PM Modi hailed the contributions of Sree Narayana Guru, a saint-cum-social reformer from Kerala
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the contributions of Sree Narayana Guru, a saint-cum-social reformer from Kerala, in the fight against caste discrimination which prevailed in Indian society and said he had laid equal emphasis on modernity and traditional values.
If people follow Sree Narayana Guru's teachings and message of 'one caste, one religion and one God', then no force in the world would be able to divide the country, PM Modi observed.
The Prime Minister said as Indians we have only one caste - Indianness - one religion - dharma or service and duty - and one God - mother India.
Therefore, the guru's message of one caste, one religion and one God gives a spiritual dimension to our patriotism.
"We all know that no goal of the world is impossible for the united Indians", he added.
In the backdrop of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, PM Modi also put forward his analysis of India's freedom struggle, saying that according to him it always had a spiritual foundation.
Further clarifying his analysis, the Prime Minister said, "Our freedom struggle was never confined to expression of protest and political strategies.
"While it was a fight to break the chains of slavery, it was informed by the vision of how we will be as an independent country as, only what we are opposed to is not important, what we stand for is more important," PM Modi said.
He also said that meetings of leaders like Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Gandhi Ji and Swami Vivekananda and many other dignitaries with Sree Narayana Guru sowed the seeds of reconstruction of India and the results of the same are visible today, 75 years after India's independence.
He was speaking at a ceremony organised in Delhi by the Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust to mark the 90th anniversary of the Sivagiri pilgrimage and the Golden Jubilee of Brahma Vidyalaya.
He also launched the logo for the year- long joint celebrations during the event which was attended by Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs.
Besides them, the event was also attended by spiritual leaders of Sivagiri Mutt and devotees.
In his speech, the Prime Minister said that "celebrations of 90th anniversary of Sivagiri Pilgrimage and Golden Jubilee of Brahma Vidhyalaya was not confined to the journey of these institutions but this is also the immortal journey of that idea of India, which keeps moving forward through different mediums in different periods".
"Be it the city of Shiva in Varanasi or Sivagiri in Varkala, every center of India's energy holds a special place in the lives of all of us Indians. These places are not mere pilgrimages, they are not just centers of faith, they are awakened establishments of the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'," he added.
He also pointed out that while many countries and civilizations strayed from their dharma and materialism took the place of spiritualism, in India our sages and gurus always refined our thoughts and enhanced our behaviour.
While expressing happiness on being part of the celebrations, he recalled the time of Uttarakhand-Kedarnath tragedy when despite having a Congress government at the Centre and a Defence Minister from Kerala, he, as Chief Minister of Gujarat was asked by the Mutt to rescue the Sivagiri Mutt saints trapped there.
The PM said he will never forget this privilege.
Referring to Sree Narayana Guru's contributions, PM Modi said that the guru campaigned against stereotypes and evils and made India aware of its reality.
"He fought a logical and practical fight against the discrimination going on in the name of casteism," he added.
The Prime Minister further said that the guru was a radical thinker and a practical reformer who created such an environment in society that the society itself moved towards self-improvement.
Citing the example of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, he said the government was able to create the right environment which led to an improvement in the situation with regard to girl child.
Sivagiri Pilgrimage is held every year for three days from December 30 to January 1 at Sivagiri, Thiruvananthapuram The pilgrimage started with a handful of devotees in 1933 but now has become one of the major events in South India Brahma Vidhyalaya offers a course of 7-years on Indian Philosophy including the works of Sree Narayan Guru and scriptures of all-important religions of the world.
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