Mangalore, October 2: The coastal city on Tuesday paid homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 143rd birth anniversary.
Political, religious and social leaders offered floral tributes to the statues and portraits of Gandhiji in different parts of the city with respect. Several functions have been organised in and around the city in Mahatma Gandhi's honour.
Deputy Speaker of State Assembly N Yogish Bhat, Deputy Commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura and others garlanded the statue of Gandhi at Town Hall. As part of the celebration, the district committee of Bharath Seva Dal and Department of of Public Instructions took out at a procession from Jyothi to Town Hall via Balmatta along with the students of various schools in the city.
In a function organized by Mahatma Gandhi Peace Foundation at Tagore Park, senior journalist Malar Jayaram Rai said freedom struggle was just a part of Gandhi's life and his quest for truth. He strove for the way of truth all his life. Gandhi was on par with great visionaries such as Prophet Muhammed, Jesus Christ and Socrates. Such was his teachings and the principles he followed. If one truly wants to understand Gandhi, he/she needs to understand the lives of these visionaries. He can be a role model for generations to come, such was his persona, he said.
“But today we do not feel the need to implement Gandhi in our lives. As we are unable to follow his values today, we diminish his image to a lower level than we ought to. People in the professional sphere have stooped down to such an extent that they have no time for him,” he lamented.
Mr Rai said that Gandhi had earned the name 'Mahatma' by openly acknowledging his shortcomings and rectifying them. He always preached that we ought to first master ourselves, only then could we master the world. He was always guided by his inner conscience, which is what we ought to follow, he said.
Talking about the Mahatma's vision, he said that throughout the freedom struggle, Gandhi had struggled to keep the nation from being divided. His idea of freedom was that each individual would be free and liberated. Gandhi was against mass production; instead he encouraged production by masses. He wanted every Indian to be self-sufficient, he said.
Recalling that Lal Bahadur Shastri was also born on the same day as Mahatma Gandhi, he said that we should seek inspiration in the way they led their lives. “Their guidance should serve as a motivation for us,” said Mr Rai.
Mayor of Mangalore Gulzar Banu, Vice-Mayor Amithakala and Corporator of Mangalore City Corporation Ranganath C Kini were present.
Director of Gandhi Study Centre at Mangalore University P L Dharma was also present on the occasion.
President of the foundation A Sadananda Shetty presided over the function and Secretary Dr N Ismail welcomed the gathering.
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