Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, on Tuesday, described "One Caste, One Religion, One God" as a great and timeless slogan, saying that Sree Narayana Guru stood at the forefront of guiding society towards the future. He was inaugurating the 93rd Sivagiri Theerthadanam conference at Sivagiri, one of Kerala's most important spiritual and social gatherings rooted in the Guru's reformist legacy.
Vice-President Radhakrishnan said the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru had played a decisive role in leading society forward by challenging deep-rooted social divisions. "The Guru taught us that love is the greatest faith," he said, adding that the values and lessons imparted by Sree Narayana Guru continue to inspire generations and would remain relevant in the years to come.
He described Sivagiri as the centre of both the mind and the body, and said the Guru's central mission was the upliftment of the human mind. "The Guru's vision was to liberate people through education and knowledge," the Vice-President said.
"His aim was to make learning and awareness accessible to society at large, and that objective was realised through his life and work." He underlined that the ideals propagated by Sree Narayana Guru were not confined to any single era but transcended time, helping society move towards harmony, equality and enlightenment.
The inaugural session was attended by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and State Minister M.B. Rajesh, among others. The annual Sivagiri Theerthadanam celebrations began earlier on Tuesday with the hoisting of the flag by Swami Satchidananda, President of the Sivagiri Mutt.
Adding intellectual depth to the occasion, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's latest book, 'The Sage Who Reimagined Hinduism: The Life, Lessons & Legacy of Sree Narayana Guru', was released at the inaugural venue of the pilgrimage. The book was formally released by Vice-President Radhakrishnan, who handed over the first copy to Governor Arlekar during a ceremony held at the Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala.
Tharoor's book examines the life and philosophy of Sree Narayana Guru and the transformative changes he ushered in during the Kerala Renaissance, while also exploring the Guru's wider impact on Hindu thought and social reform. The convergence of spiritual discourse, public leadership and scholarly reflection at Sivagiri once again highlighted the enduring relevance of Sree Narayana Guru's message in contemporary India.