a> will inaugurate the sesquicentenary celebrations of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mamata-banerjee-meets-prime-minister-narendra-modi-273648">Kolkata</a> Port Trust on Sunday at 11 am.

On the second day of his visit, he will also unveil a plaque of 150 years of commemorative installation at the site of original Port Jetties.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the upgraded Ship Repair Facility of Cochin Kolkata Ship Repair Unit at Netaji Subhas Dry Dock and the Full Rake Handling Facility while dedicating the upgraded Railway Infrastructure of Kolkata Dock System of KoPT for smooth cargo movement and improving turnaround time.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister offered tributes to the Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary and Swami Ramakrishna Paramhamsa at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-interacts-with-saints-seers-at-belur-math-in-west-bengal-273667">Belur Math</a> in Howrah, which is the headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

He also met saints and seers and participated in the prayer. He has earlier interacted with them at the Math after reaching here on Saturday evening.

The Prime Minister on Saturday inaugurated dynamic lighting on the iconic Rabindra Setu in Kolkata.

Narendra Modi will inaugurate the sesquicentenary celebrations of the Kolkata Port Trust on Sunday at 11 am. On the second day of his visit, he will also unveil a plaque of 150 years of commemorative installation at the site of original Port Jetties.

Narendra Modi will inaugurate the sesquicentenary celebrations of the Kolkata Port Trust on Sunday at 11 am. On the second day of his visit, he will also unveil a plaque of 150 years of commemorative installation at the site of original Port Jetties. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the upgraded Ship Repair Facility of Cochin Kolkata Ship Repair Unit at Netaji Subhas Dry Dock and the Full Rake Handling Facility while dedicating the upgraded Railway Infrastructure of Kolkata Dock System of KoPT for smooth cargo movement and improving turnaround time. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister offered tributes to the Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary and Swami Ramakrishna Paramhamsa at Belur Math in Howrah, which is the headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. He also met saints and seers and participated in the prayer. He has earlier interacted with them at the Math after reaching here on Saturday evening. The Prime Minister on Saturday inaugurated dynamic lighting on the iconic Rabindra Setu in Kolkata.

Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate Kolkata Port Trust's 150th-anniversary event today

Statue of Swami Vivekananda in India's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was found vandalised on Thursday. Watch this video to know more.

WION Dispatch: Swami Vivekananda statue at JNU vandalised

Since 1985, Government of India has been celebrating Swami Vivekananda&#39;s birthday which falls on January 12 as the National Youth Day.&nbsp;

Prime Ministers of India across party lines, from Manmohan Singh to Narendra Modi recently, have commented upon the energy that Vivekananda personified. He was the youth icon, both while he was alive and more so after his death. In Vivekananda&#39;s fiery speeches, the revolutionary youths of India found the self-esteem which the brutality of the colonial regime left completely mauled.&nbsp;

The &quot;indomitable energy&quot; of Indian youth as Prime Minister Modi pointed out in his tweet or the &quot;eternal energy&quot; that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referred to while inaugurating the 150th birth anniversary of Vivekananda in 2013 are actually very much the traits of the &quot;cyclone monk&quot; as he came to be called after his Chicago speech in 1893.&nbsp;

Vivekananda himself was pretty much aware of the appeal he held for the youth of his country. Very much distressed by the contemporary state of India, Vivekananda constantly harped on the spiritual and physical degradation of his countrymen. His staunch belief was India&#39;s political subjugation was the result of degeneration on these fronts.&nbsp;

Vivekananda would, therefore, constantly, urge his &quot;countrymen&quot; to be &quot;strong&quot;; &quot;weakness&quot; was an anathema to him. He even went to the extent of commenting that a person will be &quot;nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita.&quot; He played football himself.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I bow to Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti. Today, on National Youth Day I salute the indomitable energy and enthusiasm of our youngsters, who are the builders of New India. <a href="https://t.co/1aXEqvVRgY">pic.twitter.com/1aXEqvVRgY</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/951638227072536577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Vivekananda believed that there is &quot;salvation only for the brave&quot; and equated &quot;weakness to death&quot;.&nbsp;

Seventy-odd years have passed since the British left India, however, the task of building a &quot;New India&quot; is not yet done. It never will be because nation-building is an ongoing process. The political leadership sees the youth of India as playing a crucial role in this process.&nbsp;

But what kind of character should our youth have? In determining that, Vivekananda&#39;s words and messages are considered crucial.&nbsp;

But the question that refuses to leave my mind is why would a nation-state take so much interest in a monk. As a &quot;sanyasi&quot;, Vivekananda has to be a renouncer; his connection with all forms of earthly power has to be remote. But, yet, here we have the highest votaries of state power celebrating the life of a man who, ideally, should have nothing to do with the State but with humanity in general.

