Dhankhar lauds ‘forerunner’ Bengal’s culture, says ‘Bharat is spiritual centre of the world’ | Kolkata News

“As the Governor of West Bengal, it has been my workplace and as Vice-President this is my first visit here.  Today the entire world is keeping an eye on India for two reasons: a.) economic development which is beyond imagination. Today there is a reputation that no country is developing like Bharat. Bharat becoming a developed country is no more a dream. b.) No country on the globe has such a treasure of knowledge. No other country in the world has a 5,000-year-old ‘sanskriti’. Bharat, in the entire universe, is the centre of spirituality. It is the spiritual centre of the world. We have to carry this momentum forward,” he said.

Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose and Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and MoS Tourism were among others present on the occasion.

Referring to the 150th birth anniversary observations of Srila Prabhupada by the mission, Vice-President Dhankhar said UNESCO’s stand to accord recognition to the 150th birth anniversary as a cultural and historical event showed the “world now gives recognition to Bharat’s spiritualism and civilisation which is rooted in its Sanatan values.”

“It is an honour to be a part of the closing ceremony of the 150th birth anniversary of spiritual and religious leader Srila Prabhupada, he was the yug purush of the 20th century. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a commemorative stamp and coin. These are the symbols that reflect our civilisation. However, challenging it could be if you think and read his messages you will get guidance. Orchestrating this magnificent celebration which is on for 3 years has enlightened the flame of spirituality,” the Vice-President said.

He said that the Gaudiya Mission has promoted Sanatan Dharma as a global path of peace, love, and harmony.

Prabhupad was instrumental in popularizing Indian spiritual thought in the West. “Sanatan Dharma stands for inclusivity, universal values, patriotism and rising above caste, creed and economic divisions. Biggest change a society witnesses when no one feels deprived,” he said.

Paying tribute to Bengal, he described it as the forerunner of every significant movement—be it spiritual, cultural, or related to the freedom struggle.

“… Kolkata where the programme is ending is one of the epicentre of culture. Bengal is the birthplace of (freedom fighters) Khudiram Bose and Chittaranjan Das and has also seen contributions of luminaries like Chaitanya Maharaj, Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore. It is also the birthplace of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who had read the Gita only at the age of 7 years and whose margdarshan (guidance) was a crucial force for both the state and the country,” he said.

He, however, expressed regret over the setbacks India faced around 1,000–1,200 years ago when renowned universities like Nalanda and Takshashila—once attracting scholars from across the world—were attacked.