##38 (Vivekananda) Arrival At Chicago Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

Swami Vivekananda’s train
Reached Chicago Station
Late in the evening time.
None came to receive him.

He had lost the address
Of the head of delegates,
And there was no one
To give him information.

In that strange foreign land,
None gave a helping hand.
As his dress appeared peculiar,
They took him as a wanderer.

On the sidewalk, he sat.
A lady saw his pitiable plight
Gave him food and shelter,
As her guest of honor.

Mrs. George W. Hale was
That kind lady, his hostess,
Who took him to the Office
Of Parliament of Religions.

Dr. J.H. Barrows was
One of her friends.
As well as the President
Of that Parliament.

The President invited him
To represent Hinduism
And he was then free from
The admission problem

Both the kind hearted families
Of Hale and John B Lyons
Became his lifelong friends
And he stayed in their house.

It was the mercy of God
That, in fact, guided
This well deserving soul,
For his ‘ever-sincere’ role.

Amidst all his difficulties
There came many helpers
As if it was pre-planned
Always by the will of God.