K xxxiv Encyclopedia of Hinduism
social reform movement led by women that
stresses meditation and world peace.
1876 to 1890
¶ Max Müller (1823–1900), pioneer of compara-
tive religion as a scholarly discipline, publishes
50-volume Sacred Books of the East, English
translations of Indian and other Asian scrip-
tures.
1879
¶ First emigrant ship to Fiji adds 498 Indian
indentured laborers to the nearly 340,000
already working in other colonies of the British
Empire.
¶ Birth of Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950),
Hindu advaita renunciant saint of Tiruvannama-
lai, South India.
1884
¶ Birth of Swami Ramdas (1884–1963), known as
Papa, Indian saint and devotee of Lord Rama.
1885
¶ Indian National Congress founded.
1886
¶ René Guénon (1886–1951), first European phi-
losopher of note to become a Vedantin, is born.
1887
¶ Birth of Swami Shivananda (1887–1963),
renowned universalist teacher, author of
200 books, founder of Divine Life Society in
Rishikesh, and guru to many teachers who
brought Hinduism to the West.
1888
¶ Birth of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888–1975),
philosopher, eminent writer, and free India’s
first vice president and second president.
1893
¶ World Parliament of Religions in Chicago rec-
ognizes Eastern religious traditions through
presentations by representatives of Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Swami Vive-
kananda receives acclaim as spokesperson for
Hinduism.
1894
¶ Birth of Meher Baba (1894–1969) of Poona,
silent sage whose mystical teachings stress love,
self-inquiry, and God consciousness.
1896
¶ Birth of Anandamayi Ma (1896–1982), God-
intoxicated yogini and mystic saint of Bengal.
¶ Birth of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
(1896–1977). In 1966 he founds International
Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in
the United States.
1897
¶ Swami Vivekananda founds Ramakrishna Math
and Mission near Calcutta (Kolkata).
1908
¶ Birth of Swami Muktananda (1908–1982), a
guru of the Kashmiri Shaivite school who
founds Siddha Yoga Dham to promulgate Indian
mysticism, kundalini yoga, and philosophy
throughout the world.
1912
¶ Anti-Indian racial riots on the U.S. West Coast
expel large Hindu immigrant population.
1916
¶ Birth of Swami Chinmayananda (1916–1993),
Vedantist scholar, lecturer, teacher, and founder
of Chinmaya Mission.
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