THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a society where religion seems to equate better with politics than with spirituality, there is no surprise if it turns out to be a hot subject. The Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi (KGSN) has come up with a unique course on religion to be offered to the young and old alike. The eligibility required is a strong desire to know the essence of all religions. The certificate course has been tentatively named ‘comparative study on religion’ and plans to imbibe the essence of five major religions-Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Jainism. Though the modalities are yet to be worked out, KGSN has begun talks with various religious heads seeking their support to run the course. The course would be one of the first ‘action research and action programme’ envisaged by KGSN under its new fold, the ‘Sarva Dharma Bhavan’ which would be inaugurated by Defence Minister A K Antony on Nov 8 on the Gandhi Bhavan compound here. It is to remodel the ‘Sarva Dharma Sadbhavana’ concept put forward by Gandhiji in a way that would cater to the new generation that the course has been designed. “Gandhiji was not against religion. He accepted it as the bedrock of the existence of this society. But it needs to be put in a right perspective to create an opportunity for the young to understand it, he believed. We mean to give it a try since religious fanaticism is growing in an alarming way and needs to be curbed. We had conducted such a course in Delhi some time back,” said Dr N Radhakrishnan, working chairman of KGSN and chairman of the Indian Council of Gandhian Studies, New Delhi. The KGSN has approached the Gandhigram University, Dindugal, Bishop Council of India, religious heads here like the Arch Bishop Susa Pakiam , Palayam Imam, Hindu spiritual leaders, senior Gandhians and Sarvodaya leaders to share their expertise.
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