Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Sep 10: Kannada and Culture department in collaboration with Dakshina Kannada district administration, Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat, and Mangaluru City Corporation observed Brahmashree Narayana Guru Jayanthi at TMA Pai Convention Hall here on Saturday September 10.

After inaugurating the programme along with other dignitaries, V Sunil Kumar, minister for Kannada and Culture said, "There are over 50 visionaries born in the state. All their Jayanthis were observed in Bengaluru. But, for the first time, the Kannada and Culture Department has planned to observe Jayanthi's of various visionaries in different districts. Hence, state-level Brahmashree Narayana Guru Jayanthi is observed in Mangaluru today. The only intention is to only reach the teachings of visionaries to the people. In the future, all Jayanthi's of visionaries will be held in various districts in rotation.”

He also said that the teachings of Brahmashree Narayana Guru should reach people.

Brahmashree Narayana Guru is not restricted to one community. But, he is relevant to the entire humanity through his message of equality, he added.

"Several visionaries have contributed to bringing about change in society. But, their contribution was not taught in school textbooks for future generations by the previous governments after Independence. After our government came to power, we implemented the history of visionaries in the textbooks," he said.

He called upon people to imbibe the teachings of Brahmashree Narayana Guru in their lives.

Prof Keshav Bangera in his address said, "Brahmashree Narayana Guru came out from the wall of community and gave a call that he belongs to humanity.

“Brahmashree Narayana Guru changed society spiritually and educationally. When the lower class in the society was suppressed by the upper class and not allowed to enter temples, Narayana Guru remained in the same community, learnt Upanishads, built several temples in South India, and provided the chance of entering temples for the lower classes,” he said.

He also said without any protest or violence Narayana Guru has won the hearts of crores of people through his teachings.

Prof Bangera said, “Narayana Guru is a great visionary who stuck to Hindu religion itself along with spirituality and he too gave importance to education. He gave a call to impart education to those who have been deprived of it. Brahmashree Narayana Guru had known the importance of education. He built many educational institutions. Instead of giving donations to temples, he suggested to the people to give education to the poor.”

He also said that when religious conversions were taking place in Kerala, Brahmashree Narayana Guru stressed the need for social equality in the Hindu religion. In the entire South India, Brahmashree Narayana Guru brought about a social change through education and spirituality.

He called upon people to implement thoughts of Brahmashree Narayana Guru in one's life and spread his teachings.

A procession was held from Lady Hill circle to the TMA Pai Convention Centre.

State minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs Vedavyas Kamath, Bharath Shetty, Harish Poonja, Rajesh Naik, and Sanjeeva Matandoor, mayor Jayananda Anchan, deputy mayor Poornima, police commissioner N Shashi Kumar, zilla panchayat CEO Kumar and others were present.