Vivekananda, despite, being a sannyasi was never remote from political power. He stayed with major Hindu kings of India as he was traveling the country, often influencing them and preaching them about his ideas of Hinduism.&nbsp;

Vivekananda was a nationalist, and his was cultural nationalism which was deeply moored in the ethos of Hinduism. But not the regressive, superstitious Hinduism that came to be the object of western ridicule but more of a reformed Hinduism that was anchored in Ramakrishna&#39;s Paramhansa&#39;s principles.&nbsp;

Much of what Vivekananda said can well be accommodated within the ideological folds of a modern nation-state. Vivekananda is religious without being communal; he plead for the poor without accusing the rich; he was a sannyasi without being a recluse.&nbsp;

More than anything else, it is the amazing contradictions of Vivekananda which make him so valuable for the votaries of modern India. It gives them the opportunity to pick and choose from the corpus of Swamiji&#39;s work to suit our national needs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Much of what Vivekananda said can well be accommodated within the ideological folds of a modern nation-state. Vivekananda is religious without being communal; he pleaded for the poor without accusing the rich; he was a sannyasi without being a recluse.

Since 1985, Government of India has been celebrating Swami Vivekananda's birthday which falls on January 12 as the National Youth Day. Prime Ministers of India across party lines, from Manmohan Singh to Narendra Modi recently, have commented upon the energy that Vivekananda personified. He was the youth icon, both while he was alive and more so after his death. In Vivekananda's fiery speeches, the revolutionary youths of India found the self-esteem which the brutality of the colonial regime left completely mauled. The "indomitable energy" of Indian youth as Prime Minister Modi pointed out in his tweet or the "eternal energy" that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh referred to while inaugurating the 150th birth anniversary of Vivekananda in 2013 are actually very much the traits of the "cyclone monk" as he came to be called after his Chicago speech in 1893. Vivekananda himself was pretty much aware of the appeal he held for the youth of his country. Very much distressed by the contemporary state of India, Vivekananda constantly harped on the spiritual and physical degradation of his countrymen. His staunch belief was India's political subjugation was the result of degeneration on these fronts. Vivekananda would, therefore, constantly, urge his "countrymen" to be "strong"; "weakness" was an anathema to him. He even went to the extent of commenting that a person will be "nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of the Gita." He played football himself. I bow to Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti. Today, on National Youth Day I salute the indomitable energy and enthusiasm of our youngsters, who are the builders of New India. pic.twitter.com/1aXEqvVRgY — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 12, 2018 × Vivekananda believed that there is "salvation only for the brave" and equated "weakness to death". Seventy-odd years have passed since the British left India, however, the task of building a "New India" is not yet done. It never will be because nation-building is an ongoing process. The political leadership sees the youth of India as playing a crucial role in this process. But what kind of character should our youth have? In determining that, Vivekananda's words and messages are considered crucial. But the question that refuses to leave my mind is why would a nation-state take so much interest in a monk. As a "sanyasi", Vivekananda has to be a renouncer; his connection with all forms of earthly power has to be remote. But, yet, here we have the highest votaries of state power celebrating the life of a man who, ideally, should have nothing to do with the State but with humanity in general. Vivekananda, despite, being a sannyasi was never remote from political power. He stayed with major Hindu kings of India as he was traveling the country, often influencing them and preaching them about his ideas of Hinduism. Vivekananda was a nationalist, and his was cultural nationalism which was deeply moored in the ethos of Hinduism. But not the regressive, superstitious Hinduism that came to be the object of western ridicule but more of a reformed Hinduism that was anchored in Ramakrishna's Paramhansa's principles. Much of what Vivekananda said can well be accommodated within the ideological folds of a modern nation-state. Vivekananda is religious without being communal; he plead for the poor without accusing the rich; he was a sannyasi without being a recluse. More than anything else, it is the amazing contradictions of Vivekananda which make him so valuable for the votaries of modern India. It gives them the opportunity to pick and choose from the corpus of Swamiji's work to suit our national needs. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Why Swami Vivekananda is significant for the Indian state

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 22nd National Youth Festival&nbsp;through video conference today.

The festival will commence on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and will go on from 12 January until 16 January.

The festival, organised by Ministry of Youth Affairs &amp; Sports, the government of India in collaboration with the state government of Uttar Pradesh will be held at Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida.&nbsp;

The theme of this year&#39;s festival is &#39;Sankalp Se Siddhi&#39;, set with the aim to capitalise on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the Goal of New India.

