Mangalore: Sonia Gandhi Inaugurates Kudroli Temple Centenary Celebrations
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Oct 18: The centenary celebrations of Kudroli Shri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple and Dasara festivities were inaugurated by Congress national president Sonia Gandhi at the Temple premises here on Thursday October 18.
Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the celebrations first by unveiling the plaque and then by symbolically handing over the Billawa community flag to Kudroli Temple committee president H S Sairam.
Addressing the gathering, Sonia said, "I am previleged to be in this most sacred place. I am also happy because my late husband (Rajiv Gandhi) was here before to inaugurate the renovated Kudroli Temple years ago."
Extolling the teachings of Sri Narayana Guru, she said, "Sri Narayana Guru was a great philosopher and social reformer whose thoughts had influenced Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore. He constructed many temples in Kerala and Mangalore too is influenced by his teachings."
She further said, "He was also a social reformer whose ideology eradicated discrimination and brought people of all walks of life to the mainstream.
"His philosophy of 'one caste, one religion and one god' is still present amongst us, and Kudroli Temple has preserved this philosophy with great sanctity, which attracts people from all corners. Kudroli Temple is the symbol of social harmony," she said.
"Ours is a great country, which respects all cultures, castes and religions. There is social unity. Dakshina Kannada district is famous for being multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and multi-caste. It is our sacred duty to preserve this tolerance," she added.
Sonia further spoke on Sri Narayana Guru and said that he established many educational institutions and that people of all faiths follow him.
"Let us re-dedicate ourselves to this place," she declared.
Addressing the gathering, an elated Janardhan Poojary, managing trustee of the Temple, said, "I am the luckiest person today, being here with Madam Gandhi. I have no words to express my joy."
Recalling the Temple's connection with the Gandhi family he said, "Earlier Rajiv Gandhi had visited Kudroli Temple to inaugurate it on February 8, 1991, after its renovation. Now we have Sonia Gandhi inaugurating the centenary celebrations. We are obliged to the Gandhi family."
Showering praises on the Gandhi-Nehru family, he said, "Rajiv Gandhi was a great man. He dedicated his entire life to the nation. We are obliged to the Gandhi-Nehru family because they have sacrificed a lot for the nation."
"Today is a great day in the history of Kudroli Temple, a day I can never forget," he declared, adding that the country needs the services of the Gandhi family.
Sonia Gandhi was presented with an idol of Radha-Krishna by Poojary on the occasion.
Earlier, Sonia offered puja in the Temple and inaugurated the Dasara festivities in the hall where the Navadurge idols are installed. She was honoured with a shawl.
Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes and his wife Blossom, union railway minister K H Muniyappa, state opposition leader Siddaramaiah, J P Suvarna, Urmila Ramesh Kumar and others were present.
Tight security was deployed in the Temple premises. Though 2,000 passes were issued to the public, only those with VIP passes, around 200-300, were allowed inside the Temple.