The foot march christened ‘Walk of Hope’ led by Sri M to spread the message of peace and harmony reached here on Saturday. The ‘padayatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir organised by the Manav Ekta Mission was accorded reception here after the marchers led by Mumtaz Ali Khan or Sri M, as he is popularly known among his followers, covered nearly 800 kilometres. The Walk of Hope was flagged off at Kanyakumari on January 12.
In his interaction with reporters here, he said that the message he wanted to drive home during his march was that violence was not the way to resolve differences of views and faiths.
“This is not the journey of any faction. It is for highlighting the message that the differences among the faiths should not be a cause for violence,” he said. He also said that the march was being conducted with a hope that a conflict-free society was possible. Referring to incidents of political violence here, he said violence would breed more violence. Sri M also said that the march had received good response from people in the State.
The padayatra had visited various places of worship along its route. During the public meetings he addressed, Sri M spoke for peace and interfaith harmony, stressing that all souls are divine, the organisers said. The march would reach Pazhayangadi on March 1 and Payyannur on March 2 and cross to Kasaragod on March 3.
Every day the marchers covered 20-22 km. As many as 64 people, including 22 women, joined the march since it started from Kanyakumari, the organisers said. The organisers described Sri M as spiritual guide, social reformer and educationalist. He also authored the book Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master – A Yogi’s Autobiography .
