BIJAPUR: Thousands of people took part in the "guruvandana" held in honour of Shivakumar Swamiji of Siddaganga Math at Talikot town on Monday.

The A.S. Patil Nadahalli Charitable Trust, headed by A.S. Patil Nadahalli, a Sondur-based mine owner, had organised the event.

Mr. Nadahalli presented the swamiji with a gold plate weighing one kg. A "tulabhara" was also held for the pontiff. The trust distributed 1.5 lakh notebooks with the swamiji's portrait on the cover page to college students from Muddebihal, Basavanabagewadi and Sindagi taluks, besides rewarding the highest scorers in the SSLC and PU examinations.

Responding to felicitation, the Swamiji, who blessed the gathering, voiced concern over the increasing violence in the name of religion. In the materialistic society, human values had taken the backseat, as a result of which there was mutual distrust and social unrest. Crores of rupees were spent on arms and explosives. One should learn from history that an empire built on violence lasted only for a short period whereas the one built through peace lasted long.

There could be peace when there was universal brotherhood. Also, democracy would be successful when socio-economic disparities were dispelled. To achieve this goal everybody should adopt the principle of "work is worship," he said.

Anil Lad, BJP MLA for Kudlagi, who presided over the function in the absence of Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, lauded the social work taken up by Mr. Nadahalli and said such people should join active politics to bring about reforms in the field that had been plagued by corruption and casteism.

He said the political system had become so corrupted that bringing in changes were not easy. Considerations other than merit dominated the field.

He called upon the people to elect only those committed to socio-economic developments.

Channabasava Swamiji of Motagi Math, Athani, called upon Mr. Nadahalli to enter politics. However, Mr. Nadahalli said he preferred social work to politics. The Talikot Citizen's Forum conferred the "Samaj Seva Ratna" Award on Mr. Nadahalli on the occasion. Bijapur MP Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal gave away the prizes to meritorious students on behalf of the trust.

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