25th International Ramayana meet on Nov 27

MYSORE: The greatest epic Ramayana will be a topic of discussion at an international meet starting November 27.

Delegates from 45 nations will attend the 25th International Ramayana meet and the main speakers are from India, Thailand, UK, US, South Africa, France, Netherlands and Mauritius. The city-based Avadootha Datta Peetham is organizing the meet to explore spiritual dimensions of Ramayana. The Vishwa Sahitya Sanskriti Sansthan will co-sponsor the event that will focus on key components in the Indian epic like spiritual values, unity and human understanding.

Avadootha Datta Peetam secretary Mansadatta on Monday said the meet is spread over six sessions that will focus on subjects like spiritual dimensions, similarities in messages from Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana, Ramayana in Indian languages, Ramayana as basis for global cultural relations and human understanding and Rayanana’s divine experiences and inspirations. The meet will also focus on science in Ramayana and management of leadership in Ramayana. Trinidad and Tobago high commissioner Pandit Manideo Prasad is one of the speakers.

International experts in Ramayana studies like Svetlana Dinges from France, Netherlands-based Maharshi University V-C Kush Visser, Birminghams International Gita Foundation chairman P V Nath, Gian Dhunnookchand from Mauritius, professor in Sanskrit from Silpakorn University in Bangkok Chirapat Prapandvidya, Mauritiuss Ramayana Centre trustee Sujata and Ram Mohan Tewari from Holland Medical Academy are the main speakers.

Indian speakers include Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan chairman N Ramanuja, Aralumallige Parthasarathy, who is a scholar in Dasara literature, Ramayana scholars like Maulana Ali from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Chandra Bhushan Mishra from Patna, Y P Singh, who is director of Lucknow-based Ayodhya research Institute and Vedic scholar Jayanti Manohar.

Previously, the meet was held at Thailand, US, Mauritius, Canada, Nepal, Belgium, Indonesia, China, South Africa and UK and other nations. Meera Datta, retired post master general, the organizing secretary of the meet, said the interest about the Indian epic is deep rooted among foreigners.