As many as 62 couples of different communities tied the nuptial knot at an all-religion mass marriage function organised as part of the Jagadguru Tontadarya Jatra Mahotsava in Gadag on Tuesday.
Participating in the programme, Health and Family Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu lauded the initiative to conduct the mass marriage on the principles of Basava philosophy.
The Minister said that the math had been instrumental in bringing the ideology advocated by the 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara into practice.
Sri Tontadarya Siddalinga Swamiji said that the purpose of establishing maths would be fulfilled only when they [maths] initiated measures that were aimed at ensuring peace and prosperity in society.
The maths would retain the trust of the general public only when they involved themselves in constructive works, he said.
The swamiji said that Srilingamma Sharane of the 12th century was the first social reformer who had conducted a free mass marriage on the occasion of her marriage and set the trend for mass marriage.
MLC S.R. Patil inaugurated the “Tontadarya Museum” set up at the Niranjana Auditorium on the math premises.
The former Minister, S.S. Patil, urged the newly wed couples to lead their life according to the Basava philosophy.
MLA Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, Shiraj Bellary, Vijaykumar Gaddi and a host of elected representatives participated in the programme. People from various places of the district witnessed the event.
