New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- September 11 was the day a Hindu seer, from the most ancient order of monks in the world, unveiled a grand vision of religion before the world. The monk was Swami Vivekananda, the place, the city of Chicago in the US, and the year was 1893.

That day the legendary saint, social reformer, and spiritual master was at his best as an impeccable orator and fantastic communicator. The man extraordinaire was presenting the Idea of India for the first time to an international audience at the Parliament of the World's Religions through his speech which has since been widely celebrated as the "Great Chicago Speech of the Hurricane Hindu."

Introducing India and her spiritual culture to the western world, Swami Vivekananda pre...