Interfaith prayer commemorates Gandhi
THE Consulate-General of India, in association with the Gandhi Development Trust and the Phoenix Settlement Trust, held an interfaith peace prayer to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Phoenix yesterday.
Ela Gandhi, Gandhi’s granddaughter, said the occasion was organised to promote compassion and love in every religion that adhered to those values.
“We felt that levels of violence are an important issue that the world and South Africa are facing at the moment,” said Gandhi.
She said they believed that giving every religious group an opportunity to express their values would be a good starting point.
In addition, she said that they were also concerned about the environment and the toilets at the Phoenix Settlement had been replaced with new eco-friendly toilets which turned waste into compost.
Anish Rajan, Consul-General of India in Durban, said people shared Gandhi quotes on social media and wore T-shirts bearing his image but questioned if they practically made an effort to “be the change we want to see in the world”.
“We don’t have to wage a freedom struggle, we have to wage a struggle against poverty, unemployment, inequality, religious hatred and all kinds of divisions,” he said, adding that as ordinary people, we can all become Mahatmas.
“We really need to at least on this day rethink and rededicate ourselves to the values of Mahatma Gandhi.”
A three-day conference themed “The Confluence Of Spirituality And Life and Gandhian Legacy For The 21st Century” will be held at the Phoenix Settlement from today.