No, This is not a rare video of Swami Vivekananda. – FactCrescendo | The leading fact-checking website in India

The viral video shows Hindu monk and Guru Paramahansa Yogananda during a visit to New York in 1923, not Swami Vivekananda.

We are all familiar with Swami Vivekananda as a Hindu monk and one of India’s most recognised spiritual gurus. A black-and-white film of a person dressed as a monk strolling down the street with a group of people is being shared on social media, with the claim that it displays a rare video of Swami Vivekananda.

Facebook Post| Archive link

Fact Check- 

We began our search by conducting a reverse image search on the keyframes recovered from the film, which brought us to a Facebook Reel uploaded by Ananda Worldwide. Swami Yogananda visited New York in 1923, according to the subtitles.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1420746968677640/

Upon further research, we discovered that the captions shared a link to a website called Ananda.org. We discovered a longer version of the YouTube video compiled in an article on the site.  On YouTube, the video had been titled ‘Yogananda Visits New York’ was uploaded by Ananda Sangha Worldwide on 16 July, 2020. The viral video’s visuals can be viewed starting at 32 seconds.

The description on the site about the video reads, “We are very happy to offer you (in collaboration with the University of South Carolina) this original video footage of Swami Yogananda visiting New York City in 1923.”

We have also attached related photo evidence below.

digital.tcl.sc.edu link

Paramahansa Yogananda was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowship / Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India. A chief disciple of the yoga guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, he was sent by his lineage to spread the teachings of yoga to the West. He immigrated to America at the age of 27 to prove the unity between Eastern and Western religions and to preach a balance between Western material growth and Indian spirituality. His long-standing influence in the American yoga movement, and especially the yoga culture of Los Angeles led him to be considered by yoga experts as the “Father of Yoga in the West.” He lived his last 32 years in America. 

Swami Vivekananda, born as Narendranath Datta, is a Hindu philosopher, author and was the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He is known for his landmark speech at the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago and introducing Hinduism to the west.

Conclusion- 

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be False. The viral video shows Hindu monk and Guru Paramahansa Yogananda during a visit to New York in 1923, not Swami Vivekananda. 

Title:No, This is not a rare video of Swami Vivekananda.

Fact Check By: Usha Manoj 

Result: False