The Vivekananda House is interesting not only for the displays on the famous ‘wandering monk’, but also for the semicircular structure in which it’s housed. Swami Vivekananda stayed here briefly in 1897 and preached his ascetic philosophy to adoring crowds.
About Vivekananda House :
Vivenkananda house is a beautiful building situated on the Marina beach road. The building is also called as Ice house as it was once used to store ice blocks imported from the USA. The building was renamed after Swami Vivekananda who stayed in this historic building in 1897. On the eve of his Centenary Celebrations, in 1999 the building was renovated and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu unveiled the sage’s statue on the 20th December 1999. Photographs depicting the historical happenings associated with Vivekananda’s life and books about him and his own written works are on display and sold here in the Museum.
Attraction Vivekananda House In Chennai :
Vivekananda House, also known as Ice House, is a shrine and target of pilgrimage for the admirers of Swami Vivekananda. It is in this house that Swami Vivekananda stayed for six weeks in 1900. Built way back in 1877 or much earlier, the two-story house is a masterpiece of Victorian architecture with its characteristic designs of sunburst and gabled roof. The bedroom where Vivekananda stayed, lived and slept is now a safe haven for meditation. One can respectfully see the table at which he dined, placed downstairs near the fireplace. Devotees can stroll through the kitchen where he cooked his simple food, the parlor where he spoke and the garden where he frequently played with the children. These physical reminders of the life of Swami Vivekananda revive the great principles for which he stood all along his life.
Features of Vivekananda House In Chennai :
Vivekananda House is a beautiful shrine which is becoming significant tourist attraction. According to the records, that Swami Vivekananda stayed for six weeks in this house in 1900. This shrine was built with the two-story house that looks as an antique piece of Victorian architecture., visitors come here to revitalize the great principles for which he stood all along his life.
Vivekananda Museum is located quite close to the Lighthouse and Tiruvallikani Train stations.
This is the most popular Museum of Chennai city that was initially a warehouse where ice from North India used to be stored. Swami Vivekananda, on his way to Kolkata, put up in the building of the Museum. Swami Vivekananda, on his way to Kolkata, put up in the building of the Museum in the year of 1897. Initially, this tomb was under the possession of government of Tamil Nadu in 1930. In 1963, it was turned into museum under the hands of Swami Vivekananda.
History Vivekananda House In Chennai :
Vivekanandar Illam on the Marina Beach, Chennai, built 158 years back, has a long and interesting history. It was meant to store ice and hence it got its popular name, the Ice House. Eventually this house became a silent spectator of a series of diverse historical events, some of which have lifted this building to a status of an outstanding historical and cultural monument.
Mr. Frederic Tudor, the ‘Ice King’, built three houses in Kolkata , Mumbai and Chennai to keep ice under proper insulation so that it could be stored for months together. Amongst the three buildings the one at Chennai alone stands today. It was built in the year 1842. Tudor maintained his business in Chennai from 1842 upto around 1880. After the invention of making ice by ‘steam process’ in India, his business collapsed.
Then the Ice House was sold to Mr.Biligiri Iyengar, a prosperous advocate of the Madras High Court. He remodeled the house adding circular verandahs and provided it with many windows to make it fit as residential quarters. Also he named the house ‘Castle Kernan,’ as a tribute to his friend, the famous Justice Kernan of the Madras High Court.