"Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world."

thus began the historic address of Swami Vivekananda at the World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago on the 11th September, 1893 and ended with the stirring call :

"and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this Convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal."

Referring to this address, the New York Herald wrote : "He is undoubtedly the greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions." Such was the impact of the Swami's performance that his life-size portraits were posted in the streets of Chicago and passers-by bowed in reverence.

Swami Vivekananda in his address at Chicago laid stress on three fundamentals of religion, namely, direct communication with the Divine, the incapacity of the human mind to fathom the depth of the Divine and an attitude of compassion. Swami Vivekananda affirmed with great eloquence that Indian spiritualism does not accept any religion which does not believe in service to the humanity. Religion, he said, develops the divine possibility which is in all of us. It is this spiritualism which was expressed in the songs of our devotees, the philosophies of our seers and the prayers of our common people in India throughout the ages.

It is a sweet irony of history that even as Swami Vivekananda  introduced Indian spiritualism  to the West, America helped India to recognise the greatness of her own young and vibrant monk then not so well known in his own country. His address at Chicago kindled a surge of re-awakening in India. The urge to rediscover the foundations of their own age-old spiritualism invaded the Indian minds and secondly it led to a powerful re-affirmation of the ancient Indian reverence for asceticism and monasticism infused with a new feeling for humanitarianism and a zeal for missionary service.

Swami Vivekananda at Chicago was described by Annie Besant thus "Astriking figure, clad in yellow and orange, shining like the Sun of India." Referring to the Chicago voyage, Sri Aurobindo said "The going forth of Vivekananda was the first visible sign to the world that India was awake, not only to survive but to conquer."

The Department of Posts pays its homage to Swami Vivekananda by issuing a postage stamp to commemorate the centenary of his historic Chicago address .

The stamp depicts Swami Vivekananda against the background of the Art Institute building at Chicago where the speech was delivered. It was in the Institute's great Hall of Columbus that the delegates of the Parliament gathered on the memorable morning of September 1893.

The first day cover depicts Swami Vivekananda in meditation and also a famous line from the address.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India