In a world with social inequalities, Gandhi, Tulsidas' ideologies soul of Indian society: UP guv

Lucknow, Oct 3 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Friday termed the "ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Goswami Tulsidas are the soul of Indian society," and said that they provide direction to our lives.

Speaking at a dialogue on the theme "Vasudhaiva Gandhi: Tulsi Yug kaa Swarajya Udghosh", Patel said "Gandhi ji described Swaraj as the path to spiritual freedom (aatmik swatantrata) and moral discipline, while Tulsidas envisioned Ramrajya as a place where ethics, service, compassion, and justice are the foundation." In today's time, when the world is grappling with social inequalities and and moral crises, the ideologies of Gandhi and Tulsidas are like nectar.

"Gandhi ji's truth and non-violence, and Tulsi Das' dignity and ethics, provide direction to our lives," she said, urging people to adopt Gandhi's ideals as their life's resolution and Tulsi's Ramrajya as the basis of social behaviour.

Patel, who is also the chairperson of Rampur Raza Library and Museum, virtually inaugurated the library's second festival to mark its 251st anniversary, the Raj Bhavan said in a statement on Friday. Extending greetings, she said the library's 251-year journey shows that heritage is not just a memory but an inspiration.

"The rare texts, manuscripts, and works of art preserved here are not just treasures of knowledge but also the hallmarks of our identity. They repeatedly remind us that the tree of progress can never flourish without being connected to the roots of civilisation," she added.

If there is any place in the history of human civilisation where the currents of time, traditions of thought, and cultural heritage have been preserved together, it is the library, the governor said.

"It is not just a collection of books, but a reservoir of ideas, where every generation quenches its thirst and gives direction to its curiosity," Patel said.

She also said that libraries are fundamental pillars of society that nurture knowledge, education, and creativity.

Every library is a bridge between the past and the future. Libraries are called "temples of culture" because they keep alive the collective consciousness of the entire human civilisation, she added.

Referring to India's manuscript tradition, she said sages and saints created invaluable works that embody the vision of human civilisation. Under the Centre's 'Gyan Bharatam Mission', more than 10 million manuscripts are being digitally preserved in a national repository, she noted.

The International Conference on Gyan Bharatam, convened in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was not just an event but a grand celebration of Indian literary and scientific consciousness, Patel said.

Today, India possesses the world's largest manuscript collection, encompassing not only religion and philosophy but also a vast repository of disciplines such as astronomy, mathematics, medicine, chemistry, politics, architecture, and agriculture, she said.

Special Secretary to the Governor, Shriprakash Gupta; Chairman, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Professor Hiraman Tiwari; Director, Rampur Raza Library and Museum, Pushkar Mishra, administrative officials, and other dignitaries were present on this occasion, the statement said. PTI NAV OZ OZ