‘Brain of Vedanta, body if Islam’ should come together: Prof Baraguru
Bengaluru, July 02: Noted senior writer Prof Baraguru Ramachandrappa said that those who use the name of Swami Vivekananda should understand his words “Brain of Vedanta and body of Islam”.
Speaking at a programme organized to felicitate Padmashri awardee Ibrahim Sutra, by the Akhila Karnataka Mohemmadans Kannada Vedike at Press Club here on Monday, Prof Baraguru said that “today we have two options like united India and communal India. At this time, we should understand the broad meaning of brain of Vedanta and body of Islam of Swami Vivekananda should come together”, he said.
It was unfortunate that India today was changing negatively. Pushing the equality backward, caste, religion and communalism were coming forward. By using the positive aspects of the concepts like religion and God, the disease of caste and religion should be removed. The literature of Sufi saints would also give effective treatment to eradicate caste and communal diseases, he said.
In recent days, the devotion was made capital. One should see the God within himself and the God should not be brought on to the streets which is not devotion or spirituality. Communalism has replaced the humanity. “We are in a panic situation and we should ask ourselves that are we growing weapons in the land where crops were being grown”, he asked.
At the 500th anniversary of St. Kabeer, some national leaders have misused his name for political gains which is a tragedy. In recent years, the number of swamijis for each caste was increasing. Caste politics, religious politics and party politics have come together to exploit the common people. At this moment, there was a need to establish communal harmony, for which, the number of people like Ibrahim Sutara should be increased, he said.
After being felicitated, Ibrahim Sutara said that “one should understand his religion and philosophy. Besides reading our religious text, holy texts of other religions should also be read. Later, the religion of others should be respected. This is real harmony. But one should have broad mentality to achieve it”, he said.
“All religious scripts have mentioned the God. If all texts were read honestly and precisely, we can understand that everything is same. But nowadays, without understanding any religion, efforts are on to disturb the communal harmony between religions”, he said.
“Going in search of the God is not a religion. We should search the God within ourselves. We should understand that body is temple and life is God”, he said.
Retired IPS officer U Nissar Ahmed, former vice chancellor Prof KR Iqbal Ahmed, writer Dr K Sharifa and vedike president Samiullah Khan were present.
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Kerala government to create microsite on ‘Islam in Kerala’ to boost tourism
Thiruvananthapuram: In a bid to showcase Kerala’s rich Islamic heritage and attract a diverse range of tourists, the Kerala government will create a microsite on ‘Islam in Kerala’. The initiative, supported by Kerala Tourism, will feature a comprehensive digital presentation tracing the historical and cultural roots of Islam in the state. Kerala Tourism has sanctioned a sum of Rs 93.8 lakh for the development of the microsite, which aims to highlight the socio-cultural evolution of Islam in Kerala over centuries.
Islam has a deep-rooted history in Kerala, dating back to the 7th century. The microsite will serve as a digital platform to explore the role of Islam in shaping Kerala’s history, architecture, lifestyle, arts, and cultural practices.
The microsite will be divided into six chapters, each highlighting a distinct aspect of Islamic heritage in Kerala, aimed at both domestic and international travellers. According to an RTI filed recently, the content for the microsite is currently under development, with active research being carried out. Field shoots are being conducted at various historic mosques across the state to visually document it.
The first chapter, ‘History of Islam in Kerala’ will focus on the early introduction of Islam in the region, particularly through traders and their first settlement along the Malabar coast, as reported by The Hindu.
Chapter two will be on the Islamic pilgrim centres in Kerala such as Beemapally in Thiruvananthapuram and Juma Masjid in Kasaragod. A host of ancient mosques which are pilgrim centres, including the Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kodungallur, Jama-at Mosque in Malappuram, Mishkal Mosque in Kozhikode, Odathil Palli in Thalassery, Palayam Mosque in Thiruvananthapuram, Ponnani Juma Masjid, Pazhayangadi Mosque in Kondotty and Vavar Mosque in Erumely, will be featured, the publication added.
A third chapter will delve into the rich culinary skills of Muslims — Mappila cuisine, the distinct culinary tradition that blends traditional Kerala, Persian, Yemeni, and Arab influences. This segment will highlight the vibrant costumes of the community, including weddings, pre-wedding, and post-wedding ceremonies, which are expected to be an attraction for tourists.
Another chapter will focus on architecture, particularly the fusion of Arabic and indigenous construction techniques seen in the state.
The final chapter will cover art forms and festivals celebrated by Muslims in Kerala, including the influence of Mappila songs, a form of folklore that emerged in the 16th century.
“There is a need to bring together all the information on Islam, which played an important role in shaping Kerala, under one roof, as part of tourism promotion. This will help tourists and play a major role in bringing religious scholars, historians, students, and pilgrims to Kerala,” a senior officer with Kerala Tourism told the news outlet.
The launch date of the ‘Islam in Kerala’ microsite has not been decided yet. Earlier, Kerala Tourism had created similar microsites on Christianity, Judaism, and temples in Kerala.
