The return to India · 1897
Colombo to Almora
He came home in January 1897 to a welcome that followed him from town to town. This is the road of that year, from Colombo to Almora and on through the North, with the talks he gave along it.
- 36
- places
- 25
- talks to read
- 7,600
- kilometres across India
The whole roadJanuary – December 1897
Part I
Across Ceylon
January 1897
He lands at Colombo on 15 January 1897 with his English disciples, and crosses the island by train and coach to Jaffna.
15–18 January 18974 days
Colombo
Ceylon
He landed in the afternoon of 15 January to a great reception from the Hindus of Colombo, and the next evening spoke to an overflowing Floral Hall.
19 January 1897a day
Kandy
Ceylon
He left Colombo by train on the morning of the 19th, and on the Wednesday morning began the coach-ride of two hundred miles to Jaffna.
About 21 January 1897
Anuradhapura
Ceylon
After a night in bullock-carts on a broken road, he spoke on worship under the sacred Bo-tree to two or three thousand people, with interpreters giving his words in Tamil and Sinhalese.
About 22 January 1897
Vavuniya
Ceylon
A welcome break on the road: he was received with all honour and given an address, replied briefly, and went on through the jungle to Jaffna.
From 24 January 1897
Jaffna
Ceylon
He was met outside the town on the Sunday morning and welcomed publicly that evening. With his address at the Hindu College the journey across Ceylon came to a close.
Part II
Pamban to Kumbakonam
January 1897 – February 1897
On 26 January he sets foot on Indian soil at Pamban, where the Raja of Ramnad receives him, and goes north from town to town with an address of welcome at each.
26 – 28 January 1897
Pamban
Madras Presidency
The steamer came in at about three in the afternoon of Tuesday, 26 January. The Raja of Ramnad met him at the landing, and he stayed three days.
27 January 1897a day
Rameswaram
Madras Presidency
The day after landing he visited the great temple, and spoke a few words to the people gathered there.
About 29 – 31 January 1897
Ramnad
Madras Presidency
He crossed from Pamban to the mainland and came to Ramnad towards evening, the reception being held on the bank of a lake. On the Sunday at midnight he set out northwards.
About 1 February 1897
Paramakudi
Madras Presidency
The first stopping-place after Ramnad, where many thousands followed him in procession.
About 1 February 1897
Manamadura
Madras Presidency
The next halt, where the people of Manamadura and of neighbouring Shivaganga gave him an address together.
About 2 February 1897
Madura
Madras Presidency
He was lodged in the Raja of Ramnad's bungalow, received the city's address in the afternoon, and visited the Minakshi temple.
About 3 February 1897
Trichinopoly
Madras Presidency
At four o'clock in the morning more than a thousand people were on the platform to give him an address.
About 3 February 1897
Tanjore
Madras Presidency
Another large demonstration at the station, somewhat later the same journey.
About 3 – 5 February 1897
Kumbakonam
Madras Presidency
He rested here three days, knowing heavy work awaited him in Madras, and received addresses from the Hindu community and from the students of the town.
Part III
Madras
February 1897
The city that had sent him to the West receives him, and hears the great lectures of the return.
Until 15 February 1897
Madras
Madras Presidency
After the address of welcome he gave four public lectures, on 9, 11, 13 and 14 February, and on Monday the 15th left for Calcutta by steamer.
Part IV
Calcutta and Darjeeling
February 1897 – May 1897
By steamer to Calcutta and his own people. His health gives way and he rests at Darjeeling, then comes back to Calcutta before leaving for the hills.
Late February 1897
Calcutta
Bengal
The steamer docked at Kidderpore and a special train took him next morning to Sealdah, where thousands waited. The city's address was presented on 28 February at Sobhabazar.
Spring 1897
Darjeeling
Bengal
On his doctors' advice he gave up his work in Calcutta for the time and went up to Darjeeling, where the Seviers had gone before him.
Until 11 May 1897
Calcutta
BengalSecond stay
He came back for two weeks to settle matters before leaving for the hills. On 1 May, at Balaram Bose's house, the disciples met at his call to found an Association.
Part V
To Almora
May 1897 – August 1897
He leaves Calcutta on 11 May, and by Lucknow and Kathgodam comes to Almora, where he stays two and a half months.
