Vishwa Dharma Prasaar Yaatra - 2001
The Common
Concern
More than 27 million people have lost their lives since World War-2 in conflicts
between people having different faiths, beliefs, ethnic backgrounds or nationalities.
Despite the earnest appeals to live in peace by various government and political
leaders, and in spite of having passed many resolutions or signing various
treaties at world forums, the genocide, war and destruction is stilt going
on. The time has come when the people of the world in general and the leaders
in particular have to come forward and share responsibility for finding
and supporting new measures for human welfare, dignity, justice and peace
and help eradicate the roots of violence.
The New Measures
There is a growing conviction that in our modern times, it is the spiritual
masters who can provide the necessary leadership and guidance for arresting
the violent conflicts in different parts of the world. Bharatvarsha has
given to the entire humanity the priceless gifts of noble and everlasting
ethical and spiritual values of life, promoted a spirit of mutual respect
and understanding, taught an attitude of tolerance and reverence for diversity,
nature and life. It is well known that from ancient times the spiritual
masters and seers of Bharat have guided time and again the human society
towards peace, both internal and external. It is about time Bharat's revered
Dharamacharyas give a call to the world and lead towards peaceful and harmonious
development of the entire humanity.
The Yaatra
The concept of Yaatra goes back to the Vedic times, when seers and sages established
pilgrimage centers in all corners of Bharat to give everyone a deep sense
of belonging and identity with the spiritual culture of Bharat. The Yaatra
was one of the matchless occasions through which message of love, tolerance
and mutual respect was shared with the world at Large. The Yaatris felt to
be a part of the larger human family. Vishwa Dharma Prasaar Yaatra2001 provides
an opportunity to Bharatiyas settled overseas and others, for darshan and
satsang with so many revered spiritual leaders of Bharat, who are the modern
torch bearers for the promotion of harmonious living of the human family.
The Theme
Everyone talks about the modern world to be a Global Village. Although the
idea of village evokes sense of community, familiarity, harmony and interdependence,
yet in reality each individual is treated just as a consumer of a larger Global
Market, where individuality, unfamiliarity and conflict reigns supreme. Hindu
Leaders Forum, Hindu net, in association with like minded bodies, including
Vishwa Hindu Parishad Overseas have envisioned to provide the world at large
the great understanding of the ancient Bharatiya concept of building a human
society that operates like a single family. In line with this thinking, and
in order to support all efforts to move humanity from one Global Market to
one Global Family, the theme of the Yaatra:
~Sustaining Global Cultural Diversity on the backdrop of Sanatan
Dharma
- World is One Family."
The leaders of the 21St Century will have to embrace this Bharatiya concept
of ~atl-inclusive' happiness, not just for their own people but for the entire
humanity.