Remembering Mahatma Gandhi at Temple Trees

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa offered a floral tribute in a ceremony held at Temple Trees. Deputy High Commissioner of India Vinod K Jacob represented the High Commissioner, along with other Indian diplomats.

This birth anniversary marked the culmination of a two-year celebration of the 150th year from the birth of Mahatma Gandhi.  

After the ceremony, the Prime Minister queried about Mahatma Gandhi's famous visit to Sri Lanka. The Deputy High Commissioner recounted that Mahatma Gandhi had toured Sri Lanka extensively in 1927 from Galle to Point Pedro. In his address to students at Ananda College, Mahatma Gandhi had spoken about Gautama Buddha: "His was the right path, right speech, right thought and conduct. He gave us the unadulterated law of mercy." The Deputy High Commissioner further noted that Buddhist principles which were a great influence on Mahatma Gandhi are also enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

The Deputy High Commissioner also conveyed his gratitude to Minister Namal Rajapaksa for his tweet recalling Gandhiji's legacy and noted that this would contribute towards acquainting young minds with Gandhian philosophy and ideals.

More than 70 years after Mahatma Gandhi departed from our midst, his life and ideals continue to guide humanity transcending national and international boundaries. The world today recognizes that Mahatma Gandhi’s guiding principles of   Ahimsa (nonviolence), Satyagraha (the force born of truth and nonviolence) and Sarvodaya (upliftment of all) illuminate the path to deal with the challenges faced by entire humanity, from terrorism to development, climate change to governance.  

To celebrate the profound legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, the Government of India had decided to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with a series of events beginning from October 02, 2018 and culminating on October 2, 2020. Events in over 100 countries around the world, including Sri Lanka, have celebrated Gandhi’s contribution to humanity and its development. Last year, Sri Lanka Post issued two commemorative postal stamps on Mahatma Gandhi to mark his 150th Birth Anniversary.
 
At the event in Temple Trees in the presence of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Lahiru Komangoda, Sashi Mallikaratna, Ms Thamaransi Eranthika and Kanika Edirimana performed a soulful rendition of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite devotional hymn ‘Vaishnav Jan To tene kahiye’ (Those people are Vaishnav, that is true devotees, who feel the pain of others).