Karnataka - Bangalore   

A celebration of fraternal ties

Staff Reporter

Dignitaries attending the Art of Living event advocate harmony among nations

ECSTATIC: Followers of Sri Sri Ravishankar from Pakistan and Mongolia dance as their guruji (right) sings at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Art of Living Foundation at Jakkur airfield in Bangalore on Saturday. — Photo K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: As Sri Sri Ravishankar began singing "Hari Narayana Hari Om," his followers from China, Mongolia, Pakistan and those other countries, including India, began to dance.

"This is the celebration of differences. It is these differences if put together will form a rainbow," said Nighat Chaodhry, a Kathak dancer from Pakistan. This was also what the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu had to say.

The theme of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam" resonated on Saturday, the second day of the silver jubilee celebrations of the Art of Living Foundation.

Nearly four lakh followers of Sri Sri Ravishankar thronged the Jakkur airfield.

There were many foreign dignitaries, including Mauritius President Anerood Jugnauth. "It is a mini universe here. There is so much love and affection among people," Sir Jugnauth said.

The King of Ghana Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin said: "Our race is different, we look different and our food is different, but here we have gathered here as brothers," he said.

The King said people needed to work for the humanity, for which the Lord had sent them to earth.

World leaders such as the former Netherlands Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, and the former French Prime Minister Edith Cresson advocated the need for harmony among nations. "Heretics of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but dogmas," Swami Agnivesh, who heads the World Council of Arya Samaj, said.

There was a musical symphony by over 3,800 artistes.

There were also artistes such as Kadri Gopalnath and T.V. Vasan. There were musicians from different nations, including renowned piano player Zita Zohar.

Argentina's Supreme Court Secretary Jorge Giandomenico said: "We must shed personal interests and ask ourselves how we can relate to ourselves and the world."

Member of European Parliament Nirj Joseph Deva said no religion propagated division among human beings, but it were the politicians who divided society. "We must not allow the deterioration of human values," he said.

Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde commended the work of Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Earlier in the day there were dance programmes by artistes from different parts of the country and abroad. The nine-member Pakistani troupe staged a Kathak dance recital..

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