Brahmasree Visudhananda Swamikal, President, Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust,
Shri N.K. Premachandran, Member of Parliament,
Shri K.C. Venugopal, Member of Parliament
Shri Mullappally Ramachandran, Member of Parliament and President, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee,
Prof. Richard Hay, Member of Parliament
Adv. V. Joy, Member of Legislative Assembly,
Adv. P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, State President, Bharatheeya Janata Party,
Smt. Bindhu Haridas,Chair-person, Varkala Muncipality,
Sreemath Saradananda Swamikal, Treasurer, Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust,
Shri V. Bhaskaran, Padma Sree and Arjuna Awardee,
Shri Gokulam Gopalan, Noted Industrialist,
Priyappetta Sivagiri Theerthaadakare,
Sahodaree Sahodaranmare,
Madyama Suhruthukale,
Ellavarkkum Ente Namaskaram.
It gives me great joy and pride to inaugurate the 86th Theerthaadanamat Sivagiri, the sacred abode of Sree Narayana Guru, who is rightly regarded as the father of the Renaissance movement in Kerala.
Let me at the outset, compliment the spiritual leaders of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust (SNDST) for organizing the Sivagiri Pilgrimage every year with the aim of the all round development of mankind, especially the poor and the downtrodden. The Pilgrimage is unique as it aims for human enlightenment and welfare, irrespective of Caste, Creed, Religion or Sex.
It is a matter of pride that the Sivagiri Pilgrimage, started in a very modest way in 1933, has now grown into a mammoth annual pilgrimage attended by lakhs of people not just from India, but from all over the world. I am informed that this year's pilgrimage expects the presence of around 45 lakh people. What a world of difference from the first Pilgrimage, which was attended by just 5 pilgrims who came to Sivagiri, walking all the way from Pathanamthitta district !
The increasing participation in the Sivagiri Theerthadanamis an indication of the ever increasing relevance of the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru. As we all know, Guru's matchless wisdom and philosophy have transcended the boundaries of time and convictions of faiths and remain relevant in any modern social circumstance. The everlasting energy of his call to imbibe the ideals of love, brotherhood and concern has bestowed upon him the unshared status of a universal teacher. The Sivagiri Theerthadanam is conducted as per the principles laid down by Gurudev. For the pilgrim, it is a journey towards unity and spiritual enrichment; for the world,it is a message of social harmony.
The broad vision of Gurudev's philosophy is evident in the prescription of ten days' austerity for those undertaking the pilgrimage. This concept of austerity is based on Sree Budha's principles of purity of Body, Word, Mind, Food and Deed. In fact, Guru's philosophy integrates the many forms of wisdom in the world including the non violence of Buddha, the love of Christ, the brotherhood of Nabi whom he called Muththu Nabi and the spirituality of the ancient Indian Gurus.
Sree Narayana Guru is credited to have carried forward the teachings of many philosophers to their logical conclusions by relating them to the modern era. Gurudev's teachings tend to unify different religious thoughts on the basis of the fundamental unity of the laws of life and Truth. His faith in the equality of Mankind ignited a revolutionary spark in his philosophy. And, this spark could kindle a strong desire for equality in the minds of millions of people who in later years,became part of many social movements. No wonder, many people regard his philosophy as a theology of protest against the caste based ascendancy, discrimination and sectarianism. On his part, Gurudev was bold enough to proclaim : Namukku Jaathiyilla, meaning, We have no caste.
As one who endeavored to place the human being at the centre of the everything, Guru believed that self improvement by individuals was the only hope for society and the world. What is unique about this Pilgrimage is that it is also a spiritual journey to Sivagireeswari, the Goddess of knowledge. It is also an opportunity for self improvement through scholarly musings on eight key areas of human life like Education, Cleanliness, Agriculture, Trade and Commerce, Science and Technology etc., which had been suggested as the agenda for this pilgrimage, by Guru himself. Even nearly a century later, some of these areas suggested by Guru stand firmly in the agenda for world in its efforts to ensure human development. One can only say, what a rare Vision!
I am happy to know that during this pilgrimage, sports contests are also held along with art and literary competitions. It is laudable, since Guru himself had included sporting competitions during the installation of the Sarada Devi idol on the belief that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body.
The global appeal of the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru lies in their focus on education as the greatest purifier of the mind, unity as true empowerment and industry as the greatest enabler of progress. Today, as the educated youth of India gear up to conquer the employment opportunities of the world we realize how deeply Gurudev's call for Education has trickled down to our society. As our people stand united for just causes and translate their knowledge into innovation, we realize the positive energy behind the principles that Guru advocated. The true greatness of those principles is that they stand for ever, inspiring generations after generations.
I once again greet all the pilgrims who have assembled here and wish that the light of wisdom empowers them further. Let us also remember that we would attain the true bliss of this spiritual journey only when we internalize a profound thought that Gurudev had once shared : Manushyaanaam Manushyathvam. Itimplies that one is human only through humanity, a quality that encompasses virtues like compassion, empathy and love. May this Theerthadanam brighten the Manushyathvam in all of us so that we give our children a better world.
Ellavarkkum Ente Puthu Varsha Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
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