In 1888, Vivekananda left the monastery as a Parivrâjaka — the Hindu religious life of a wandering monk, " without fixed abode, without ties, independent and strangers wherever they go.

With the aid of funds collected by his Madras disciples and Rajas of Mysore, Ramnad, Khetri, Dewans and other followers, Vivekananda left for Chicago on 31 May 1893 from Bombay assuming the name Vivekananda — the name suggested by the Maharaja of Khetri, Ajit Singh.

On the platform ( left to right ) Virchand Gandhi, Dharmapala, Swami Vivekananda

Vivekananda once again left for the West in June 1899 despite his declining health.

Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works.

Anagarika Dharmapala at the Parliament of World Religions. From left to right: Virchand Gandhi, Anagarika Dharmapala, Swami Vivekananda, and G. Bonet Maury.

After five months of association Swami Vivekananda left them and Akhandananda followed him surrepticiously, going from one province to another in his search, but everywhere he narrowly missed meeting him.

While returning, Swami Vivekananda left him in Pillibhit requesting him to raise some funds for the Belur Math, which he did.

* Swami Vivekananda Centre for Technical Manpower Development

Vivekananda endorsed the project with enthusiasm, and Tata, with the aim of advancing the scientific capabilities of the country, constituted a Provisional Committee to prepare a plan for setting up of an Institute of research and higher education.

Vivekananda travelled extensively in India for five years, visiting centres of learning, acquainting himself with the diverse religious traditions and different patterns of social life.

During this period, Vivekananda returned to Baranagar Math a few times, because of ill health and to arrange for monetary funds after Balaram Bose and Suresh Chandra Mitra, the disciples of Ramakrishna who sponsored the Math had died.

At Kanyakumari, the Swami meditated on the " last bit of Indian rock ", famously known later as the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, for three days.

On learning that Vivekananda lacked credential to speak at the Chicago Parliament, Wright is quoted as having said, " To ask for your credentials is like asking the sun to state its right to shine in the heavens.

" Eventually in 1895, money sent by Vivekananda was used to start the periodical Brahmavadin, for the purpose of teaching the Vedanta.

On 1 May 1897 at Calcutta, Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission — the organ for social service.

Vivekananda visited western Punjab with the mission of establishing harmony between the Arya Samaj which stood for reinterpreted Hinduism and the Sanatanaists who stood for orthodox Hinduism.

The Paris addresses are memorable for the scholarly penetration evinced by Vivekananda related to the worship of Linga and authenticity of the Gita.

On the day of his death he woke up very early in the morning, went to chapel and meditated for three hours, sang a song on Kali and then he whispered, " If there were another Vivekananda, then he would have understood what this Vivekananda has done!

This is remembered as the place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days when he visited Chennai in 1897.

" Vivekananda drew the attention towards the prevalence of poverty in the country, and maintained that addressing such poverty was prerequisite for the national awakening.

" According to Subhas Chandra Bose, a major proponent of armed struggle for Indian independence, Vivekananda " is the maker of modern India "; for Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda's influence increased his " love for his country a thousandfold.

* Swami Vivekananda said that there are many incompetent gurus, and that a true guru should understand the spirit of the scriptures, have a pure character and be free from sin, and should be selfless, without desire for money and fame.

As Swami Vivekananda said, " Would it be right for an old man to say that childhood is sin or youth is sin?

The new movements look up to Swami Vivekananda ; Rabindranath Tagore ; Ramana Maharshi ; Shri Aurobindo ( for his Integral Yoga ); Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ( founder of the modern Hare Krishna movement ); Swami Sivananda, Swami Rama Tirtha ; Narayana Guru, Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi, Paramhansa Yogananda ; Shrii Shrii Anandamurti.

After an accidental meeting between Jamsetji N. Tata and Swami Vivekananda on a ship in 1893 where they discussed Tata's plan of bringing the steel industry to India, Tata wrote to Vivekananda five years later:

After the death of his guru, Vivekananda became a wandering monk, extensively touring the Indian subcontinent and acquiring first-hand knowledge of conditions in India.

In India Vivekananda is regarded as a patriotic saint of modern India and his birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day.

Rabindranath Tagore's suggestion ( to Nobel Laureate Romain Rolland ) was – " If you want to know India, study Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Dutta in Calcutta, the capital of British India, on 12 January 1863 during the Makar Sankranti festival.

Vivekananda Temple on Vivekananda rock at Kanyakumari ( town ) | Kanyakumari, India

At Kanyakumari, Vivekananda had the " Vision of one India ", also commonly called " The Kanyakumari resolve of 1892 ".

Dr. Barrows, the president of the Parliament said, " India, the Mother of religions was represented by Swami Vivekananda, the Orange-monk who exercised the most wonderful influence over his auditors.

Vivekananda wrote several letters to India, giving advice and sending money to his followers and brother monks.

In the background of germinating nationalism in the British-ruled India, Vivekananda crystallised the nationalistic ideal.

More than any other single individual of that period Vivekananda had made his contribution to the new awakening of India.

The first governor general of independent India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, said " Vivekananda saved Hinduism, saved India.

Swami Vivekananda statue near Gateway of India, Mumbai.

Many years after Vivekananda's death, Rabindranath Tagore told French Nobel Laureate Romain Rolland, " If you want to know India, study Vivekananda.

Vivekananda argued that the explanation of the Shiva-Linga as a phallic emblem was brought forward by the most thoughtless, and was forthcoming in India in her most degraded times, those of the downfall of Buddhism.

Swami Vivekananda was the chief architect who profoundly projected the rich culture of India to the west at the end of 19th century.

Youth Day in India is celebrated on 12 January on the birthday of Swami Vivekananda.

In 1984, the Government of India declared and decided to observe the Birthday of Swami Vivekananda ( 12 January, according to the English calendar ) as National Youth Day every year from 1985 onwards.