In the next 25 years, Bharat has a target to become a leader of the world and in this journey, a spiritual resurgence is integral, said Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi. He was speaking at the Centenary celebrations of the ‘Palace for the Poor’ front building of the Ramakrishna Mission Students Home and the Residential High School on Sunday.
Following colonisation and the damage it had done to culture and spirituality, Mr. Ravi said, the course of the nation was steered away from the Dharmic way of life. “The rise of Bharat has to be on all lines. It cannot be just in material prosperity, and growth in science and technology. The spine of Bharat is Sanatana Dharma, and this dharma has to rise for the comprehensive rise of Bharat,” he said.
“It took a long time for the nation to have a visionary national leadership, who could give a fundamental course correction in the progress, and contribute to Bharat. The national leadership looks at Bharat in totality and all these interventions in place for growth development are with the vision of Bharat as one entity,” he said.
Mr. Ravi said vested interests had created an impression that secularism, as defined in the Constitution, had nothing to do with Dharma.
“This is a mischievous and distorted interpretation. This political interpretation has put institutions that are supposed to carry Dharma forward in a very hard place. Dharma is all encompassing and inclusive,” he said.
Stating that there is no word equivalent to Dharma in English or any other language, Mr. Ravi said the word ‘religion’ should not be used while talking about Dharma, as the latter is much more comprehensive.
Sacrifices remembered
Speaking about the institution celebrating its centenary year, the Governor lauded the sacrifices, contributions and devotion of those who were associated with it. “Our vision is to build a Bharat as envisioned by Swami Vivekananda, with muscles of iron and nerves of steel but whose mind is vedantic. We need to think of ways and means in how institutions like this can trigger and ignite the spiritual resurgence of Bharat,” he said.
A special postal cover was released to mark the centenary celebrations and aid was distributed to drama artistes, conservancy workers and others. S. Gurumurthy, Editor,
Thuglak spoke about the importance of family in India’s culture and tradition.
Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj, Vice President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission and Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai; B. Selvakumar, Chief Post Master General, Tamil Nadu Circle and Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, philanthropist and Vice President, Ramakrishna Mission Students Home, were present on the occasion.
