Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Report: Fr Francis Rodrigues, Raknno
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Dec 18: ‘Sauharda Christmas 2009’ was celebrated on Thursday December 17, at Karnataka Theological College, Balmatta in the city, which was jointly organized by Karnataka Christian Education Society, Sandesha Foundation, Protestant Christian Welfare Association (PROCHWA), Mangalore Christian Council (MCC) and the Mangalore Diocesan Ecumenical Commission(MDEC). A number of people from different religious backgrounds, who came together on a common platform on the occasion, expressed solidarity with each other and shared the joy of Christmas on the occasion.
While little kids from different religions cut the cake, Rev Hannibal Cabral, principal of Karnataka Theological College, along with the directors of the other organizing units, inaugurated the celebrations by lighting the lamp. Bishop C L Furtado led the prayers.
Dr Sara Abubakkar, a renowned and revolutionary Kannada writer, addressed the audience on behalf of the Muslim community. She commented, “A huge number of followers were attracted towards Jesus because of the humanitarian values that he taught to the people. Even from the heaviest cross to which he was hanged, he taught forgiveness. But the present society has moved from his values. The society has shown itself as highly inhuman, as evidenced through events like the Gujarat carnage of 2002, slitting open the stomach of a pregnant woman, criminalities in Orissa, raping of a nun, massacre of a two year-old baby etc., so on and so forth.” She said that a few crude personalities, who had questioned her, when she had translated the book on criminal activities of the fundamentalists, were more interested to know as to who had funded the publication of that book, rather than learning about the message the book had conveyed. Many wear the mask of communal harmony in front of others, but inflict communalism, she alleged.
Fr Valerian Mendonca, director of ‘Sandesha’, in his address delivered on behalf of all the Christians, recalled the statement of Mahatma Gandhi, “I am a Hindu, a Christian, a Muslim and a Parsee’. Jesus had no place for his birth and had no place for his death either. Still, he preached universal brotherhood. “The moment we learn to live as brothers and sisters, the dream of Jesus becomes a reality,” he opined.
Dr B Shivaram Shetty, reader in the department of Kannada in Mangalore University, spoke on behalf of Hindu community. He wondered at the constant usage of the word ‘harmony’ ( Sauhardha) in the present day gatherings and celebrations. It has become necessary to discuss on the term because there is a problem, he noted. He was born and brought up amidst Jathannas, D’Souzas and Abdulhas, yet there was no need to reflect on harmony then, as there had been no problem earlier, he explained. Every tradition one comes across (Sufi, Dasa, Basavanna, Christian etc.,) propagate the truth of unity and mutual acceptance. The harmonious co-existence of sun, moon and stars on the same sky again present the same message to us, he reasoned.
Sandesha, Karnataka Theological Collge and other institutions and individuals presented the Christmas message through variety entertainment programmes. Shalini, who compered the programme, and Fr J B Saldanha, secretary of MDEC, proposed vote of thanks. Secretary of MCC, Dr Anil Kumar, PROCHWA officials, Praveen James and Sathish Pengal, a number of religious, political and social leaders were present.