I am sure what everyone think when the magic number 9/11 strikes ones mind. As usual, we have short term memory and also more interested in thinking in western terms than looking at our own greats....
September 11 - The greatest poet Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar ninaivu dinam. Acknowledged as the greatest poet Tamil Nadu has seen in the recent times, a great philosopher, freedom Fighter, editor, writer, critic, social activist etc etc. One of the forerunners who voiced against untouchability and womens liberation, much ahead of his times died on this day.
September 11 - A day when the entire world was introduced to a pathbreaking, revolutionary weapon to fight - WMD - Weapon of Mass Disobeidience (word coinage - courtesy - Today's Hindu Editorial). Mahatma Gandhi came up with his concept of Sathyagraha, in South Africa on this day, which terorised the English more than any other weapon they faced.
September 11 1893 - When Swami Vivekananda uttered the words 'Sisters and Brothers of America', at the Parliment of Religions at Chicago, the entire hall of art, with 7000 dignitaries and audience gave a standing ovation for such a long time, that the swami could not utter another word for minutes together. He is the only person to represnt Hinduism, though there were many Indians. Other Indians mainly represented Brohmo Samaj, Theosophical society etc. Also, Swami was the only person who gave his speach unprepared. A day when the entire world looked up at Hinduism with awe.
9-1-1 Emergency Telephone Number Day was proclaimed, by President Reagan in 1987, to occur on the 11th day of September, the ninth month, of that year. The proclamation was made to promote the North American universal emergency telephone number 9-1-1.
Until 2001, September 11 was celebrated by many United States communities as "9-1-1 emergency number day" or simply "911 day". The promotional effort was often led by firefighters and the police. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the reminders of 9-1-1 were dropped in favor of remembrance of the attacks, despite the fact that September 11, 2001 was indeed a day of emergency.