The function will see the participation of around 5,000 students, including volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, from across the country.&nbsp;

It will be co-presided by &nbsp;Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Minister for State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore.

The aim of the festival is to give a platform to the young generation for opportunities to showcase their talent.&nbsp;

The festival also provides opportunities for the youngsters to interact with each other, talk about their social and cultural uniqueness. This blend of diverse socio-cultural milieu creates &#39;Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat&#39;.

The first ever NYF was held in Bhopal in 1995. This is the first time that the NYF is being organised in National Capital Region.

The venue of the NYF was changed nine days back from Jaipur to NCR due to the forthcoming bypolls in Alwar and Ajmer on January 29 for two Lok Sabha seats that fell vacant due to the untimely death of their representatives.

The theme of this year's festival is 'Sankalp Se Siddhi', to capitalise on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the Goal of New India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 22nd National Youth Festival through video conference today. The festival will commence on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and will go on from 12 January until 16 January. The festival, organised by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the government of India in collaboration with the state government of Uttar Pradesh will be held at Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida. The theme of this year's festival is 'Sankalp Se Siddhi', set with the aim to capitalise on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the Goal of New India. The function will see the participation of around 5,000 students, including volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, from across the country. It will be co-presided by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union Minister for State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore. The aim of the festival is to give a platform to the young generation for opportunities to showcase their talent. The festival also provides opportunities for the youngsters to interact with each other, talk about their social and cultural uniqueness. This blend of diverse socio-cultural milieu creates 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat'. The first ever NYF was held in Bhopal in 1995. This is the first time that the NYF is being organised in National Capital Region. The venue of the NYF was changed nine days back from Jaipur to NCR due to the forthcoming bypolls in Alwar and Ajmer on January 29 for two Lok Sabha seats that fell vacant due to the untimely death of their representatives.

PM Modi to inaugurate National Youth Festival on Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary

When Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, the pioneer social reformer from Bengal, was opening up the Bethune School for girls in Kolkata, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was pioneering another revolution on the west coast of India. Born into a Dalit family and a firm believer in the cause for women&#39;s education, Phule opened up the first school for untouchable girls in his hometown of Pune.

In many ways, Phule&#39;s struggle surpassed that of Vidyasagar. While the latter, famous for his role in opening up educational opportunities for women and in picking up the cudgel to legalise widow remarriage, depended mainly on educated high-caste Bengali families to send their girls to his schools, Phule concentrated on uplifting the most marginal members of the Indian society.&nbsp;

Moreover, while Vidyasagar because of his government job as the school inspector was very close to the colonial bureaucracy, Phule had none to back up his cause. Shunned by the upper castes of the Hindu society for his daring effort, isolated by his own family members who feared reprisal, Phule traveled the treacherous road assisted only by his wife Savitri Phule. Incidentally, Phule married an illiterate Savitri, as was usual during the age, but taught the young girl himself. Even here Phule&#39;s life stands in contrast to that of Vidyasagar who kept his wife uneducated because his mother was against it. &nbsp;

Phule is remembered, along with BR Ambedkar, for the extraordinary role they played in the upliftment of Dalits. But this homogenising narrative of Dalit upliftment often obscures the exceptional role he played in making gender equality an integral component of the larger empowerment discourse.&nbsp;

Such deep-seated was Phule&#39;s conviction about the need for education as a tool for upliftment that the 3 guidelines of the Satyasodhak Samaj, which he founded in 1873, contained the precepts: &#39;I shall educate my sons and daughters.&#39;

It is through educating the women, Phule thought, that he will be able to undermine Brahmanical culture system most effectively. The Hindu higher castes, particularly, the Brahmins were most singularly opposed to educating their girls. Uneducated and disempowered, the girls unwittingly served the patriarchal values of the Hindu society.

Deeply influenced by Thomas Paine&#39;s book Rights of Man, the idea of social justice, truth and humanity were cardinal principles for Phule. It is social inequality that sits at the heart of the Hindu caste that Phule found so abhorring. Phule argued that education of women and the lower castes were a vital priority in addressing social inequality.&nbsp;

Some of the foremost feminists of western India, such as Pandita Ramabai and Tarabhai Shinde were deeply influenced by Phule. It is following Phule&#39;s footsteps that Pandita Ramabai, a widow herself, protested against the early marriage of girls. She strongly believed that early marriage of girls denied proper education as it is the best age to acquire knowledge. We have to remind ourselves here, another religious reformer from Bengal Swami Vivekananda sharply criticised Ramabai for distorting the religious teachings of Hinduism regarding women. But Phule stood by Ramabai and even published an interview in support of her conversion to Christianity.&nbsp;

Today is Jyotiba Phule&#39;s death anniversary. It is not a mere historical reminiscing that I want to do today of this very brave man. Heaven knows we need brave people. More the better. People who will fight for justice, truth and equality so that these words do not turn into mere rhetoric.&nbsp;

India is increasingly doing better in the field of female education but gender equality is still a distant dream. The Dalits have definitely become more vocal and conscious of their rights but their assimilation and acceptance in the mainstream of the society is still a far-fetched dream. The more we spread and imbibe the spirit of Jyotiba Phule&#39;s words, the chances are that we will do better as a nation.

