Tamil Nadu’s Vivekananda Memorial, Located At Kunthukal Beach, Has A Rich History

Vivekananda Memorial is one of the most-visited places in Tamil Nadu. It is situated on a beach that is surrounded by Mangrove forests, 10 km away from Akkalmadam next to Pamban in Ramanathapuram district. This beach is also known by the name of Kunthukal and there is an interesting anecdote related to it. As per the Local 18 Tamil, on January 26, 1897, at 3 pm, Swami Vivekananda and his European disciples, reached the shores of Pamban, Ramanathapuram. Bhaskara Sethupathi, the Raja of Ramanathapuram at that time knelt and pleaded with the Swamiji to place his foot on his head. He felt the Swamiji’s feet should not touch the soil first in India. The king felt that the head of a humble Raja must have the fortune of bearing it. The Swamiji, however, politely declined the offer and gently touched his head with his hand, blessing the Raja. That place came to be called Kunthukal henceforth, which means legs kneeling to receive blessings, since the Raja did the same. Bhaskara Sethupathi used to worship Swami Vivekananda.

In memory of this incident, a Mandapam or Memorial has been built here for Swami Vivekananda at this place for Rs 1 crore. This has been constructed on behalf of the government and the Ramakrishna Math. It includes paintings, books, and pictures of Swami Vivekananda’s biography. This hall also includes photos and information about Swamiji’s visit to Rameswaram and meditation rooms. Tourists who come to Rameswaram to see the spiritual places and tourist places visit Vivekananda Memorial. They also learn about the history of Swami Vivekananda.

Before arriving at Kunthukal beach, Swami Vivekananda participated in one of the conferences of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. This conference continued from September 11 to 27, 1893. Swamiji delivered his iconic speech on Hinduism at this conference. His speech with the famous words, “Sisters and Brothers of America,” captivated the audience. This set the tone for Swamiji’s message of universal brotherhood and religious tolerance. He also talked about the harmonious existence of different faiths. Then he left there by ship on December 30, 1896, and arrived in Ramanathpuram, India on January 26, 1897.