Tolerance was the symbol of Hinduism and one should be proud to be a Hindu, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said.
He was inaugurating the valedictory function of the 104th annual Hindu meet at Cherukolpuzha, near Kozhencherry in Pathanamthitta district, on Sunday afternoon.
He said Hinduism was an eternal religion that preached the rich philosophy of ‘Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu’ (May eternal peace and goodwill prevail in the whole world).
Philosophy
Mr Chennithala said the Hindu philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kudumbakom,’ meaning ‘The whole earth is one family,’ inculcated an understanding that the whole world is one family.
He said the belief in God made man to tread on the right path of dharma. Festivals were meant for promoting social harmony and fraternity.
He said the Hindu religion was also called ‘Sanathana dharma,’ which would never be destroyed.
The Hindumatha Maha Mandalam (HMM) vice-president, P.S. Nair, presided over the function.
Radhakrishnan Namboodiri, chief priest and administrator of the Chakkulathukavu Devaswom, delivered the benedictory speech.
K. Sivadasan Nair, MLA; A.G. Unnikrishnan, Bharatiya Janata Party State secretary; T.N. Upendranathakurup, HMM president, and M.P. Sasidharan, Nair, secretary, also spoke.
Award presented
The Home Minister has presented this year’s Vidyadhiraja Puraskar to the HMM president on the occasion.
The week-long religious meet came to a close with Mr Namboodiri performing the auspicious Lakshmi Narayana Pooja, later.
