Sanskriti Sangam – A unique experiment to realize unity in diversity

“I welcome to earth the increasing light,

Thanks to the Goddess and all she creates” (Pagan prayer on Imbolc festival)

“As per the Mayan calendar we are approaching the Zero Year. This is the period of Renaissance, and a day will come soon when everything will get vanished and the New Sun will start rising”, said Elizabeth Araujo, a senior activist from Guatemala representing age-old Maya tradition. She had come to Nagpur to attend and participate in the 3rd International Conference and Gathering of the Elders of Ancient Traditions and Cultures organized by the International Centre for Cultural Studies (ICCS) from Jan 31 to Feb 5, 2009.

Elizabeth was not the only one who felt the necessity of renaissance of ancient traditions and cultures to save the humanity standing at the crossroads today. And the ICCS provided the much needed platform to all those who believed in oneness of not only of human beings but in all that is the creation of the Supreme Being called variously by the wise men of different traditions.

There were Druids from UK and France with 82-year-old Searge Pineau, the Chief Priest and Philip Carr-Gomm from UK leading the delegation, the Pagans from USA, the Eco-spiritual Group led by Rev Ahriana Platten, the Romuva of Lithuania and the Ramava of Latvia, the Roma from Italy, the Huns from Hungary, and so on. People representing over 25 pre-Christian traditions and cultures of the Globe descended in Nagpur to find out the ways and means to revive and rejuvenate the ancient traditions and cultures in the perspective of fast changing modern world to save the humanity and other living world for the impending catastrophe of intolerance, violence of all kinds and injustices of all sorts. They all prayed for the New Sun to rise ushering in an era of universal brotherhood, peace, progress and prosperity where all that is created by the Supreme Being can live in harmony.

This was the 3rd conference. The ICCS had earlier organized similar conferences and congregations of elders of ancient cultures and traditions in Mumbai in 2003 with the theme of Mitakuye Oyasin meaning “We are all related”, and the second at Jaipur in 2006 to discuss “Spirituality beyond Religions”. The theme for Nagpur conclave was “Renaissance of Ancient Traditions and Cultures: Challenges and Solutions”.

Why all these conclaves are organized in India and not elsewhere? The simple reason is, according to Dr Yashwant Pathak, who fathered this concept of ICCS, India still remains a source of inspiration for these ancient traditions world over. Says Yugrus Liog from Lithuania: “India is bedrock of various traditions forming a confluence. He feels, “if traditions are saved in my country the way they are saved in India, it would be helpful in preserving and protecting the Lithuanian culture”. Says Dr R S Dwivedi, President of ICCS USA, “The Indian culture and traditions that are still continuing are highly respected everywhere due to its uniqueness”. Those representatives of various ancient traditions harbor tremendous faith and goodwill towards Indian traditions and look to India as a perennial source of inspiration, Dwivedi, a former professor of Cell Biology in Washington DC adds.

Colourful Procession
The conference began with a colourful procession in which all the delegates donned in their traditional costumes walked to the tunes of songs and music from Vanamati to Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall. On way they were greeted by the people of the Orange City with a shower of flowers and rose patels. The procession was led by His Excellency Porf Sam Dong Rinpoche, Prime Minister of Government of Tibet in Exile, Vandaniya Pramilataiji Medhe, Pramukh Sanchalika of Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Sri Basantlalji Shah, Chariman of Neco Group of Industries and President of the Reception Committee and other dignitaries. Some of the delegates rode on camel and horse backs to the inauguration venue.

Solemn inauguration
Inaugurating the conference Prof Sam Dong Rinpoche gave a clarion call to all those participants to come together to preserve and rejuvenate the ancient traditions and cultures to save the humanity at this critical juncture. He said that culture and tradition distinguish the human beings from other living organisms on the earth. World sans culture and tradition will be nothing more than a crowd of people without roots making co-existence almost impossible.

Rinpoche described the conference as a rare occasion and said that traditions and cultures are under threat from ‘modernism’. He appealed for “coming together to protect our tradition, adding that without tradition humanity would not be able to survive any more.

He further said that tradition has three distinct characteristics. First tradition should originate from a divine source and be brought down through the lineage of greate masters and wise people. The traditions should be verifiable through common sense and rational mind. Such traditions are then become source of culture which is described as well cultivated thing.