About 12 May 1897
Lucknow
North-Western Provinces
He was cordially welcomed and stayed one night on his way to Almora.
Mid-May 1897
Kathgodam
Kumaon
Here he was met by several of his Almora admirers, and by Mr Goodwin, who had come down to receive him.
Mid-May – early August 1897
Almora
Kumaon
He rode into the town at the head of a procession and stayed two and a half months. As the visit drew to a close he lectured at the Zilla School and the English Club, once in Hindi.
Part VI
The Punjab and Kashmir
August 1897 – November 1897
Down to the plains in August, and on by Bareilly, Ambala and Amritsar to Murree and Kashmir; then Rawalpindi, Jammu and Sialkot.
9–12 August 18974 days
Bareilly
North-Western Provinces
He reached Bareilly on 9 August and stayed four days. Though ill all the time he gave much of it to religious talk, and a students' society was founded on the spot.
About 13 – 19 August 1897
Ambala
Punjab
He left Bareilly on the night of the 12th and stayed a week, and on the 16th spoke a short lecture into a phonograph for a professor of the Lahore College.
About 20 August 1897
Amritsar
Punjab
He was received at the station with great honours, but stayed only four or five hours before going up to the hills.
Until 31 August 1897
Dharamsala
Punjab
His health made it necessary to retire to this hill-station with Mr and Mrs Sevier, where he stayed in comparative retirement until the 31st.
Early September 1897
Amritsar
PunjabSecond stay
Coming back he stayed two days, in frequent discussion with Rai Mulraj and other leading Arya Samajists.
Until 6 September 1897
Murree
Punjab
From Rawalpindi he went straight on to Murree in search of health. The stay was short, for on 6 September he left for Kashmir.
8 September 1897a day
Baramulla
Kashmir
He and his party reached Baramulla by tonga on the eighth, and started at once for Srinagar by boat.
10 September – early October 1897
Srinagar
Kashmir
He arrived on the tenth and was besieged by visitors. On 20 September he went by house-boat to Pampur and Anantnag, and on foot to Martanda.
Until 14 October 1897
Murree
PunjabSecond stay
Back from Kashmir early in October. On the evening of the 14th the Bengali and Punjabi residents presented him with an address of welcome.
15–20 October 18976 days
Rawalpindi
Punjab
He came down the day after the Murree address and was warmly welcomed by his host. On the night of 20 October he was off again, to Jammu.
21–29 October 18979 days
Jammu
Jammu
He came at the Maharaja's invitation and lectured in public, and on 29 October took leave of the Maharaja, a deputation having come from Sialkot.
About the end of October 1897
Sialkot
Punjab
A visit of two days as the guest of Lala Mool Chand, with one lecture in English and one in Hindi. He urged the founding of a school for girls, and a committee was formed for it.
Part VII
Lahore to Khetri
November 1897 – December 1897
Ten days and three lectures at Lahore; then Dehra Dun, Delhi, Alwar and Jaipur, and so to Khetri.
About 5 – 14 November 1897
Lahore
Punjab
Ten days of strenuous work and three lectures: on a Friday evening, the following Tuesday, 9 November, and the Friday after, 12 November. Two days later he left for Dehra Dun.
Later in November 1897
Dehra Dun
North-Western Provinces
The heat of the plains had brought back his illness. He lived quietly here some ten days, holding a class for his disciples on Ramanuja's commentary on the Brahma-Sutras.
On the way to Rajputana
Delhi
Punjab
He stayed with Nata Krishna, a friend of his wandering days, and went round the ruins and monuments of the Mogul emperors with his companions.
On the way to Rajputana
Alwar
Rajputana
He was given a great reception, and among the invitations he accepted was one from an old woman who had fed him on his former visit.
On the way to Khetri
Jaipur
Rajputana
From Jaipur the Raja of Khetri had everything arranged along the road, and himself drove twelve miles out to receive him.
December 1897
Khetri
Rajputana
On 11 December the Raja and he were given addresses together, and on the 20th he lectured for more than an hour and a half in the hall of the Maharaja's bungalow.
After Khetri
He went back to Calcutta.
From Khetri he passed through Kishangarh, Ajmer, Jodhpur and Indore to Khandwa, and from there returned to Calcutta.