Phule argued that education of women and the lower castes were a vital priority in addressing social inequality.

When Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, the pioneer social reformer from Bengal, was opening up the Bethune School for girls in Kolkata, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was pioneering another revolution on the west coast of India. Born into a Dalit family and a firm believer in the cause for women's education, Phule opened up the first school for untouchable girls in his hometown of Pune. In many ways, Phule's struggle surpassed that of Vidyasagar. While the latter, famous for his role in opening up educational opportunities for women and in picking up the cudgel to legalise widow remarriage, depended mainly on educated high-caste Bengali families to send their girls to his schools, Phule concentrated on uplifting the most marginal members of the Indian society. Moreover, while Vidyasagar because of his government job as the school inspector was very close to the colonial bureaucracy, Phule had none to back up his cause. Shunned by the upper castes of the Hindu society for his daring effort, isolated by his own family members who feared reprisal, Phule traveled the treacherous road assisted only by his wife Savitri Phule. Incidentally, Phule married an illiterate Savitri, as was usual during the age, but taught the young girl himself. Even here Phule's life stands in contrast to that of Vidyasagar who kept his wife uneducated because his mother was against it. Phule is remembered, along with BR Ambedkar, for the extraordinary role they played in the upliftment of Dalits. But this homogenising narrative of Dalit upliftment often obscures the exceptional role he played in making gender equality an integral component of the larger empowerment discourse. Such deep-seated was Phule's conviction about the need for education as a tool for upliftment that the 3 guidelines of the Satyasodhak Samaj, which he founded in 1873, contained the precepts: 'I shall educate my sons and daughters.' It is through educating the women, Phule thought, that he will be able to undermine Brahmanical culture system most effectively. The Hindu higher castes, particularly, the Brahmins were most singularly opposed to educating their girls. Uneducated and disempowered, the girls unwittingly served the patriarchal values of the Hindu society. Deeply influenced by Thomas Paine's book Rights of Man, the idea of social justice, truth and humanity were cardinal principles for Phule. It is social inequality that sits at the heart of the Hindu caste that Phule found so abhorring. Phule argued that education of women and the lower castes were a vital priority in addressing social inequality. Some of the foremost feminists of western India, such as Pandita Ramabai and Tarabhai Shinde were deeply influenced by Phule. It is following Phule's footsteps that Pandita Ramabai, a widow herself, protested against the early marriage of girls. She strongly believed that early marriage of girls denied proper education as it is the best age to acquire knowledge. We have to remind ourselves here, another religious reformer from Bengal Swami Vivekananda sharply criticised Ramabai for distorting the religious teachings of Hinduism regarding women. But Phule stood by Ramabai and even published an interview in support of her conversion to Christianity. Today is Jyotiba Phule's death anniversary. It is not a mere historical reminiscing that I want to do today of this very brave man. Heaven knows we need brave people. More the better. People who will fight for justice, truth and equality so that these words do not turn into mere rhetoric. India is increasingly doing better in the field of female education but gender equality is still a distant dream. The Dalits have definitely become more vocal and conscious of their rights but their assimilation and acceptance in the mainstream of the society is still a far-fetched dream. The more we spread and imbibe the spirit of Jyotiba Phule's words, the chances are that we will do better as a nation.

Opinion: Remembering Jyotiba Phule in a conflicted time

BJP President Amit Shah today visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda here and paid floral tributes.

Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and S S Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others.

During the day, the BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders here.

&quot;Tomorrow&nbsp;he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress&#39; violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city,&quot; BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting&nbsp;on Wednesday.

Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, and union ministers Babul Supriyo and SS Ahluwalia

BJP President Amit Shah today visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda here and paid floral tributes. Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and S S Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others. During the day, the BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders here. "Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress' violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city," BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said. Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting on Wednesday.

On anniversary of his speech, Amit Shah visits Vivekananda's home in Kolkata

swami-vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda, News on Swami Vivekananda, stories on Swami Vivekananda, articles on Swami Vivekananda, Swami Vivekananda stories at Wion, Swami Vivekananda news, Swami Vivekananda latest news

swami vivekananda