SRINAGAR, JULY 07: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah today unveiled the Statue of Peace of Swami Ramanujacharya in Srinagar through video conferencing.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, along with saints and followers of Swami Ramanujacharya from across the country attended the unveiling ceremony at Shuryar Mandir, Srinagar.
In his address, the Union Home Minister said that it gives me great pleasure to unveil the peace statue of Swami Ramanujacharya made of marble in Kashmir today. In various periods of India’s history, whenever society needed reforms, a great person has come forward to show the true path and Ramanujacharya was also born at a time when the country needed a great person. Today, on this occasion, I pay my respects to the life, works and personality of Ramanujacharya.
Shri Amit Shah said that when social unity was being broken, many evils were afflicting society, then Ramanujacharya was sent and he did great work of connecting Vaishnavism with its origin. Shri Shah said that in 2017, the celebrations of the 1000th birth anniversary of Bhagvat Ramanujacharya took place across the country with the diligence and devotion of Param Pujya Jeeyar Swami, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi sent the message of Bhagvat Ramanujacharya to the country from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 15th August. According to the resolve taken then, a huge memorial of Ramanujacharya has been built in Hyderabad which will not only carry forward the message of his life into the future, but it has also become a place of Sanatan Dharma in Southern India which has spread all over the South. Strengthening of religious consciousness has also taken place in India.
Shri Amit Shah said that the establishment of this peace statue in Kashmir today is a very auspicious sign for the entire country, especially Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Jammu and Kashmir has progressed on the path of peace and progress under the leadership of Lt Governor Shri Manoj Sinha. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Shri Manoj Sinha has established decisive supremacy on terror in Kashmir. Shri Manoj Sinha has taken development to the people of Kashmir without any discrimination. After a long time, the country expected that Articles 370 and 35A should be removed and Kashmir should be integrally integrated with India. This expectation was fulfilled by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and from 5th August 2019 a new era began in Kashmir. At such a time, the installation of this peace statue will bring the blessings and message of Ramanujacharya to Kashmiris of all religions and will take Kashmir further on the path of peace and progress.
Shri Amit Shah said that in a way Ramanujacharya’s life and place of work was mostly in South India. But the spread of his education and love is visible throughout the country. Many sects, sects across the country have grown from the original message of Ramanujacharya and his disciple Ramananda. As a result, today in Kashmir a peace statue has been established. This statue will give a message of peace not only to Kashmir but to the whole of India. This statue is four feet in height and made of pure white Makrana marble and weighs about 600 kilograms. The Yathiraj Mutt of Yadugiri, located in Mandya district of Karnataka, is the only original Mutt in Melkot that has existed since the time of Ramanujacharya.
The Union Home Minister said that when an earthquake struck Gujarat, Jeeyar Swami was the first among those saints to reach there and rebuilt the villages. The Gujarat government is also going to install a grand statue of Ramanujacharya there next year, so that the people of Kutch will remember the work done by the Yadugiri Mutt. Ramanujacharya established the Mutt through the orders received from his Guru Yamunacharya. Today, the 41st abbot of Yathiraj Mutt has revived the message of the life of Ramanujacharya once again. Many incidents of Ramanujacharya’s life can inspire us for ages.
The Union Home Minister said Ramanujacharya was born in Tamil Nadu in Vikram Samvat 1074 and this wonderful child of Keshavacharya and Mata Kantimani studied the scriptures deeply in his teenage years. At the age of 23, leaving the householder’s ashram, the Yatiraj Sanyasis of Srirangam initiated him into Sanyas and then Shri Ramanujacharya became a scholar, a revolutionary and a pioneer who brought many social changes during his time. He devoted his whole life to religion, devotion and the Nation. He had a deep relationship with Kashmir. Ramanujacharya reinterpreted inclusive society, religion and philosophy through the Vishishtadvaita sect. By adopting the formula of Manasa, Vacha, Karmana, he placed his life in the service of the people. His message led to the emergence of many sects across the country. Narsi Mehta, the famous poet of Gujarat, composed ‘Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye Je Peer Parai Jaane Re’, with the message of Ramanujacharya. Sant Kabir also accepted that whatever he could do in his life was due to Ramanujacharya.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said Swami Ramanujacharya Ji is the inspiration for eternal peace, unity and integrity of the country, social reform and upliftment of the downtrodden.
With the installation of Statue of Peace, J&K is sending a message of peace, unity, harmony and brotherhood to the world, he added.
I am confident, Jagadguru Ramanujacharya’s life and message, emphasizing peace, love, truth and equality of all human beings will continue to inspire and guide people of J&K, the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor expressed gratitude to Hon’ble Home Minister for unveiling the Statue of Peace. He said under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister, UT Government will continue to make efforts to establish a prosperous, progressive and egalitarian society in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Statue of Peace also commemorates the special connection of Ramajunacharya with Kashmir, he further added.
The Lt Governor said the Statue of Peace symbolizes the values on which the Vishishtadvaita philosophy was founded by Jagadguru Ramajunacharya to show humanity the right path of peace and love. Jagadguru gave birth to idea of social equality and contributed immensely for developing the spiritual consciousness in the society.
“I believe that the efforts for establishment of peace, progress of the society are not limited to any one area, but it is a movement of the entire humanity. Jagadguru also traveled to Kashmir to fulfill this purpose”, the Lt Governor said.
Speaking about the reforms brought in J&K after August 2019, the Lt Governor said the new reforms have transformed the lives of people of J&K and built a better future for them.
The Lt Governor said tribals and marginalized sections of Jammu and Kashmir faced discrimination for decades. Under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister and Home Minister, a true egalitarian society has been established and the doors of future possibilities have been opened for the entire population.
The Lt Governor said that under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the UT administration is trying to take the philosophy of such great personalities to the students and youth. ‘We will also try to introduce Jagadguru’s vision and philosophy to youth clubs and universities and colleges in Jammu Kashmir’, he added.
The Lt Governor along with H.H Sri Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami Ji also released a publication of Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt on the occasion.
Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Minister of Higher Education, Karnataka; Sh Tejaswi Surya, Member Parliament ; Sh Pandurang K Pole, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Saints from across the country and followers of Jagadguru Ramanujacharya were present on the occasion
