Reliving and Enacting the 1893 Moment in U.S.

The greatness of any crucial milestone which a nation, state and city passes through in its journey is that it sets the stage for a coming decade or a century or more. These kinds of milestones are extremely rare to come by and their significance is fully revealed after a longtime it has passed. To elucidate on the first two statements, I look back on my experience in Chicago I have been working for almost 2 years. I traveled to quite a number of places in the city and tried to observe the striking features in most of the outings. A common theme which runs through most of the places is the importance given to one important milestone that happened more than 130 years ago. The city of Chicago and the country came to light through the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. After my travels and updating myself with the importance people give and their disposition of the events of historic eminence, I haven’t seen a much better milestone in the journey of this city nor there is any other one. I am more attached because of another stunning revelation which Indians immediately relate to this 1893 exposition. It is through this groundbreaking parliament of religions which is part of Columbian Exposition of 1983 that Swami Vivekananda was discovered to the world and shot to unprecedented prominence and importance to modern India. A city and nation were discovered to the world and a monk was discovered to a nation.  

After nearly 130 years and looking at the magnificent journey of the actors of the world fair; their threads of binding which holds millions of people; their magic which weaves across nations and their ability to dictate great future for everyone – there is hardly any milestone of this importance which exhibited a great past and present to the audience in 1893 and herald an even greater future for generations to come. While the past is remarkably great to think about, give a thought to see if the actors have come to confluence in the very city to give a great representation of present day and layout a glorious future for the next 130 years. The history will move in circles, great actors will be re-born, great movements will unleash across the land, great monks will re-enter and work in mission mode while great platforms will re-emerge. This is the gist of the Columbian exposition version 2 which should be a beacon of light to pave way for next century or more, beacon of hope to aspire for and a beacon of truth to strongly believe and cling to. 

After the first few months in Chicago, I came to know about 1893 as any other regular event which happens along with many others. But after nearly 2 years and some travelling, I came to know it is the lone and sole event of the city which comes to the fore in many of the places. Let us know about the setting, the existing landscape and its importance in some detail. Like I said, my interest grows bit further because of Indian connect. 

The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a monumental event in American history. The fairgrounds were a sight to behold, featuring impressive neoclassical architecture, grand boulevards, and picturesque lagoons. The centerpiece was the colossal "White City," constructed with gleaming white plasterwork and adorned with electric lights, a relatively new innovation at the time. The exposition attracted millions of visitors from around the world, who were impressed by the grandeur and beauty of the White City - a collection of neoclassical buildings designed by prominent architects. The White City inspired a revival of classical architecture and a movement for civic improvement in Chicago and other American cities. 

The exposition showcased the latest technological achievements of the late 19th century, including the first Ferris wheel, which stood as a symbol of American ingenuity and engineering prowess. Visitors were also introduced to innovations such as the telephone, typewriter, and moving walkway. The fair's architecture, particularly the neoclassical style of the White City, influenced subsequent urban planning and architecture across the United States. It inspired the City Beautiful movement, which emphasized beautification, symmetry, and monumental grandeur in city planning. 

The fair celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas, while also highlighting the progress and industrial achievements of the United States since its founding. It served as a testament to American industrialization and economic growth in the late 19th century. The exposition generated significant economic activity for Chicago and the surrounding region, attracting millions of visitors and stimulating local businesses. It helped solidify Chicago's reputation as a major cultural and commercial hub in the United States. The fair left a lasting cultural legacy, inspiring literature, art, and popular culture for decades to come. It captured the imagination of the American public and symbolized the optimism and progress of the Gilded Age. The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition was a transformative event in American history, showcasing the nation's achievements on the world stage and leaving a lasting impact on architecture, technology, and culture. It remains a symbol of American innovation and progress in the late 19th century. 

While the setting is very intriguing and showcased the best of the times without any pretension, equally intriguing is the participation of the monk Swami Vivekananda and the towering confluence of the best of the east with the best of the west. Swami Vivekananda's historic address at the Parliament of the World's Religions, held as part of the Columbian Exposition, remains one of his most memorable and impactful contributions. Swami Vivekananda's participation in the Columbian Exposition had a far-reaching impact, particularly in India. Following his success at the Parliament of the World's Religions, Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, dedicated to the service of humanity and the propagation of Vedanta. The mission continues to carry out charitable and educational activities around the world in the present day. Swami Vivekananda's teachings continue to inspire countless individuals across the globe, transcending cultural and religious boundaries. His message of selfless service, spiritual unity, and social reform remains relevant in today's world, inspiring people to strive for personal and collective upliftment. How he imagined U.S. to be a hotbed of technological progress in 20th, 21st century pioneering human evolution is an intriguing topic in hindsight of 130 years. Or his august presence must have augured extremely well for U.S. in shaping the country as it is today. 

The gist of all this is there are two scintillating journeys which have been discovered – 1. the west, riding high with its technological advancements and unimaginable progress setting the stage for modern world. 2. The monk who is going to influence the future of modern India. All of this happened unassumingly in the cerebral event in the history of Chicago and U.S. After living in this city for the last 2 years and going by the recent past, we need to re-imagine the series of the events taking shape all over again, propelling glorious days ahead for U.S., India and the world. Technology has been progressing at high speed and we are in the age of artificial intelligence, spatial computing and more. Spirituality has been sprouting in leaps and bounds in the land - The World Parliament of Religions 2023 has been held in Chicago last year where the first one was held way back in 1893. For my own little part, I completed summarizing most of the kandas in Ramayana and disseminating His consciousness movement through many posts. Hopefully, it takes shape in the world around us permeating the online space. When all the actors are highly enthusiastic about their work and a confluence is set, it will invariably herald a great future for many years to come. The ‘white city’ can be born all over again, a lasting cultural legacy, inspiring literature, art, and popular culture can be re-ignited again and from my little knowledge on the ground, this must have already taken shape. This is the end which can be looked at while working in the means to navigate along. In short, will there be an 1893 moment in the city in 2025 or in 2030 or anytime or have we already crossed? We can say the progress is on towards this moment in certainty.