Swami Vivekananda - Kolkata reception

This photograph was taken at a reception in Kolkata, February 28, 1897. The following is an excerpt from The Amrita Bazar Patrika of March 1, 1897, which published a report of the reception accorded to Swamiji: Welcome address to Swami Vivekananda As announced before a meeting was held yesterday evening at the residence of the late Rajah Sir Radhakanta Deb Bahadur to present Swami Vivekananda with an address of welcome. The meeting was very largely attended, the specious [archaic meaning] natmandir where the meeting was held, its wings and passages leading to the place, being filled with an expectant crowd to hear for the first time the swami. Among those present we noticed Raja Rajendra, Narayan Deb Bahadur, Mr. Justice Chundra Madhab Ghose, Raja Peary Mohun Mookerjee, Rajha [sic] Benoy Krishna, the Hon’ble Guru Prasad Sen, and others. Punctual to time, the swami accompanied by some of his disciples, including a European lady and gentleman [Captain and Mrs. Sevier], arrived and was escorted to [the] dais raised in the northern extremity of the quadrangle. On account of the unavoidable absence of the Maharaja of Durbhanga, Raja Benoy Krishna took the chair. After making a few suitable remarks he read out an address to Swami Vivekananda who, on rising to reply, was received with loud applause. He said he was glad to be again among them and asked them to take him as the same Kolkata boy he was.6 ❊ ❊ ❊ Brothers, you have touched another chord in my heart, the deepest of all, and that is the mention of my teacher, my master, my hero, my ideal, my God in life—Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. If there has been anything achieved by me, by thoughts, or words, or deeds, if from my lips has ever fallen one word that has helped anyone in the world, I lay no claim to it, it was his. But if there have been curses falling from my lips, if there has been hatred coming out of me, it is all mine and not his. All that has been weak has been mine, and all that has been life-giving, strengthening, pure, and holy, has been his inspiration, his words, and he himself. (CW [1973] 3:312)