History
Ice King Frederic Tudor built an Icehouse at Madras facing the Bay of Bengal in 1842 as part of his ice business. Around 1880, the business collapsed and the building was sold to Biligiri Iyengar of Madras. He remodelled the house, renamed it Castle Kernan and used it as a residence. When Swami Vivekananda visited Madras in 1897 after his return from the West, Iyengar, being a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, made him stay at the Ice House. Vivekananda stayed at the Ice House between 6 February 1897 to 14 February 1897 when he delivered some of his most famous lectures. When Vivekananda was about to depart, he agreed to his disciples' request to set up a permanent centre at the Ice House. The mission activities continued till 1906 when the property came up for mortgage and was purchased by a zamindar. In 1917, Ice House was acquired by the Government of Madras as part of their social welfare scheme after which the house functioned as training school for women and a hostel for widows.
The state government had leased this building Sri Ramakrishna Mission. It is an imposing structure on the Marina along the South Beach Road. It was constructed in 1842 to store ice blocks imported from the USA by the Tudor Ice Company and the business continued until 1874, when the ice began to be produced locally. This is why it is called Ice House. Later Bilagiri Iyengar purchased this building in 1885 and called it "Castle Kernon."
Vivekanandar Illam in its current form
Ice House was named Vivekanandar Illam by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1963, the centenary year of Swami Vivekananda. On 6 February 1997, the Government handed over the Illam to Ramakrishna Math on lease to set up a permanent exhibition on Swami Vivekananda and the cultural heritage of India. The exhibition was opened to public on 20 December 1999. Along with the exhibition, regular youth meetings conducted every Sunday evening 4 pm and yoga classes are also being conducted.Meditation class is conducted every Wednesday 7 pm
It took nearly five years to complete the restoration work of Swamiji� ancestral home, though the decision of turning it to a memorial-cum-museum was taken in 1962. The edifice standing on 30 cottahs of land along with the newly constructed research and cultural center, the textbook library and the social and philanthropy building would soon turn into a notable site like Belur Math. According to Swami Bishokananda, who was in the charge of this project, the President has not only inaugurated the research-cum-cultural centre, he has also formally opened the textbook library meant for students of Higher Secondary and those who are pursuing graduate and post- graduate studies.
The 18th century building was in a dilapidated condition, worsening day by day. The Ramkrishna Mission acquired it, along with an adjacent plot, in May 1999 through State government. A committee was set up- comprising, among others, conservation engineers of Archaeological Survey of India sto advise on the renovation and coordinate with the agencies involved in the process.
The Centre, the State government as well as public donation to Ramakrishna Mission, funded the Rs. 20 crore restoration project in which the Central grant was Rs. 9 crore 90 lakh.
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.
The state government had leased this building to Sri Ramakrishna Mission. It is an imposing structure on the Marina beach along the South Beach Road. In 1897 Swami Vivekananda visited this city and stayed in this historic building in the year 1897 on his way to Calcutta, after his acclaimed speech at Chicago for the Parliament of Religions. The Government took over the building in 1930 and in 1963 it was named after Vivekananda. Photographs depicting the historical happenings associated with his life and books about him and his own written works are on display and sold here in the Museum.
View Larger Map
