Balm of Kabirvani, Buddha's words for unity

LUCKNOW: At a time when the country continues to put up a brave front against communal tension, it took an initiative by a Gujarat-based trust using the words of Gautam Buddha and Kabir to make people believe in the importance of unity.
Members of 'Buddha Se Kabir Tak' trust organised a unique programme 'Dhai Akhar Prem Ke...' at Sheroes Hangout on Sunday to spread the message of communal amity.
With Kabir's songs resonating in the background, people from all walks of life expressed solidarity with the trust's initiatives.
The trust has been organising the 'Buddha Se Kabir Yatra' for the last two years in February from Gautam Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini to Maghar, where Kabir breathed his last, to spread the message of peace and brotherhood.
"This year we decided to organise cultural programmes and discussions as part of the initiative. Being famous for its ' Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb', Lucknow was a natural choice when it came to selecting a venue for the festival. Next year onwards, we would organise a two-day event," said Shailendra Kabir, the programme's organiser. One of the speakers at the event and a member of Indian Missionary Society (Varanasi), Father Anand Matthews, said, "During the terror attack at Christchurch in New Zealand, the only thing that brought the country's citizens together was their belief in unity. Unity has been a part of Indian culture since the time of Buddha and Kabir." Ramon Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey, president of UP Medical Association Dr Ashok Yadav, students from Gorakhpur University, and musicians from Varanasi and Sant Kabir Nagar also participated in the event.