Vivekananda began turning towards the Hindu goddess Kali during the summer of 1886, a few months after the death of his guru, the mystic Ramakrishna.
Later, he became a worshipper of Kali, which he felt was his "special fad".
In 1893 Vivekananda went to America to represent India and Hinduism in the Parliament of the World's Religions.
From 1893 to 1897, he travelled through America and England, and gave a series of lecture on religion and Hinduism.
He came back to India in 1897 and travelled extensively there between 1897 and 1899, visiting many states.
In 1898 he went to Kashmir, where he stayed at a houseboat on Dal Lake.
After visiting the Kheer Bhawani temple (a temple near Srinagar that has Bhawani as the deity), Vivekananda wrote this poem.
Sister Nivedita, who was accompanying Vivekananda in Kashmir, noted that he was in a "fever of inspiration" prior to writing the poem, and became impatient until he could write down his thought.
Vivekananda began turning towards the Hindu goddess Kali during the summer of 1886, a few months after the death of his guru, the mystic Ramakrishna. Later, he became a worshipper of Kali, which he felt was his "special fad". In 1893 Vivekananda went to America to represent India and Hinduism in the Parliament of the World's Religions. From 1893 to 1897, he travelled through America and England, and gave a series of lecture on religion and Hinduism. He came back to India in 1897 and travelled extensively there between 1897 and 1899, visiting many states. In 1898 he went to Kashmir, where he stayed at a houseboat on Dal Lake. After visiting the Kheer Bhawani temple (a temple near Srinagar that has Bhawani as the deity), Vivekananda wrote this poem. Sister Nivedita, who was accompanying Vivekananda in Kashmir, noted that he was in a "fever of inspiration" prior to writing the poem, and became impatient until he could write down his thought.
Kali the Mother (poem)