“Culture in its raw form is known as ‘Prakriti’, Rinpoche said. “When it is refined it becomes Sanskriti and if it decays, it degenerates to ‘Vikriti’, he explained. He said that diversity is the real beauty of tradition and culture, and appealed to all to respect the diversity to foster universal brotherhood and protect, preserve and respectfully revive the tradition and culture with a spirit of cooperation and not with competition. He underlined the need to understand the importance of diversity and creation of all diversities from one divine source.

In her presidential address Vandniya Pramilataiji Medhe laid stress on interdependence for understanding the unity in diversity. She said that India could preserve its age-old traditions even in this modern age because of its capacity to accept all that is good form others and accommodate the same with suitable modifications. That is why we find a continuity of culture and tradition throughout the Indian continent, she said.

President of ICCS USA Dr R S Dwivedi explained the activities of ICCS and role of traditions and cultures in shaping the human lives in various lands. Shri Basantlal Shaw, Chairman, Reception Committee welcomed the participants to this historically famous Orange City located in the heart of India.

Unique prayers for peace
Earlier, prayers for universal peace and brotherhood were offered by representatives of various traditions. Adam Yellowbird from Lakota tradition of USA, Solyomfi Nagy Zoltan of Hungary representing While Horse tradition of the Huns, Carall Alexander of Trinidad, Zena Duze of South Africa, Inija Trinkunine of Lithuania, Ramants Johnson of Latvia, H Carehome Pakintern of Meghalaya, Philip Carr Gomm of Druid tradition, Dr Nirmal Singh of Sikh tradition, Prof Nem Kumar Jain of Jain tradition, Dr Sandip Raj Mahind of Buddhist tradition, Rev Ahriana Platten of Pagan tradition of Colorado, USA, Pat McCabe, S D Youngwolf of Cherokee nation of USA, and other delegates offered prayers on this occasion. Those who presented prayers in their melodious voices moved the audience in jam-packed Dr Deshpande Hall.

Research Papers
Scholars from various traditions and cultures presented research papers at the 24 academic sessions which were convened daily in the post lunch sessions. Papers on Peace and Conflict, Environment, Poverty and Religion and Alternative Healing were presented by the scholars from various countries. Prominent among those who presented papers were Phyllis Bales from USA, Valdir Shevtsov from Green Gross Belarus, Dr V N Pandeya and Dr Sriniwas Tilak from Canada, Dr A K Chaoudahry from Mithila, Jona Trinkunas from Lithuania, Dr Rita Roy Choudahry of Kolkatta, Dr Staschko Potri from Poland presented a paper on Rigveda: Philosophy and Globe, Dr Pramod Pathak, Dr T Kalyani, and so on. A total of over 60 research papers were presented during the conference.

Besides lectures of distinguished personalities including Dr Ved Prakash Nanda, President of International Jurists Association and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Denver Law University, USA, Sri Suresh Soni, Sah Sarkaryawah of RSS, Ram Madhav, Jona Trinkunas, S D Youngwolf, Madan Das, Sah Sarkaryawah of RSS, Datta Hosbele, Jagdeoram Uraon, President of Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram and others daily during the two-hour morning sessions.

Rituals and Ceremonies
The delegates from different traditions and cultures presented and performed various rituals and ceremonies during the conference. The Vedic scholars from Andhra Pradesh performed the Laxmi-Ganesh Yaga on the very first day preceded by the procession and inauguration function. They produced the fire in a traditional method without using match stick. The Homam was performed under the leadership of a great Vedic Scholar Dr ChVVLN Sarma from Kakinada and supervised by Dr Bhavan Tatavarthy.

The rituals performed by the delegates exhibited to a great extent the harmony of cultures, traditions and customs of different groups. Worshipping the nature was the underlying principle of these cultures and traditions. They might have come from a different backgrounds but they all worshipped the five basic elements of nature i.e. Earth, Air, Water,, Fire and Sky. “Love the Mother Earth” was the message that emanated from all these rituals and religious ceremonies. The delegates from Hungary performed the worship of their Goddess Babba which is similar to Hindu Goddess of Tripursundari. One of the delegates became the medicine man and purified the ground. The delegate from Borneo Prof Tiwi Etika performed the ceremony of paying tributes to spirits while the Maya delegates worshipped the directions by chanting Om.

Conclusion
The four-day long conference came to its conclusion on the evening of Feb 4, 2009 with Dr Mohanrao Bhagwat, Sarkaryawah of RSS giving a call for creating a new ‘world family’ by respecting various cultures and showing ‘unity of spirit’.

Addressing a over-crowded premises of Dharampeth Girls’ Highschool Dr Bhagwat appealed to the delegates to ‘respect’ the diversities of thoughts, cultures, traditions and values that bind the human beings together anywhere in the world.

