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A meeting that broke barriers of religion

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: In an act that broke the barriers of religion, Metropolitan Bishop of Indian Orthodox Church Geevarghese Mar Coorilos called on Srivasta Goswami Guruji of the Radhamani group in Vrindavan (Mathura) at the latter's ashram here on the occasion of Guru Poornima.

This was the second meeting of the two spiritual leaders, who about a fortnight back had met in Korea at an international conference on inter-religious dialogue.

The Guruji was here for Guru Poornima, an important festival for the Vaishnava sect, while the Bishop, also the former president of the National Council of Churches in India, was here to solemnise a wedding. About six dozen followers of the Radhamani group, Rajiv Chandran, national information officer of the United Nations Information Centre in New Delhi, and Thomas Ninan of the Christian Medical Association of India, Delhi, were present when the two religious leaders met and extended their dialogue on inter-faith.

"It took 50 years for the two of us, born in the same country, with similar interests, to meet each other, that too in Korea," His Grace Mar Coorilos said greeting the Guruji at his ashram.

The Metropolitan Bishop, who as NCCI president had led a delegation to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in Nagpur to diffuse tension between Hindus and Muslims, said the Orthodox Church followed Indian traditions and was truly indigenous in its worship and practices.

The Church did not believe in forcible conversions, he said.

The Goswamiji said if each religion respected the other the country would emerge stronger. Both religious leaders felt that the inter-religious dialogue should continue.

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