79th Sarva Dharma Sammelana held at Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala

79th Sarva Dharma Sammelana held at Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala

Mangalore Today News Network

Dharmasthala, Nov 24, 2011: Dr. G. Madhava Nair, the president of ISRO in Bangalore, inaugurated the 79th Sarva Dharma Sammelan (All Religion Convention) held in the Amrithavarshini Convention Hall of Dharmasthala as part of the annual Lakshadeepotsva event of Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala.

 

Stating that India is the most tolerant country in the world, he said that most of the so-called modern discoveries of science were discovered by the sages of India centuries ago.

He also informed the gatheing that rockets at ISRO are never launched until and unless their models are first worshipped at Tirupathi. This ensures their successful launch, he added.

Recalling an incident, he said that an intense storm arose in the ocean just 2 days before the scheduled launch of a rocket in Shriharikota. However, the storm reduced as soon as coconuts were offered to Lord Ganesha. Although there are scientific explanations for storms changing directions, this incident proves that there is a force that can control nature, he opined.

Menaka Gandhi Speaks

Presiding over the event, Menaka Gandhi said that the animals are just as important to the environment as human beings. Pointing out that even the deities are associated with animals, she said that dieties such as Ganapathi, Shiva, Parvathi, Kali, Durga, Saraswati, and others use some animal or the other to ride on. She said that this conveys the message of co-existence and tolerance. Stating that both Jesus and Mohammed were vegetarians, she said that both preached the concept of non violence, which much be implemented immediately because of the rapidly declining animal population on earth.

Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, the dharmadhikari of Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala, D. Surendra Kumar, Prof. S. Prabhakar, Dr. Balasaheba Lokapura of Bagalkot, Maulvi Basheer Ahmed Umri of Bijapur, and Prof. Judith Pinto of Mangalore were the dignitaries on the dais.