Research centre will help strengthen cultural ties with Baltic nations: Guv

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 7

Governor KK Paul inaugurated the Baltic Research Centre at Dev Sanskriti Viswa Vidyalaya in Haridwar today.

He highlighted the similarities between the Indian culture and that of Baltic countries. Dr Pranav Pandya of Dev Sanskriti University welcomed the Governor.

He said in the Baltic culture, gods and goddesses of earth and nature are worshipped. The system of worshipping the sacred and eternal fire still continues in these countries. “The 14th century ruler of Lithuania, Gediminas, had decreed that Lithuania must be a land of tolerance,” the Governor said.

He said the establishment of the Baltic centre would not only strengthen our cultural ties with Baltic countries but also encourage research and explore our heritage, which had remained suppressed, in our country as well as in the Baltic states, due to the colonial administration.

“This Baltic centre will help foster and promote joint publications, joint development of learning resources, research activities and exchange of students,” he said.

The Governor said the Indian civilisation was the oldest and a continuous one. All others have had gaps, some vanished completely and some revived. But it is the Indian civilisation which is known to be over 5,000 years old. He said the amazing resilience of the Indian civilisation was based on certain eternal truths enunciated in Upanishads which have remained valid at all times.

He said: “Vedanta is the culmination of knowledge, the sacred wisdom of the Hindu sages, and the transcendental experience of the seers of truth.”

The Governor said India had conveyed the message of peace to the entire humanity and the greatest need today was to establish harmony amongst people of the world and harmonise religion with the modern science. He said Indian culture, since ancient times, had encompassed environmental conservation by encouraging nature-worship and rituals which prevent unbalanced exploitation of environment.