News and pic: Manju Neereshwallya
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Sep 9: 'Vishwa Mangala Gou Yatra (Pilgrimage for the welfare of cow breeds)' is being flagged off on September 30 at Kurukshetra in Haryana, under the guidance of eminent spiritual heads. The Yatra will cover about 20,000 kms during its duration of 108 days.
To draw up strategies for the success of the above Yatra, a meeting of the activists of Rashtreeya Swayamsevak Sangh and various other organizations was convened at Sangh Niketan in the city on Tuesday September 8. The meeting was guided by Kalladka Dr Prabhakar Bhat. Leaders like Prof M B Puranik and Damodar Nisarga were present at the dais.
"The Indian breeds of cows are worshipped in reverence, because of their divine qualities. At present, these breeds are on the verge of extinction. We have to take proactive steps to ensure that the Indian cow breeds are protected. The Yatra has been organized with a view to make rural life more convenient and fruitful," the leaders said. They reminisced that in the year 1959, the then Sarasanghchalak Guruji Golwalkar had collected signatures of crores of people in support of such a programme and had organized programmes on a large scale for protecting the Indian breeds of cows.
The Yatra will begin on the auspicious occasion of 'Vijaya Dashami' and the Yatra will simultaneously begin from important cities of every state in the country, in which saints and spiritual heads will take part and provide divine guidance to the programmes. There are plans to collect 50 crore signatures in support of the cow conservation programme. The Yatra plans to visit every village and city in the country, it was informed.
The collection of signatures will not be limited to any specific caste, religion or any other affiliation. Initially, the Yatra will collect signatures of dignitaries and influential leaders of the region, followed by the individuals. Prabhakar bhat expressed the desire that every Indian citizen will wholeheartedly take part in the programme.