Date:07/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110754280200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati

Indian ethos waning fast: seer

Special Correspondent

‘Hinduism respected world over is losing grip in its own land’

Jayendra Saraswathi releases book authored by former legislator
Former Sikkim Governor says Indians ‘aping’ western lifestyle

– Photo: K. V. Poornachandra Kumar

Holy presence: Sri Jayendra Saraswathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham at the book release function in Tirupati on Friday.

TIRUPATI: Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, chief pontiff of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, has described India as the ‘mother’ of all lands (nations) and most ancient country in the world.

He was addressing a meeting at Tirupati on Friday after releasing the book, ‘Cambodia: The Land of Hindu Temples’, authored by N.P. Venkateswara Chowdary, former legislator of Chittoor.

The Kanchi seer regretted that the greatness of Hinduism and the Indian ethos respected world over was rather ironically waning fast in its own land -- India due to a variety of social aberrations. “Our own people are looking down upon our great religion and its time-tested values”, the Kanchi mutt head said.

Shift to other faiths

He said only Hindus are embracing other religions while those belonging to other faiths were remaining strongly rooted to their religion and steadfast in their love towards the tenets of their religious orders.

V. Rama Rao, former Governor, Sikkim, also expressed similar views and said that rather strangely when those in the Western and the European countries were looking towards India in their quest for ancient knowledge and mental peace, Indians were aping western culture and lifestyle. Mr. Rao cited United States President Barrack Obama himself reportedly saying recently that the contemporary Americans have a lot to learn from India, especially Bangalore, which of late, was emerging as a great science and information technology hub.

Dr. R. Nagaswamy, former Vice-Chancellor of SCSVMS and Director, Department of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu, gave a talk on Camobdian temple architecture. Prof. Vaidyanathan Shivakumar, V-C, SCSVMA, Kanchipuram, delivered a lecture on ‘Indo-South Asian relations over the centuries’.

Dr. A. Eswara Reddy, former Speaker and founder-president of the Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Institute of Public Administration (MAIPA), Tirupati, which hosted the book release event, presided. TTD’s Executive Officer, I.Y.R. Krishna Rao, N.P.Chengalroy Naidu, former MP and father of N.P.V. Chowdary also participated.