Fake or Real? – The Audio Recording of Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893

The world first connected with the real Hindu world and the original teachings of Sanatana Dharma when Swami Vivekananda addressed the first Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago on September 11, 1893. On the internet there is a video and audio recording of Swami Vivekananda addressing the parliament of religions held in Chicago in 1893. Many people have indicated that the voice recording is a fake one.

M S Nanjundiah in the August 2010 issue of The Vedanta Kesari categorically states that there was no technology available in 1893 to record the opening address at the Chicago Parliament of Religions in 1893.

Here are some of his findings:

… reviewed the position regarding the technology available in US in 1893 for voice recording and the manner in which the recordings were made—record making required the person to speak into a mouthpiece attached to a diaphragm which was connected to a stylus that etched vibration patterns from a sound source on a rotating cylinder (The Berliner Gramophone, which could record on discs for 2 minutes only, became popular in USA only in 1894). Only ‘two minute’ cylinders were in use and these could record for only 2 to 3 minutes. Recordings outside studios were not practicable; getting an acceptable quality involved a lot of effort even in studios. In view of the limitations of the technology, a recording of the sessions at the Parliament of Religions in 1893 would not have happened.

It appears that there is a voice recording now being circulated on Internet and elsewhere as Swamiji’s voice. This is unfortunate. The recording includes not only the first address but other addresses as well and runs for several minutes; such recordings were not feasible, for the reasons indicated above.

Also one recording that is circulating has a lady introducing Swami Vivekananda. This shows it is not genuine. Swami Vivekananda himself has said in a letter written to Alasinga Perumal [an admirer of Swamiji from Madras] on 2 November 1893 that Dr Barrows introduced him; also that the applause after his opening statement, ‘Sisters and Brothers. . . ’ lasted two minutes. The applause in the recording is only a few seconds. There is another aspect. Recordings of that era (such as Edison cylinder recordings) when retrieved after many years have an ‘accumulated noise’ which, if removed, will distort the sound; the recording under circulation has no such noise. It cannot, therefore, be an authentic recording.

The audio might be fake; but each time when I listen to it am filled with an emotion that is beyond explanation. I know it is fake but the impression it leaves on the listener is tremendous. It is not the audio but the immortal words that Swami Vivekananda uttered that inspires and thrills because I feel the same emotion when I read it too…

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects…