Sree Narayana Guru’s all-religious conference was a revolutionary intervention that reimagined religions experientially, going beyond mere religious tolerance, social critic Sunil P. Elayidom has said.
He was delivering the Vakkom Moulavi Memorial Lecture organised by the Vakkom Moulavi Memorial and Research Center on the theme ‘All-Religious Conference and Unity of Religious Feeling’ here on Saturday.
Dr. Elayidom stated that the principle of Palamatasaravumekam (the essence of many religions is the same) played a decisive role in shaping modern Kerala, much like the establishment of the Aruvippuram Pratishtha. Rather than viewing religions as institutions or rituals, Narayana Guru perceived them as ethos, fostering interactions that paved the way for the complementarity of different religions, he said.
He said that the dominant characteristic of religious discourse at the time was self-assertion and the refutation of other faiths. Narayana Guru’s intervention marked a radical departure from this, offering a corrective path. His vision transcended religious brotherhood and moved toward the idea of a unified religion. This concept became the core of Gurudarshan, Dr. Elayidom pointed out.
The Vakkom Moulavi Award 2024 was presented to veteran journalist T.J.S. George. Samakalika Malayalam weekly editor Saji James accepted the award on his behalf. Senior journalist G. Priyadarshanan chaired the session. K.M. Seethi and Nahas Abdul Haq also spoke.
Published – December 21, 2024 09:00 pm IST