Among the string of the socio-religious reformers, the name of Swami Vivekanand stands .tallest.
He besides raising the status of Indian culture in international arena also boosted the self assurance and self confidence of Indians and contributed powerful to the emergence of nationalism in India. His teachings played an important role in awakening the Indian masses from slumber.
Foremost Vivekananda was a humanist. He was deeply pained by the plight of majority of Indian masses. He while touring the country found the masses steeped in hunger. Also, the masses were illiterate and hence ignorant. This led to their cultural isolation.
Peeved by this state of affairs, Swami Vivekananda felt that it was the duty of each Indian to take care of his fellow Indian. He especially exhorted the educated Indian middle class to leave and come out of their attitude of isolationism and take upon the duty of removing the vicious cycle of poverty and illiteracy in which the Indian masses were entrapped.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
He felt that every educated Indian who ignored the poverty and hunger of the masses of this land as traitor. This was because; it was out the money generated by the toiling masses that they have been educated. Vivekananda’s view on sad plight of the masses was in sync with the teachings of Rama Krishna Paramahansa according to which service to man is service to god. Vivekananda following the teaching of his master exhorted the Indians to serve their fellow countrymen.
Vivekananda’s views on the plight of Indian masses continued in subsequent times moderates programme and in the constructive work of Mahatma Gandhi.