Delivering his valedictory address at the two-day national seminar “Kabir: A Great Communicator,” at Kushabhau Thakre University of Journalism and Mass Communication, Chhattisgarh Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Ajay Chandrakar on Saturday said Kabir had deep rooted influence on people and tradition of Chhattisgarh.
“Spirituality had a great influence on the people of Chhattisgarh and Kabir was one of those spiritual leaders who influenced them quite strongly,” the minister remarked.
He further added that research on the communicative aspects of Kabir would add new dimension on his influence here. He stated that Kabir’s writings spoke about public welfare, public good and humanity. Written some 600 years ago, the writings reflect Kabir’s world view.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Mansingh Parmar, who presided over the concluding ceremony, said Kabir’s writings are full with journalist ethics and these aspects should be taken care of by the present day journalists. He also stressed on research on the communication of saints and Indian philosophers.
Dr R Balashankar, Convener of the two-day seminar said Kabir pioneered the process of resistance during the era of Bhakti movement and this was his great achievement. Dr. Balashnkar further said Kabir’s core thought process was his neighborhood and he communicated through simple language hence could reach out so many people with ease.
Vice Chancellor of Bilaspur University Prof. (Dr.) G D Sharma said the social stress at his time might have triggered the social evolution that was reflected in Kabir’s writings.
Sant Mangal Das also threw light on the Kabir’s multifaceted personality. The co-convener of the seminar Dr. Narendra Tripathi presented the proceedings of the seminar where as registrar of the university Dr Sandeep Vansutre proposed the vote of thanks.
Prior addressing in the fourth technical session (theme: Kabir Harmony) of the two-day national seminar, former union minister and Kabir scholar Dr Sanjay Pashwan said the name ‘Kabir’ was the assimilation of all human aspects. ‘Kabir’ justified his name by speaking about social harmony. “He knows the way, goes the way and shows the way to bring social harmony,” Paswan said.
The former union minister said social disharmony was the reason for most of the social problems we are facing today. To get rid of these problems, we need to revisit Kabir again and again.
He also called upon the students of communication to understand the communicative aspects of Kabir and accordingly communicate with the masses to bring about maximum impact.
Prof lP Mishra, who presided over the session said Kabir taught us the way as to how to live the life. Prof Mishra said Kabir was advocating for man to know himself so that he could get satisfaction and can bring harmony in the society and added that in the era of ‘weapon of mass destruction,’ Kabir is the way out.
In the sixth technical session, Dr Vijay Sonkar Shastri, former MP said Kabir’s writing was on ‘lok’ and not ‘society.’ While ‘lok’ encompasses everything around him, ‘society’ deals with only human beings. “This reflected the entirety approach of Kabir,” he said.
Prof Shrikant Singh from Makhanlal Chaturvedi University of Journalism and Communication said Kabir as a communicator tried to unite the society. He had a pluralistic approach. This is the key that today’s communicators should take from Kabir.