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Virchand Gandhi_blb.qxd 7/29/2010
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Personality
on Jainism. V. Glasenapp, a well-known as he was seen as a future threat by a German scholar, wrote his doctoral dis- few fanatic people. Whatever may be sertation on the Jaina Doctrine of the truth, the untimely demise of two Karma and acknowledged VRG's influ- heroes - VRG and Swami Vivekananda ence. Hon. E. B. Sherman Master in the - proved tremendous loss for the Chancery of the United States, Circuit nation. Otherwise both must have conCourt, wrote on VRG, "It has rarely, if tributed much more and Mahatma ever, been my good fortune to meet a Gandhi's mission would have accelerman whose reading and culture have ated and we would have been indebeen so wide and varied, and who, pendent much early. VRG wanted to withal, has so sweet, sincere and teach- continue his activities for a long time able a spirit as Mr. Gandhi". E. Allen and to accomplish much more but Richardson in “Strangers in This Land" unfortunately he could not, as this brilmentioned about One of the US periodicals wrote
liant and promthe parliament and
while paying tributes to both of them while paving tributes to boti
ising young man, when VRG and Swamiji died in 1901 full of hopes and with the New York and 1902, respectively, "The influence aspirations, died Times. VRG had of Vivekananda's philosophy has at a very young eventually been kept alive by his disciples by age of 37, on attained bar at law founding organizations whereas, it is
August 7, 1901. in both India and a matter of great pity that no attempt
Today whatever is has been made to keep alive VRG's Britain. He had
available about
memory!" won the Piggery
VRG is possibly case and got the slaughter house just 10% of his contributions to the removed from the sacred shrine of Jains country and the religion. called Samet Shikhar. He also resolved Swami Vivekananda and Virchand the Shatrunajay Tirth pilgrimage tax Gandhi had their own huge fan folissue and got it abolished.
lowing. Swami Vivekananda's work VRG's death today also remains a became well-known but unfortunately mystery. From a 1902 letter of Mrs. not much of VRG's! One of the US Howard in Open Court we learn that periodicals wrote while paying tributes VRG's demise was due to haemorrhage to both of them when VRG and of lungs. However, we learn from Swamiji died in 1901 and 1902, respecVRG's descendants and local folks in tively, "The influence of Mahuva that he was given slow poison Vivekananda's philosophy has been
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