Tribute to 19th Century Indian Legend Shri Virchandji Raghavji Gandhi

Author(s): JAINA VRG Committee
Publisher: JAINA VRG Committee

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economic and political freedom five decades before India became independent. He proclaimed at the parliament that if India became independent, she would never invade any other country with violence. Today this statement appears as a prophecy that Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) proved in attaining India's freedom with peaceful means.
VRG's Success in Abroad: VRG's speeches also created a deep brilliant image that American people were magnetically attracted towards him and at their request VRG prolonged his stay for two years and was invited twice later in 1897 and 1899. He delivered as many as 535 lectures mainly in Chicago, Boston, New York, Washington of USA, England, France, Germany and other European countries. At all these places he was well listened, felicitated and presented with medals.
Shri VRG & Shri Swami Vivekananda: VRG and Swami Vivekananda sailed at the same time to participate at the Parliament with same goals; both personalities wearing traditional turbans, made tremendous appearance and had claimed equal attention at the Congress for awakening the western world of the spiritual heritage and rich past history of India. VRG defended Hinduism at the Parliament under unjust criticism by elaborating its principles. In those days, sea voyage was considered as unholy and VRG faced unjust criticism for the same. Swami Vivekanand wrote in 1894 from 541, Dearborn Avenue, Chicago, to the Diwan of Junagadh"Now here is Virchand Gandhi, the Jain whom you knew well in Bombay. This man never takes anything but mere vegetables even in this terribly cold climate and tooth and nail tries to defend his countrymen and religion. The people of this country like him very well. But what are they doing who sent him over? They are trying to outcast him."
Swami Vivekanand's work became well-known bute unfortunately little was known about VRG's! One of the U.S. periodicals wrote while giving tribute to both of them when VRG and Swamiji died in 1901 and 1902 respectively, "The influence of Vivekanand's philosophy has been kept alive by his disciples by founding organization like Ramkrishna Mission whereas, it is a matter of great pity that no attempt has been made to keep alive VRG's memory!"
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