Explaining the relationship of ICCS with the RSS in a very effective way, Dr Bhagwat stated that RSS’ mission of Hindu nation is based on all round progress of the nation. He explained that the great seers and sages of the hoary past have realized that ‘fourth level’ of understanding to realize the innate oneness of all living and non-living beings. This is what he called as ‘Hinduness’, which forms the bedrock of RSS’ concept of Hindu nation.

The Western world realizes the presence of only three levels viz body, mind and intellect, which lead to clashes and wars and violence in the world. The nations which believe in only these three levels of understanding have created conflicts, conversions, extortion and injustices. The world is now looking for a change for the better living and lasting peace. Since only the Hindu philosophy has defined the ‘fourth level’ of understanding i.e. the omnipresent Atman or spirit, it can provide effective solutions to the problems of the present world, Dr Bhagwat added. All the ethnic religions and traditions world over believe in this presence of spirits and are inclusive in nature, they can realize the common factor of ‘unity of spirits’ that will bind them together to save the world and humanity from total decay in the near future. He therefore appealed to all the delegates to strengthen this ‘unity of spirits’ for the bright future of humanity and human beings in their totality.

Drawing a parallel between the work of RSS and ICCS, Dr Bhagwat said that the RSS was organizing the Hindus in India while the ICCS was spreading the message of unity of ethnic traditions and cultures. “What the RSS is doing in India, the ICCS is doing the same for other communities of the world”, he clarified.

Swami Chaturvedi Prasanna of Ramanujam sect of South India in his speech stressed on development of civilization on the basis of spiritual awakening, which he felt was the need and requirement of the hour. Only spirituality can save the humanity and nature from the impending doom, he said.

During the concluding function also the delegates from various traditions offered prayers for the better future of humanity and nature. Rev Ahriana Platten of Eco-Spirituality Group of USA read out the Nagpur Manifesto which was later accepted by the delegates by chanting OM.

Nagpur Manifesto
The Nagpur Manifesto released on the concluding function appeals to humanity to understand the underlying unity in diversity. The manifesto stated that the participants will work for reviving ancient traditions and customs which are in tune with scientific and spiritual knowledge for promoting understanding within the various communities.

The participants have decided to interact with academicians and other intellectuals in the society to bring the Ancient Traditions and Cultures in the mainstream of academic curricula. The manifesto also proclaimed the equal rights to follow and practice the traditions, rituals and philosophies for the wellbeing of humanity. Nagpur manifesto was singed by all 275 delegates attending the conference. It further appealed to the humanity to understand that the omnipresent Divinity manifests itself in different forms of deities and modes of worships but there is an underlying unity in that manifestation of the Divinity. Therefore, all the ways or worship and rituals ultimately culminate in the worship of that Divinity. Truth is one but it is perceived and explained variously by the wise men.

Visit to educational institutes
On Feb 5, 2009, the participants visited various schools and colleges in Nagpur and interacted with the students and teachers to explain them about their traditions and cultures. The interaction was very interesting and fruitful. By visiting some 25-30 schools and colleges the delegates could establish contact with more than 30,000 students and teachers. This was a record of sorts. They were received in a traditional way at every institutes and given a very warm reception. The students exhibited traditional skills like ‘malkhamb’ and performed various prayers and dance-dramas to entertain them. In turn they also shared their views and information about their traditions and cultures about which the students were unaware.

The gain of the conference
The ICCS had earlier organized two such international conferences at Mumbai and Jaipur in 2003 and 2006 respectively. Among the 90-odd foreign delegates who attended the Nagpur congregation in 2009, some 30 were repeated. Remaining were new and had the first hand experience of such gathering. They carried a very positive impression with them about the unique experiment undertaken by the ICCS. Most of them felt that the ICCS has made a very positive stride in striking the chord of unity by respecting diversities in various ethnic communities of the world. They also expressed that they had great expectations from India as it represents the ancient culture and tradition in the world. As Dr Yashwant Pathak says the success of ICCS is embedded in the concept of striking the positive chord. ‘Sarve Bhadrani Pashyantu’ is our motto, he explains. And the ICCS believes that solution to all the problems of the humanity can be found in the revival and rejuvenation of the ancient traditions and cultures. Realization of this truth was the highest gain of the 3rd International Conference and Gathering of the Elders of Ancient Traditions and Cultures in Nagpur.

By – Virag Shrikrishna Pachpore