VHP to organise 'shradhanjali sabha' at dist level Express News Service 14 Sep 2008 05:00:00 AM IST
BHUBANESWAR: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has planned to organise a month-long district level shradhanjali sabha (memorial meeting) for the slain social activist Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati staring from September 23. As many followers of Swami Laxmanananda could not attend his 16th day ritual at Chakapada in Kandhamal district because of prohibitory orders, the sacred soil from the samadhi of the saint was sent to various parts of the State. The month-long memorial meeting will be held at villages and culminate at district headquarters on October 23, VHP's state general secretary Gouri Prasad Rath told this paper. Puri Sankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati has been requested to attend the memorial meeting at places of his choice, Rath said. The Sankararachaya, who is observing 'Chaturmasya', a four-month vedic rituals during the monsoon season, is very keen to the proposal of the VHP. However, a detailed programme will be chalked out in consultation with the Sankaracharaya only after the 'Chaturmasaya' programme which comes to an end in October. The seer was gunned down by unidentified assailants on the night of August 23 at Jaleshpeta Ashram. The objective of organising the month-long memorial meeting is to give an opportunity to the people to pay their respect to the greate soul who has dedicated his life for the uplift of the underprevileged and downtroden people of the Kandhamal district, said State VHP general secretary Gouri Prasad Rath. It is the people's will and the VHP is respecting their sentiment, Rath maintained. Many people from across the country were keen to attend the 16th day ritual of the seer but could not make it because of the curfew imposed in the district, he said. The month-long memorial ceremony will culminate on October 23 at district headquarters and sadhus and sants from across the nation will attend the memorial function, Rath added.