By Irudhaya Jothi

Kolkata, August 28, 2019: A secular group in West Bengal state’s South 24 Parganas district has put up a statue of Mother Teresa at the heart of a village market to uphold secularism.

An inter-religious gathering on August 27 watched as the statue of the world renowned Catholic nun was unveiled at Nepalgunge hatt, a well-known village market in Bishnupur block of the district, some 15 km from Kolkata, the state capital.

The Nepalgunge More Bebasahi Committee, the inter-faith group, took the initiative to install the statue.

Newly appointed Coadjutor Bishop Shyamal Bose of Baruipur joined leaders of other religions to unveil the lifesize statue of the founder of the Missionaries of Charity. They also garlanded the statue of Swami Vivekananda, a 19th century Hindu monk and social reformer.

Swami Vivekananda’s statue was installed at the market’s crossroad a few months ago.

“Next to Vivekananda it was felt need of the people to install Mother’s statue,” said Sathya Ranjan Panja, secretary of the Hatt committee. “We thought the appropriate time was her 109th birth anniversary,” he told Matters India.

According to him, people from nearby villages flock to the market thrice a week for fresh vegetables and fish. People from Kolkata’s suburbs prefer this destination at all times.

Panja also noted that Nepalgunge maintains all village facets resisting the fast growing Kolkata city. Thousands gather in the market every week also to catch up with friends and acquaintances. “Hence it is not only an important village economic zone but social and cultural nerve of the surrounding villages as well,” he added.

Hari Gopal Chakraborti, president of Vivekananda Atma Jagatan Manch and a member of Ramakrishna matt said, “It is important to have Mother Teresa’s statue installed in the heart of this market. It is a clear message to the people that we stand by the secular values of our country and we promote peace among all religions.”

The Hindu spiritual leader noted India faced challenging times now as some “fringe groups for their selfish motive to grab power, instigate hatred among the majority of people in the name of religions. We stand here united to thwart any such feelings among us in this part of the world”.

Sahidulla Khan, the imam of Nepalgunge Hatt Masjid who was on the dais, was emphatic in articulating the contribution of Mother Teresa to humanity, especially for the poor of Kolkata. “She lives in our heart as ‘Maa’ (mother) and an expression of our respect we have the statue erected where thousands gather every week,” the Muslim cleric added.

Bishop Bose shared his personal encounter with Mother Teresa as a young seminarian and assured the people that the Catholic saint will intercede for her “beloved children of Bengal.” Her statue along with Swami vivekanda will be a symbol of peace and unity among us all, he added.

Sadhana Korali, the teacher-in-charge of Jesuit-managed St. Paul’s Higher secondary School, said, “We have such inter-religious gatherings and programs on important times and we had one in the same venue after mother was beatified.”

Many pastor of the Church of North India and Jesuits from the Ragabpur Jesuit Parish joined the program along with the nuns of Daughters of St. Ann (DSA).

Children and people from different religions attended the function. Panja said the villagers have no difficulty in inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, which is hotly debated and trampled upon by a few radical groups for their short and personal gains in the country today.

The master of the ceremony was Sanjai Sani a CNI member who is the secretary of Bangaiya Christiya Poriseba, a United Christian Forum of Bengal, and an ardent admirer of Mother Teresa. He elaborated the life of Mother Teresa and stressed the need to promote the values she stood by in and through her life.

Jesuit mission superior of Ragabpur Mission Father Patrick Walsh, who was present, said many more similar “secular and inter-religious programs would be organized to promote peace and unity among all.”