Author: Renuka Suryanarayan
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: June 22, 2001
One visit to the city, to consecrate
the new Dwjasthambam at Mahalakshmi temple last Sunday, His Holiness Shankaracharya
of Kanchi Jayendra Saraswati, shares his views with Newsline.
"I've been to Bangladesh recently
at the invitation of the Government. Now the Ministry of Cultural affairs
of China has invited me, though the agenda hasn't been finalised yet. I
shall be a cultural ambassador and discuss cultural unity," he reveals.
Since both India and China share
a culture that is thousands of years old, it's important for us to be united
culturally, he feels. He then goes on to talk about the alleged conversion
of ten lakh people to Buddhism.
"All this is staged by politicians.
They are not going to benefit by changing over to Buddhism, "is his firm
opinion. The Kanchi Seer feels that politically this conversion is not
right and that those converting will not benefit economically.
By renouncing Hinduism, they will
lose whatever benefits they have been enjoying as well as their traditions.
Those who changeover will have to
bear the doshas of relinquishing traditions. Though conversions in any
religion are wrong, the Swami feels it is not in the hands of the Government.
Another issue close to Kanchi Seer's
heart is the IT field. The Mutt is on to IT in a big way.
Pragnya, a model park in Kanchipuram
is Kanchi's contribution to the IT revolution, conceived by the country's
best brains and guided by a team of high profile technocrats. It is a proof
that religion and science do go hand in hand.
"There is a two-fold reason to set
up this park. To stop Indians from going abroad and to have something ready
for those who have gone and want to come back," explains the Seer.
"People go abroad because opportunities
out here are scarce. But if we create a good enough infrastructure for
them, they won't go," is his rationale.
The Acharya then goes on to talk
about the royal family in Nepal, whom he was close to. "The tragedy was
not because of traditions, other factors seem to be at work. The time had
come and it happened. It's all idle talk to say it happened because of
some royal traditions. Traditions should always be adhered to."
As for the new Government in Tamil
Nadu, the Seer is firmly convinced that they will not interfere in matters
relating to temple pooja.
