VIVEKANANDA HOUSE(S)

Vivekanandar Illam, or Vivekananda House, earlier known as Ice House or Castle Kernan at Chennai, India is an important place for the Ramakrishna Movement in South India.  It is remembered as the place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days when he visited Chennai (then Madras) in 1897.  This was following his triumphant return from the West.  Vivekanandar Illam now houses a permanent exhibition on Indian culture and Swamiji’s (Vivekananda's) life, maintained by the Chennai branch of the Ramakrishna Math and is a source of inspiration to thousands of people who visit it every year.

In 1900 Swami Vivekananda stayed for six weeks in a house, also now known as Vivekananda House, in South Pasadena, California.  Built before 1877, the two-story house is a good example of Victorian architecture.  It has, for example, a gabled roof and distinctive sunburst designs.  It is a coincidence that the Vivekananda Cottage in upstate New York, at which Vivekananda stayed for seven weeks in 1895, is in the same architectural style.

The interior of the Vivekananda House, South Pasadena, has been restored to its original decor wherever possible. The bedroom where the swami slept is now a sanctuary for meditation, and the table at which he dined is still downstairs near the fireplace. Devotees can walk through the parlor where he spoke, the kitchen where he cooked, and stroll in the garden where he often played with the children.  The house is located at 309 Monterey Road, South Pasadena, California 91030.  The phone number is (323) 254-1546, and the email address pasadena@vedanta.org