Christian ashram movement hosts peace meet in Kerala

By Thomas Scaria

Mangaluru: A Christian ashram movement has launched a campaign to promote religious unity and harmony in Kerala, a southern Indian state where a debate is raging over Islamophobia.

“It is a fact that religious groups are passing through a crisis situation due to wide politicization of religion and its institutionalization process,” said Swamy Sachidananda, the founder of the Dharma Rajya Vedi, (Forum of Righteousness).

Speaking to Matters India over phone September 22, he observed that the “crises have to be converted into an opportunity for better understanding of each other.”

The forum therefore organized an interreligious peace meet at its headquarters in Kochi, September 21 in the backdrop of allegations such as “Love Jihad” and “Narcotic Jihad’ by some Church leaders that led to heated discussions.

The peace meet attended by various religious leaders from Hindu, Christian and Muslim communities were also to mark the International Day for Peace called by the United Nations and the death anniversary of the Sree Narayana Guru, Kerala’ renowned social reformer.

“A solution to religious divisions and phobias can be found in the religious principles, as no religion spreads hatred or violence, but love, service and brotherhood,” said Sachidananda.

Addressing the peace convention held offline and online at the same time also launched “Tyagarchana Mahayajnam,” an Inter-religious movement based on sacrifice, love and service with a mission to restore religious amity.

Justice Kurian Joseph, who addressed the convention, observed that humans have to first “live in peace” before they write “Rest in Peace” in their graveyard.

“If we do not live in peace while we are alive, we may not rest in peace when we die,” said the former Supreme court judge who stressed the need to co-exist peacefully with various religions and cultures.

K P Fabian, a former diplomat and national president of the Dharma Rajya Vedi, said world peace lies within each one and if one does not realize and promote the peace from within, no “peace outside is possible.” He said religious and spiritual leaders should guide people to find this peace within.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council’s Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue also participated in convention. Its secretary, Father Prasad Theruvathu who led the opening prayer, said religions should promote inner peace of the soul among its followers, not fear and hatred.

Kuriakose Mor Theophilose, the president of the Ecumenical Commission of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, said Kerala has a tradition of living peacefully in a multireligious context and it cannot afford to lose it. “Ecumenism and dialogue should be an integral part of the Church” if it has to survive the crisis situation.

T P M Ibrahim Khan, a Muslim lawyer, said the word “jihadi” refers to fighting what is not righteousness and one should use it to fight own vices first.

Swamy Sachidananda, who visualized the convention, will undertake an all Kerala tour with leaders from Hindu, Christian and Muslim communities October 8-14.

He said this crisis can be converted into an opportunity if we unbound our gods from the boundaries of the religion and live a spirituality that is beyond just religions.

The convention has also launched a “Tyagarchana Youth front” along with “Tyagarchana mother, father and teacher fronts to support them,” said Sachidananda who insisted that a true liberation and freedom lies in experiencing the core of religion – that is spirituality.

“Just political freedom alone is not enough, people should experience economic, social and moral freedom too,” he added.